Tail length and carriage, feet formation, coat and overall attitude will all go into picking the right dog. In conformation there are Champion titles given to dogs. These titles are earned by winning points at several shows. Points at a show are determined by the number of dogs entered in a specific breed and run from one to five points per show. To earn a title, a dog must win fifteen points with at least three of them being major point shows under three different judges.
Majors are shows where three or more points are given.
Conformation classes require the dog to be at least six months of age, registered with the AKC and be whole. This simply means the dog cannot be spayed or neutered or have undecended testicles. For those whose dogs that do not meet the standard, there is the option of showing in obedience. These classes are open to all AKC registered dogs over the age of six months and sterility is not an issue. In obedience trials, a dog is judged by his or her ability to obey specific commands.