Puppy buyers often become fixated on their order of pick in a litter. Betsy and I know—first hand—that the last pick can be the best.
The first grouse champion we owned was bought sight unseen from Maine. Not only was our puppy the last pick but the breeder changed his mind during the process.
We were excited about that that litter—a repeat breeding of a top-notch female grouse dog, 5X CH Vanidestine’s Rail Lady, to a spectacular male, 2X CH/RU-CH Northern Dancer, trained and handled by fellow Minnesotan Jim Tande. Eddie Vanidestine first told us we were getting an orange-and-white female. We said, “Fine.” When he later called to tell us it would be a liver one, we again said, “Fine.”
Most of that litter went to grouse trialers and we never saw or heard anything about an orange-and-white female. But that liver puppy grew into our extraordinary 2X CH Dance Smartly and became the foundation of our pointer line, now four generations down.
It’s hard to believe how close we came to not having what would become our best setter ever. When we bred Blue Silk to Paul Hauge’s Houston in 2004, our first pick was based on looks—a gorgeous, tri-color male with a solid head. After two other males were chosen, one was left. He had a big, blocky head, a patch on one side of his head and a small spot over the other eye. We named our first choice Kobe and the leftover pup, Shaq.
The all-female litter out of Northwoods Prancer by CH Westfall’s Black Ice in 2011 left us with an evenly marked, black and white one with a spot at the base of her tail. Jeff Hintz, good friend, neighbor and training helper, took her. Jeff will tell you in a heartbeat that he will take last pick any day if it turns out to be as good as his precocious, smart, talented young champion, JTH Izzie.
In a previous post, How To Pick a Puppy, I wrote that the essential concepts are to: first, choose the right breeder and, second, choose the right litter. The pick order is the least important. It is impossible to definitely know what a puppy will become when it is eight weeks old.
Others agree. John Wick, breeder of hundreds of coonhounds, writes, “It is absolutely impossible at 8, 10, 12 weeks of age to pick out the best pup or pups, no matter who you are or what you know.”
Blue Shaquille x Snyder’s Liz puppies point the wing at eight weeks of age.
I’ve closely watched and kept records on the progress of hundreds of pups. Those records clearly and conclusively show that it is absolutely impossible at 8, 10, 12 weeks of age to pick out the best pup or pups, no matter who you are or what you know. ~ John Wick, The Tree Dog Encyclopedia
Betsy and I are often asked our advice on how to pick the best puppy. After 17 years of breeding, raising and training puppies, we have an answer. While it’s simply not possible to know precisely what an eight-week-old puppy will become, we think that if you follow these three steps, you’ll be happy.
Choose the right breeder. Choose the right litter. Just pick the puppy.
#1. Choose the right breeder.
Within breeds, there can be tremendous differences between any two litters produced by any two breeders. And while a great dog can come from anywhere, consistently top-notch dogs come from breeders with vision. Betsy and I are now producing our sixth generation of English setters and fourth generation of pointers. This depth of knowledge enables us to make comprehensive breeding decisions which result in puppies with predictable traits.
We continuously evaluate our own dogs, especially on ruffed grouse and other wild birds. When we go outside our kennel, we’re never impressed by pedigrees and titles; rather it is imperative to see and appraise the dogs personally.
Our commitment is to breed setters and pointers with outstanding instinct, talent, conformation and temperament.
#2. Choose the right litter.
A breeder should listen carefully to your preferences and requirements. Some distinctions for us are setter/pointer, male/female, retrieving instinct and hunting style.
At our kennel, Betsy and I like to show puppy buyers the dam and sire, grandparents (if possible) and any other relatives, including puppies with similar breeding. After some discussions, the choice becomes clear.
#3. Just pick the puppy.
This is the easiest part. Since at eight weeks of age it’s impossible to definitively know what the puppy will become, any puppy should be ideal—no matter the picking order, no matter whether it’s the first pick or last. Choose based on color, markings, relative size or just pick the puppy that most appeals to you.
Finally, remember this key part. What the puppy eventually becomes will depend to a significant part on how it is raised, developed, handled and trained.
Dogs, like us, are more than their genome. No animal develops in a vacuum: genes interact with the environment to produce the dog you come to know. ~ Alexandra Horowitz, Inside of a Dog
Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis female puppy gives her new owner a kiss.
A common question Jerry and I hear when a family picks up their eight-week-old puppy is: “Aren’t you sad to see your puppies go?”
It seems such an innocent question but, as with many things, the real answer is complex.
First of all, it’s our business. Even though we train dogs, guide hunters and sell gear, a key component of Northwoods Bird Dogs is breeding dogs, whelping litters and selling puppies.
The reason we’re in this business, though, is because we love dogs and sometimes it is difficult when puppy dispersal time comes around. For whatever reason, a certain puppy will become a favorite of Jerry’s or I’ll fall hard for the littlest male or the perkiest female. In fact, I still remember very special puppies from years ago…puppies we named Lily, Linus, Moxie, Cotton, Pete, Peanut, Zeus and Jingles.
Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chardonnay female puppy takes a nap on her new owner.
Ultimately, the whole thing becomes a win-win-win situation: Jerry and I make a living, the new owners gain a treasured pet/hunting companion and the puppy has a great life.
To borrow from Ina Garten, how gratifying is that?
P.S. I’m happy to report that puppies from our three litters this year seem to be relishing their new lives. Many thanks to the Gudenkauf, Blomberg and Rader families for sharing these photos.
Blue Shaquille x Snyder’s Liz female puppy loves rides in her family’s boat.
Do your research and get references. How long have they been breeding? Are they personally familiar with the dogs they’re breeding? For how many generations? Then make an appointment to visit the breeder. Are the kennels clean and the dogs healthy and well cared for? Do the dogs seem happy?
Not picking from the right litter.
Picking the right puppy is easy if you’re picking from the right litter from the right breeder. Like tends to produce like—if the sire and dam aren’t proven on the birds you hunt and in the manner you hunt, odds are that the offspring won’t either. All puppies are cute and it’s difficult to distinguish much among eight-week-old littermates.
Being in a hurry.
Hopefully your dog will live a long life of 10 or more years. It’s far more important to find the puppy that meets your needs rather than one that’s currently available. In fact, the best breeders usually have a waiting list.
Not knowing what you want.
Before you even begin your search, think about what you want. What qualities—such as looks, temperament, hunting ability—are important to you? What birds do you hunt? Do you like a close-working dog or a wide-ranger? Will your puppy live in the house or the kennel?
Choosing a puppy based on price.
Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. Good breeders who produce high quality dogs have invested time, effort and finances in doing so. In addition, the initial outlay is virtually inconsequential when compared to the cost of a dog over its lifetime.
