Pick of the Litter
Defining what a 'Pick' is......
What is a pick of a litter? Is the prettiest? Smartest? Most Playful? The one that will live the longest? One with the most manners? . . . . . .
I think too often people confuse what a pick of the litter really is - hopefully i can explain it for those you need to understand.
Firstly a reputable breeder use a dog and bitch that are healthy and will produce a healthily litter. Secondly temperament - the litter should be a stable temperamented litter - but this can sometimes be in the opinion of the breeder and what it is they are trying to breed for.
Assuming you have a litter that are all healthily and strong - lets go off a litter that has all black puppies. How do you assume the pick?
Some breeders breed a pair of dogs for a particular reason; if for instance the breeder is producing a litter for dog sports - then the 'pretty' aspect of a dog will be a lesser factor in their decisions on what puppy is the 'Pick'. Depending on what sort of dog sport - the pick of the litter may be the most 'driven' dog with a 'focused' attribute and a 'willing to work/please'. The puppy who shows the most of this may be the breeders 'Pick' puppy.
Another attribute may be - playfulness - if the breeder was looking for a puppy to compete in a fast paced dog sport like Flyball and/or Agility then the pick puppy would need the above plus a lot of drive and energy - the puppy that shows the most of this would be the breeders 'Pick' puppy.
For someone who has a laid back lifestyle and wants a simple partner - then a laid back and happily friendly puppy with a low energy level would be the breeders 'Pick' puppy.
Lastly and commonly is if the breeder wanted a Show dog - one to compete in the showring - then it would be the overall 'image' that the breeder would be looking for in their 'Pick' puppy. Each breed have a standard - which is what most breeders breed towards producing in their litter. For example height may be a big factor in final decision in what is the 'Pick' puppy in the litter. The breeder may not want to campaign a dog/bitch that is too small or two big. The breeder may be less interested in the 'wanting to please or working ability' of their 'Pick' puppy and may base their decision totally on 'image' for their future breeding program.
There are dogs who seem to have it all. The versatile ones with brains, beauty and the kind of personality that seems to adjust to any situation. But often, dogs that excel in one area may come up short in another. So, if you're ever offered "pick of the litter," the first thing to do is define what attributes are important to you, and then go ahead and pick the puppy that you think is "best."
I think too often people confuse what a pick of the litter really is - hopefully i can explain it for those you need to understand.
Firstly a reputable breeder use a dog and bitch that are healthy and will produce a healthily litter. Secondly temperament - the litter should be a stable temperamented litter - but this can sometimes be in the opinion of the breeder and what it is they are trying to breed for.
Assuming you have a litter that are all healthily and strong - lets go off a litter that has all black puppies. How do you assume the pick?
Some breeders breed a pair of dogs for a particular reason; if for instance the breeder is producing a litter for dog sports - then the 'pretty' aspect of a dog will be a lesser factor in their decisions on what puppy is the 'Pick'. Depending on what sort of dog sport - the pick of the litter may be the most 'driven' dog with a 'focused' attribute and a 'willing to work/please'. The puppy who shows the most of this may be the breeders 'Pick' puppy.
Another attribute may be - playfulness - if the breeder was looking for a puppy to compete in a fast paced dog sport like Flyball and/or Agility then the pick puppy would need the above plus a lot of drive and energy - the puppy that shows the most of this would be the breeders 'Pick' puppy.
For someone who has a laid back lifestyle and wants a simple partner - then a laid back and happily friendly puppy with a low energy level would be the breeders 'Pick' puppy.
Lastly and commonly is if the breeder wanted a Show dog - one to compete in the showring - then it would be the overall 'image' that the breeder would be looking for in their 'Pick' puppy. Each breed have a standard - which is what most breeders breed towards producing in their litter. For example height may be a big factor in final decision in what is the 'Pick' puppy in the litter. The breeder may not want to campaign a dog/bitch that is too small or two big. The breeder may be less interested in the 'wanting to please or working ability' of their 'Pick' puppy and may base their decision totally on 'image' for their future breeding program.
There are dogs who seem to have it all. The versatile ones with brains, beauty and the kind of personality that seems to adjust to any situation. But often, dogs that excel in one area may come up short in another. So, if you're ever offered "pick of the litter," the first thing to do is define what attributes are important to you, and then go ahead and pick the puppy that you think is "best."
