Pickin a pup?

[taxidermyteacher]

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[taxidermyteacher]

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[Panther Creek]

Here's one I heard about. Make a hotdog trail on the ground & see which pup can track it. Or, throw a hotdog in a small pile of brush or a patch of weeds or tall grass, & see which finds it. But it would be a sorry pup that couldn't follow a hotdog track.

[bill huttozac]

Kirk Robinson - Thanks, you have the best answer.

[team fudd]

great to hear everyones answers, I have been running and raising rabbit dogs since the ripe age of 12, some 31 years now and it is still good to get some one elses perspective. I am the first to admit after all this time that I dont know it all They are only four weeks old and still not a lot of differences in the way they act but personalities are starting to come out. I have waited over two years for this cross and all the ways I have heard in the past and tried pretty much boiled down to a crapshoot. Nice to see some of you have been in the same boat as I , keep em coming , good runnin, FUDD

[2500 HD]

A old guy told me once and I found it kinda funny. He said you need to sell every pup out of your litter to people that will run and hunt them. Put the money in an envelope and put it in a safe place. In a year and a half go watch each of them run and hand the envelope to the guy who has the best one. Doesn't cost you a dime and you end up with the best one out of the liter. Don't know if it would work, but I got a kick out of his theory. LOL

[team fudd]

2500 HD, I think that is the best idea I have heard yet! I was just sittin lookin at em tonight, they are in the basement since it has been so cold out , they are headed outdoors this week, and thinkin I would like to keep about four of the females and see which one turns out best but I am already keepin the male, I am getting pick of the litter for breeding my reggie dog to gummie, matt turners hbch sister to coal miner, I have another pup out of coal and a good friends blitz dog, plus all the other hounds in the kennel and there is just no way! Guess I am going to have to bite the bullet sometime but the next three weeks I will be spending a lot of time watching them. Good Runnin! FUDD

[taxidermyteacher]

2500HD,
What GREAT advice! Wish I has thought of that.
Chip

[S.R.Patch]

When the puppies is born, they are blind and deaf but guess what? they can smell. I watch how they get to the mama and who's always first to the teat. I watch their actions in the box, they start to show their personality, I like a proud little pup. I watch who's the first to tumble out of the box, who just has to see whats outside and has the courage to do it. Scattering chopped up hotdog in the yard is a good way to wake up their noses and you can see which pup run straight from one piece to the next and which pup has trouble letting his nose lead him to the source of the scent.
Ole Billy used to tell me, "watch the puppies, "the one" will tell you who he is...

I made the mistake of following one fellers advice on picking a pup and am having the darnist time breeding it out now. He said to "always" pick the pup with the biggest butt hole and you'll have the best, well, that hasn't proved true and I had to get a new shovel and hurt my back lifting while cleaning the kennels.
You just can't trust some of these guys sometimes...

Best of luck with your choice...

[warddog]

I'm not a regular breeder and therefore don't have to pick pups very often. The only time I do is when I have some gettin age on them. I always look over and watch the pups just as Patch stated. I often have my favorite(s) but I don't get attached to them as I know I can't keep them all. When I make a cross I'm pretty sure of whats behind it and what I want to keep as far as gender but I don't pick my pup or pups. I allow those that are buying one to pick theirs and I keep what's left. Breeding two dogs is a crap shoot and there is no way to know which one will be an average or above average dog so I let the dice roll and land where they may BUT in knowing what I crossed I've at least made it possible for them to turn up in my favor.

[Dunbar Family Kennel]

I let my kids pick

I have 3 young kids so if i only pick one pup they fight over it,so i let them all pick one.I have better odds in getting a good one with 3 pups rather than 1 pup

[Herb Cronizer III]

Patch thats funny one of my Grandfathers old friends always said look for one with a touch hole the size of a silver dollar and it was a good one I still don't know if he was serious or joking....LOL

[Alabama John]

Patch,

you aren't fooling me!

If that pup wasn't the best one you wouldn't be picking up its mess, someone else would!

ALWAYS WORKS!!!

[S.R.Patch]

Knew if I shook the brush hard enough something would flush...

How you been doing?

[Alabama John]

You got me as usual.

Doing good, had a good season, and you're still running white I see!

Hope you are fine and had a good season as well.

Hard to believe we have been answering each other on here for 9 years isn't it!