I’ve read enough books and talked to enough dog folk to know that there are about a hundred and one opinions on how to pick out a puppy. There are a few common themes that come up frequently, like issues of health and agression. But for the most part people have many different ideas on what factors are most important. I think experienced dog people probably develop a talent for finding the pick of the litter. Others will argue that if the litter is of good quality then all of the pups will have the potential to become great dogs. Personally, I tend to follow my gut when it comes to puppies and I try to let the puppy choose me.

What do you do when the litter is hundreds of miles away and a road trip is out of the question? Ask the breeder. The dogs breeder lives with these puppies each and every day and has the benefit of watching the personalities develop as the pups grow and learn. The alpha pup is often the first puppy to stand out in the litter and some people would choose this dog every time, male or female. This is the puppy with drive and is almost certain to be a real go-getter. The next puppy to stand out would probably be the runt or the most timid puppy. This continues on and on each week until there is a litter of very different personalities and individual dogs.

When you can’t make frequent visits to see these things for yourself, you have to trust in the breeder. They will be able to guide you to the right puppy for your situation and needs. Most reputable breeders will ask you a great many questions in order to figure out what you are looking for. I think that the puppy’s personality is probably the single most important factor. Generally speaking, males tend to be more agressive or hard-headed and the females more docile or easy-going. The least important factor is probably the color or markings of the puppy. My family has to decide which puppy is coming to our home of the puppies in the picture above. I have narrowed it down to females but after that I am trusting completely in the dog breeder.

Today I took my son Travis to look at a litter of pups. There were a couple of liver german shorthair puppies for sale in the litter. They are almost two weeks old and are just starting to open their eyes and walk around like little drunks. Before today my son was dead set on getting a Beagle puppy but after holding a few GSP puppies he had a change of heart. Of course, all puppies are cute when they are small and cuddly. In the next couple of weeks we make the trip to Northern Utah to check out the litter from Taylormade GSPs.

After visiting the puppies we went to pick up Jake and take him to the vet to get caught up on his shots. I was impressed with the vet and his staff who came highly recommended by other local GSP owners. We also stopped by our new house to check on the progress. The owners are starting to pack and they are almost done replacing the siding on the bay windows. I was looking at the backyard by the bird barn trying to decide how to fence in the yard for the dogs. I’m also trying to decide which side of the shop to put the kennels on – North facing or South Facing. You can view my site plan here.

I decided that it would be best if I could find a German Shorthair breeder in Utah where I could go and visit the kennel and meet the sire and dame. I discovered one that I think may be just what I was looking for. In American Fork, UT there is a breeder called TaylorMade GSPs. They have a litter due this week and they expect to have a few liver females as the dame is an all liver Shorthair. Most of their dogs seem to have good bloodlines and they look to be a rebutable breeder.

I hope to hear from them soon when the litter is born. I have placed a deposit with them and currently have second pick of the females in the litter. Thier stud dog is pictured above and his name is TAYLORMADE’S MO MONEY. He has some Moesgaards blood as well as some heavy crosses with HMK’s Dandy Runaway Rusty and Rawhides Clown. The dame is out of FC/AFC ERDENREICHS NAVIGATOR.

As Jake nears his first birthday and gets to be more and more like an adult dog and less like a puppy, it makes me want to have another puppy. As I’ve been thinking about it and researching German Shorthair puppies on the internet I have decided that I am going to get an all liver female this time. For some reason I am drawn to the all liver GSPs that seem to be gaining in popularity. But, as I realize how very little I do know about the breed it drives me to further research about German Shorthairs and their heritage. I hope to discover when and how the different colors and ticking patterns came into play. I am sure that I will discover some snobbery concerning certain color patterns and bloodlines.

This puppy pictured above is from the litter born two days ago at Rooster Valley Pheasants. I noticed that while their dogs are great bird dogs the females seem to be a little on the scrawny side. This concerned me a bit as I hope to have a litter or two of puppies if either of my dogs turn out to be worth a dang. If I do have a litter down the line I want to be sure that I am contributing something back to the breed. I have enjoyed training Jake and watching him progress even though we still have a long way to go. As we get settled into our new home next month I hope to get more serious with Jake and get him out hunting a lot more. I certainly am looking forward to getting to know my neighbor a lot more.

Jake is coming along nicely. We play the game called “find it” once in a while. This is where I drag a small piece of hotdog through the grass leaving a scent trail and hide it several feet away. I then lead Jake to the start of the scent trail and tell him to find it. He then goes to work trying to find the treat with his nose to the ground. We started out just a few feet on a straight trail. Now we are up to 10-12 feet away using a curved trail. I don’t really count this as training but it does help him to practice using his nose in trailing scent.

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There are more than 150 different breeds officially recognized by AKC. If you are interested in hunting birds and upland game like I am then you will likely settle on one of the many so-called versatile hunting dogs. You can break them down into four basic categories. The Pointers, Setters, Spaniels and Retreivers. But within these four basic categories of versatile dogs there are more than 50 different choices in breeds. When it comes right down to it, they are all very capable hunters and great companions so there is no right or wrong choice. There are however a few important points to consider when choosing your new hunting partner.

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One decision that every potential dog owner must face is that of gender. One can make a valid argument either way. I have come to the conclusion that it is mostly a matter of personal preference for the dog owner. Some would argue that a female dog is more calm and trainable because of the nurturing instinct that the title mother brings. Others would say that males generally have more spirit and natural drive. But, the question that must first be asked is what are you looking for in a dog.

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