What to do if you miss your turn?

Provisions can differ: the 2025 French Championship (Championnat de France) regulations allowed the judge to examine a dog that was absent at the judging and give it a grade, without a placing. This example shows why you need to check the rules of the show concerned.

MyDogShow tip: Don’t count on a catch-up examination: other shows may rule out any later examination of absent dogs.

Beginner — Reacting simply

1. Speak up straight away. Approach the steward without interrupting the examination of another dog. Give your number, breed and class: it helps them find your entry quickly.
2. Check that you really have missed your turn. Ask: "Has my class already been judged, or have I only missed the call?" Then wait for instructions before going in. Do not join the dogs already in the ring on your own initiative.
3. Keep your dog calm. Rushing won't help. Settle nearby, with a relaxed lead, while the steward checks the situation. You need a clear answer; your dog needs to get its bearings back.

The useful phrase: "Hello, I'm number 125, in junior class. I missed the call. What can I still do under the regulations?"

Intermediate — Understanding the possibilities

1. Ask whether an examination without placing is allowed. Some regulations provide for this possibility, at the judge's discretion. Even where it exists, it is optional: asking politely does not guarantee you will be examined.
2. Tell the grade and the placing apart. The grade assesses the dog's quality, for example "Excellent" or "Very Good". The placing gives it a position among the competitors. An examination without placing therefore does not let you recover a missed first place.
3. Accept the answer and ask where to wait. If an examination is possible, ask for the time and place. If it is refused, avoid asking the judge several times. You can use the day to watch the handling and prepare better for the next show.

Advanced — Handling special cases

1. If you suspect an organisational error, gather the facts. Keep the schedule you were given, your number and any instructions you received. Explain the problem precisely to the steward, then to the secretariat if necessary. Your own lateness and a turn run contrary to the announced information call for different checks.
2. Quickly check the complaints procedure. Look at the event's regulations: deadlines and formalities can be strict.
3. Turn the incident into a concrete adjustment. Identify the cause: wrong ring, inaudible call, break that ran too long or simultaneous turns. For next time, choose a suitable measure: check progress with the steward, stay within earshot or arrange a handler to cover.

MyDogShow tip: If you are thinking of making a complaint, act quickly: depending on the regulations, it may have to be in writing, submitted within a very short deadline, sometimes an hour, and accompanied by a deposit.

The trap to avoid

Asking to go in a different class to make up for being late. The 2025 French Championship regulations forbade the judge from judging, at the exhibitor's request, a dog in a class other than the one it was entered in.

The reminder: "I speak up, I check the options, I follow the instructions."

Sources

• Société Centrale Canine: 2025 French Championship regulations (PDF, in French)
• FCI: Regulations for FCI Dog Shows (PDF)