and purchase of your future show prospect. If it is a puppy, it is assumed that you have gone through all the proper preliminaries of good care, which actually should be the same whether the puppy is a pet or a future show dog, with a few extra precautions in the case of the latter.
Remember that a winning dog must be kept in trim, top condition. You want him neither too fat nor too thin, so do not spoil his figure and his appearance, or his appetite for proper nourishing food, by allowing family members or guests to be constantly feeding him "goodies." The best treat of all is a small wad of ground raw beef or carrots. A dog in show condition must never be fat, nor must he be painfully thin to the point of his ribs fairly sticking through the skin.
The importance of temperament and showmanship cannot possibly be overemphasized. These two qualities have put many a mediocre dog across, while lack of them can ruin the career of an other wise outstanding specimen. So, from the day your dog or puppy arrives home, socialize him. Keep him accustomed to being with people. Encourage your friends and relatives to "go over" him as the judges will in the ring, so that at the shows this will not be a strange, upsetting experience. Practice showing his bite. The puppy should also be accustomed to having his jaws opened wide in order for his teeth to be counted.