Choosing showline puppies from a litter - Page 1

Being new to the showing dogs I am about two months from breeding if my bitch goes on heat. How do you select a stud male to use on her and how do you select one or two that has potential to do well in the show ring. Because you cant keep them all and even more scared that if you sell one that one would have been the best of the lot

"Being new to the showing dogs I am about two months from breeding if my bitch goes on heat."

Please don't.

I suggest you skip this heat and study up.  You have no business breeding your bitch until you know more.  How old is your bitch?  Have you OFA'd her hips and elbows yet?  You need to find a reputable  breeder who is willing to teach you what he/she knows and then find another and another and compare notes.  There is sooo much to consider about the bitch before you even look for a stud.  You might get some helpful responses if you posted a picture of your bitch and her pedigree.
Good luck.
Deb
   

how old is your bitch?
does she have a working title?
does she have a show title?
are her hips and elbow certified?

yes she has a+ hips and she got sg 2 at the last show. What I wanted to know was what do you look for in pups to know they will be of show quality

oh yes she 19months old

When you are showing her to get her show rating, look at what sires are producing progeny which is the type you like, and also getting good show ratings, and working titles.  Then check the pedigree of your dog, and the pedigrees of the Dam's of the progeny you are looking at. You want to find a male with good hip ratings, good producing with bitches of similar pedigrees  to your dog.  I'm a bit of a pedigree fiend so tend to scour this site and the European site  http://www.working-dog.eu/  See what his siblings produce, his sire, etc.  Look for working titles as well as good show ratings.  Talk to your dog's breeder and see who they recommend, and why,often there are hidden issues to consider that looking at a webpage doesn't show.  Expect to pay a huge stud fee to use a well know sire, and you may need to look at AI with chilled/frozen semen if the male is not near you.  Big thing is not to rely on breeding to "The big pretty one  who is only an hour away" as it's rarely the best match for your dog.

I start picking my preferences in a litter in the first couple of days, looking @ length of body, length in loin, shoulder angle, length of stifle, length of neck etc...  I then review all those issues at 5-6 weeks, and generally have my preference of 2 or 3 in the litter. Watch the temperament of each puppy, who's the 1st into the food bowl, who's the first to grab a toy, who refuses to give up a toy to it's littermates.  My final pick comes at 8 weeks, and it's usually one definite pick, or close between 2 of them.  For show OR WORK... both aspects of the pup is critical.  Have the breeder, or someone else who's opinion you respect review the pups, and explain to you what they are looking at and why they choose one pup over another.  LISTEN.. and heavily consider their opinion especially if they have a history of showing Bred by pups and winning.  If they have litters of their own, and they'll let you, go and look at their litters and have them explain what and why they are choosing certain pups.

NOTHING WILL TAKE THE PLACE OF EXPERIENCE!!   and the comments others have made are very true, and well intentioned. As your gal is only 19 months there's no rush to breed her.  Our baby is 27 months, and won't be bred for the first time til next spring.  I've narrowed the possible males I wish to use to 3-4, and will most likely add and subtract options between now and then.  One has been bred to females of similar pedigrees, and produced pups I really like the type on, he's only SchH I, but is young, and in training for other titles. One is an older dog, who has produced puppies I REALLY like, but he's 9 or 10, and may not be fertile come spring.  Another is SchH  III, V rated in conformation and is producing very well, but don't know if he's been bred to bitches if similar pedigrees to my bitch.  I think the point others are making is to sit on your desire for babies, and spend more time going to shows, and studying pedigrees, and looking at other litters with experienced breeders.  That way your 1st litter will be one you can be proud of, and you'll have contacts within the GSD community to help you with questions, and finding good buyers for your pups.  Wish you luck...