Can you enter an 8 month old puppy in the 9 - 12 class?

No. Any wins you get would be disallowed.

No. You need to enter the 6 to under 9 class.

The age of the puppy is determined on the date of the show - so if the puppy is under 9 months, he must be in the 6-9 month class. I believe the AKC allows class changes for age in the puppy classes if the entry was done wrong and the puppy needs to be moved to the correct class.

I could enter an 8 month old pup in open (if I were stupid) but I just can't enter her in 9 - 12, or 12 - 18???

I think you have answered your own question - the dog either fits the age requirement or it doesn't.

I have a puppy dog that is very "mature" for his age and will not be shown in puppy classes. He is just 9 months now and would fit right into a 12-18 class. However, I can't enter him in that class Instead, we entered him in Novice class for his first weekend and will be showing him in American Bred until he is a year old. Sometimes a big, mature pup just looks out of place in a class with its age group.

You could, by why would you want to? Any wins or awards would be only revoked later. I was actually moved up from 2nd place to 1st place, (by mail a few weeks later) because the bitch in my class belonged in the 12-18 class, and was ineligible for the placement in 9-12. What if she had gone WB, and had that win revoked? That would be a horrible feeling for sure.

That has happened (quite a few times) and how do you think the winner of 2nd behind the DQd WD or WB feels knowing they should have had a shot at WD/WB?
Pretty crummy...

The age classes are just that - for the ACTUAL age of the dog, not what class you think the dog fits in. If you enter the dog in a class he doesn't qualify for - by AGE - then any awards will be taken away.

Why are you even wanting to enter an 8-month old in another class? If he's too big to fit into the class (your opinion), enter him in Bred-By (if you bred and own him) or Am-Bred instead.

There is a new option now, too. The Amateur owner class.

In all the years I showed, I have only been moved up from reserve to winners once. It was precisely for the reason we are discussing. The first place 12-18 dog was winners and my dog went second in the class and RWD. The dog was over 18 months by a few days and the win was disallowed, giving my dog an extra point. Read the rules for each class and only enter dogs that meet the regulations.

I have 2 pups, both within a few weeks of each other in age and both will belong in the 6 - 9 class in an upcoming show. I just wanted to be able to handle them both. One is more mature, and would be fine in 9 - 12 (if it were legal). I think novice is too big of a jump. Not that I care much about winning at this point, as I just want to get them out, but I don't want her to look too out of place.

I was in that position last year. I just put one of them in bred by. We looked a little out of place, but she got her experience in the ring. That's all I really want with a pup anyway.

Novice wouldn't be what i considered a jump of any sorts

"MINOR PUPPY For dogs of six and not exceeding nine calendar months of age on the first day of the Show.

PUPPY For dogs of six and not exceeding twelve calendar months of age on the first day of the Show.

JUNIOR For dogs of six and not exceeding eighteen calendar months of age on the first day of the Show."

Above was quoted from another thread about classes in England. I wish we did it this way in the U.S.