Who Chooses A Puppy?

[CaseyKay]

I would much rather the breeder chose the best puppy for me knowing what I want to do with the puppy. My "choice" in the matter was choosing the breeder/parents of the puppy. The 2 young dogs I have now I met first time at the airport to pick them up and they have both been fantastic dogs that fit us so well. I would get a pup from either breeder again and I would ask them to choose. In BCs there are some colours I just don't like and I much prefer females so I might be hoping for a black and white girl, but if Gael's breeder told me the best pup for me in a litter I liked was a merle boy, I'd take him!

My older two BC girls (recently passed away), both were last in their litter to go at 10 weeks (both unreg puppies, from farms) so the only choice we had was whether to take them or not. Both were technically not the best choice as Maddie was very aloof with people and KC was terribly shy. Both these things were obvious at 10 weeks and to some extent they stayed like that their whole lives. So in some ways it is easier for me if I don't see the litter at all, and especially if very soft-hearted husband doesn't see the puppies!

[huski]

I would want the final decision but I would also ask the breeders opinion.

I wouldn't buy a puppy without temp testing the litter first, but I understand why buyers do if they really trust the breeder's opinion or if someone who they trust temp tests the litter for them.

I wouldn't buy from a breeder who assigned pups to homes before or just after they were born. Wisdom is due to whelp a litter just before Christmas and even though we have a lot of interest and some people have been waiting for a pup for over 12 months, no one will be guaranteed or sold a puppy until they are several weeks old and have been temp assessed.

What's the purpose of a tight line breeding 2-2 on Hassan in the pending litter Huski......just interested?

"Santo", there is no point in answering any of your posts when they are always filled ulterior motives.

[Santo66]

I would want the final decision but I would also ask the breeders opinion.

I wouldn't buy a puppy without temp testing the litter first, but I understand why buyers do if they really trust the breeder's opinion or if someone who they trust temp tests the litter for them.

I wouldn't buy from a breeder who assigned pups to homes before or just after they were born. Wisdom is due to whelp a litter just before Christmas and even though we have a lot of interest and some people have been waiting for a pup for over 12 months, no one will be guaranteed or sold a puppy until they are several weeks old and have been temp assessed.

What's the purpose of a tight line breeding 2-2 on Hassan in the pending litter Huski......just interested?

"Santo", there is no point in answering any of your posts when they are always filled ulterior motives.

I am sorry if you feel my posts have ulterior motives, I can assure you it wasn't intentional, my apology :) I was genuinely interested why you would tightly line breed on Hassan what traits he has that perhaps yours didn't have that you were trying to lock into your line?

[Agility Dogs]

All three of my pedigree dogs (two that I have and one to come next year) have come from very experienced breeders who I gave a thorough description of our home (at the time) and my wants/needs. From there one agreed to give me the pup they had been keeping becuase they couldn't find the right home, one gave me a choice of two puppies suited to our situation and one will choose the puppy they think is best suited to me.

I'm happy with the approach - I've always got the option of saying I don't like what they are offering and walking away, but to date I haven't been disappointed. :)

[fbaudry]

Puppy buyers from me rarely have a choice of puppy, I base the pet decisions entirely on the best temperament match for the home. The day I have one bounce I might change my way of thinking.

Possibly a very naive question, but how does a potential puppy buyer finds a breeder like you and establish a rapport?

I found in my breed (relatively common), the "top" breeders breed first for themselves (I.e. To produce potential show prospects) and sell to the pet market those deemed less outstanding. When it comes to selling those, I've found there was no real personality matching and more often than not they claim their dogs are very adaptable, will suit lots of different situations etc.

Most of the breeders I spoke to didn't really seem to think in terms of different personalities/temperament within a litter.

ETA Congrats Huski! Exciting times... And how time flies, in my mind Wisdom was barely a teenager!

Edited November 21, 2013 by fbaudry

[minimax]

Puppy buyers from me rarely have a choice of puppy, I base the pet decisions entirely on the best temperament match for the home. The day I have one bounce I might change my way of thinking.

Possibly a very naive question, but how does a potential puppy buyer finds a breeder like you and establish a rapport?

I found in my breed (relatively common), the "top" breeders breed first for themselves (I.e. To produce potential show prospects) and sell to the pet market those deemed less outstanding. When it comes to selling those, I've found there was no real personality matching and more often than not they claim their dogs are very adaptable, will suit lots of different situations etc.

Most of the breeders I spoke to didn't really seem to think in terms of different personalities/temperament within a litter.

You contact them and communicate. It's actually simple, yet so many over-think and over-complicate it.

If you don't feel a rapport, or you don't feel they are able to match you suitable and are just picking randomly or whatever, search until you feel comfortable.

[Trisven13]

I had two litters 11 days apart and there were HUGE differences in my mind in the pups in temperament.

Scooby was very outgoing, confident and noisy, used his size to advantage but loved to play with the kids - immediately not suitable for a suburban backyard as he liked to use his voice and very suited to a home with kids - he has gone to NZ to a 1000 acre farm with 3 kids - perfect. Scout was sweet and gentle, always first on your lap for a cuddle but would stand up for herself when needed - she has gone to a home with a newly engaged city couple with a much older beagle - she can be their surrogate child BUT I also know that they are in it for the long term with their dogs. Cedro was quieter and very independent, often off by himself away from the other puppies and enjoyed exploring - the perfect puppy for Gillybob. I could go on and on, I knew every puppy, I work from home and spent hours and hours watching and interacting with them and learning their individual quirks. Sure it could go wrong BUT it was very obvious that Cedro wouldn't suit the family with kids as he didn't die to be with my kids like Scooby did and that Scooby wouldn't suit the city couple as he liked to bark so why would I let them choose their puppy and guarantee a problem from the beginning?

Edited November 22, 2013 by Trisven13

[WreckitWhippet]

Puppy buyers from me rarely have a choice of puppy, I base the pet decisions entirely on the best temperament match for the home. The day I have one bounce I might change my way of thinking.

Possibly a very naive question, but how does a potential puppy buyer finds a breeder like you and establish a rapport?

I found in my breed (relatively common), the "top" breeders breed first for themselves (I.e. To produce potential show prospects) and sell to the pet market those deemed less outstanding. When it comes to selling those, I've found there was no real personality matching and more often than not they claim their dogs are very adaptable, will suit lots of different situations etc.

Most of the breeders I spoke to didn't really seem to think in terms of different personalities/temperament within a litter.

ETA Congrats Huski! Exciting times... And how time flies, in my mind Wisdom was barely a teenager!

I'm not really sure how to answer the questions but I firstly breed for me and to have something to show or breed from, but I consider type, temperament, structure and soundness to be equal and I'm looking for the best of everything when considering a mating ( balanced dogs and bitches in both conformation and temperament). So far this has translated to relatively similar puppies in terms of type and temperaments that are "typical" of the breed. But in saying that you can have pups that display more prey drive than others or they are energiser bunnies, some are more reserved and some you need a stick to beat them off with.

I don't tend to earmark pups as "pet or show", sometimes I will make a decision early on based on something that I don't like in terms of conformation and it's a deal breaker but I rank my pups in terms of conformation from the day they are born, I assess them myself as they grow and I look carefully at how the pups handle new situations and experiences, how they interact with my own child, other dogs, litter mates and what their energy levels and prey drive are like. I then have several people that I respect assess and rank them before I make any final decisions.

I determine what I'm going to keep or I think could have show potential and decide on those that I'd prefer not to go into the show ring. Temperament plays a part in the final decisions, some you know will find the show ring boring , others are rather laid back and happy to go with whatever, some you know you would never place in certain homes due to the energy levels or drive.

I ask lots and lots of questions along the way with potential puppy buyers to gauge what they are expecting from their pet, for example I would not have placed one of the bitches from the last litter in a home that wanted a more sedate happy go lucky puppy for their young family. She was high energy and drive and she went to a home that wanted to do obedience and potentially agilty. The family home were sold a boy who was happy to play with the kids but interacted gently and did not mouth or bite as a baby.

I think what stops many people from finding the pet that best fits their home and family is colour preference. I've listened to many people talk about what they want from their pet, have a pup that would match only to be told it's the "wrong colour" , I often wonder how these people do end up getting on. If I do have pups that are similar, sometimes I will let people choose and I will certainly let someone with breed experience who knows exactly what they are after choose within reason but for the most part I pick and choose where pups go.

I think the answer to finding breeders who choose homes based on matching personalities to families is to talk to them a lot about the traits certain pups are displaying and being open and honest about your home situation and your expectations, you'll know when you find those breeders as they will be talking the same language. They'll talk conformation and health too but you'll find the questions asked focus a lot on you.

[Agility Dogs]

I think what stops many people from finding the pet that best fits their home and family is colour preference. I've listened to many people talk about what they want from their pet, have a pup that would match only to be told it's the "wrong colour" , I often wonder how these people do end up getting on. If I do have pups that are similar, sometimes I will let people choose and I will certainly let someone with breed experience who knows exactly what they are after choose within reason but for the most part I pick and choose where pups go.

I think the answer to finding breeders who choose homes based on matching personalities to families is to talk to them a lot about the traits certain pups are displaying and being open and honest about your home situation and your expectations, you'll know when you find those breeders as they will be talking the same language. They'll talk conformation and health too but you'll find the questions asked focus a lot on you.

These two paragraphs really ring a bell for me. (In a good way!)

My 'wish list' that I talk to breeders about is structure/health, temperament, drive (linked, I know), sex, colour/markings in that order. I'm lucky in that all I'm interested in is whether a dog will work hard for me and whether it will remain sound throughout its career. Black and white goes with almost everything!

(Although there is a better than average chance my next puppy will not be B&W - I'm not all that fussed.)

[The Spotted Devil]

A good dog is never a bad colour :)

[Brandiandwe]

Except that a long way into the future I might try to get dogs of uniform colour. Trying to co-ordinate a dog-hair-free or do-hair-invisible wardrobe is impossible with one white dog and one black one!

[espinay2]

When I have got a pup for myself, most have been chosen for me or I chose between a few that were identified in consultation with the breeder. Note that in these cases, at least the several most recent, the breeder is a good friend and co owner and I have generally had a chance to choose after she has made her own choice. And she has had the same opportunity with me. It is a process of consultation. Early on in the piece though breeders chose pups for me including telking me there was nithing suiting my needs in particular litters. I have been happy with their decisions and mine.

I do a similar thing and do advise potential owners right from the beginning that they will not get to choose, but I will tell them what pup is a available to them. It is then up to them to decide if they want that pup or not. They are involved all the way through, but the final decision is not made till around 8 weeks. At this point I decide what is staying. Then any other obligations are met (such as a co owner getting 'second pick' after me as per a contract). Then I offer to homes I feel would best suit the pups depending on my assessment of the pups and what has been learnt through multiple discussions with owners. A LOT of discussion happens and I explain why a particular pup is my choice for them. Note my breed is not that common and I have a waiting list far longer than the number of pups so I do get to pick and choose what homes I feel will suit them best. In my recent litter I had people wanting pups who represented a range of different home environments and needs. Their preferences and needs were taken into account when making decisions on what pups to offer. The suitability of the individual pups to those roles was carefully considered.

I gave found that many people when choosing a pup tend to do it based on superficial reasons. A colour or distinguishing mark, cuteness factor, the one that played with them or came to them first etc. not necessarily the best basis for choosing. Sometimes these things can 'distract' someone from seeing a pup that would in fact be better suited. It is my job, as I am with the pups all day every day, to use my knowledge to guide those choices.

[Steph M]

Gus was selected entirely for us. We had no impact other than gender. He was decided at 7 weeks or so and it was a lot of blind faith on our part, well placed it seems.

We’re a pet home predominately so the most important quality for us was his temperament and fit to our somewhat lazy but social lifestyle. We wanted a dog who was not too drive-y, but drive-y enough to try our hand at retrieving and obedience, but not to a terribly high or competitive level, I suspected. If we both enjoyed it I was happy to keep at it, but if not was happy to let it drop.

There wasn’t much cosmetic difference in the dogs other than gender, being an all black litter (and majority of the breed…) so that was easy for us, haha.

The breeder asked a thousand and one questions and I sent her back an essay, which I imagine can’t have hurt?

We got exactly what we were after, I honestly couldn’t have picked better for our life and seemingly for his.

He is a retrieving dynamo, whereas some of his littermates aren’t interested in the slightest. He’s happy to go days without a walk if need be, so long as someone will chuck a ball for him, or play tug or just have a good cuddle on the couch, whereas again, some littermates are destructive demons.

He loves hopping in the car and going to visit people, or go for a drive and a swim. He is confident and funny and loves everyone.

He’s slotted in so well, and the same comes back from his siblings new owners. They all got the best fit. Even the cheekier ones are a great fit.

There’s a degree of how he was raised that plays a part, but I attribute a huge part of his personality and how well it matches us to his breeder. I wouldn’t think twice about recommending her to anyone.

I wonder often how we’d feel if there were different colours in a litter, I’ve always coveted a liver flat coat so had that been an option I would have jumped at it, but on my list of one-day breeds there’s lots of different colours that can occur within litters. I’d still go for a great match with us than a cosmetic match though. Any day.

[Steph M]

Nor do I see any problem with keeping the pool of buyers updated with pics of the litter and all individuals in it as they develop to the point where matches can be made.Sometimes the puppies in a litter can create a sort of mini-club of owners who keep in touch with each other and compare notes on their puppies etc. I have known several cases where litter-mates were brought together each year on their birthdays by their respective families which always made a great day out!

We do this. It's nice! Like a mothers club of sorts sometimes. Also a source of great support, laughs and advice. I am lucky to have gained a handful of new friends as well as the ideal dog for us. Everyone wins!

[JRG]

First I stress that I am speaking about working dogs I know nothing about choosing show pups.

I believe that one of the most important things when choosing a puppy is to go for one you LIKE. You need one that says to you "pick me up and buy me" because, in the working world, you will never do well with a dog you do not like. You are going to look at it, train it, trial it 24/7 and it is just like choosing a partner, you have to live with that pup every day. So make sure you like it from the start

If I am choosing a puppy for myself I go with the one that appeals to me most - for whatever reason. It is probably not the one that appeals to you because we are all different.

[ellz]

My puppies, my choice. I choose who goes into which home and when. Or not.

Purchasers rarely, if ever, get to select the individual puppy. It has happened from time to time that a puppy an individual has been watching has been "right" for that home, but I make it clear from the outset that even though a prospective purchaser might have a "favourite" puppy in the litter, there is absolutely no guarantee that they will end up with that puppy.

As always, both parties have the right to withdraw from the negotiations and transaction if not happy with all aspects of it. Offer + acceptance + consideration = transaction. None are necessarily set in stone.

[kelpiecuddles]

First I stress that I am speaking about working dogs I know nothing about choosing show pups.

I believe that one of the most important things when choosing a puppy is to go for one you LIKE. You need one that says to you "pick me up and buy me" because, in the working world, you will never do well with a dog you do not like. You are going to look at it, train it, trial it 24/7 and it is just like choosing a partner, you have to live with that pup every day. So make sure you like it from the start

If I am choosing a puppy for myself I go with the one that appeals to me most - for whatever reason. It is probably not the one that appeals to you because we are all different

Interesting post JRG. My kelpie really chose me in this way. I wanted a quieter kelpie that would be smart and responsive but still have a good off switch. While all her brothers were tearing circles around the yard Sascha came and sat next to me and looked up at me as if to say, "OK, what next?". I love Sascha's colouring(she's a red and tan whereas all the others were black and tan) however if another pup had chosen me that way either colour would have been ok.

[Roova]

Do many breeders have specific temperament tests they carry out or are decisions mostly made on natural day to day behaviour and interacting?

One of the chapters of 'the focused puppy' talks about choosing your next puppy and it runs through 10 temperament tests to do on each puppy in the litter and how to mark and assess the results. The tests are on handling, restraint, following, sound and sight sensitivity, fetching, startle, food motivation, curiosity and social interaction.

Would most breeders allow you to do this type of testing if they're going to choose a puppy for you? Has anyone used these tests themselves to see how helpful they are?

I guess it would only work if you could visit the pups yourself, but I can see it would be handy if there's only one pup left and you want to be very sure it's the right one for you.

[OSoSwift]

I was very lucky with my pup that my breeder was happy to give me first pick after her show pick, knowing that I wanted temperament for a potential performance dog first and foremost. I knew the breed and the lines in this litter, and had a clear idea of the temperament I was looking for. I temperament tested all the boys in the litter, following the FOCUSed puppy version of the test and while my puppy was not what I had really hoped for in looks (colourwise), he is marvelous temperament wise; completely fearless and outgoing. The breeder and two other experienced breeders had assessed the litter before I did, and they all knew that he was the pup for me, even before I did a formal temperament test. So either way, I would have got the same puppy.

In your case I would let you choose yours, I would give you the info regarding temperments ect that I knew and allow you to make your choice.

Our working dog pup was picked up by friends and delivered to us - we had seen two photos - we told his breeder what we were after and that we had never trained a working dog before. He is perfect for what we needed - ie he is rather intelligent and works the sheep himself with a small amount of direction from us and is brilliant on sheep. He isn't that way due to our trianing, it is his hardwired ability.

[Cosmolo]

We had always said we would never buy a puppy sight unseen and that we wanted to choose. But our latest addition was bought sight unseen, with the breeder making her suggestion based on what she knew we wanted. Honestly we couldn't be happier with the puppy we have and she has shown some absolutely perfect qualities for us over the last week of having her- couldn't have chosen better myself.

It has made me realise the importance of choosing the breeder and the lines you're happy with- from there i am not so set on having to choose individuals in the litter. Unfortunately many prospective puppy owners are and i do wonder whether there are enough breeders of the quality I have experienced around.