Age Calculator

Wondering what class to enter at the dog show?

Use our Dog Age Calculator to ensure you enter the correct class.

Regular Classes

The seven regular classes at a conformation dog show include:

• Puppy Class: dogs at least 6 months and under 12 months of age. The club may also further divide this class into 6-9 months and 9-12 months.
• 12-18 Month Class: dogs at least 12 months and under 18 months old. This class may also be further divided into 12-15 months and 15-18 months by the club.
• Novice Class: dogs that have not previously won 3 first places in Novice Class, a 1st place in Amateur-Owner-Handler, Bred-by-Exhibitor, American-bred, or Open Classes or who have not earned one or more points toward their championship.
• Amateur-Owner-Handler Class: dogs handled by the registered owner who has not, at any point, been a professional dog handler, an AKC approved conformation judge or employed as an assistant to a professional handler.
• Bred-by-Exhibitor Class: dogs handled and owned by its breeder.  The club may also further divide this class into Adult Bred-by-Exhibitor and Puppy Bred-by-Exhibitor.
• American-bred Class: dogs whose sire and dam were mated in America and the dog was born in America. This is a required class.
• Open Class: a required class that any dog may enter. This is the only regular class that Champions are eligible to complete in.

After a breed’s regular classes are judged, all the dogs that won first place in a class return to the ring to compete to be named Winners Dog (males) or Winners Bitch (females) and earn championship points and advance to best of breed judging.

Non-Regular Classes

Some dog shows may also offer non-regular classes, which are held after the regular classes are judged. Non-regular class winners are not eligible to compete for championship points. The premium list will state which, if any, non-regular classes are offered. You’ll most likely find these classes held at specialty dog shows.

The most common non-regular class is the Veterans Class, which is for dogs who meet a minimum age requirement set by the club. Age varies with breed; often dogs 7 years of age or older are eligible to enter. The winners of the class are eligible to compete for Best of Breed.