Which litter should I pick?

[kdawg]

Thanks for all of your posts and advice. I guess I'll go see the parents again and just try to go with my gut feeling.

[nobellekennelz]

kdawg

While titles are a good place to start do not make your decision on to purchase or not to purchase based on titles. The NAVHDA VC while truly is an accomplishment it is one that is derived from countless hours of training as well as having the abilty to handle the dog through the test.
As an example suppose you are looking at a litter where the VC title on the male or female was done by a professional trainer and handled by that professional trainer. Compare that to a dog that was handled by a guy that just likes to hunt but did not pass the test. Remember they both got there by getting a prize I. Which dog would you choose? Say for example that dog was handled by the same pro and achieved a prize I UT where the other dog was handled by the same Joe hunter and got a Prize III. Titles while they do have their place can be achieved by the experience of the person training and handling the dog during that specific test. You need more information to better help you make that decision. You need to look at the generational of pedigrees, the off spring etc, talk to people that have purchased pups from that breeder before. I would recommmend getting out and seeing the female and if possible the male. Get refrences!

[DrahtsundBraats]

kdawg

While titles are a good place to start do not make your decision on to purchase or not to purchase based on titles. The NAVHDA VC while truly is an accomplishment it is one that is derived from countless hours of training as well as having the abilty to handle the dog through the test.
As an example suppose you are looking at a litter where the VC title on the male or female was done by a professional trainer and handled by that professional trainer. Compare that to a dog that was handled by a guy that just likes to hunt but did not pass the test. Remember they both got there by getting a prize I. Which dog would you choose? Say for example that dog was handled by the same pro and achieved a prize I UT where the other dog was handled by the same Joe hunter and got a Prize III. Titles while they do have their place can be achieved by the experience of the person training and handling the dog during that specific test. You need more information to better help you make that decision. You need to look at the generational of pedigrees, the off spring etc, talk to people that have purchased pups from that breeder before. I would recommmend getting out and seeing the female and if possible the male. Get refrences!

Great Post!!! I know trainers that could probably get a raccoon through the UT test!! My favorite stud dog is a good example of what nobellezkennelz is saying. A leading breeder wanted to use the dog but wanted the dog to pass the VGP (2 day utility test) first. So on 14 days notice, the owner took his dog and got a Prize 1 VGP!!! Something like this should get anyone's attention.

[canadian]

What cocerns me is that no one is mentioning coat and confirmation.

If we do not check these as well as all the other attributes the dog may not be capable of running all day.

Have the dogs been to a breed show? Have they had their hips certified? Have they been tested for all genetic disorders? How is their teeth?

I like to see all of these as well as the things everyone else has mentioned, it is just as important as how they hunt.

Takes a ton of homework, and it is still a gamble in the long run.

Yours in sport

[Betterbirddogs]

How does a dogs coat have an effect as to whether or not the dog can hunt all day? Just curious. Also some of the best dogs in the country are not within their breed standard.

I have a serious question: if a guy is buying a hunting pup and has no intention of breeding it or competing with then why should such things as an underbite be important? I've often wondered this.

[yawallac]

What cocerns me is that no one is mentioning ....confirmation.

Is the dog Catholic? ..oh you meant conformation!

I have a serious question: if a guy is buying a hunting pup and has no intention of breeding it or competing with then why should such things as an underbite be important?

Cuz it won't be able to eat its kibble silly!

[orhunter]

As they say, the perfect dog has never been bred. Knowing this shouldn't keep folks from trying. Breeding dogs that produce defective pups should be discouraged and the way to discourage this is to not buy them. That is, don't create a market.

[Betterbirddogs]

One of the best bitches I ever hunted behind was a Fiddlin Rocky Boy/Go Boy's Shadow bred dog that was undershod and looked like a boxer. Other then that she would outbird anything on the ground with her and look better then them doing it also. Her only defect was her bite. I would have been proud to own the dog and I may have bred her once just to see if her pups were good. That's just me though.

[yawallac]

You must be kidding!! You'd breed a dog with a bad bite? Sure it may be the best dog you ever hunted behind, but what does that matter?

[GPBLITZ]

One of the best bitches I ever hunted behind was a Fiddlin Rocky Boy/Go Boy's Shadow bred dog that was undershod and looked like a boxer.

Should a Pointer look like a Boxer?

[yawallac]

Should a Pointer look like a Boxer?

Better than looking like a GSP!

D'oh!!