Clean Run - March 2011 - 30

such as pups that run just for the love of motion, pups that tug intensely, pups that are very focused, and of course, those bad ones that find their way out of the whelping box at early ages. By eight weeks or so, we can evaluate structure and determine if a given pup has the desirable combination of structure to allow the body to go fast and attitude/drive to allow the mind to want to go fast. We can also start to guess where they will end up on the size scale. I am pleased to say that about 95% of our agility pup selections have panned out to be everything we expected. This is a record of success far in excess of what we initially thought was possible. We are lucky to have great handlers and trainers and loving owners in the Sheltieranch family to bring out the ability and the love of life in the pup. Loving life is the first consideration for us when placing a pup. No matter where the pup is to go and what the expectations are, prospective owners must convince us that the pup will live a charmed life. Whitney: We don’t breed much, but by the very nature of our breeding program, all the pups we produce are good agility candidates. Of the pups old enough to be out competing, 90% are in agility homes and have advanced titles or championships; the other 10% are competing in USBCHA herding. hoW do you match pups With puppy buyers Who plan to do agility? Plail: We have a multi-dimensional questionnaire that we require of all applicants. This questionnaire tells us about the applicant—their past success, their other pets, their own personalities, what type of pup personality they desire to train, and so on. It also asks for references from a veterinarian and from others who can attest to the quality of the prospective home. We try to match top competitors with top potential pups. Occasionally we get applications from folks wanting a “moderately” driven pup. That is a little more difficult, but at times we have a pup with middle of the road, as opposed to over the top, drive. At this point we have very few “pet” or “non-performance” folks applying for our pups. The matching process involves our carefully watching the pups for the eight weeks they are with us, while at the same time getting to know the owners who are next in line to receive a pup.
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We try to get commitments from prospective owners early on so that we can spend the eight weeks wisely by knowing exactly who we need to match with which pup. We know our pups well; we need to know the applicants well too. Harding: By watching the litter as it grows, doing a temperament test, structural grading, a vet checkup, and a puppy eye check with an ophthalmologist: We try to find the most outgoing puppy, which generally won’t suit a pet home anyway. Moureaux: It’s difficult to say what goes into the decision of which pup goes where. I definitely take the puppy buyer’s preferences into account and have told people no on a particular puppy if I didn’t think it was going to be a good fit for what they were looking for. I think I’ve done a good job as numerous owners have said I selected the perfect pup for them. I think it’s more that the puppies are pretty uniform in temperament and drive so they make my job easy. MacVicar: Most puppy buyers do not know that they want to do agility. I was one of those 14 years ago when I was looking for another Brittany pet. Once an owner sees agility and a Brittany running in agility, then the fascination begins. If I wanted to match a puppy to an agility owner, then I would use what has been successful for me. I watch the interaction between all the puppies. I watch for the exploring pups (for confidence), the playful but not domineering pups (for social ability), and the pups that stood their ground if getting picked on. Whitney: I know my pups very well, so my job is to try and learn what the buyer is looking for. That process starts before I even commit to selling them a pup, and continues on in the weeks that the pups are growing up. I only place pups in homes that are prepared for the demands of raising this very active breed, who are familiar with and want a working bred dog, and who will provide the pup with meaningful work. I typically work as a “consultant” with the buyer, helping them understand the puppies and what I think most suits what they are looking for. Working together, we make a decision. What recommendations do you have for your puppy buyers Who plan to do agility? Plail: Make sure that you let this puppy be a dog first and a competitor after that. Do not overcontrol the pup and cause the pup to question himself. Freedom is a good thing, as long as it is safe and has limits. Most important, you need to be your dog’s favorite toy, best friend, protector, and teammate. If you can provide this for your dog, he will provide all the drive, excitement, and enthusiasm you could ever want on course. Harding: Get to know the breeder. Be patient; you can’t really tell much about a puppy until it’s five to seven weeks old. Above all, trust the breeder to find the right puppy for you, assuming that breeder has experience. MacVicar: Don’t rush into training agility. With Brittanys, the younger they are, the shorter the attention span. If you spend the first year training and training, your dog may turn out to do agility for you, but not because they love it. Build their confidence. Between 8-12 weeks is the best time to introduce them to many

Clean Run | March 11

Clean Run - March 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - March 2011