What DOES show quality mean anyway? - Page 2

Knowing what I know now?
I would buy another pup on the lines and what I saw in the pup.  Never sight unseen and what the breeder said him/her to be.  And I would get lots of references.
just my 2 cents.

Jen

To Robin (crhuerta), or whoever has a knowledgeable answer:

I liked your post, and you sound like you have experience showing and breeding dogs. I do have a question for you, though, because it sounds like you have more experience than I do and I'm still trying my best to learn from others. When you say that a "show quality or prospect" puppy is a puppy that can push for the front of their class under most judges... can you tell this, or have a pretty good idea of this, in an 8 or 9 week old pup? Or are you more likely to tell this at another age, such as 3-4 months old when they are old enough to actually enter a show?

Another question (like I said, I'm incredibly curious because I want to learn more), if you usually wait to be able to tell this when the pup is 3-4 months old (or whichever age you usually decide this at?), then how do you decide which pups are most likely to be show quality (hypothetically assuming all pups are structurally sound at that age, but with normal variances) at 8-9 weeks old? I say 8-9 weeks since thats the age that most breeders sell thier pups. This is what I wish I knew, but don't have experience about. For example, I bought a pick of the litter show quality puppy who was, at 9 weeks old, absolutely stunning. By four months old I began doubting her potential when she grey very lanky with wavy fur and the start of a bitch stripe, and I was sunk at her first show when we ended up at the back of the class.

Anyhow I hope you recheck this post and respond, I'd love to learn more about how those with experience decide which pups have the most show potential (if there are no disqualifying faults). I hope these questions are still considered 'on topic' haha.

Hi Champion,

We start evaluating puppies as early as 6 weeks.  Structure is structure...bone is bone.
Where a shoulder bone "lays", it continues to "lay"....placement of certain "structural" elements will stay the same.
Normal to flat whithers....stay normal to flat in the end.  Correct angles of the upperarm, stay correct angles of the upperarm.   Shorter hocks are shorter hocks.  Body proportions will end up "over-all" the same body proportions.
ALL puppies goe thru the "eek!...hide'em in closet stage"...ESPECIALLY male puppies.
But.....you must actually "know" what you are looking for....the entire "package" must come together.
We place puppies in a "natural" stand...at 6 weeks.  We look for all the "elements" to be exactly where they should be for that age......then we spend as much time "watching" their movement, extension......and when they STOP moving, where everything "places"..
Personally, I love the age of 4 1/2 - 5mos.  That is when they look the most like "little" adults, only "mini-me" size.
It has been our experience...(most of the time).....what they are at 6 weeks, (not 7,8,9,)etc....they end up as adults.

Again, this is our protocol......every breeder does things different......I will not debate their ways, whatever works for them.

Thanks for asking,
Robin

What I have found it has always meant (in AKC) is that the dog will have no disqualifying faults when mature.

It's a pretty weak guarantee for the buyer but protects the seller whether the pup ever wins anything.

Rik