New Pup Decision

[predatorhunter]

This is at Cresthill Kennels

Yep, that where we take out dogs when they need boarding. Small world.

 

[Sincyrman]

Had a choice of two pups at six weeks old. One was all about investigating what was around him. The other was all about us. Choose the second one. That dog was the best dog I have ever seen! He learned stuff by chance that we weren't really teaching him. He was loyal to a fault.
Without ever teaching him about what was his and what was not, I could leave a piece of cheese hanging over the counter, and leave for a couple hours. Return home and the cheese was still there. He wanted the cheese, but knew it wasn't his. He died at seven years old three years ago. Brings a tear to my eyes just typing this. Replaced him with with another dog who is not the same. Good dog. Loyal. But not the same.

 

[bigjoe]

Yep, that where we take out dogs when they need boarding. Small world.

I am very impressed with Wendy. She has a great breeding program. She told us she actually has 40 dogs,that breed. However, all of the dogs other than what she has at her home are with foster families. She believes that a dog needs to be around families. I had several friends recommend her to me.

 

[Gator]

I am very impressed with Wendy. She has a great breeding program. She told us she actually has 40 dogs,that breed. However, all of the dogs other than what she has at her home are with foster families. She believes that a dog needs to be around families. I had several friends recommend her to me.

Good info. I had looked into them in the past but they didn't have anything available in our timeframe at that time.

 

[CptFrank]

I got the last runt and the last of his litter...I honestly thought I got the slow one that nobody wanted but he ended being the smartest dog I’ve ever seen. He turns four next month. View attachment 26161

We had a Springer Spaniel that was the runt of her litter and honestly she was too smart. The most incredible thing i ever saw was she would fake an injury when she was unhappy.

 

[CptFrank]

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.

With regards to anchestry, what are you looking for from the breeder? Do you try to get face time with the parents or do you go on the breeders words/credentials. i will be looking for a lab this summer and would love the family dog that hunts if possible. Any advice would be awesome. Thanks.

 

[A.Mas]

For us we put a lot of emphasis on bloodlines. Not saying it’s the best way to pick but dogs are bred for different reasons whether it be looks or some other attribute a breeder was trying to further. With a good pedigree for what we do with our labs we can tend to get a decent feel if it’s a litter we want to buy from or not. It’s possible for a dog to get a master hunter title and have never had one it’s bloodline but it’s more probable to get one from a bloodline that’s stacked with them. That being said have seen some dogs from great bloodlines that were horrible and more specifically they were made worse by the owner not understanding what they were buying. Good quality training and consistency will make up for most short comings we just try to make sure our dogs have the potential for the natural ability first.

 

[bigjoe]

With regards to anchestry, what are you looking for from the breeder? Do you try to get face time with the parents or do you go on the breeders words/credentials. i will be looking for a lab this summer and would love the family dog that hunts if possible. Any advice would be awesome. Thanks.

I look for the bloodlines. I want to see Master and Sr. Hunting titles in the lineage. I want the parents to be calm dogs. It does not guarantee you are going to have a Master Hunter or a UKC Field Champion but it helps to know that the dog is coming from ancestry of hunters. Any Labrador can be trained to hunt. However, it makes it easier if you for you and the dog in training and hunting. Labs are the most popular dog in the world, hence you have different level of breeders. Everything from Puppy Mills, to Hoby Breeders, Backyard Breeders to Full Time Breeders. Unfortunately the Labrador breed got crossed a lot over the years with inbreeding. So I look for a reputable breeder, a purebred for Dam & Sire. I have gotten dogs from backyard Breeders to Hobby Breeders. To Wendy who is a full time breeder. I want to look at the lineage not only from the hunting aspect, but also to verify no cross breeding. This is for field dogs. If I wanted to go for a show dog, there is nothing wrong with them for hunting either, however they are generally as fast or have the same stamina.

I want the breeder to have a clean kennel and actually care about the pups. I want her to interview me as I interview her. We both need to be assured with the pup that she has done the right things with the pup, and I and my family are going to continue that process.

 

[CZMark]

With regards to anchestry, what are you looking for from the breeder? Do you try to get face time with the parents or do you go on the breeders words/credentials. i will be looking for a lab this summer and would love the family dog that hunts if possible. Any advice would be awesome. Thanks.

I don't necessarily trust what a breeder tells me (Every breeder has the best dogs out there). I spend time with both parents (if possible) and observe their demeanor--I look for traits such as calmness and awareness. I also want to see the dogs work, even if only a short training session. If they are obedient and work well, I assume good train-ability.

As a side note, the very best dog I ever had was a yellow bitch I bought from a guy who interviewed me and my family for 45 minutes before he let me see the dog. 15 of those minutes were spent with him telling me stories about people he refused to sell dogs to. He also asked how much I weighed and then told me he could kill me with his bare hands. I was beginning to think he was nuts and almost walked out on him, but after a year with that dog I was glad I didn't.

 

[CrackbottomLouis]

Cant help you choose but from the looks you will get a winner no matter which one you decide on.

 

[bigjoe]

Went and narrowed it down to the 2 pups I was liking last weekend. 2nd picture is the pup that the family loves and he definitely is the friendliest little guy.

The 1st appears to have the most drive. He was the first to pick up a toy and play with. Decisions, decisions.

I know we cannot wrong with either pup.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Aaronpaul14]

I know nothing about picking a puppy out but just from the pictures and your description I can see it. These pictures are just a random snap of the pups but here is what I see when I look at their faces:

First: assertive, strong, loyal, and protective

Second: sweet, love able, and timid

Just random thoughts when I looked that pics! Good luck!