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Author Messages Oldest First Newest First Jeff P Certified Online Status: Posts:20 05/07/2008 7:24 AM Alert  Here is my dilema - I get to pick up my pup on Friday.  I have the choice of the 4 females. I read several books including Julie's book (which happened to be my favorite) and from what I can tell, there is no hard and fast rules about picking a pup.  I think I have it narrowed down to 2 pups right now but here is where I am a little nervous.  These evaluations were done at 5 weeks and again at 6 weeks and although the pups did change over the week, there is quite a bit of consistency in traits from one week to the next. Pup 1 - farily aggressive, not much stops her, she handles obstacles (climbing up or over logs rocks steps, etc.) more easily than all others.  She is also the biggest so may be this is part of it.  She appears to be very independent.  She loves the puppy dummy, but picks it up and runs away from me.  When I walk, she doesn't seem to want to go with me all that much, but would rather go her own way and explore.  She spend much of our second visit sniffing under the breeders step where presumably a chipmunk or similar animal had previously been based on the hole dug under the step.    Pup 2 - a little less aggressive, seems to be a little apprehensive of obstacles but still tries to conquer them even if she doesn't succeed.  she will retrieve a dummy and either lay down and chew on it, or sometimes she will bring it back to me.  When I take off walking, she will follow me (in the heel position) when I walk at a fairly demanding pace.   while she walks with me she seems to look up at me a lot as though she is looking for approval.  She also makes eye contact and will hold it longer than the others.    My question is which one is going to be a better dog for me?  I am going to hunt her quite a bit in the fall, but she is also going to be a family/house dog.  My interpretation of the visits and my reading tells me that pup 2 may be easier to train and possibly has a better connection with me, but that pup 1 may be a little more athletic and more interested in hunting although maybe more stubborn and tougher to train?   I will do a final evaluation and make my pick on Friday night so I was just looking for any input from someone outside looking in.  My wife and I both have our favorite, but I really don't know that it is entirely based on the best dog as much as on "connection" or physical attraction.  Either way, we are heading to the cabin with my first puppy this weekend.  It should be interesting.       stuw North Central Minnesota Master Online Status: Posts:967 05/07/2008 7:32 AM Alert  My choice would be pup #2 I like a pup that will look me in the eyes... APR Gull Dam Labs Sagebrush Dragon ??R Gull Dam Labs Lady Willow 311Hemi Mounds View, MN Certified Online Status: Posts:35 05/07/2008 7:42 AM Alert  Jeff, I think I agree with Stuw on going with #2 based on the descriptions. 2Blackdogs! Kansas City Area - GO CHIEFS !!! Grand Master Online Status: Posts:1257 05/07/2008 8:05 AM Alert  #2- It seems that the trainers really give dogs that make and keep eye contact the highest marks hooligan Southern California and Vancouver Island Master Online Status: Posts:783 05/07/2008 10:07 AM Alert  I'd pick #2 also. The best dog for you will be the one with the "connection", and it sounds like she's trying to make a good impression! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. oakcreeklabs Moundridge Kansas Advanced Online Status: Posts:207 05/07/2008 10:30 AM Alert  I would take pup 1, you should probably take pup 2. She will probably be easier to train Jeff P Certified Online Status: Posts:20 05/07/2008 10:38 AM Alert  You guys have convinced me that I am doing the right thing by going with pup 2.  I have no doubt that pup 1 will be good (maybe even the best of the females), but I think she would stretch my ability as a trainer.  Thanks for all the input.  I am still open to other thing to look at, but for now I think if they "test" the same as they did last week, I am going with #2.  My wife likes her too, says she is cute, so that will make part of it easy!!! Thanks for the input!!
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