The world of conformation dog shows has an interesting structure and a complex point system. Point schedules vary by location and the number of breed members present at a particular show. The point system paves the road to a championship and grand championship. It takes a while to understand, and just when you think you understand, you learn something new.

For us at Guardian Bears Kennel, the most important thing has always been to have fun along the way, put our best paws forward, and may the best dogs win. All of the complexities aside, here are the most common wins handed out by judges at dog shows:

Winners Dog (WD)
The male chosen over all male class dogs (non-champions) present in a breed

Winners Bitch (WB)
The female chosen over all female class dogs (non-champions) present in a breed

Reserve
The runner up if the Winners Dog or Winners Bitch is disqualified for any reason

Best of Winners (BOW)
Best representative of the breed between Winners Dog and Winners Bitch

Best of Breed (BOB)
Defeats all dogs present in the breed; goes on to Group competition with other BOB winners

Best of Opposite Sex (BOS)
Deemed best of the breed in the sex opposite to that which won Best of Breed

Select Dog (SD)
Deemed second best male champion present in a breed

Select Bitch (SB)
Deemed second best female champion present in a breed

Group (GR)
The Best of Breed winner advances to group competition to compete against other breeds in the same group. The #1 dog in the group goes on to compete for Best In Show.

Best In Show (BIS)
Defeats all dogs present at show

There are many other wins to be had at dog shows, depending on the type of show, the sanctioning organizations, and the competition events that are offered. Some include Best Puppy In Breed (BPIB); Best Puppy In Group (BPIG); Best Puppy In Show (BPIS); Best In Specialty Sweepstakes (BISS); Award of Merit (AOM); Award of Excellence (AOE); and many others. The AKC is a great resource to learn more about awards and other dog show-related terms.