What things influence your pick of the litter.

We have had the discussion on how you pick your pup from a breeder, now I wanted to know, how do you fellas (and ladies too) Pick what pup you plan on keeping from your own litters to possibly re-breed back into your breeding programs later on if they work out? So the question is what do you look for?

Personally, I base my pick on which pup the closest Phenotype to the particular dog I am tring to base the breeding off of, ok let me explain. I got a dog that comes down from PSK's Ch Quicksand, so my first though was which one of these pups looks most like Quicksand himself, obviously I went with the only red/rednose in the litter as Quicksand also was a red/rednose so my way of thinking was, he is the closest in phenotype to Quicksand based of looks alone (obviously, I have no way to tell how he would turn out as an adult, nor do you ever when getting a pup) But he looked the closest to the dog I wanted to reproduce so I picked him, I applied this same method to this new litter, While Geachimen is the sire, I actually went with the dog that most closely looked like Ch Dee's King Joker as my choice to keep. With Mia I really didn't have a choice as she kinda fell in my lap due to my partners economical situation at the time. However She is identical to Sparky in look, ( I realize the contravery around Sparky and this isn't the thread to discuss it so please leave those comments out of this thread.) Anyways, So how do you choose your pick of the litter?

Quicksand:



Koda:



Sparky:



Mia:

 

When I look at a litter of pups, I first look at the size of the litter, to see the level of competition for food. Once they are active I look at the most independent pup there is, an which is the most outgoing. I like a puppy who does not bark, so thats something I look for(not for noise purposes). After that but just as important to me is the natural setting of the ears. I know some pups ears change, and thats fine but, to me I like the ears to have the most dominate natural look as possible. Think about all the times you see pack leaders, they don't have that goofy stair or look. They are born leaders.

As far as how to pick for breeding based on a litter of pups is a little harder, but the way you said it AGK is about the best way to start, if breeding for a specfic dog in mind.

 

I have never alone bred APBTs for a yard just helped people pick out pups. I normally like the runts, they seem to be out going and fight for their place, that's not always true. I over all want an out going dog with good looks (personal Preference)

 

when its my litter I let em pick me
the on that responds the most usually works hard for you


but basically keep whole litter
till they show how they will be

 

I like the runts. If Im getting more than one pup i will go for the most outgoing dominant pup.

 

Man that Sparky looks like one mean motherFer. Great looking dogs. I have never bred so I can't add any info.

 

I choose mine on several criteria:

Attitude: I like a pup who never gives up & will stand up for himself.

Confidence: I don't like shy pups. I like pup who will go up to anyone tail wagging to be petted & I like pups that don't spook or recover quickly if spooked. I also like pups who have an inquisitive nature & are bold enough to explore.

Phenotype: I know you're not supposed to choose a dog by looks but I know of several dog men who use this as a criteria & it has worked well for them. I know the Buba line throws a preponderance of CH. or GR.CH. who were black brindle, I might choose to keep a black brindle. Or if I get a buckskin brindle since CH. Buba himself was buckskin brindle, I might keep that one.

Conformation: I don't want one who is overbit, cow-hocked & has hound ears BUT ... if the pup has all the internal qualities I want, I will overlook any exterior faults.

JMHO ...

 

For the dogs of my breeding, when selecting a pup I agree with ABK on temperament...

When selecting breeding prospects the above holds water but I like to feel how they are made, What I like in my dogs is I start at the feet, I want loose but well made feet, I don't like super tight 'cat' feet and I don't like flat feet, I like a dog with a slight sloping pasturn, not a down pasturn and not a show stock strait one either, I like wide shoulders that set the legs more to the side of the body but a deep yet 'full' and angled chest to max power, agility, and max leverage with air.

I like a wide skull (not a large head but wide [the wider the jaw bones set in a skull the more pressure exerted, this is just mechanical physics]) medium mussel length and large long teeth. I also like a flat skull with as little stop as possible...

I like a dog with a round/simi roach back I like a angled and crooked as possible back leg that does not set in or out with the body.

Red/Red in color very little if any white, all toe nails a deep amber red and fire alburn red eyes, (that just happens to be the color of the dogs from my breeding and I like that color)....

I like a dog with simi loose skin, but hard skin with wrinkles around the neck.

I like a dog with enough muscle mass but with plenty of leg to go with it. For max leverage possible. I like a dog between 30 and 50 lbs.

That's how MY perfect dog LOOKS and I select accordingly among those who pass the first tests of health and temperment...

As for temperment to add on what has been said about a bold and alpha pup I like a dog that tries to figure out problems that are set before him, which pups climb out of the box first, which ones go explore, which ones think on their own.

Those IMO make your best dogs reguardless what they look like.

JM2C

 

I also like the runt, have always had good luck with them...maby like previouse stated they start having to be independent early...dont know..
Coloring has alot to do with it...not all but some colors I dont care for.. needs to be healthy, active, dont care for a barky dog, tight skin, well rounded pup...
All dogs grow and change and sometime it works, sometime they change for the bad but you can atleast get a head start....

 

Hay bobby I thought I was the only one that looked the nails on my dogs I like them black nails

on any color but rednose, white dogs,and blues

they should have black nails
a pencil tail
slightly sloping backend
only thing different I like em to have real tight skin

so tight you could barely grab the back of the neck
but still tuff

 

I guess it would depend on what strategy a dog used as to what skin type would be best, If I had chest dogs then I would agree with you, But when hunting coyote I have dogs that like the ear so when they do get bit all they get is skin so that my dog can move around for the best leverage on the head, but if I went hunting with a dog that liked the chest I would want as tight of skin as possible so that there would be nothing to grab onto to keep it out.

That's how I see it anyway.

 

S.P of BSK was holding a dog and the camera at the same time......you could say he's multi-talented.

 

I have a litter at this time and this topic`s replies are opening up my mind right now...TNBB

 

In the end it's a crap shoot any which way you dice it but I think it's an interesting topic with all the different methods and preferences people have.

 

good replies. I would add to try and pick one that is good looking to you, since you may have to feed and look at it for at least two years.

 

i honestly dont believe you could make a good decission based on picking a pup. infact you cant, plain and simple. what we just sell off all the others these days dont we? personally i choose dogs. pups dont go anywhere. and if a dog is not going to improve the stock, it goes nowhere, period. the biggest problem these days is excess dogs, and by breeding a litter of pups to choose A pup to improve the breed is just one of the many lame and insulting things ive heard over the years. just to add, i have acquired pups in the past and they were sight unseen as i knew the very back ground on them and their parents etc. those people in which i acquired those pups practice the same method as i did. however i will say that i also used the phenotype method also, but only if one of those was worth the go. in other words if i had a couple good ones and one of those good ones resembled a dog from past gen. that had what i wanted, i would use that one first., but he would have to have everything that the other one had.+

 

I pick the smaller quiet ones as well...but usually go for one that looks the healthiest and has good conformation. Everything else is determined and developed as they grow up!

YIS

 

Why no rednose??

 

a red nose wouldnt have black nails it would have redish brown nails with a little darkbrown stripe
down the middle of the nail

 

if at all possible i contact people involved with the line. discuss the dogs in the ped and hopefully that helps me with what pup im gonna take. if they happen to have had a hand in several generations, i shut up and let them tell me which one is gonna be the "good" one. odds are theyre gonna be right