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New Pup Decision

bigjoe

bigjoe

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2015
Messages
2,618
Location
VA
Got to spend an hour with the pups. They are 5 weeks old today. We will be making a choice in less than 3 weeks. The largest, the darkest , was the most playful and the first to wag its tail. The smallest was the boldest. Going to take a look at them a few more times before make a decision.
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Oh my, just a pet or you waterfowl hunt?

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Good Luck @bigjoe. This is the latest addition to our family. He's 10 weeks old today and we've had him 3 weeks. Only time he slows down enough to get a picture of is when he drops for a nap.:tearsofjoy: We had pick of the litter and I think we did real well. He was fetching the ball for use two weeks ago and sits for dog cookies already.

The other dogs (both chocolates too and both turning 6 this year) have accepted him into the pack now and he's having a blast chasing them around. I had almost forgot how much work these little ones are at this point. If he can find/reach it, it qualifies as a chew toy.

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We got our Yellow 11 years ago. Had first pick of the litter of 7 and were focused on the bigger more dominant pups. Similar to your situation the runt was the more bolder/adventurous and constantly followed us around. Was an easy pick for us after that and so happy to have spent 11 years with our family’s best friend. He is a wonderful dog. The lady that we bought him from was shocked we picked the runt too.
 
Assuming the breeder is knowlegeable and you trust him/her, maybe let them pick your pup based on what you want/need. It's a bit of a crap shoot to pick a dog based on one or two visits.
 
Ive heard it said not to take a dog with the high tail.
They are more dominant and harder to train or can be unruly in the wrong hands.
Dont take the coward. Any playful fiddling in the middle pup will give you a good dog.
Look for a good dome on the head.

Always go look at the best pups you can find and afford or you or t hgv e kids may get attached to a lesser pooch.
 
Got our shelter mutt back in June, was 3 mos. at the time so is about 9-10 mos. right now. Has turned out to be a fantastic family dog and we all love him to death. Our best guess is pit bull/terrier/hound mix of some sort. But i'm truly amazed at his intelligence. He has picked up on all of his basic training and tricks quicker than I would have thought a dog could ever do.

And his prey drive is through the roof! I wish I knew how to field train dogs because I feel like this guy would run circles around critters!

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About 17 years ago I went to a lady who had black labs. The runt came to me when all the others just kept running around. She turned out to be the sweetest, most loyal and loving dog I have ever known. We lost her about a year ago.
I knew two others who bought pups from the same litter (the ones that were running around)...neither was even close to as great a dog as my Shadow.
 
I've had quite a few Labs through the years. One thing I learned is picking a pup is truly a crap shoot, you just can't determine what a pup will become as an adult. The only thing I now look at is ancestry, especially parents. Smart, calm dogs that take training well are the only ones I consider.
 
CZMark said:
I've had quite a few Labs through the years. One thing I learned is picking a pup is truly a crap shoot, you just can't determine what a pup will become as an adult. The only thing I now look at is ancestry, especially parents. Smart, calm dogs that take training well are the only ones I consider.
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I agree with the ancestry. I did a bit of research finding the correct breeder and litter. I took a while to find what I thought I wanted. Then I got a buddy of mine involved, I want/need a calm dog that mainly is going to be a house/family dog. I will train him for upland and duck hunting. I am also going to train him for shed hunting and possibly blood trailing. My wife had forgotten how much training I put into our last lab. I pulled out my training journals. I told her I needed a bird boy again. Lol. I only duck and upland hunt a handful of times a year anymore. But I have always have had a good reliable dog with me. For me it really adds pleasure to the bird hunting experience. Nothing like watching a dog trail a pheasant or making a couple of hundred yard retrieves. However, to me, watching a deer step out of a thicket after you have put your time in during the off season there is nothing like it.
 
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Weldabeast said:
Highest prey drive and smallest tongue is always my first pick
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I found that one, the smallest was the boldest and most inquisitive.

The breeder actually had just moved the pups from the welping box to a pen so everything was new them, including us. We were the first people other than the breeder and her staff to spend time with them. The smallest eventually got off the comforter and was checking out the room. Then he was checking out another litter in another pen. Just very inquisitive. I told my wife if it were just me, I would pick him. But we will see after the next few visits. The kids and wife liked the darkest and largest pup. He was the most friendly and playful. His tail wagging started immediately with my son. The wagging continued with the largest one.
Actually, both the largest and smallest pups started their tail wagging with my son. The middle sized one never wagged his tail. I could tell he was skittish. I held him for a while and then tried to roll him over to rub his belly. He would not have it. All 4 of us got the same response from the middle sized pup. The largest and smallest never had a problem with us rolling them over and rubbing their belly. My wife wants a pup that will be a family dog first and foremost, which it needs to be. Our last lab I picked and he ended up being a very good hunting dog and a great family dog. So if the dog is a bust with the family I can blame them for helping me choose.
 
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d_rek said:
Got our shelter mutt back in June, was 3 mos. at the time so is about 9-10 mos. right now. Has turned out to be a fantastic family dog and we all love him to death. Our best guess is pit bull/terrier/hound mix of some sort.

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My hog trapper friend uses shelter dogs for his bay dogs. They can all perform if given the chance. Your mutt looks like a good 1.
 
This is my runt after his fifth master hunt test pass before 3 years old was a handful getting started but amazing dog now
 

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Sure is a goofball though funny how he flips a switch between hunting and house time grab the whistle and he is all business hanging around the house spends most his time trying to scam belly rubs.
 
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