Level 3Experienced
I can't find my number: how do I get it back before the ring?
The answer
You have your dog, your lead and your treats… but the card with your number seems to have vanished! Before emptying your whole bag, tell two situations apart: you don't yet know the number assigned to your dog, or you know the number but have lost its holder.
Here are nine tips for finding the right information and getting ready for your run.
Beginner — Finding your number
1. Check the show documents
Check your exhibitor card, the attachments received by email and your space on the entry platform. Look in your spam folder too.
The trap to avoid: confusing the order number, the ring number and the number assigned to your dog.
How it is sent or downloaded depends on the event.
2. Look for your dog in the catalogue
When the catalogue is available, search for his official name, the one used for the entry. Also check the breed, sex, class and owner to avoid any mix-up.
Example: your dog is called "Oslo" day to day, but his entry may begin with another name followed by his kennel prefix.
At FCI international CACIB shows, the dogs are numbered in the catalogue.
3. Ask for help at the information desk
If you can't find anything, show your entry confirmation at the secretary's office. Give your dog's official name, his breed, his class and your name.
A useful phrase: "Hello, my dog is entered but I can't find his number. Could you check his entry?"
Intermediate — Solving the problem before the call
1. Find out how to get the card
The number assigned and the card you have to wear are two different things. Check the organiser's instructions to find out how to get the holder provided.
The key: ask where to collect your number as soon as you arrive, before setting up.
2. Report a lost card
If you know your number but the holder is missing, ask the team which solution they accept: a replacement or another way of displaying the number.
To avoid: making up a new card without getting the number and the chosen solution confirmed.
3. Tell the steward if your run is approaching
Briefly explain the problem and show your entry details. The steward can check that you are present and point you to the right person.
Why talk to the steward? Under the FCI framework, the steward is involved in, among other things, gathering the dogs by class and checking for absentees.
Advanced — Avoiding mix-ups between dogs and days
1. Prepare a sheet for each entry
Note the dog, the date, the class, the number assigned and the ring. If you take part over several days or events, check each entry separately.
The useful detail: don't assume your dog keeps the same number from one show to the next.
2. File each number with the right information
If you show several dogs, prepare a folder for each dog or clearly link each card to its sheet. Before each run, check that you are wearing the matching number.
Your mini-check: right dog, right class, right number.
3. Have any inconsistency checked
Does your dog appear in a different class, does the information not match, or can't you find him in the catalogue? Show your proof to the secretary's office and ask for a check before the judging.
Remember: proof of payment helps in looking for your file, but on its own does not let you work out your number or change your entry.
The habit that makes it all simpler: photograph your number as soon as you get it, then always keep its holder in the same place.
What the official documents say
Whether an exhibitor card is available depends on the organisation.
MyDogShow tip: depending on the event, your exhibitor card may be sent a few days before the show or be available on your entry platform: check the arrangement planned rather than applying it automatically from one event to another.
For FCI international CACIB shows, the rules provide for continuous numbering of the dogs in the catalogue. They also set out the duties of ring stewards.
The folders, photographs and sheets suggested here are organisational tips, not regulatory requirements.