Complete Breed Requirements

• 1). Select one breed of dog upon which to concentrate your studies and your breeding efforts, because judges must at one time have been breeders. Dog show judges typically start out judging one "group" (category) of dogs. If you must have more than one breed of dog, then select them from the same category. For example, it is better to choose to breed the collie and the Australian shepherd (both herding group), than it is the collie and the Gordon setter (herding and sporting groups).
  
  
• 2). Study your breed standard(s) and test your dogs against those standards by competing in dog shows. Learn about the top winning dogs in your breed(s) and compare your dogs to them. Join a dog club dedicated to your breed and participate in one or more online groups associated with your breed. You must become an expert on your breed(s). Every sport that relies on judges to select their winners expects expertise from them.
  
  
• 3). Breed your required number of litters. Most associations require that their judges have bred several champions in their breed, whether or not they own them. For this reason you must select the best possible mates for your dogs and be willing to put the effort into either showing them or finding "show" homes for them.
  
  

Climb the Ranks

• 1). Become a ring steward. Stewards lay out ribbons and special awards for each class, call exhibitors to the ring and mark a special catalog that acts as a backup record if there is any question about the entries in the judge's book. Many judges consider stewards to be the source from which future judges will come and are willing, as a teaching tool, to discuss the placement of particular dogs within a class.
  
  
• 2). Become a junior showmanship judge. The AKC requires prospective judges start by stewarding or judging junior showmanship. Although judging juniors will not give you breed experience, it develops ring presence and provides valuable experience running a ring.
  
  
• 3). Apply for your judge's license. New AKC judges select two breeds to begin, after which they may select additional breeds annually. Only a few judges ever qualify to judge more than one breed group; fewer qualify to judge best in show.