Wondering where to start?
Mentorship
Toy Club of Greater Houston is dedicated to improving the welfare and sport of purebred dogs. To that end, we have an excellent member willing to help connect newcomers with experienced mentors.
Mentors are invaluable in getting started with quality dogs, whether you wish to show eventually or not. If you do, though, they're often a priceless resource.
Get Started In Dog Sports and Events
What does a dog club do? At a minimum, you can expect a passionate group of folks dedicated to the welfare and continued existence of one or more AKC breeds of dog/s. Novices are always welcome and encouraged, but clubs are a rich resource of experienced dog owners, ethical breeders, and sportspeople. Expect each club to have its own Code of Ethics...these relate to animal care, welfare, and often personal conduct and behavior during club functions and AKC events.
There are many kinds of dog clubs under the AKC umbrella.
Some are sport-related, such as clubs focusing on Obedience, Scent Work, Rally, and so forth. Others are called All-Breed clubs; as that implies, its members own any of the AKC-recognized breeds. Most All-Breed clubs are busy and host at least a few dog shows and events annually. Then there are Group Clubs, such as this one, which cater to the owners, breeders and exhibitors of all the breeds in one of the AKC's seven breed Groups . There are Specialty Clubs, which focus on just one given breed. Finally there are the National Clubs...these are the AKC "Parent" clubs for each individual AKC-recognized breed nationwide. Each national breed club will host an annual National Specialty Show...this is where breeders, exhibitors, performance and conformation dogs, friends and fanciers of a given breed all congregate in one spot for a few days each year to celebrate their breed, cheer on new puppies and famous old dogs, attend seminars, meet breeders, and more. If you decide to get serious about a breed, your "National" is not to be missed.
Most all AKC clubs, from small to large, offer a wealth of information, Rescue, Public Education, and current canine health information and research. Many offer programs for kids, known as Juniors .
Find Shows In Our Area Shows are conducted on behalf of a club by AKC Event Superintendents; Onofrio is probably the most commonly-used "Super" around here. Each Superintendent's website will have links to upcoming shows with all the accompanying information.