Selecting A Puppy

SELECTION OF A PUPPY

The Breed

Before you can choose a kennel you must determine which breed will meet your needs.  Which breed is the best fit for you?  The German wirehair is a versatile companion dog.  A "jack of all trades" best suited for the mixed bag foot hunter and waterfowl hunter.  If you hunt mostly ducks and geese, you may prefer one of the retriever specialist breeds.  If you like to participate in horseback field trails, or specialize in hunting wide open areas for quail, you may prefer an upland specialist such as the English pointer.  If you desire a close to medium range dog that is capable of hunting a variety of game on a given day, on land or in water, you should choose one of the versatile breeds.  For serious hunters who want a versatile dog we recommend the Pudelpointer, the Large Munsterlander, the Small Munsterlander, the Griffon, the German Longhair and strains of German shorthairs and wirehairs that still maintain versatile type dogs and utilize a performance based testing system.

 The Kennel

 Once you choose a breed, it is important to select a reputable kennel to supply your hunting companion of the next 15 years.  Selecting the kennel, or the breeder, is actually the most important part of the puppy selection process.  There have been volumes written about how to select your next puppy.  Some of this information is certainly useful; however, picking a quality breeder with a quality program will greatly increase your odds of obtaining a good gun dog that you and your family can enjoy for many years to come.  Start with the breeder first, then you can feel confident of getting a good pup.   Also, if you select a reputable breeder, he will stand behind his dogs in the event that a problem arises. 

We recommend choosing a kennel that participates in an established testing and breeding program.  Such kennels usually produce top quality dogs that are generally free from defects.  Breed clubs such as the Verein Deutsch Drahthaar Club Group North America, The Pudelpointer Club of North America, the Large Munsterlander Club of North America, the Small Munsterlander Club of North America, Kurzhaar Club of North America, and breeders that consistently utilize the Versatile Hunting Dog Federation testing system for all their breed stock are your best bets. Kennels that are involved in the type of programs mentioned above are subjecting themselves and their dogs to the criticism of very knowledgeable men and women, and are in fact, at the mercy of their judgment.  Beware of kennels that are critical of such programs.  They usually were unsuccessful in the past, or they lack the discipline to consistently perform well in such activities.

 Male Vs. Female

 Almost every prospective customer, whether they have decided on a particular sex or not will ask our opinion regarding our preference for one sex over the other. From a practical standpoint, there is no difference in hunting ability of males and females;  however, we do feel that some of the stereotypical male/female behaviors are reversed in the wirehair breed.

As usual though, males tend to mark territory more often and will travel great distances and escape confinement to locate a female in heat.  Females come into heat twice a year and tend to be slightly more stubborn and protective than males.  Males are easier to train, stronger in the water, and can have more stamina in the field.  Females are more loyal and more affectionate, but are also more sensitive.  We have no preference as to which sex to hunt behind, but if forced to choose it would be a male.

 General Characteristics

 Once you have done your research and selected the breed of dog and the kennel from which your pup will come, you must select the individual pup.  If you will not have the opportunity to pick your pup in person -- relax!   If you have selected a good kennel, with good quality proven brood stock, the breeder is probably most able to select the pup that is right for you.  Give the breeder as much detail as possible about the general, physical, and psychological characteristics that you desire.  If you have the opportunity to select the pup yourself, first eliminate all the dogs with general and physical characteristics that do not suit you.  Next eliminate any dogs that are not psychologically sound.  Pups should be inquisitive, energetic, and bold.  A cautious pup is acceptable, but avoid the cowardly ones.  From that group of dogs, pick the one with the best mental and physical characteristics. This method is not foolproof, but if you have done your homework, it almost always results in a promising specimen.