I have no intention of ever showing, so the "standards" weren't nearly as important to me as much as the pup itself. At first, we wanted a little girl - and came home with a boy. I didn't know jack-didly about breeders - only that I didn't want a pup from a store. Puddie's breeder was probably not the best, even for a BYB, but he's a good dog and we love him. But we still wanted a girl. I sat on the floor and HER breeder let the pups out. She had several litters of varying ages, and when they were let out, there was a big pile of tumbling furballs in the middle of the floor ... then they noticed me. Two of them broke loose - both girls, one 12 weeks one 8 weeks. Both crawled into my lap and started with the kisses. It was a very hard decision, and I still kick myself for not taking them both ... but I took the older one. Isabella is the sweetest, most loving little bundle of fur you could ever hope to share your life with.
Keep your mind - and heart! - open. What you *think* you want may not really be WHAT you want in the long run. I love both my dogs, the one *I* chose and the one who chose ME, but the one who chose me is more loving. |