Litter Picks - Page 1

Some thoughts--- Everyone that looks at a litter has a different thought--- The biggest male? The best looking "bone"? The puppy that seems to pick them? The puppy that seems most "alpha" at that moment? The darkest-- the lightest? Want a female?----Every male is out! NO ONE can actually choose someone else's pick. The breeder knows the litter best by observing and interacting every day of their lives. The breeder can make a choice for someone else to the best of requested traits? Perspective---- I have a litter of 12. Eleven puppys are spoken for. You come, you see, you play with, you apply your personal "tests", you choose the puppy you like. IF, IF the puppy you choose is the one NOT spoken for-- YOU have the pick of the litter!! YOUR pick of the litter. Is that not what we talk about when we say "pick puppy"??? With many years and many litters I can attest that this happens ALL the time. As a responsible, professional breeder of many years experience I can NOT, and Will NOT, let anyone take one of my puppies if it is NOT their choice. Of course, there is conversation, I have input, the adopter has input--- the choice is clear or the puppy stays! Some thoughts--- Morgan

I do the Volhard Temperment test on all my puppies, and placement is based on its results. I think that every puppy is a "pick" puppy...just depends what you want that puppy for. I would choose a different dog than most other people, because I am a trainer and work my dogs...they are pets too...so I want one that will do it all. An Older couple would want a soft puppy that they could baby and it not take advantage of the situation.... I personally don't let people pick out of the full litter...after the test, and after I have spoken to them in detail, gotten a feel for THIER temperment and what it is that they are looking for in a dog, then I will take the pups that have the temperment that will work for that family and let them pick out of that group...but not the whole litter. I have to say that i have never had a dog returned because of the dogs drive or temperment.

Having someone else pick your pup seems nuts to me. We all have different aggendas and opinions on pups. If I had the breeder or my trainer pick my pup for me, I would not have the awesome pup I have in my backyard now. You are the one who has to live with the dog, if you have any dog background at all you should be able to choose the right one for you. Unfortunatly many people are rather dumb in this area and I agree with SS, that is many cases the breeder can do a betetr job at picking a pup. Especially to pet people, who tend to not know what is best for them or the dog. If you can't agree with a breeder on how the pick will be done, don't put a deposit down. The buyer and breeder should know before hand how the pick will be made. So far I have had many differnt opinions by breeders how the pick is made. One breeder was to have an associate in Belgium pick the pup for me, I had never even talked to these people about what I wanted in my pup. I also never recieved enough info from the breeder about pups, to form a opinion of my own on the litter. My deposit was left and I said No Thanks, in the end. Another breeder gave us first pick female of our choice. Well only 2 females were born so that wasn't much of a choice. I didn't recieve enough info, ie video, to make a clear choice until pups were 7 weeks old. I still wasn't comfortable with what I saw on the video to make a final commitment to own the pup, so I said no thank you again. I didn't feel bad because the breeder assured me the pup was wanted by someone else, if we didn't take her. Another breeder sent me video and front and side views, of every pup from the litter, from 4 weeks on. The breeder talked at huge leangths with us about the pups and what we wanted from the dog. This breeder was able and willing, to do what he needed, to show us the quality in his pups. Choosing, I want to say was easy with all of the info. Really though this litter was so good the choice was very hard. I even threw sex out the window at one point, the females where that good. In the end, I am glad I was able to make my own choice for pup. He lives for time with me and I love him just as much in return. More than pedigree's and quality of pups is important to me, in my doing business with a breeder. If a breeder shows me respect and as much of his/her time as I need to make my decision, I will always pick that, over my want for a particular pup. I must know the breeder is as eager as I, to place the right pup with the right person. After all you are forming a relationship, almost like inlaws for the next 10-? years of your dogs life. If you are completely satisfied with this breeders service, interest and help with pup pup, how many buyers will be back when we want another? Just food for thought for some of the breeders out there. =)

"Pick of the litter" is still a crap shoot. The breeder can best pick for you in my opinion, but the breeder may not "do the right thing" if he or she wants to save the pick for themselves or for someone else, when you are supposed to get the pick. Therefore, unless you trust the breeder the utmost, I guess you would have to do the "picking" on your own, with the breeder pointing out certain traits or things to you. It is still a crap shoot with the possibility that the runt may actually turn out to be the best. If you play Texas hold'em poker, you know that even if you have pocket aces and put all of your money on the table, half the time you get outdrawn by two pair or a straight, by some "fool" that called your "all in" with an 8 and a 9. You do your best but there are no guarantees. I don't understand the numerous postings on this site referencing things like "At 11 months old my dog was not cut out for schutzund so I tried to return it for another" kind of statments. Where is the loyalty to your dog. Exactly what color was the crystal ball the breeder had. C'mon people. Live with your decisions. Don't expect the breeder to be Nostradomus. I know a contract is a contract, but how many of your dogs are gonna be sent back until you get what you want. They are not cars. They are living things, with attachments and feelings. If your son doesn't make it to the NBA or NFL, don't "give him back" to his mother and go make another. Live with what you have. Remember, your dog didn't pick you and he ain't getting rid of you:)

DoRight-- I'm glad someone finally said it-"how many of your dogs are gonna be sent back until you get what you want"- Honestly, I'll never understand them and neither will you. I can't say anymore...I'm so tired of these people.

In reply to your comments on not allowing a prospective buyer of one of your puppies, to see the entire litter. Through the years I have been working and training dogs, mostly GSD's, I have found it to be entirely impossible to know what your going to get with a puppy, when they are still among their litter mates. I have found that with a hour or so, you get a genral idea of what this puppies temperment is. But to truely know what a puppy will do and how it will act, you must remove the puppy from it's comfort zone, to see how it can interact with humans, and other animals on it's own without the support of the pack. Also, you can have a dog that is perfectly matched to the person your supplying, and through enviroment, this dog will change to adapt to it. It's always best to look at the whole litter and to see how they interact among themselves, then from there look at what is important to you as far as traits that work for making your choice. I have done this for the last 2 dogs I have purchased and have had great sucess, and wonderful working/pets. Thanks thederdog

If I know that the person buying a puppy knows what they are doing when picking one out I will let them look at the whole litter and decide. I won't let uneducated pet buyers, who will end up picking for color or the biggest in the litter, do this...they will not pick the right puppy for them.

every ones pick is different depends on what they want to do with show litters you better have good relations wtih breeder and they know your going to do right by pup or you dont get good pup - so many americans just dont' get that with working pups if you know what you are doing and have titled dog then you should have input on what pup you get - breeder has to figure out what pup is right for what home. If you have never shown or trained, why do you think you can do better choosing pup than breeder? Is a good breeder going to let a nobody take all their pups and test them - someone wiht no experience? HeXX no!! If you are experienced and have picked pups and made schh3 with them - then you should already know breeder well enough for trust. Pups are ALL blank slates. 4th pick pup with top trainer will go further than 1st wtih nobody. Look at yourselfs for sucess or failure - not an 8 week old pup. JimT

Allow me to clarify?? Previous statement---- You come, you play with, -- that is the entire litter--- I hide nothing and every puppy is socialized with every visitor. I mentioned conversation and input--- No one leaves with the wrong puppy! I approve or the puppy, any puppy does NOT leave. If I really thought thought someone "didn't have a clue" they would not be taking any puppy anyway! Morgan

Do Right Very well said!!