Q. My dog is a purebred Bichon Frise and I'd like to get into shows. How do I go about doing that if I'm under 18?
A. Your age has nothing to do with entering your Bichon in a dog show. If your dog is registered, contact your breeder or your local Bichon Frise club to find out if your dog is considered “show quality.” In other words, does he meet the criteria of the Bichon Frise breed standard?
You should attend some dog shows without your dog to see what the champion Bichons look like and how they are shown. Achieving the powder puff look required for the show ring is difficult and not a talent learned overnight. Your dog may have a better chance being shown by a professional handler who has the skill to groom and exhibit the dog competitively.
Not every purebred dog is automatically a show dog. However, since dog shows are an expensive hobby, you want to start out knowing that you have a dog that can hold his own in the show ring.