picking out a bird dog

[buglebuster]

Just wondering how everyone goes about picking a pup out of a litter for hunting? I'm going to be looking for a lab very soon. My last dog I brought a quail wing with me to let them sniff, they were all interested so I watched them all for a while. The one I ended up with was always sniffing around and actually jumped in their little pond to swim. He showed promise early on but just doesnt have the heart out in the field and he doesnt use his nose. You can kill a bird and he wont even look at it. He's a great family dog but this time I want a hunter!

[Sportfury]

When I picked out my wirehair I took a pheasant wing with me. When I first viewed the photos of the pups I had my heart set on the little female that had a white stripe that ran across her back just behind her shoulders. Great looking and unique colored wirehair. When I got there and met the pups she was the most submissive of the group. When I brought the wing out her brother and sister were all over it. She did want it, but was more worried about me and her siblings. I ended up going home with her sister and made a deal for the brother whom I gave to my dad. My Sofie dog had no fear of me and was dominate with her brother. I am glad I went with my gut after I got there and interacted with the pups.

[JLS]

I spent my time picking a breeder that had the type of dogs I wanted to hunt with.  I called him, spent some time on the phone, and when I asked him about how to pick the pup he told me he would pick it for me.  He told me to list the attributes I wanted in a the dog, my experience with the breed, and how I intended to use it.  He guaranteed the pup for two years, that if I'm not happy with him return him and he will get me a new one.  So far, I've been very happy.

If your dog doesn't have the drive to hunt, I'd say that it's a function of breeding and not which pup you chose.

[wildweeds]

Pick the breeding not the breed or the pup, properly bred animals will yeild cookie cutter results in which a large percentage will be carbon copies of each other and their parents,at that point you pick on color preference should it be a breed with colors and markings (setters,pointers,brittianys).In a well thought out breeding you can close your eyes and reach into the box and pull out the first one you get by the nap of the neck.

[Sportfury]

Pick the breeding not the breed or the pup, properly bred animals will yeild cookie cutter results in which a large percentage will be carbon copies of each other and their parents,at that point you pick on color preference should it be a breed with colors and markings (setters,pointers,brittianys).In a well thought out breeding you can close your eyes and reach into the box and pull out the first one you get by the nap of the neck.

That is probably the most important part. Before picking any of my dogs I make sure that they have parents that hunt. The guy I bought my GWP from had both parents on site, so i got to view them both of them. The owner told me that the female was the best dog he has ever hunted behind and my girl must be a "cookie cutter" of her mom because she is the best hunter I have had the pleasure of hunting behind.

[AspenBud]

Pick the breeding not the breed or the pup, properly bred animals will yeild cookie cutter results in which a large percentage will be carbon copies of each other and their parents,at that point you pick on color preference should it be a breed with colors and markings (setters,pointers,brittianys).In a well thought out breeding you can close your eyes and reach into the box and pull out the first one you get by the nap of the neck.

 

[wildweeds]

Get on doing your homework to buy a lab, research the pedigree would be the very first thing I would do,in Labs I would be looking for FC/AFC/NFC/NAFC on the paper I would also discount heavily any CH because that is show ring stuff.Stuff with the field in the 3-5th generations that's been backyarded bred will be ok but not advisable IMO especially if no OFA was done on the 3rd=5th generations or if their posted OFA scores were less than good.Better to see either a long time breeding for purpose such as ("Deep Run Retrievers for example) or a small time competitor breeding for a replacement competitor. Eeenie miney moe picking out of the little nickle is a powerball shot in the dark. Not sure how much a Deep run pup is but in the grand scheme of it all the 400 bucks more you'd pay for a pup is measured in field happiness of owning a firebreather rather than a little nickle wet blanket That wades out to it's elbows,whines and won't swim(my buddy had a dog that did exactly that,his weiner was practically bred off,show dog registered name (Cedarwoods Tug,this is for your research remember it the dog was HORRIBLE in the field and he sired 100's of puppies).Linebreeding is also what I would be looking for in an AuntXnephew ,uncleX neice breeding fashion.
Strongly cements the desired abilities in the stock,but it magnifies the bad too.

Just wondering how everyone goes about picking a pup out of a litter for hunting? I'm going to be looking for a lab very soon. My last dog I brought a quail wing with me to let them sniff, they were all interested so I watched them all for a while. The one I ended up with was always sniffing around and actually jumped in their little pond to swim. He showed promise early on but just doesnt have the heart out in the field and he doesnt use his nose. You can kill a bird and he wont even look at it. He's a great family dog but this time I want a hunter!

[BIGINNER]

I chose my yellow lab the best way......

one Saturday morning as we went outside to get ready to mow the lawn,... there was a very young yellow lab sitting on my deck.  I tried to chase him away, but he kept coming back to play with my kid.  the dang dog just wouldn't leave, and ended up sleeping on my deck the next night.

after searching for the owners for a while I ended up keeping him, and now have an amazing duck dog. 

but seriously though, in my opinion, look at the parents,.... every pup I bought, I got from hunting parents,... they all turning into excellent hunters.

[AspenBud]

And no matter what anyone tells you, hunt test and/or field trial titles are good things to look for, especially going back multiple generations. If anything all of those prove the dog comes from other canines that could do the job and handle the pressure of getting trained to do it.

[KFhunter]

skip all the puppy junk and get a started dog 

[jackson7]

I would attend hunt tests and chat up the individuals running dogs. often they will have litters or are aware of them. Good luck!

[Stilly bay]

Just wondering how everyone goes about picking a pup out of a litter for hunting?

if you have found the litter you want, just pick the pup that stands out the most to you.
 If you are still undecided and you are buying from a reputable breeder with a good amount of experience, ask the breeder which pup he would choose to keep if isn't keeping one already - then he will randomly select one for you based on no criteria other than the knowledge that picking out little puppies is a complete and utter crap shoot. but at least you will be able to tell all your buddies that "old Jeb was the one the breeder would'a kept for himself"

[buglebuster]

Well this pup just kinda happened. The price was right so I decided to try her out. If she doesnt work out as a hunter I will try to find her a new home because she is an absolute sweetheart! Shes 3 months old with unknown bloodlines but she is a pure bred. She already sits, stays, and comes when told so hopefully it works out.

[KFhunter]

You need a designated dog picker outer   

[pens fan]

Any good breeder will do a scent test anyways. I do that at ten days, then again at four weeks. I keep a notebook on progress and personalities. My pups are raised in a hunting background. Gunshots, live birds, sit, stay, come,,all introduced by seven weeks.