Conformation

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In this intense competition, a Pharaoh Hound is judged based on how closely its conformation (structure, key breed attributes, and movement) matches that of the ideal Pharaoh Hound, which is described in the standard.  While in the conformation ring, the judge will observe each dog stacked (standing posed), gaiting (trotting), and free-stacked (standing naturally).  The judge will also do a hands on examination of each dog.  Some people refer to this event as the "dogs' beauty contest".  It is open to any registered purebred of any recognized breed and is the only AKC event which requires contestants to be intact (not neutered or spayed).  In AKC conformation, the title a dog earns is a CH. before his/her name.  This stands for "Champion of Record."

To earn his/her AKC championship, a dog (of any breed) must accumulate 15 "points" under a minimum of three separate judges, and, among those 15 points, the dog must have two "major wins."  Points are garnered by defeating an allotted number of other specimens of your breed (this number differs between the breeds and between geographical regions,) and a "major"  is when you defeat enough other dogs to win  three, four, or five points at the same show.

There are six regular classes open to all un-finished (not yet champion) dogs of each sex, and one regular class for "specials" (dogs which are already champions of record.)  This is for the regular breed judging.  Beyond breed, there are 2 other levels of competition.  The following table elaborates on how a dog show works, from start to finish:

 

 

Regular Dog Classes
-Puppy Dogs 6-9 (for males over 6 months but under 9 months of age on the day of the show)
-Puppy Dogs 9-12 (for males over 9 months but under 12 months of age)
-Dogs 12-18 (for males over 12 months but under 18 months of age)
-Bred by Exhibitor Dogs (for males who were bred by their handler)
-American Bred Dogs (for all males who were whelped [born] in America)
-Open Dogs (open to any and all males)
The 1st place winners from each class return to the ring and the Winners Dog (best) and Reserve Winners Dog (2nd best) are chosen.  Only the Winners Dog must stick around for further judging.  In order to earn the points, your dog must win Winners Dog.  To win Reserve Winners Dog, or to take 1st place in your class is an honor, but no points are awarded.

Regular Bitch Classes
-Puppy Bitches 6-9 (for females over 6 months but under 9 months of age on the day of the show)
-Puppy Bitches 9-12 (for females over 9 months but under 12 months of age)
-Bitches 12-18 (for females over 12 months but under 18 months of age)
-Bred by Exhibitor Bitches (for females who were bred by their handler)
-American Bred Bitches (for all females who were whelped [born] in America)
-Open Bitches (open to any and all females)
The 1st place winners from each class return to the ring and the Winners Bitch (best) and Reserve Winners Bitch (2nd best) are chosen.  Only the Winners Bitch must stick around for further judging.   In order to earn the points, your bitch must win Winners Bitch.  To win Reserve Winners Bitch, or to take 1st place in your class is an honor, but no points are awarded.

Best of Breed Class
-Best of Breed "Specials" Class:  This class is for all dogs (either sex) who are already Champions of Record.  The Winners Dog and Winners Bitch also re-enter the ring at this time.  From this class (including the two Winners), Best of Breed (the best example of the breed on that particular day), Best of Opposite Sex (to the BOB winner), and Best of Winners (the better of the two regular Winners) is selected.

Group
There are 7 AKC groups (Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding).  All of the Best of Breed winners of the day compete against one another in their respective group, and placements 1st thru 4th are awarded.  Only the Group 1st winner must stay for further judging.

Best in Show
Only the 7 group winners of the day are eligible for this class, and only one is selected as the best dog (of all the breeds combined) of the whole day.  There have been 6 Pharaoh Hounds to date to have earned the prestigious honor of an All-Breed BIS.