Where to Find a Dog with the Right Stuff - Part 2

In Part 1 of this article series, I discussed buying a puppy and considering pedigrees. Now we'll delve into the best breeder and how to choose the right litter.

The most sensible way to find a well-bred puppy for yourself is by conducting thorough research. Ask each breeder why they bred the parents of the litter. If they cannot provide sound reasons, you might want to search elsewhere. Whenever we breed dogs, we ought to aim to enhance the breed by pairing parents with similar positive characteristics and dissimilar negative ones. Emphasising positive traits and reducing negative ones through selective breeding should eliminate certain defects within a few generations. Before purchasing a puppy from a breeder, ensure they are doing the right thing by breeding quality dogs for the correct reasons.

In looking at past litters, almost every puppy will show a striking resemblance to either its mother or father in appearance and personality. Ask the litter owner if either of the parents have been bred before. If they have, get names and telephone numbers of the people who purchased previous puppies. Call these folks and see if they are satisfied with their purchase. Tell them what your intentions are with your dog and see if they would recommend the breeder to you for that purpose. This is not going to guarantee success but it certainly increases the chances of you getting the type of puppy you desire.

My favourite way of finding a puppy that suits my needs involves repeated breedings. I let someone else do the experimenting to see how the first litter turns out. If the pups from the first litter look good, have an excellent personality, are eager to please their owners, show the ability to be trained to a high level, have a strong desire to retrieve, and are genetically sound, then I want one from the next litter. Repeated breedings of good dogs are the safest way for you to get a high-quality dog.

After you have done your homework and researched quality litters available to you, it is time to hit the road. Look at as many litters as possible so you will not second-guess yourself. It amazes me how many people will purchase a puppy without doing any research. They don't think about the next twelve years that they will be spending with this dog. A word of warning about going to visit prospective litters, don't take your chequebook! Visiting a litter of puppies can be a highly emotional experience. You may end up buying a dog that does not fit your future needs because you can't tell your children or wife, 'NO.'

Choosing the right litter is the most difficult part of purchasing a puppy. Now it's time to select the individual puppy with whom you'll be spending a great deal of time over the next decade. Do you want a little boy or a little girl? I'm asked every day whether a male or a female makes a better retriever. I see little difference in the end result. Boys seem to mature faster but that's not always a good thing. If you can tolerate the female's oestrus cycle, I don't think it matters which gender you choose. However, it can be quite frustrating for your little girl to come into season the week of a national competition or when you've planned a hunting trip and your shooting partners all have male dogs. In both instances, you and your dog probably won’t get to participate.

When it comes time to select your puppy, how does anyone know which pup to choose? I have heard of many tests to evaluate the seven to week old puppy in hopes of not making a mistake. The problem with these tests is that puppies are rarely consistent in their performances. The most dominant puppy in the litter may be asleep because he exhausted himself at the food bowl earlier. I prefer to discuss my needs with the breeder and ask him to help me with my puppy selection since he sees the puppies on a more consistent basis. In the final analysis, I let the puppy pick me. If several have caught my eye, I play with them and select the pup that wants to be with me or will not leave my trousers leg alone. When unsure, let your wife choose the puppy. We all know that women never make a mistake and therefore will pick the perfect puppy.

Stay tuned for the 3rd and final article in the series about choosing started vs. trained dogs.

Always check your local and state regulations related to dog training and the use of game birds on private and public property.