Hi all

First post and also a newbie to the dog show scene

My puppy bitch has been placed first and also best puppy in show at a champ show and qualified for Crufts 2018 but at the date of Crufts she will be 12 months and 2 weeks old.

Will she have to be entered into a different class as she is over 12mnths or do they have some give to allow for the extra days over ?

If she is too old what class would she then be in?

Hope this makes sense and thank you all

The age classes definitions will be in the schedule when it is released by Fosse Data. The easiest way will be to enter online & the site will automatically offer the classes your dog is eligible for.

Never shown a dog myself in breed shows only sheepdog trials but looking at the online sites it looks simple

The day a dog has its first birthday is the last day they count as a puppy.  Your dog will need to be entered in junior which is 12-18 months.

Though for a number of years,  due to the qualifying period Crufts did make their Puppy class. "Special" and the age was to 14 months.

Now with later qualifying,  that includes Manchester  I think the class will be to 12 months.

Do not rely on the on-line system only showing eligible classes,  as that only works for age classes,  and if your dog is a champion.

I feel that many newbies arnot helped by the on-lkne system,  because as a result people don't read tbe rules,  and class definitions.

Always read the class definitions,  and you can't go wrong.

Enter the lowest class your eligible for, and if in a breed with small entry numbers the next one for experience.

The OP's dog is a puppy

The lowest class you can enter would be junior.

As Brainless made comment, there was a time when Crufts was Special Puppy & it went upto 14 months(if my memory is correct) but it changed a couple of years ago. The puppy class is the same as other shows & as the OP's puppy will be 12 months & 2 weeks at Crufts, it will have to go into Junior....if the class is available for the breed.

Over 12 months, by however short a time-period and she's out of Puppy I'm afraid.   So she'll need to go into the next lowest class she's qualified for.   Read the rules on the entry schedule - don't rely on her being automatically moved to the right class!  

Her breeder might help you because it also depends on how mature, or not, your bitch looks