what do you look for when choosing a pup?

[bluecollar beagler]

what do you guys look for in a pup when choosing one out of a litter? ive heard alot of the old sayings about picking them up by the back of the neck and the one that doesnt squall is a good one, or the one that ventures off by himself and doesnt pay any attention to the rest of his litter and ive heard to look in there mouths but i wanted to know what characteristics you look for when choosing a pup and why?

[Dale L.]

I honestly think pickin a pup is like playin the lottery. I have not found a method that always produces the best so I pick the pup that I like the looks of best.

[bluecollar beagler]

ive always tried to watch there temperment and how they act with the other pups and go with my gut if i dont have alot of time to fool with them before picking one.

i also let my boys pick one out one time and holy cow that didnt go too well. lol. i wont go into details on that dog!!

[old blood beagles]

When picking a pup, take a tennis ball and wrap it in rabbit fur; roll the ball in front of the litter at least 5 times and see what pups run to the ball, grab it and try to take it away. Most pups will run after it once or twice but the pup that does it the most---------pick it. The older the pups are the better results you will have.

[Kazoo]

IMHO, By the time you get to the breeders, you should have done your homework. Checked out bloodlines, maybe seen the parents run, etc. So, all else being equal, you might just as well pick the pretty one.

[KYRABBITHUNTER]

IMHO, By the time you get to the breeders, you should have done your homework. Checked out bloodlines, maybe seen the parents run, etc. So, all else being equal, you might just as well pick the pretty one.

^^ +1000

Unless you have seen the pups a number of times there's no way to judge temperament. First, decide if you need a male or female. Then pick the litter based on the parents (for some this may mean pedigree for others it's watching the parents run, to each his own) Once it's time to look a the pups I generally look to go and rule pups out rather than to pick 1 from the entire litter. The ones that act shy, don't like being handled, etc get overlooked. Then, pick the pretty one.

I generally favor the one that's bold and romping around. The dog that comes over and starts yanking on your pants leg and shaking for all its worth.

[bluecollar beagler]

i too like the agressive pups when im watching them...... ive got a litter of pups on the ground now and this question had been on my mind. i had hoped to have a few males to choose from and was going to keep two males and a female out of this litter but since she decided to drop all females and only one male i guess my choosing over the males is not going to be hard now is it. lol. my wife is in charge of picking out the female lol.

[Lone Pine Beagles]

A few years ago Leon Buford told me that he had a good technique in choosing the best pup.
He'd take a bone from a recent meal. Beef, chicken, pork, small enough so that the pup can pick it up.
Make sure the pups get a chance to lick and smell the bone.
Toss the bone a short distance.
Keep track of what pup gets the bone each time.
Repeat as many times as needed.

I use a similar method except with "gold fish" crackers.
feed each pup a cracker.
with the pups elsewhere, go out in the yard and toss approx. 3x as many crackers as pups.
scatter the crackers according to the pups size. a 4 week old pup doesn't go very far.
keep track of which pup gets the most crackers.
if you do it again, reduce the number of crackers.
less crackers will make them try harder!

You'll see them using their noses, imitating check areas, and using their brains. plus its so darn cute to watch!
If you have alot of pups, you could always split the sexes.

good luck,
LPB

[rabbitearl]

Female.Not shy and the one thats layback.

[gwyoung]

bluecollarbeagler, Contrary to what you may hear there is a foolproof method for picking the best pup in the litter. But you will need my assistance. Here is how it works . A man has a litter of six pups and is willing to sell all six. I go over to his place and pick out five of them for myself, I pay the man and leave. The pup that is left is the best in the litter, buy him!

[BCBeagles]

I just base it off of looks and personality, that is it. I like outgoing and blanketback. That works sometimes and sometimes it does not!!

[Newt]

bluecollarbeagler, Contrary to what you may hear there is a foolproof method for picking the best pup in the litter. But you will need my assistance. Here is how it works . A man has a litter of six pups and is willing to sell all six. I go over to his place and pick out five of them for myself, I pay the man and leave. The pup that is left is the best in the litter, buy him!

You got that right. Buy the whole litter, start them all then start culling. I've got a pup that wouldn't chase a San Juan at four months. At five months she started running cottontails and at six months she runs with the older dogs.

[bigdogs0074]

Put them all on a table. the ones that shy way from the edge pass on them, the one that run right off pass on them. look for the pups that go to the edge and try to find a way off. he is the one with the most brains thats the one to get.

[bluecollar beagler]

i havent laughed that hard in a long time.. i am going to try that one...

[Panther Creek]

A few years ago Leon Buford told me that he had a good technique in choosing the best pup.
He'd take a bone from a recent meal. Beef, chicken, pork, small enough so that the pup can pick it up.
Make sure the pups get a chance to lick and smell the bone.
Toss the bone a short distance.
Keep track of what pup gets the bone each time.
Repeat as many times as needed.

I use a similar method except with "gold fish" crackers.
feed each pup a cracker.
with the pups elsewhere, go out in the yard and toss approx. 3x as many crackers as pups.
scatter the crackers according to the pups size. a 4 week old pup doesn't go very far.
keep track of which pup gets the most crackers.
if you do it again, reduce the number of crackers.
less crackers will make them try harder!

You'll see them using their noses, imitating check areas, and using their brains. plus its so darn cute to watch!
If you have alot of pups, you could always split the sexes.

good luck,
LPB

You could also try throwin some of that in a little brush pile or pile of weeds & see which pups want to hit the brush.