Bullet87 Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 So here's the deal... My father in law will be picking a puppy from a ranch bred litter of BC's soon and I wanted to give him a few pointers on how to pick a great puppy. Now I know that you really can't tell how the pup will do at herding at such a young age, but what are somethings that I can tell him to look for? The litter has 4 males and 1 female. He is shying away from the female because he believes she will not be tough enough for working cattle... I'm in need of a good defense against this type of thinking as well, for she may turn out to be the best in the bunch... I just don't want him choosing a male bc of the idea that he will be a tougher dog. You just can't tell. The dam is an average, not great, cow dog and the stud, well lets just say he is no more then a pup himself and hasn't really proven himself on anything. I've tried to talk him into looking into some good breedings and pups through some great breeders in the area, but he is getting this pup free and has pick of the litter. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 Is your FIL prepared for the possibility that his free dog may be no better than its dam and so may not turn out to be the cattle working dog he hopes for? (I suspect from your post that he's not really open to suggestion, but thought I'd ask anyway.) J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 I wouldn't even try. If you help him and the pup doesn't work out, it will be your fault, if you advise against the pup and he goes ahead and gets what he want and the pups suits him just fine he proved you wrong. Just sayin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 Sadly, I think I'm with Debbie and Julie. He sounds like kind of an old-school guy with ideas firmly entrenched, so any advice you give him could ultimately backfire. IF he'll listen at all, though, my advice would be for him to pick a sire and dam whose working ability he really likes, and then look at the pups. If the parents are unproven or only so-so ... well, it's hard to assure he'll get a good, tough dog out of mediocre or average parents. Free gets you pretty much what you paid for. Though for the record, some of the toughest working dogs I've ever met have been bitches. Lana Rowley's Mint comes to mind. Wee little girl and utterly fierce. But I agree, be careful what you say. Other than advising that he find parents he'll like, I'd just let him make up his own mind. Unless he's asking you for advice, which it doesn't sound like. ~ Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 I'm with the others. Smile, nod, tell him he/she's a nice looking pup. Get out of his way, and if he's willing to learn, he'll learn best from his own experience. If he's not, then at least you won't be blamed. Ruth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kling Posted September 26, 2011 Report Share Posted September 26, 2011 I agree with the posts urging him to look for parents with traits he admires. But with respect to females, you could tell him that both the US National Champion and World Champion sheepdogs this year were female (Alasdair MacRae's Star and James McGee's Becca. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullet87 Posted September 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2011 Thanks for the advice I was thinking along the lines that I would have some advice lined up in case he or my m.i.l. asked. But I'm not going to offer it unless asked. He knows I'm available for it. I'm working hard to get my boy trained, who has great breeding, to show the in laws how a little time, effort, sweat, and well planned breeding's can turn a dog with little training into a great dog with training. They are pretty set in the ways of yelling at the dog will only make it better too. Sigh. It's an uphill battle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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