[Marchstone]

I dont really have a clue about how to do this.

I know what I like about my labs and would like to keep the general look the same.

Charlie who I dont hold a pedigree for, looks very similar indeed to a picture I found of Swinbrook Tan.

Swinbrook Tan is in Molly's pedigree (fifth gen).

If I would like to aim for a dog looking like this then is there any particular way I should be setting about this?

Molly has, in my mind a good pedigree - with Swinbrook Tan, Palgrave Edward, Haretor Mark of Drakeshead (linking through to Banchory Bolo) many many Sandringham dogs (sydney and Magpie), Tibea Tosh amongst others. Obviously the majority of these dogs that are the good ones are going back a few generations so in effort to bring it more up to date I need to know what dogs are deemed good at the moment. (I dont know if I can afford them as stud dogs though!)????

A friend of mine has said to go for Drakeshead??

temperament has to be the same soft, gentle, soft muzzle dogs. BUT I dont want to choose a huge boy for my small girl!

Any advice welcome

Thanks
Heidi

 

[Rivermeadow-KMH]

What do you want to do with your puppies? Do you want to work them, show them, do agility or trials with them? My advice would be to start looking at the dogs available in the disciplines that interest you. Study their looks, their temperaments, and, if possible, their offspring. Look at their pedigrees, and their health records. And finally go with your gut instinct of the dog that you just LIKE!

I will pm you over the weekend some photos and pedigrees of my two boys, as a starting point for you to work from. You may prefer smaller, larger, chunkier - but it will give you an idea to start with of what these pedigrees produce. I am sure there are plenty of other people on LF who could do the same for you, and we all have very different dogs, so that will be a guide.

You will see that although they are half brothers, Ash is a lot taller than Oak. This is something to consider - they have the same sire, but different mothers. OK, Oak is barely 15 months, but he will never be as tall as Ash, and I suspect will generally have a smaller build when fully mature.

I am not a professional stud dog owner, and I tend to do things in a very informal way. I like people to come and meet my dogs, maybe come for a walk with us so they can see them in "real" conditions, sit in the garden with them, really see if the temperament of my boys is what they are wanting for their beloved bitch. It's all very well seeing pictures but that doesn't give the whole idea of the dog's personality, does it? However I expect that if you go to a "proper" breeder they wouldn't have time to do this for every bitch owner! On the other hand, the Professional would have a lot more experience and be able to give you plenty of help and advice throughout the whole breeding process.

If you want to work your pup you may wish to see the stud dog working, or at least see awards that they have won. Likewise if you wish to show you will want results from the show ring.

If colour is important to you, you need to make sure that the dog you are using can produce that colour.

Do you prefer fast and furious, or laid back and calm?

Lots of things to think about and you are very sensible in asking nice and early so you have plenty of time to find your ideal "husband" for your girl!

Good Luck!

Katy

PS It may be a day or two before I can pm you, but I will, I promise!

Edited a couple of times as I thought of more things!!

 

[Kazz59]

Hi Heidi Have you seen the Drakeshead website ? (just google it), they have their stud dogs on there and they are a very handsome bunch. Sasha is of similar lines to Molly and like you, I love her look and her wonderful temperament. I don't know what the temperament of their current line up is, but I would also be interested to know, because when I start looking for a pup in earnest, I am thinking that I would like one of their dogs to be it's sire, but I'm not going to rush into it and will do some proper research first - probably via this wonderful forum

Karen & Sasha

 

[Marchstone]

thank you KMH that is great advice.

You sound professional to me, in as much the fact you care means 100% to me!

My dogs are pets, and I have four people on a waiting list for one of Mollys pups - these dogs will be pets. I hope to gain more people for a waiting list before taking the plunge. Of the four on my list I would hopefully say 99% definitely will have a pup, the fourth is a bit more 50/50.

Having had a "woops" litter, I worried endlessly about finding the homes, I am confident my pups have all got good, very nice homes but the worry was enormous. There is no further risk of a woops as Archie got neutered within two weeks of Molly being confirmed as pregnant.

Mainly I want the sort of lab that is laid back and calm but has the joyous character of the lab which likes to clown about and be agile on a walk. All of my current labs are like this - lively when out but calm in the house which to me makes an ideal fun pet dog to have.

That is my personal preference in a dog anyway!

I suppose my puppies would be more geared for pet ownership rather than working BUT I would hope that they are good enough to be worked (does that make sense??).

Thank you - I will look forward to the photos when you have time to do them.

This of course will be subject to the optigen test results which I will be doing with Di's 20/20 in November.

Thank you Kazz - I will take a look at the Drakeshead website. (what is your girls pedigree name???)

The idea of having the time to spend with "Dad" before deciding is a good one - as you cant really decide much about the temperament purely on a photo (though a starting point obviously)... so that is a good tip KMH, sounds like your Oak may be the right sort of size for my girl!...

 

[_Laura_]

OT slightly Heidi but did you keep a pup !!??

 

[Marchstone]

OT slightly Heidi but did you keep a pup !!??

I may or may not have said I was... cant quite remember so dont wish to be quoted as saying I wasnt :wink:

But in answer to your question I am keeping one of the puppies. :lol:

A boy, called Stanley. He is a sweetie.

We received alot of comments on how well the puppies had been socialised and how we interacted with them in the house.

Very nearly our hearts ruled our heads and we were going to keep two.... a bitch and a dog. My husband wanted to have a bitch so hence why I am now planning the next litter so we can have a bitch next time. Thus all of our dogs will be better spaced age wise.

I will do an intro thread with photos! When I get the time to upload the piccies!

Heidi

 

[Rivermeadow-KMH]

Heidi - any chance you could pm me your email address? I think it would be easier to send you the info that way - not being computer orientated I struggle with the pm's!!

Thank you for your nice comments - yes I do care about my boys with a passion!! They are everything to me!!!

It sounds to me like you are looking for a boy like my Ash - great fun dog, up for everything, loves kids, games, other dogs, agility, picking up, camping - you name it, he'll enjoy it! Happy to be on the go all day at weekends and on holiday, but lays calmly in the office all day long in the week, and lives indoors with 4 other boys. All my boys have a "on / off" switch, which makes life SO much easier!!

Where abouts are you? That's another consideration - how far you wish to travel.

I am not for one moment pushing you towards my boys (although obviously I think they are the best thing since sliced bread!!) but I will send you their bumpf for your interest. They are all health tested, of course. But you will have plenty of time to look at all variety of dogs before you reach your conclusion, and you would be sensible to do so!

Have fun in your search!

Katy

 

[Marchstone]

KMH - saw your pm and have replied to you with my email address! many thanks
Heidi

 

[Rivermeadow-KMH]

Info on it's way through cyberspace!!!

Night night!

Katy

 

[Kazz59]

Thank you Kazz - I will take a look at the Drakeshead website. (what is your girls pedigree name???)

Sasha hasn't got a pedigree name. Her Father is just plain old Ged (he has got a kennel club reg no. though) Her lineage up until then was excellent, (24 ftch) and mostly on his side too. :lol: It's a long story but I was basically was given Sasha, as a puppy, for doing a close friends VAT when they came out of a pub,. as I wouldn't take any money. From reading threads daily on this site, for the past month or so, I have come to realise that I have been very lucky with Sasha. I knew nothing about hip scores or Optigen etc etc - to me she was just a very nice looking dog, whom we absolutely adore. Again, from looking on this site, I feel I have let her down badly as I truly feel that in the right hands she could have gone far. Everyone comments on how well trained/behaved she is - and to be honest, apart from teaching her to sit, I haven't trained her to do anything - she just knows how lucky am I :lol:

ps - that Swinbrook Tan was some "randy" beast - he's in Sasha's pedigree 3 times :lol:

I hope you find a lovely stud dog for Molly - looking at Katy's "Ash" he's gorgeous

 

[_Laura_]

I was just curious if you'd kept one as I remembered you saying it was your 1st litter ! How can anyone resist when its one of your own as well !!

Just seen your other thread !! How cute !

 

[Marchstone]

I was just curious if you'd kept one as I remembered you saying it was your 1st litter ! How can anyone resist when its one of your own as well !!

Just seen your other thread !! How cute !

thanks.

I think everyone who knows me, knew I would have one regardless of what I said!! :lol: :lol:

I have cried many times over the puppies leaving and I still miss the ones who have gone to their new homes. I have heard they are all doing ok though and really hope to keep in touch with all of them.

Breeding is one helluva emotional journey as I have worried about all sorts of things!

 

[Lyndaloo]

Heidi, you've made a very good job out of a very difficult situation and I think you can look on Stanley as you're reward for all your hard work :lol:

You're wise to start looking at possible stud dogs now, so you've plenty of time to make your mind up. There's nothing to beat actually seeing a dog in the flesh, rather than just pictures and I don't think I'd ever consider using a dog I'd not had chance to meet beforehand - though that's just my personal preference. Good luck with your search.

 

[Rivermeadow-KMH]

- looking at Katy's "Ash" he's gorgeous

Thank you!

I think so, but then I am rather biased!!! :lol: :lol:

Katy