We are occasionally asked why we choose to compete in so many different dog show organizations. Rather than focusing exclusively on one registry, you’ll find our dogs competing in AKC, UKC, IABCA, ICKC, and occasionally other venues as well. While earning championships is certainly rewarding, our primary goal has never been to collect ribbons. Our goal is to continually evaluate our breeding program through as many knowledgeable eyes as possible. While we generally find the highest level of competition to be in the AKC breed ring, I have gained the most knowledge from a judge from Argentina I was able to sit and discuss French Bulldogs in depth with at an IABCA show.

Every judge brings a unique perspective to the ring. Judges come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Some have spent decades breeding French Bulldogs, while others have extensive experience with Bulldogs, non-sporting breeds, or all-breed judging. Many have backgrounds as professional handlers, longtime exhibitors, veterinarians, or breeders of other structurally demanding breeds. Each judge evaluates dogs through the lens of the breed standard, but their experiences naturally influence what they notice first and what they value most.

Receiving consistent recognition from judges with different backgrounds provides valuable feedback that simply cannot be replicated by showing under the same panel repeatedly. When a dog is rewarded by specialists, all-breed judges, breeder-judges, and judges from different organizations, it increases our confidence that the dog’s virtues are broadly recognized and not simply the preference of one individual.

Every Venue Has Something to Teach

Each registry offers a slightly different experience, and we believe there is value in all of them. AKC shows often feature deep competition and provide opportunities to compare our dogs against some of the country’s finest French Bulldogs. Success there demonstrates that our breeding program can compete at a high level.

UKC places strong emphasis on the total dog, rewarding not only correct breed type but also sound movement, temperament, and the partnership between dog and handler. Our performance events are valued just as highly in UKC as our conformation titles and judges at a UKC will not blink an eye at excusing a dog with a truly poor temperament or bad gait.

IABCA provides another valuable layer of evaluation. Dogs receive detailed critiques from multiple international judges, many of whom have backgrounds in European breeding programs or different kennel club systems. Those written evaluations are an excellent educational tool, highlighting strengths while identifying areas that could be improved in future generations.

Rather than viewing these organizations as competitors, we see them as complementary. Together they provide a more complete picture of each dog.

Titles Are More Than Letters

It’s easy to think of championship titles as simply adding letters before or after a dog’s name. While titles certainly represent accomplishments, they also serve an important purpose for future generations.

Years from now, prospective puppy buyers and breeders studying pedigrees won’t be able to meet every dog in those family trees. The titles earned by those dogs become part of the historical record, demonstrating that they were evaluated by independent judges and met established breed standards.

Even more meaningful is when those titles are earned across multiple organizations. That tells a richer story than success in a single venue. It demonstrates that a dog has consistently been recognized by judges from different backgrounds, under different systems, and in a variety of competitive environments.

No Judge Is Perfect—and That’s the Point

Dog shows are subjective by nature. Ask five qualified judges to rank five quality French Bulldogs, and you may receive five different answers. That subjectivity is not a flaw. It is part of what makes showing valuable. Instead of relying solely on one opinion, we intentionally seek out many.

Patterns begin to emerge over time. If multiple judges, from different organizations and backgrounds, consistently recognize the same strengths in a dog, that feedback carries significant weight. Likewise, constructive critiques that appear repeatedly help guide future breeding decisions. Showing in multiple venues helps us separate individual preference from consistent quality.

Always Learning

Perhaps the greatest benefit of competing across several organizations is that it keeps us learning. Every weekend in the ring is an opportunity to observe outstanding dogs, talk with experienced exhibitors, receive thoughtful evaluations, and continue improving our breeding program. No breeder has all the answers, and we believe the best preservation breeders never stop seeking knowledge.

Showing isn’t about chasing trophies or collecting titles for the sake of prestige. It’s about holding ourselves accountable, continually evaluating our dogs, and ensuring that every breeding decision is made with the long-term preservation and improvement of the French Bulldog in mind. The ribbons eventually get packed away. The lessons we learn from judges across multiple venues stay with us for generations of dogs to come.