Age to decide show or pet home?

B

bkzoo

Forums Enthusiast
I realize there is probably no set answer, but am just wondering the average of a pup when a breeder will decide if it's a future show/breeding prospect.

There are 3 boys in the litter & I will be getting one of them. The breeder has asked me to consider not neutering if the best pup for me is a good choice for future breeding. (she likes that I plan on some performance titles). I'm still trying to decide if I would want to go that route.

She said IF she's going to keep one (assuming I don't want to keep mine intact) it will probably take her a while longer to choose one. I'm just wondering at what age she might know? 3 months? 6 months?

I sure don't want to wait a second longer than necessary to bring the new little guy home. But I also don't want to agree to future breeding just to get the puppy. :confused2:
 
The consensus is to alter your pup when physically mature (see that thread active now and others in the past). So agree to holding off on neutering for a bit and raise your pup and reevaluate him when he is 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, even a year. If he goes oversize or otherwise proves to be not the breeder quality she is looking for, she will know by the time you would be choosing to neuter anyway at say 6+ months (more like 9+ or 12+). Don't let the neuter thing be a stumbling block unless you were planning a super early neuter (like 8-16 weeks -- which is not the preferred protocol).

Get your pup and be delighted and I bet it will all become obvious by the time you would choose to do the neutering anyway.
 
Depends on the pup. Sometimes you can tell early on if it is not show quality with things like head detail/quality or if it is obviously looking over or undersized. 10 weeks is the age most breeders makes the decision on size to pet out or continue to grow out.

Question is she asking more from you if she places a show prospect with you? There is usually a price difference between pet and show. Will you need to pay more money if it turns out to be show? Make sure you have EVERYTHING down is writing if you are considering taking a possible show prospect. WIll she take the dog for breeding when time, if so how long? WIll she show it if so is she going to send it with a handler, how long? Are you expect to show it and pay for that or finish it. There are lots of things to concern beyond being willing to keep it intact. Does she want a co ownership? Get it all in writing and all expections straightened out first.
 
Thanks guys.

I think she is more interested in future breeding opportunities, rather than showing. She is a very close friend of the initial breeder I had been hoping to receive a pup from. (I will be getting the grandson of the sire that I fell in love with).

The pups are about 3 hours from our home, 1 1/2 from our camper, and we plan to visit them mid-July. They will be 6 weeks old, so maybe at that time she might already know there isn't a breeding potential, so this discussion will be a learning experience, but not necessary.

IF it looks like I might be getting one that she wants to use, trust me, I will have a ton of questions. And, even though I trust her immensely, I will get everything in writing so we are all on the same page. It will be so hard to concentrate on the details when playing with those adorable puppies (3 girls, 3 boys).
 
Kristie, my breeder also asked that we keep Beckon intact in case she wanted to breed him. I was perfectly ok with it. Or at least I was until he recently became Pepe le Pew.
 
Our breeder held on to Watson for 6 months before they decided to list him as available as a pet... his bite grew in wonky and never corrected. I recall them wanting to keep him for their own program, but not with his bite... bad for the show ring, but I think it's super endearing. We ended up getting him at 9 months. I think we had him neutered at 11 months.
 
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