Topoftheheap Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 (edited) Im just curious how people on here go about picking thier pups if they have a choice between more than one in a litter? We have been offered another dog from a breeder that we have another dog from, and she has sent us through some pic's of the pups at a day old, and will continue to send us through photos until we make a decision on if one of them is the right one. After looking at the photos and doing a whole heap of research, comparing of photos, etc, etc, we are paitently waiting and watching to see what happens, so how do you go about picking out the 'one'. Edited to add: the puppy is a show potential puppy, so i suppose my question is more geared towards picking a pup for showing/breeding purposes. Edited January 7, 2012 by tibbiesby2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowanbree Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Very difficult to tell from pictures. If you are not able to view in the flesh I would let the breeder decide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Very difficult to tell from pictures. If you are not able to view in the flesh I would let the breeder decide This ^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha bet Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Ahhhhhh I so wish there was a guaranteed formula for picking that show pup...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkyTansy Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Agree with others - I'd let the breeder decide if there are two, even then there is never a guarantee that it is the right choice!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 We have been offered another dog from a breeder that we have another dog from, and she has sent us through some pic's of the pups at a day old, and will continue to send us through photos until we make a decision on if one of them is the right one. Edited to add: the puppy is a show potential puppy, so i suppose my question is more geared towards picking a pup for showing/breeding purposes. Show potential at a day old? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 let the breeder pick but also don't be afraid of telling them what things are important to you - eg particular temperament or if you favour a particular colour or feature of the breed. At the end of the day, you have to live with the dog, it is only a show dog some of the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 We have been offered another dog from a breeder that we have another dog from, and she has sent us through some pic's of the pups at a day old, and will continue to send us through photos until we make a decision on if one of them is the right one. Edited to add: the puppy is a show potential puppy, so i suppose my question is more geared towards picking a pup for showing/breeding purposes. Show potential at a day old? Markings and colour and sex is about all you can tell at one day old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowanbree Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Markings and colour and sex is about all you can tell at one day old. I usually pick my puppies at birth and seldom change my mind unless something like temperment becomes a factor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havasneeze Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 [/quote name=cowanbree' timestamp='1325990511' post='5667013] Markings and colour and sex is about all you can tell at one day old. I usually pick my puppies at birth and seldom change my mind unless something like temperment becomes a factor ditto in my opinion, what appears to be asthetically correct at birth, rarely (if ever) changes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 in my opinion, what appears to be asthetically correct at birth, rarely (if ever) changes There's always an exception to the rule, but yes, I have found that much of the time the best pup at birth is the best pup at 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Teeth, temperament, eye colour etc still has to come into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Teeth, temperament, eye colour etc still has to come into it. Of course it does - but these three things and other things which aren't immediately obvious at birth tend to be largely genetic so are controlled before the pups put in an appearance. Yes of course there's always surprises and disappointments, that's all part of the happy hobby we share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayreovi Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 (edited) We have been offered another dog from a breeder that we have another dog from, and she has sent us through some pic's of the pups at a day old, and will continue to send us through photos until we make a decision on if one of them is the right one. Edited to add: the puppy is a show potential puppy, so i suppose my question is more geared towards picking a pup for showing/breeding purposes. Show potential at a day old? Maybe I read it wrong, but I took it too mean that the puppy they eventually pick will (hopefully) be show potential. The breeder may have sent photos so they could look at markings and colours not so they could pick their puppy now. ETA: I find it interesting that some can pick a show potential puppy at birth, is this something you pick up after several litters or just a knack that you either have or not? Edited January 8, 2012 by tollersowned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 We have been offered another dog from a breeder that we have another dog from, and she has sent us through some pic's of the pups at a day old, and will continue to send us through photos until we make a decision on if one of them is the right one. Edited to add: the puppy is a show potential puppy, so i suppose my question is more geared towards picking a pup for showing/breeding purposes. Show potential at a day old? Maybe I read it wrong, but I took it too mean that the puppy they eventually pick will (hopefully) be show potential. The breeder may have sent photos so they could look at markings and colours not so they could pick their puppy now. ETA: I find it interesting that some can pick a show potential puppy at birth, is this something you pick up after several litters or just a knack that you either have or not? You are probably right Tollersowned. I sent my puppy people pictures of the litter from birth and then at weekly intervals but they didn't know which was theirs until I decided much later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Teeth, temperament, eye colour etc still has to come into it. And then there is any appropriate health testing, heart, eyes, pattelars, depending on breed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowanbree Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 The structure is there at birth and I am looking for a specific type which is also there at birth. I have found my eye is constantly drawn to that puppy. If I can't pick at birth it normally means there is no standout. There are always things to eliminate them later on, size, temperament etc etc but the x factor is present at birth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Teeth, temperament, eye colour etc still has to come into it. And then there is any appropriate health testing, heart, eyes, pattelars, depending on breed. I think the point is, though that with some breeders specific pups are "the ones" at birth. If they all fail whatever other tests are required then it's most probable that the whole litter is going to be pet homed. I wouldn't keep "inferior" dogs just because they past health tests, even if their better siblings all failed (hasn't happened, I'm just saying :D ) Only exception would be if I was trying to breed out a specific autosomal recessive condition you could DNA test for, then I could be tempted to do this, but it would depend on the circumstances at the time. Not exactly in a rare breed though so I can understand why other breeders would probably have other priorities. Toller - I have no idea if it's learned or just "the eye" in all cases - for me it has been a long learning curve and not always reliable as I do mostly outcross matings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirst_goldens Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Hrmm puppy picking... not an easy task i always go with the breeder - as they have a world of experience - im my case, in some cases it may be there first litter in that cse i would ask if maybe a more knowledgeable and exp person could come and help... stand all the puppies up and puppy puzzle them at 8 weeks.. once u have ur pet home only pups taken out u need to look at wha tu like in ur breed... some may say this pups head is better but this one has an outstanding front and that is lacking in the breed.. etc... all these thinkgs come into acct and then stand back and watch... one will catch ur eye.. i like the naughty ones lol u want a confident puppy but not too over the top... watch them as they grow.. and try not to pick a fav before 8 weeks as there is nothing worse then dissapointment!! having said that some breeders pick at 6 weeks or 7 weeks each is different... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topoftheheap Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 Just to clarify, (as always on Dogzonline Forums lol!!!) we're not picking the 'one' puppy only from photos of the pup at one day old!!! that would just be ridiculous and insane to think a breeder, or someone showing a dog would do so. Although the breeder does believe in the 'right from birth' theory that not only her but a few other breeders I know also follow. After all dogs can be excluded by markings, etc, etc, and alot of the times that catches your eye at birth may just be the next little champion. the breeder has two pups that we can choose from that she believes may be alright from what she has seen at home. The bitch had six pups - five bitches and one dog. We are after a bitch so that narrows it down to five. It doesn't bother us on colour, but some of the pups already have obvious and exclusionary mismarks, leaving two. Obviously that may change as the pups grow and develop and go through thier health test. She will continue to send us weekly, if not daily (as she has done so far) updates on thier progress, and we will see the pups in the flesh at six and eight weeks. I was just curious what everyone looks for when picking thier show pup, and how YOU decide. Maybe that will give us some helpers, because at this stage we are excited about potentially getting a new pup that not only joins our show team but that also complements our breeding program. The pedigree of the pups is an almost perfect match to our current dogs. We are of course in constant communication with the pup's breeder, and are listening to her advice, but in the end it is our decision. So, when your choosing your show pups, how do YOU decide? What things do you think are important/not important? What factors do you consider? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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