i wouldnt but i have had great results in POL have had two different dogs that were POL. Maverick is one and he has great potential. and josh my JRT was also. so it just depends on the owner i dont think it really matters.

 

I would certainly prefer to look at the whole litter before making my pick. I do several temperament tests at 6, 7, 8 weeks old before making my pick. I have done it many times for friends and clients and twice for me and have never very pleased with my pick.

 

"Picking Of Litter" is important - pick the breeding and the hope for the best

 

I prefer "picking the litter and breeder". I have had best luck having the breeder pick the pup that is the best for what I want to do with the pup. I think the breeder know's the most about the pups and I trust them to pick the pup for me.

 

This is exactly how I feel.

 

Just as FOM stated, pick your breeding and get yourself a pup. Develope that pup to the fullest of your ability and I don't think it matters how many went before yours.
________
CHEAP VAPORIZERS

 

My best dogs were the only one available. People obsess over this way too much and they pick for the strangest reasons. The last pup is often the one I really like so that person who says I don't care if he's last often gets the best one.

 

LOL - that is funny, but probably true!


I liken it to people that HAVE to have a pup by the latest stud du jour, without giving thought to the dam and what she brings to the table or if the breeding is a good match for them....

Some people just think they are getting the best if they are first in line....

Juli

 

I agree with Erin. The best dog I ever had was the last one left in the litter

 

My golden was pick of the litter by her breeder/ my friend. She chose her as though she were keeping her herself. Which she kind of was. We co own her and she will use her to continue her line IF she passes all health tests at 2 and turns out nice. So I got pick of the litter for free! My Wolfhound was a choice between the only two females and I picked the one that was the most outgoing. I personally could care less just as long as I get one out of the litter I have chosen.

 

I like POL just because I can get the pup that I think is prettiest. I really don't think that it matters. I just like to get a pretty one. Labs all look the same to me when they are little, but hounds differ quite a bit in color, so I like to get there as soon as i can so i don't get stuck with a ticked up dog when i wanted a solid colored one.

 

I am new to all of this but, I now believe in having a pup picked for me that is best for what I want to do with the dog. My pup was picked for me and I wasn't even seriously looking. My friend knew the parents,the breeder and the litter and that "someday" I might be looking for another dog for specific reasons. Soon after my pup was born, she mentioned her to me and said she thought she'd be perfect for me. She kept track of her for me and I ended up getting her in the end. She is exactly what I would have wanted ( and more ) but probably I never would have done as well on my own.

 

I've had POL a couple times but would have been happy with the last pup If it were out of the sire and dam I really wanted a pup out of.

One of the times I had pol The owner of the litter called me and said the guy who had 2nd pic wanted to pick his pup a couple days before the pick date because of his work schedule if it wouldn't bother me. I told the owner that it was fine with me. So I ended up with my libby girl and am tickled to death with her .

I say treat the last pick pup the same as you would the first pick and you will be very happy.

 

Julie

"I do think some very experienced breeders can evaluate correct conformation and which ones are going to be structurally the nicest, but even they admit things can change and they're wrong as often as they're right. I really don't think you can tell much about their field aptitude when they're babies. They still don't even see very well beyond 20 feet at 7 weeks!"

Agree!! Considering every aspect can change, color, personality, temperament, etc, a selection on any pup is basically an "educated guess"
(based by experience, previous litters, etc, but still a guess).
Also I think selection boils down to "Potentials" of a pup. Judging on what the pup could be, and not what it will be (unfortunately some breeders confuse this idea and feel pup xyz will be "the it".).

What the pup becomes ultimately will be determined by the new owner.
Training, or lack of, experience, and intended usage all play a part.

Charlie

 

I don't think having the Pick of the Litter matters but being in the top half does. out of a litter of say 7, if you are the first three you will be fine I think. At eight weeks it really is hard to pick the best but you can avoid the pups with issues either physical or social.

 

If I were looking at a litter where I thought there might be issues with half the pups, I would look for a different litter. In my last three litters, I've had two pups that I felt were probably not suited to be competition and/or hunting dogs: one was a little timid and one seemed born to watch tv. I made sure these pups went into pet families. However, I suspect that with training both would also have been strong in the field. One of the best reasons for picking (and paying for) an outstanding litter is to increase the likelihood that all the pups will have the potential to be successful and healthy with proper training and care.

 

Here's how it went for me. I answered an ad in the paper. Basically a backyard breeder. The breeder said this was the 2nd litter from his golden retriever and he gave me a couple of references from the first litter. I called and both references were happy. So I go to the breeders house and he shows me all the pups. All were beautiful and I said just give me a female. He picked one up and said here you go. He signed over the papers, I paid him and I was on my merry way. Eight years later I couldn't be more happy with my girl.

Not a very scientific way of making a pick, but this was my first dog since I was a kid. Pretty green behind the ears and I got lucky. Next time I plan to try and rescue a lab or golden. Seems like I always see one of the two available in my area. Plus I would just as soon skip the puppy stage.

 

Its a bit of a lottery?
The only way I have done it in the last 30 years ,is pick up a pup at around 8 weeks old ,roll it away from you on the ground! and if it comes back for more! then it has picked me?
so far,no failures

 

My, now, 21 mo. old 'Trip'...Ten Bears Road Trip pup was one of two left over in the litter. Got him when he was 4 mo. old from the breeder. We're running HRC Seasoned level now and feel very confident to be running SH and Finished this Fall. He's a freight train, hard going, go get'er. ;-) Couldn't be happier.

 

I'm not real concerned about pick order. When I got my lab, I knew I wanted a female. She ended up being the last one and seems to have the potential to be a good hunting dog. I just have to make the time to get her going good. When I got my beagle, I ended up getting first choice because of schedules. The stud's owner had already chosen his dog, but it wasn't a big deal because he likes big beefy dogs and I like slimmer dogs that fit through smaller holes in the brush. I didn't have enough experience to make a good choice yet, so I told the breeder what I was looking for and she gave me suggestions of which ones she thought would be the best rabbit hunting dogs and I chose my male based on his markings. He's turned into everything I want him to be and am thinking about breeding him.

 

Sorry, hit the wrong button before I finished. I don't think it matters which pick you get as long as the breeding is good and you get the gender you're looking for.

 

pick of the litter is a relative term

If Im buying doesn't matter

If im selling its got to be worth more.

just kidding

 

I first choose the litter, and the breeder. If I have POL, then I look for the one dog that picks me. It doesn't hurt if the dog wants to be with you.

On my last dog, I had last choice and I couldn't be happier. I had the last female and we had wanted a female, but the last unpicked male was so attentive and we bonded immediately. I made the right decision because he is such a great dog. I'm glad nobody else picked him.

With EIC dew claw testing, the POL can get pretty heated.

Loren

 

I had the last pups they have all but one been QAA MH or better.

 

Hi

I would select the pedigree I wanted, and decide if I wanted M or F. Order of pick would not determine my decision to get pup.


Regards
Jeff
www.marshhawkretrievers.com

 

I've found that traits puppies demonstrates early on remain with them too some degree for life.

If the opportunity avails itself , the litter is a good place for comparison and selection.............

john

 

Pick of litter is fun for many. I actually think that, other than the coordination and managing all the "people issues", it can be fun for the breeder. There certainly are variations in personalities and traits among the litter. A good breeder, who's doing a good socialization job, knows who's who in the litter.

These generalized traits may or may not carry through to adulthood.

But, it's fun. I'd say that "It Depends" (LVL) on refusing to buy the last pup. If the last pup is the one that's half the size, has one eye half-closed, and walks sideways, then it may not be the ideal pup for some.

 

it can be fun for the breeder

I can't think of anything "less fun" to do. Matching puppies with their owners can be excruciating, especially when you've got a lot of folks wanting competition prospects. Talk about pressure!

 

Every time I've bought a puppy, I've been fortunate to have 1st pick and also have had the opportunity to puppy-test the entire litter.

In my experience, having 1st pick has worked out very well.

 

Every time I've bought a puppy, I've been fortunate to have 1st pick and also have had the opportunity to puppy-test the entire litter.

In my experience, having 1st pick has worked out very well.

Yes, but in order to see if that theory holds up, you would need to see how the last pick in each of those litters turned out.