Does it exist anymore?

[Heather Rae]

Now maybe I'm old fashioned, but I never see or hear of it anymore. You know back in the day when you decided you were finally ready to have a puppy, you got all your supplies, you've picked a breeder, and when the puppies were ready to go home you went and picked on out of the litter? Does it occur anymore because I always hear of and sometimes see puppies spoken for when they're a few days old, surely two day old puppies don't have much personality? And where does that leave a person like me? Do I also have to pick a two day old puppy or are there breeders who will make buyers wait until they are ready to go home to pick one?

[abcollie]

I usually have deposits on 1/2 the litter before I ever breed. Also, I breed because I want to try out a cross (and keep a pup for myself). So, people get to pick in order of deposits ... and a lot of times that means people "out of state". So, they want me to pick for them.

 

After all that is said .... most people I sell to are looking for working dogs ... and that is such an "unknown" as a puppy. So, really it doesn't matter ... I usually end up with the pup everyone else left. I've had as good a luck with that as I have taking "pick of the litter".

 

So, if you want "first pick" then you should get your deposit in ahead of time to whoever you are purchasing from. I wouldn't think you really want to buy from someone that has puppies "sitting around" waiting to be bought?

[stockdogranch]

Exactly what Candy said. Because we are breeding working dogs, the cross is more important than any given particular pup in that litter. I always pick mine first from the litter, first based on sex (I always keep a girl), then coat (the smoother, the better), then markings, and so on. My last two litters were easy--there was only one girl in each, so she was the one I picked. But the other pups are already spoken for usually well before the breeding ever takes place, so the order people get on "the list" is pup selection order. And, as Candy says, many are out of state, so then I pick for the person, again, with sex usually the first consideration, then coat or markings...

A

[Sue R]

What they said!

 

A good breeder (a breeder of good dogs) doesn't breed without a reason - which means they are most likely wanting a pup from that cross themselves (a good sign) and that they already have people lined up wanting a pup from that cross.

 

Someone who's producing litters (particularly multiple litters) that aren't largely spoken for in advance, is possibly someone you don't want to support - and whose breeding program may well be suspect.

 

As said, find your breeder and get your deposit in early.

[juliepoudrier]

Let's see, my first pup I picked at 12 hours old. The next one I decided to take after hearing that a female smooth-coated tri was available (i.e., sight unseen). The third and fourth puppies were out of a litter I bred, so I took my pick (one of the two females in the litter, and the one who looked the most like her mom) and kept the one who picked me (and the latter is the better working dog and also, because of his color, unlikely to have been picked by others on my list). The most recent puppy was out of a litter I whelped out for someone else. It was a small litter and the owners of the parents got the first picks, and I got the pup who was left over. He's turned out to be pretty nice, as far as I can tell at his age.

 

All of these were pups from working-bred litters. The presumption was that they were well-bred and should work (meeting my main requirement), so what was left for me to pick from was essentially superficial qualities: gender, color, type of coat, etc.

 

I haven't ended up with a pup with a poor temperament/personality by picking early or letting someone else pick based on superficial qualities.

 

I imagine there are still plenty of situations where you could get on a list and then go pick your puppy out in the order in which you appear on the list. When you get to pick your puppy would depend on when the people ahead of you picked theirs, but unless you're at or near the top of the list, you're choices are going to be limited in some fashion (not the least of which may be distance, unless you plan to deal only with local breeders).

 

J.

[border_collie_crazy]

Misty litter was spoken for mostly when I want to pick one at 4 weeks, I had my choice of a couple in the litter, not the whole litter. these were working dogs, so as the other said, it didnt really matter.

 

what I see a lot of now actually is the breeder picking your puppy..you have no say in the matter. I HATE that, its a huge turn off for me, picking my own puppy in order? thats fine, thats how it worked for most of my puppies(all are seniors now) and it worked out perfectly. now I find I am hard pressed to find a breeder that doesnt just tell me what puppy they are selling me, and I have no say in the matter lol..I dont have that issue with BCs as most of the working breeders I know dont do this, but all the other breeds I have looked at, I have this issue.

[Alchemist]

I'm going to try to restrict my comments to "working-bred" pups, in order to steer clear of the "purpose bred vs rescue" debate.

 

I've recently been reading "Top Trainers Talk About Starting A Sheepdog". I've been struck by how many trainers in this book (who tend to breed a litter when they want a pup from a particular cross) state that they just keep whatever pup is left over from a litter.

 

I've had two working-bred Border collies that were both the last pups left in their respective litters. Both were purchased when they were only two or three weeks old - far too early for any personality traits to have emerged. They both ended up with fantastic temperaments.

 

I have no reservations at all about letting a reputable breeder select a pup for me. (With my last pup, I simply said "I think I can handle anything but a shy pup"). Of course I strongly recommend that anyone do their homework first - meet the parents, and (if possible) any dogs from prior litters bred the same way. If you're interested in a working dog, watch both parents work, talk to the handlers about any challenges they faced in training them, assess whether this fits your style.

 

I certainly do NOT have enough experience with puppies to be able to choose "the" right puppy from an hour or two's acquaintance. And, to be honest, I'm not convinced that anyone can do any better than an "inspired guess". "Personality" is a multifaceted issue, and it's all as much an art as it is a science, IMO. Personalities change over time. And... even experts, who put pups through the most exacting of personality tests, can find themselves in situations that aren't working out as hoped. If you don't believe me, Patricia McConnell (with 20+ years professional experience dealing with "canine" issues) had a very interesting (and honest, and at times painful) series on her blog, beginning this past May: http://www.theothere....com/2010/05/07 . Read the first one, then do a search on "Hope" to read how this story played out. Bottom line: when you're dealing with living creatures, there ARE no guarantees in life.

 

Although.... if you're able to find an entire litter of 8-week-old puppies to choose from... I'd hazard a guess that you're virtually guaranteed that there's a reason why people haven't been lining up to buy them before they were born (or certainly by the time they were two or three weeks old). And it's not likely to be a particularly happy reason.

 

Given the choice between a well-bred litter from a reputable breeder in which I have few options when it comes to selecting a puppy, vs an entire litter of 8-week-old puppies from which I could choose - I'll go with the first option, any time.

[Heather Rae]

I just don't see why people don't get on the a waiting list, pay their deposit but not actually pick their pup until it's older? Why must it be spoken for at a few days old?

[Liz P]

They don't have to be, and many breeders do wait. When my pups are 6 to 8 weeks old I try to match them up with their new owners based on personality. I suggest certain pups based on what people have told me, but I offer several options if possible (unless it is the last person on the list). If people are local enough to come and choose their pup in person I let them do that instead.

 

If I breed a litter I always reserve the right to first pick, but knowing that all pups are a gamble I don't get too fussy unless there is something particular I am looking for (like a smooth coat, male vs female). I was forced to keep my last pick puppy from a litter I had 4 years ago because he was badly injured when he was a few weeks old. Now we are inseparable and I wouldn't sell him for any price. I tell people that he was meant to be my dog.

[Heather Rae]

They don't have to be, and many breeders do wait. When my pups are 6 to 8 weeks old I try to match them up with their new owners based on personality. I suggest certain pups based on what people have told me, but I offer several options if possible (unless it is the last person on the list). If people are local enough to come and choose their pup in person I let them do that instead.

 

If I breed a litter I always reserve the right to first pick, but knowing that all pups are a gamble I don't get too fussy unless there is something particular I am looking for (like a smooth coat, male vs female). I was forced to keep my last pick puppy from a litter I had 4 years ago because he was badly injured when he was a few weeks old. Now we are inseparable and I wouldn't sell him for any price. I tell people that he was meant to be my dog.

 

See that seems reasonable to me, but overall I'm very saddened by the end of the picking a pup from a litter myself and so many advocates that seem against the idea of a potential owner picking one themselves from a group of older pups. I'm sure pups are usually well suited to the home and so on and sure personality changes but its a very romantic idea to go an play in a pile of puppies for an hour and then fall in love with one and take the tike home. *sigh* No room for romance in dog ownership?

[G. Festerling]

Nope, no room for romance.

You can date pick whoever you want out of a sea of folks to...don't mean it is going to stick.

 

But on a more serious note. I prefer a scenario where a litter is bred basically upon inquiries rather than on having enough to choose from for everyone.

I always ended up keeping the pup that got not picked. Never regretted it once.

[Maja]

I bred one litter, and I kept one female from it (I picked the one that looked the most like her mother ), and the deal was I would get the first pick. Then the priority was for people for herding homes of which there was just one male. Then the rest was pretty much who wanted who, but I waited until the pups looked more like dogs and less like dumplings. Most people chose pups remotely by looking at the movies, because they lived way too far to come and see them.

 

Looking at the pups and at what I could see of their personality, I thought that once I had decided that a home was appropriate for a BC in the first place, it really made no difference which pup they took. I thought that this impression came from my inexperience, since many breeders make a really big deal about matching the pup with the owner. But I had temperament tests done on them shortly the want to new homes, and they all were very uniform in their results. On a scale from A to F, on contact with humans, curiosity, exploration, noise sensitivity, etc. They all got between A+ and A- .

 

maja

[Mark Billadeau]

Perhaps the pups were simply spoken for because of what people on the waiting list requested. For example there were 4 people on the waiting list that only want females and there were only 4 female pups. If you enquired about the litter a few days after they were born and wanted a female pup the breeder would have told you that all the females were spoken for.

 

It's also quite reasonable for a breeder (someone who has spent a lot more time watching the pups than puppy buyers) to push buyers towards certain pups based upon things the buyer says about the pup's future life with them and what the breeder sees in each pup.

[juliepoudrier]

See that seems reasonable to me, but overall I'm very saddened by the end of the picking a pup from a litter myself and so many advocates that seem against the idea of a potential owner picking one themselves from a group of older pups.

I'm not sure I understand your complaint. Even if the breeder required everyone to wait to choose until the pups were older, unless you're first or second on the list, your choices will be limited. And like Mark said, certain people have very specific preferences, and if a particular preference is a make or break (i.e., male vs. female, rough vs. smooth, minimal white, etc.), then even those people's choices are narrowed by what the bitch produces, even if they are at the top of the list. I don't think anyone is saying you *shouldn't* choose your own pup, but they are saying that in the case of well-bred litters, it shouldn't matter if you don't get to choose (in other words, the ability to choose or not shouldn't affect the outcome--whether you get a good dog--in the long run). And really, most breeders would want you to be happy with the pup you get, so they will try to accommodate your desires when it comes to choosing. It's just that I wouldn't discount a breeder or a litter if I couldn't go choose the one I wanted but instead had to rely on the breeder to choose for me. I've had good luck either way.

 

As Alchemist noted, your chances of getting a good dog are better from litters where your choices are fewer (because of a list of buyers for the pups). If you want to find a litter where you can go play with all the pups and pick your choice from the entire group, then you need to find a breeder close by and get yourself at the top of his/her list. If you have first choice and choose to wait till they're 8 weeks to make your pick, then that would be your right. But to get to be first on a list, you will have to be prepared to wait a while for your pup (that is, if it's a well-bred litter whose pups are in demand, then the only way to get at the top of the list is to talk to a breeder about a planned litter for the future, not one that's on its way now).

 

J.

[nancy]

I don't get the feeling that the OP is looking for a working dog to work. I think she wants a puppy for a pet.

 

My suggestion is for her to get in touch with a local rescue.

 

One near here recently got in a bitch who had 13 or 14 puppies. The OP could have started going over to play with those pups from day-1. By the way, they all, including the then-spayed mom, went to great homes. My daughter is friends with the vet who fostered them.

 

But this seems to happen way too often with rescues as the bitch is dumped when the "owners" figure out that she "went and got herself pregnant". So the OP stands a great chance for what she wants with rescue.

[juliepoudrier]

Nancy,

I don't think she's looking for a working dog either, but the comments here are consistent with our belief that even if you (the general you) want a companion or sport dog you should try to find one from a working breeder. The down side to doing so is that you might not have as much of a choice of puppies as you would if you went to another sort of breeder (the type who would have a whole litter available at 8 weeks just waiting for someone to come and pick their favorite). So the underlying theme here is that, yes, you can go find a litter where you can play with the pups and then pick yours out to take home, but as Alchemist (I think) already noted, such litters aren't likely to be from breeders that anyone in good conscience could support....

 

I imagine that even rescue litters (those with an organized rescue anyway) are likely spoken for in advance, or at least when the pups are still quite little.

 

J.

[Alchemist]

Thanks, Julie. I think you've captured exactly what I meant to convey.

 

I do agree that if the OP wishes a working-bred pup (as opposed to a sports-bred or "working lines" pup as I've surmised from her other posts), AND also wishes to have many pups from which to choose, then getting her name in well in advance of a litter's birth is her best bet [note the emphasis]. Personally I'm hesitant to start to add any other constraints to the equation, like "find a breeder within an hour's drive so that you can visit the puppies regularly". That's introducing a huge element of chance (IS there a reputable breeder that close to her? or are they all sports breeders?) as well as a huge "filter" (if there IS a reputable breeder - do they take deposits from pet homes? or only if the supply exceeds the demand from working homes? will they allow her first pick? and so forth).

 

I use the word "bet" advisedly. There are never any guarantees in life. Perhaps the mating won't "take", and she'll need to wait another six months for the next litter. (This happens!). Perhaps it will result in a singleton puppy (could be a great dog, but definitely more of a challenge to raise for a new dog owner who might not possess other dogs, so I would urge caution in this sort of situation). Maybe there are only three puppies - and the owners of the sire and the dam have both requested first picks. Perhaps a pup will be ready for a new home at a time of year that isn't optimal. Perhaps it's a litter of only one sex when the OP has her heart on a different one. All I'm suggesting is that the OP be prepared for this sort of eventuality, to recognize that she may need to make some compromises, and to consider ahead of time which are acceptable.

 

The answer is not to rush out in this sort of situation and find some BYB or sports breeder with an entire litter of eight-week-old puppies from which to choose. Rather, be prepared to "roll with the punches". And we'll all send the best BC Board mojo that all goes well.

 

I was at a Patrick S clinic recently where he was talking about purchasing a dog - about prospective buyers who say they want a dog who will work well, and that they don't care about coat type or color or ear set or anything... BUT it has to be a female. He tells them well, you've just eliminated half of your options. I don't think "first pick" matters in any substantial way from a well-bred litter, so personally, I'd prefer not to limit my options by including that as a criterion.

 

When my older son was born, another couple in our childbirth classes had written a detailed "birth plan". They'd mapped out how they wanted every moment to transpire, from the classical tapes they were bringing in for the labor, down to questions of what pain medications would be acceptable. They were crushed when she had to have an emergency c-section and their birth plan went by the wayside. Me, I'm a pragmatist, I recognized that while some of this might be nice, there were things in life I just wasn't going to be able to control, and the outcome (a healthy child) was the only thing that really mattered.

[bcnewe2]

I pick a breeding I want, then specify what gender. Then if I get a chance I will pick on what I might find pleasing to my eye. But I've never gotten a puppy that was my favorite look but always have tried to get a pup from the cross I'm looking for.

I've also gone with the I'll take what's leftover from the litter except for the gender, I prefer girls and at this time it's all I can have with Mick around.

 

IT's time for me to pick a breeding. I feel blessed to have several breedings to choose from but harder than heck to pick which cross I want. Just to many decisions.

[Heather Rae]

I'm not sure I understand your complaint. Even if the breeder required everyone to wait to choose until the pups were older, unless you're first or second on the list, your choices will be limited. And like Mark said, certain people have very specific preferences, and if a particular preference is a make or break (i.e., male vs. female, rough vs. smooth, minimal white, etc.), then even those people's choices are narrowed by what the bitch produces, even if they are at the top of the list. I don't think anyone is saying you *shouldn't* choose your own pup, but they are saying that in the case of well-bred litters, it shouldn't matter if you don't get to choose (in other words, the ability to choose or not shouldn't affect the outcome--whether you get a good dog--in the long run). And really, most breeders would want you to be happy with the pup you get, so they will try to accommodate your desires when it comes to choosing. It's just that I wouldn't discount a breeder or a litter if I couldn't go choose the one I wanted but instead had to rely on the breeder to choose for me. I've had good luck either way.

 

As Alchemist noted, your chances of getting a good dog are better from litters where your choices are fewer (because of a list of buyers for the pups). If you want to find a litter where you can go play with all the pups and pick your choice from the entire group, then you need to find a breeder close by and get yourself at the top of his/her list. If you have first choice and choose to wait till they're 8 weeks to make your pick, then that would be your right. But to get to be first on a list, you will have to be prepared to wait a while for your pup (that is, if it's a well-bred litter whose pups are in demand, then the only way to get at the top of the list is to talk to a breeder about a planned litter for the future, not one that's on its way now).

 

J.

My complaint isn't so much that I don't get to pick from all the dogs, it's just the early picking of dogs.

 

Ah, alright, I see what you mean, I didn't quite think of it that way, that if I'm higher on the list I could wait until they are older. Although that may have to be talked about with the breeder. Maybe that is something I could do, but I suppose easier said than done.

 

With that said, I understand most people do get dogs that they love and are great matches for them but to me it's not quite the same experience as meeting the pup before hand when they have a little personality in them. I just don't quite grasp the concept of "Oh I want a red and white one" or "I don't care as long as it's a boy". Surely not all dogs are so alike from the same little all you have to be concerned about is superficial things, are they? I'm not sure how to word my complaint, I suppose it's that people pick dogs practically in the womb, and it just bothers me. It seems impersonal for something that's going to be a part of you for the next several years. Then again, a lot of you mentioned out of local buyers and this isn't particularly my bag either, I mean I'm sure I'll have to travel but it's like buying clothing online, sure it might look nice in picture, the sizing chart says it fits you, but when you get it you realize it doesn't fit quiet right and it clashes with your skin tone. These are my own personal feelings and remember it's my first time looking for a dog that wasn't for free in front of Wal-Mart. Which is why I bring it up here to help me rationalize what I see and hear and feel and to see what the different views are.

[sixx]

It is interesting to be choosing a puppy from only a few days old, can't tell much then.

 

I waited to pick my pup and the choices became limited. Funny thing is she shines through the most and has the most beautiful markings, lots of personality, is a complete lover, etc. She's just like her daddy, who I am in love with. It may have been a blessing to wait it out a bit, even though I didn't get the first pick, or second and third for that matter. Wonder if the other owners to be would change their minds if they could...

[2 Devils]

A friend and a flyball teammate has been looking at rescue as she wants another border collie that she can do flyball with and maybe some other things. She's been looking up and down the East Coast for a young dog as she prefers under 6 months of age. The problem with rescues around here is the fact that 1. there are not that many available under 6 months that are purebred 2. if there are litters available the list for a puppy seems quite long even for rescue or 3. she always seems late for the draw. She has also been in contact with rescues in a few different states. So yeah rescue would be nice but is not always available. She has been looking for 6 plus months. She wants a purebred.

 

I have been trying to steer her towards working bred dogs but there are not that many within driving distance. She really wants to meet the pups and parents but not necessarily a must. She also does not want to pat outrageous fees and I don't blame her. I do think she would be more likely to pay outrageous fees for Show Lines so I am still praying she sticks with working lines but it is a fight as we have another teammate who shows border collies and is pressuring her to go that route.

 

Basically, all I am trying to say is that you can try to get folks to rescue a dog but if they do have age requirements that does seem to limit things which may cause said person to go to a breeder. Then you have the whole finding a breeder that has a litter planned in the near future that is willing to sell to a pet/sport home... and after awhile patience runs thin and then said person ends up spendig more money for a pup because they went to show breeders or sport breeders instead of working breeders.

 

I have been trying to help but it really has not been easy and we are still trying to find her a new border collie.

[Heather Rae]

Thanks, Julie. I think you've captured exactly what I meant to convey.

 

I do agree that if the OP wishes a working-bred pup (as opposed to a sports-bred or "working lines" pup as I've surmised from her other posts), AND also wishes to have many pups from which to choose, then getting her name in well in advance of a litter's birth is her best bet [note the emphasis]. Personally I'm hesitant to start to add any other constraints to the equation, like "find a breeder within an hour's drive so that you can visit the puppies regularly". That's introducing a huge element of chance (IS there a reputable breeder that close to her? or are they all sports breeders?) as well as a huge "filter" (if there IS a reputable breeder - do they take deposits from pet homes? or only if the supply exceeds the demand from working homes? will they allow her first pick? and so forth).

 

I use the word "bet" advisedly. There are never any guarantees in life. Perhaps the mating won't "take", and she'll need to wait another six months for the next litter. (This happens!). Perhaps it will result in a singleton puppy (could be a great dog, but definitely more of a challenge to raise for a new dog owner who might not possess other dogs, so I would urge caution in this sort of situation). Maybe there are only three puppies - and the owners of the sire and the dam have both requested first picks. Perhaps a pup will be ready for a new home at a time of year that isn't optimal. Perhaps it's a litter of only one sex when the OP has her heart on a different one. All I'm suggesting is that the OP be prepared for this sort of eventuality, to recognize that she may need to make some compromises, and to consider ahead of time which are acceptable.

 

The answer is not to rush out in this sort of situation and find some BYB or sports breeder with an entire litter of eight-week-old puppies from which to choose. Rather, be prepared to "roll with the punches". And we'll all send the best BC Board mojo that all goes well.

 

 

 

*nods* Yes she did help help me see the point a little better, but I see what you mean, I'm not to worried about the waiting, I mean it's hard but I've waiting for four years, almost five now and I imagine not every litter is going to be optimum for picking a pup from. So I guess as you stated, is their a working BC breeder anywhere within 500 mile radius and if not how far am I willing to go? Further more will their be a breeder who will let me wait until the pups are older to pick if I do have first/second (supposing that the breeder has first) choice, if they do, how will this affect others on the wait list?

[Ooky]

With that said, I understand most people do get dogs that they love and are great matches for them but to me it's not quite the same experience as meeting the pup before hand when they have a little personality in them. I just don't quite grasp the concept of "Oh I want a red and white one" or "I don't care as long as it's a boy". Surely not all dogs are so alike from the same little all you have to be concerned about is superficial things, are they? I'm not sure how to word my complaint, I suppose it's that people pick dogs practically in the womb, and it just bothers me. It seems impersonal for something that's going to be a part of you for the next several years.

 

There is really no way for you as a relatively inexperienced owner to know much of anything for sure about the puppies' eventual personalities from playing with them for an hour. The breeder (or foster family in rescue) will have a much better idea, having lived with them, and so your best bet if you want a certain sort of dog is to ask them to choose for you anyway (or to get an adult dog). And, an 8-week old puppy is still SO young! So much is not formed yet or not apparent even if it is in there somewhere.

 

As for people picking them "in the womb", I think what most people are saying here is that they don't pick the dog at all, they pick the litter. If you have faith in the breeding itself, then it becomes much more understandable why someone would only care about sex or possibly have a mild color preference, or even no preference at all. As much as there may be some personality differences bewteen pups from the same litter, the BIGGEST, the most primary innate driver of personality is going to be the genes affecting temperament that the pups get from the parents. And remember - there is a lot YOU do with socialization, experiences, training, etc. that shapes who the dog is too.

 

Another thing is that picking 8 week old pups makes more sense if they are bred for being pets. But a good litter of BCs will never be bred for that purpose primarily (although a well-bred working litter will make great pets!)

[juliepoudrier]

I just don't quite grasp the concept of "Oh I want a red and white one" or "I don't care as long as it's a boy". Surely not all dogs are so alike from the same little all you have to be concerned about is superficial things, are they?

No, not every pup in a litter is going to be exactly alike. And I can't speak for everyone, obviously, but if I'm choosing a pup out of a cross, I'm doing so because I know or have often seen the parents, know or have seen pups from previous or similar crosses, and so have a pretty good idea of the type of dog I'd be getting from that cross (while also understanding there are no guarantees; but then there are no guarantees from a pup that you pick by playing with a whole litter at a particular age and then choosing one). For example, a number of my dogs are closely related. I know a lot about those lines and that knowledge allows me to predict certain things about dogs that come from those lines (work- and temperamentwise). Will those predictions always pan out? No, but they will often enough to make me comfortable in choosing a pup before it "shows its personality" at 8 weeks or whatever.

 

The part that's missing from this conversation(or maybe not missing, since others have alluded to it) is that there's the nature component and the nurture component, and choosing a puppy is choosing (to use an old chestnut) a pig in a poke. Check out a thread started by Rushdoggie regarding a 6-month-old, previously happy-go-lucky dog who suddenly developed fear issues. That's clearly not something that was predicted by the pup's behavior at 8 weeks. It's been noted here already, but it bears repeating: what you see at 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 weeks might not be what you get at 6 months, a year, or later. And that being the case, if you've done your research about the cross, have met/seen the parents and like them and their personalities (and maybe also have knowledge of the relatives), then you've essentially already done the work needed to ensure the best chance of getting a pup that you will like,so why not choose based on something you like about a particular pup, even if it is just color or gender or coat?

 

So what most of us do is choose parents and lines we like and hope that the pup we get turns out like most of the other dogs we know related to that particular cross. If the comments here are any indication, doing so has served most of us quite well. For me, a pup can "speak" to me at a very young age, or even just from a photo. Others may feel differently, but I have to say that I've never been sorry with the choices I've made, no matter what age the pup was when that choice was made.

 

I know it's a different paradigm from what people who have gotten pet dogs from the guy down the street or similar are used to, but it seems to work well for those of us who approach it this way.

 

J.

[Heather Rae]

I see what you guys mean by the lack of guarantees. But it is still hard for me to accept the concept of letting someone chose for me and just going for it, I mean what if you get the pup and for some reason you just really don't connect with him/her what do you? Just live with it? Choosing a dog is so unsettling! lol, will I ever be ready?