Does my puppy have show potential?
Does my puppy have show potential? Good question. I am frequently asked this question and am happy to give some information on this. First, what is a show dog? A show dog is a good example of the breed. See https://www.oldworldmastinos.com/neapolitan-mastiff-standard This would be a great example of the breed standard by type from a visual aspect. By breed type does it truly look correct? In the case of the Neapolitan Mastiff as seen in the above link, does your puppy have these visual traits.
A puppy that was selected by a well established breeder with a history of producing dogs that look correct according to the breed standard and has a proven track record of producing similar dogs and consistency will increase your odds dramatically for a show potential puppy.
If your puppy has the visual traits that is necessary to be a potential show dog one day the next question you should ask is are there any clear faults? This could be incorrect coloration of the eyes, crooked tail, severe over bite, lack of wrinkle, lack of bone size, coloration in areas that are incorrect, fearful or hyper aggressive temperament.
The third question is how is your puppies gate?With the Neapolitan Mastiff, they should drive from the rear legs, extending their front legs in a slow but powerful movement. They should never prance, pace or move in a way not correct with the standard.
If you've asked yourself these 3 questions and are in good shape the final question would be, is your puppy well socialized and upbeat and friendly? This is the only question you can ask that you have control over. The first 3 are based on genetics.
From day 1 if your are considering showing your puppy, socialization is crucial. Taking them around many different people, putting them in different situations and places will help in this process. It will give them a positive experience and increase their confidence which will help their success in the show ring.
There is a lot of work that goes into a show dog besides genetics that we will cover later but here is a few tips to see if your puppy has show potential. Hope to meet you and your show dog in the ring one day. :-)
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