Dogs from all over Canada and the United States will be heading to Moir Park next week for the Annual Six Breed Championship Dog Shows.

During Aug. 26-28, the Cranbrook and District Kennel Club will be hosting their 38th show in Cranbrook and this year's conformation shows have been altered a bit.

For each of the three days there will be two shows held at two different rings in the park, which will be judged by two separate judges each day.

"The judges are only allowed to judge 175 dogs per day, that's the rule. So what we do is limit the shows and we can hold 2 shows in a day-," said Nancy Lopaschuk the treasurer and chief ring steward of the Cranbrook and District Kennel Club.

By hosting two shows each day with six different judges in total, exhibited dogs have the chance to be judged and awarded points six different times.

"The exhibitors like it… its more bang for their buck because two shows, two judges, more points," said Lopaschuk. "Instead of three sets of points like we used to have a Friday, Saturday, Sunday show where they could only get points for championships in three shows, now they can get them in six shows."

There are 1050 entry slots, but that doesn't mean 1050 different dogs will be exhibited, there is overlap in contestants within the shows.

"Some exhibitors will put their dog in three, and put a different dog in the other three," said Lopaschuk. "It depends on who needs points and it depends on what those particular judges prefer, so they will sometimes pick and choose which dog they will show to which judge and that's a pretty common thing in the dog show game."

Conformation shows are unlike obedience championships which judge the dogs on how well they work and not how they look- so with conformation a judge's preference can be a major factor.

This year championships, which only include conformation shows, judge 175 dogs by first separating them into seven groups- sporting, hounds, working, terriers, toys, non-sporting, and herding.

A dog must first receive best in breed within their group, and then can be judged within that group- four dogs place in each group before competing for best in show.

Puppies also compete this way to receive best puppy in show, but instead of four puppies placing only one is honoured.

"It's a process of elimination," said Lopaschuk. "It's a little bit complicated but once you're there you can understand it."

Spectators are welcome to come, watch the shows, and meet the dogs- there is no cost for coming to observe.

"We don't ever charge- we've never ever charged for our dog show," said Lopaschuk. "It's a public park and we like to offer it to the people- the folks in Cranbrook to have an opportunity to bring their kids, see the dogs and not have to pay a bundle."

Following the West Kootenay Kennel Club's show in Castlegar this weekend, dogs and their handlers will start showing up in the Cranbrook area which will bring in some revenue for the city.

"Some are coming this way to holiday for three or four days and then they're going to show in our show," said Lopaschuk. "So it is a huge benefit to the businesses and the people here. They all eat, they go to restaurants, they all buy groceries and gas, and do the touristy thing while they are here, and they really like it here."