Picking a pup on colour alone

[Danni and Freya]

I am thrilled to bits that I have been given the pick of the dogs out of Freyas breeders new litter. However, this means I have to choose one now, whilst they are not a week old yet. Does anyone have experience in doing this? Obviouslly ideally you would choose based on personality when they are a lot older, but the breeder needs to advertise so needs to know which one I want. Ive got a choice of three colours so i'm going to have to bite the bullet and choose one. Has anyone done this before? I trust the breeder and am thrilled to be able to have another of his pups, they are raised in the home with kids, and Freya is the most wonderful little dog. I suppose its not much different to when I got Freya as I wanted a bitch and she was the only one! And thats worked out well....  lol sorry sort of thinking out loud here, any thoughts much appreciated 

[Linz13]

I picked Murphy pretty much on colour alone and that was the night he was born..  Worked out well for me, but I think I was lucky and fate chose well for me!! 

[Jane S]

If you're picking at a week old, then you can only choose on superficial things like colour & markings (and even those can change). I really can't see why the breeder needs you to choose this early - I wouldn't even consider asking people to do this - apart from anything else, it's tempting fate a little as so much can go wrong with a litter when they're so young.

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Most breeders I've dealt with wont let people see the pups until they are 5-6 weeks old anyway.. Could she not just take interested names then let first come choose first when the pups are a bit older, if that makes sense?

Unless they're solids, the colour and markings could really change too so not sure what to suggest really!

[Danni and Freya]

This is so tough, I would rather not choose now but I also dont want to rock the boat and lose favour with the breeder  I dont know what to do 

[Emma xx]

Couldnt the breeder still advertise them even though you havent chosen yours specifically?? We werent aloud to see Alfie until he was 6 weeks old, we had 1st pick of the 3 boys and even though she had people lined up for all 3 of them, she waited until we had chosen ours then the others got to chose theirs. This way we could chose our pup on personality, temperament etc., not just colour (although they were all blue roan anyway). Just a thought, as you may have a favourite now but you might change your mind once they have got older and by rights you should have first pick of them all xx

[Danni and Freya]

Im really not happy about this, to the point where im thinking im going to have to walk away if they insist I choose now. I want too get the right dog to be a companion for Freya, and personality is a huge part of that. Im thinking I just need to start looking out for another home raised working cocker  not happy but this just doesnt feel right

[Emma xx]

Why not speak to the breeder first? See what he says? If you just explain to him that you would rather choose in a few weeks when the pups are a bit older and are showing personality etc, he might understand, as if he is a decent breeder he will want his pups to go to a decent home . Dont back out without speaking to him first, if he is still insisting you choose then you might consider backing out xxx

[Danni and Freya]

Yeah I know thats logical Emma thanks, i'm really worried about it, bit of a knee jerk reaction to want to back out as it just feels wrong  I will email him and see what he says but he seems pretty insistant, I dont want to get this wrong

[JohnMcL7]

For our first boy Jake, the choice was easy - it was just him (blue roan) and a black boy left and we wanted the blue roan so no problems.  However on choosing Alfie it was far, far tougher as had three dogs to choose from, an orange roan and two blue roans. Serious thought was given to the orange roan as it would be distinctly different to Jake but we couldn't resist the blue roans so decided to pick one of them.  We were sent photos and both boys were similar but one had a spot on the side and the other didn't so we said we'd take him.  I went for the first visit at five weeks and all was fine but then my Mum went to see him and was split over which one to go for as the other pup had been a lot more interested in her while the other one hadn't.  To make it tougher, neither had been sold...eventually we said to the breeder we'd go and have lunch and phone him in an hour to confirm which boy we'd take.

That was a tough hour spent looking back and forward through the pictures and videos I'd taken of both the potential pups, we'd read advice online about choosing pups but a lot of it is conflicting.  In the end we decided that we may as well stick with the arbitrary choice we made initially and we chose Alfie because of his spot on his flank although my workmates were running a spread with the odds favouring coming home with both pups.  I've no idea how Alfie's brother has turned out (although we have tried to find his littermates) but never regretted the choice, if any of the three had been the only ones left I'm sure we'd have been happy and had a lot less stress in the first place!

John

[Bluebell]

My Vizsla was chosen because he was one of only two pups left - one of each sex and OH wanted a boy.

For my cocker Lillie, even though I knew I was getting a girl from the litter, I did not know which one she would be until the other people had chosen - though I did get the quiet one that I wanted - not - she is full of life, an eternal comedian, and gobby

For my next little bundle - only a few weeks old - I was only interested in an Orange Roan girl. The litter is boy heavy, and she is one of only two girls, the other being blue roan. She was going to be kept by the breeder, but luckily for me I got first refusal.

My view is that, what will be will be. I love all my dogs, and would love them 'whoever' they are or turned out to be. There is no such thing as a perfect dog, they are loved for all their traits
After all, we don't know what sort of personality our children will have when older, we just love them

[Hurtwood Dogs]

After all, we don't know what sort of personality our children will have when older, we just love them

Very good point


Is this pup directly related to Freya? How did you choose her?

[stephremon]

I had pick of litter with Poppy, the breeder took names of people interested and they were allowed to see the pups.

I didn't choose until 5weeks, I saw them at 3weeks and indicated an interest in one so the breeder had an idea, but didn't choose for definite until Poppy was 5weeks.

The breeder was happy to wait for me to make my decision.

x

[Sharon]

I wouldn't be able to choose from my own litter at a week old, can normally pin it down to two/three, but always wait until I'm certain.  To be honest at a week old there's not really much to 'see' so to speak.  I certainly wouldn't expect new owners to choose at this age.

[sportsmonki]

I once had a similar experience.  I was told I could have choice on a litter after the breeder.  I did not know whether I wanted a boy or a girl; I was just hoping for a dog that would enjoy obedience/agility/working trials (Border Collie).  When the pups were about 4 weeks old the breeder started pressurising me into making a decision over a boy or a girl as she had had enquiries for boys and wanted to know if she would have any available (no, she hadn't decided which pup to keep herself yet).  I ended up not getting a pup from the litter partly because the breeder had gone back on her word (that I would be able to go and see the litter and make a choice after she had made her own choice) and partly because I didnt want to commit to a boy/girl and then find out I preferred one of the other sex when I saw the litter.

I think the only time I'd be happy to pick from a litter at just a few hours old is if I wanted a pup left undocked from a working (docked) litter.  Otherwise I would like to see the pups and get an idea of their characters before making a choice.

I hope if you spoke to the breeder he was understanding.  I know how hard it can be to walk away from a nice litter.