Picking A Pup and Stacking the Odds

Picking A Pup And Stacking The Odds

By David E. Molyneaux

So very often we see or hear of gun dog owners who have to compromise with a dog they have purchased that didn’t live up to their expectations. This could be a pup that doesn’t have a compatible temperament with the new owner, such as bull-headedness, aggressiveness or, to the other extreme, too passive or soft for your liking. Health issues also suddenly arise that, for the most part, could have been avoided. By the time they become reality, you and your family have become too attached to the dog to ever consider exchanging to resolve the problem.

When considering obtaining a new addition to your family as a hunting partner, there are several objectives that will eliminate future problems.
The most common logic in selecting a pup is to request a certain color and gender, and then pick the first pup of that description that jumps up to them. All you know is the color, gender and that it is cute. Chances are you will have to adjust your expectations.
Prior to selecting a pup, consider what you really want as a top gun dog. A range of topics such as temperament, confirmation, pedigree quality, health certification, and will we ever consider having a litter should be considered. Do I want a better dog than one I already own? Would I ever like to own a master quality dog and explore AKC or NAVHDA testing?

Request to view both parents, if at all possible. You will be looking at their temperament, conformation, and hunting history. When observing the parent’s pedigrees, look for notable “hall of fame” caliber ancestors. Do the parents and grandparents have symbols such as DH, FC, SH and MH? All levels of outstanding accomplishments are not easily acquired. I want a blend of conformation and hunting achievements. This gives me good hunting stock as well as good conformation.
Also, take notice that under each individual’s name is a series of small print. The hip rating of dogs that were tested will give you an indication of potential hip dysplasia. If the parents were not tested and you don’t see any ancestor’s test scores, this is a red flag.

Ask to see the health certificates on the parent’s eyes, called a CERF Test, which means the parents have been tested for pre-retina degeneration. Like bad hips, this is not too uncommon with some bloodlines. Have the parents had their heart tested? Ask if there is an OFA heart certificate to ward against heart murmur, leaky valve, etc., which could be hereditary. Also, these questions can be covered by phone, prior to ever viewing a litter. It doesn’t take any more money to raise a great pup than it does an undesirable one.
You have now selected a litter to look at and here is your objective: I want to end up with the best bragging gun dog I have ever owned. Request to see the pups an hour prior to eating. Their eagerness level will be most active at this time. Color and gender will always play a large part in the selection process, but it shouldn’t. The pups that isolate themselves and hide off to the side, as well as the runt, if there is one, are first eliminated. Passive, shy pups are so often the soft dogs we hear about later in life that are difficult to train. The runts are cute and grab on our hearts, but usually tend to be small in size and under the standard for AKC.

Look for good bone density and a long stride pup. The head is very important and can tell you a lot. The eyes should be wide apart and big. Small-eyed dogs seem to turn out to be more bull-headed and have an attitude.
Observing the pup’s muzzle will help you in selecting a soft mouth dog. You want a dog with long mouth and wide muzzle. Shorter mouthed dogs have difficulty carrying large birds such as ducks and pheasants and will have to use a harder grip to carry the bird.

Tail placement is important if you want an upright tail. There is certain elegance when the tail is carried upward as opposed to a downward angle.
Say you have narrowed it down to three pups and want to see and test their temperament. How hard are they going to be to train? Will they take pressure and be a soft dog? There are several ways to handle the pups and readily tell their extremes. Roll each pup on its back, placing a hand on its belly and roll it a bit. Hold it there for a few seconds. You are testing its temper. If it growls at you, bites and draws blood, obviously this is going to be one tough hombre to train. The other extreme is that it cries almost immediately, signifying softness.

Pinch one of the forefeet with your thumbs for 10 seconds, gradually increasing pressure on the web. If the pup defies you, looks you straight in the eye and doesn’t say a word, this gives you an indication of its thick headedness. Of course, if the pup shows discomfort and cries instantly, this indicates a soft, sensitive dog that, if trained, will not care for uncomfortable situations; in other words, a hunting dog that will not desire hunting in cold, briars, thickets, etc.
When feeding time has arrived, watch the couple of pups you have honed in on. We are now looking for attitude and aggressive behavior. This will give you a good indication of how well this pup will get along with dogs in the hunting field and with your other dogs at home.

Yes, a litter is truly like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get. But, there is certainly no reason not to eliminate the extremes, get a pup with some sort of health guarantee and a substantial pedigree. Definitely stack the odds of obtaining a dream dog in your favor, with no compromising.