Here's my little Margo dog strutting her way towards her Junior Warrant (JW) title.
I keep being asked to explain what the JW title means so I will try my best....
JW is one of only four show titles you can attain in the UK. The Kennel Club does not recognise any conformation showing titles than JW and those listed below:
Champion (CH)
Veteran Warrant (VW)
Show Certificate of Excellence (ShCex)
In order to get a JW, you have to gain 25 points within a 12 month period. They must be gained before a dog is 18 months old. This is also the only Kennel Club title with a time constraint on it. All of the others, you can take as long as you like to complete.
The points must come from both Championship shows and Open shows.
You can only get the points by winning first places or being the highest placed puppy in your class. In each class, you have to have beaten a number of dogs. If you haven't beaten enough dogs, you don't get any points.
Some shows you can only get 1 point, no matter how many first places you win, others you get 3 points per win.
So what do we get in return?
Well, I'm poor. You don't win money. This is done for the prestige alone.
Shows cost around £20-£50 to enter and then there's the travel, hairspray etc etc!
But it was worth it! Not many dogs gain their JW and I am told that Margo is the first silver standard to do this in 17 years!!! A real achievement.
I can now add the letters JW after Margo's name when it appears in any show catalogue, so she will now be known as:
Marcasite Aurora Skies JW
She will also be recorded in the Stud Book (the Kennel Club Official record of dogs and their pedigrees) and this qualifies her for Crufts for life.
Additionally Margo is also able to compete in the Junior Warrant Heats next year - a competition for all dogs who have won the title, not just poodles.
If we passed the heats, it would give us an additional competition we could enter at Crufts.
Getting the title with my little girl has taken me further than I have ever been with any dog before.
I am so excited to see what the future holds for her.
