Specialty Dog Shows are very special 🙂 Lets look at the various kinds of dog shows. "All Breed" shows, are just that, all breeds are allowed to enter and show. "Limited Breed" shows are for multiple breeds, usually one of the AKC groups, such as the "Toy" group, the "Sporting" group, etc.

Specialty Dog Shows are for a single breed. This is a much smaller show than an All breed show - because it is just one breed showing, but Specialties are VERY popular with exhibitors. Usually a judge has a great deal of experience in the breed being shown. For example, with a Great Dane Specialty the judge is likely to be a Great Dane breeder or perhaps a breeder of a breed built very similarly to the Great Dane. Exhibitors that receive awards, exhibitors that "win" at a specialty feel very good about their wins.

The awards, ribbons and trophies are a bit more elaborate at a Specialty show. There are often special events like a Raffle Table and special classes, like parades for veterans.

Exhibitors with their dogs travel further for a Specialty, so the breed entry numbers, in our case, the Great Dane entry is usually much higher.