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Originally Posted by TeddyandTiffy  I have some questions on how to pick out a puppy from a litter to know they MIGHT be show hopefuls.
I'm a hopeful here to have maybe 1 show hopeful out of a litter of puppies through Sage & Galahad and no breeding until the Spring of 2009 with that being said I need to learn all I can about how to pick a show hopeful puppy out of a litter.
When do each of U breeders of show babies do all this below and how?
On tail docking, I know they docked my Galahads' tail way to short!!
How long should U dock each puppies tail, is there a rule to go by. Do U dock each puppies tail longer at 3 days old even if a puppy turns out to not be a show hopeful?
How do pick a puppy out of the litter?
What do U specifically watch for in this litter for that one special puppy to be a show hopeful?
What specifically strikes U're fancy so to speak, when U see one U think might be a hopeful?
At what age do U really start watching them?
I allowed Tiffanies' puppies to be adopted at 12 weeks of age, if I adopted Sages' babies out at 12 weeks of age would that be enough time for me to pick out my show hopefuls?
If not what is the age U keep them all till U pick that show hopeful out of the litter?
At what age do U start training U're show hopeful puppy for the show ring?
What do U specifically train U're show hopeful puppy to do?
As U all already know I'm not into showing Yorkies at all, I do have some books of showing but if Sage was and I say was to have a puppy that might just might be a show hopeful (Of course if she has a litter of babies then U all will be the 1st to judge them here and help me to pick and not pick (If that can be done) then if I take the time to learn how to train a puppy for the ring could I do that even if I don't show any Yorkies?
When U pick out a puppy from a litter that U know is a show hopeful how long do U keep this puppy before adopting it out as a show puppy?
Does that puppy have be shown in the ring at least once to be a show puppy by it's breeder?
More less would I have to take this puppy into the ring in order to adopt it out as a show puppy?
Is this mandatory that U a puppy be shown in the ring before adopting it out as a show hopeful?
If yes, then I would have to hire a handler wouldn't I?
I'm just asking questions to learn about show hopefuls and I hope to get some answers from all of U show breeders. I would love any and all thoughts on how to pick a show hopeful. |
I do my own tail docking. 1/4 inch past the tan into the black is a good rule of thumb for length of tail. If I want a tad longer tail, I will dock a vertibrae longer. This does make a nicer outline when gaiting the dog around the ring.
I look at ATTITUDE, balanced structure, level topline, bite, ear placement, testicles and silkieness of hair. This does not show up all at one time. I think I posted this in order of what I look at. Of course, these can all fall apart by the time they are 6 or 11 months old, not to mention health screening.
I start "stacking" on the table and bait training at about 8 weeks of age. I also put a light lead on them and let them drag it around(supervised). At around 10 weeks, I start lead training them. I practive in my yard just like as if I was showing them. I take them for rides in the car and get them used to strangers.
I have never sold a show prospect, but if I did, the puppy would be co-owned and would need to be shown. But thats later on down the road.
I showed my first champion Yorkie until his hair was almost to the ground and then put him with a handler. I work full time so I dont get to go to all the shows and it ended up that the cost of the handler and all the fees were cheaper and quicker to make the dog a champion than if I had to do it myself.
Hope this helps!!!