Quote Originally Posted by EWO View Post
Heard this a lot and have seen it often. Two little guys start scrapping and which ever one goes down, male or female, another brother/sister piles on.

The first litter I raised off of Mims Bonnie were fiery little pups. They pretty much had a rule amongst themselves. Fight all you want just do not lay down. If one of those pups 'took the bottom' the brothers and sisters would make him pay. It took a couple three days to figure out the troublemaker/instigator and once she was removed the other four lived well together.

I think with puppies just about any scenario imaginable can become a reality. Puppies being separated early has no direct link to one becoming a show dog. And the puppy that sits over in the corner minding his own business may not always be that way.

Purepower's Skull was the laziest dog that ever lived. From a puppy to three years old. He moved to eat, piss and shit. Any other time he was asleep. Like that from a puppy. He had to be removed because from 5-6 weeks on he was that litter's punching bag. He went to a pet home with a guy who raised a lot of our pups. He was not in the dogs per se, but he loved to work and play with them til they turned on. Then we would get them back. Socialized and a willing worker. He sent this dog back because he would do nothing but sleep. I kept him til he was 2. Zero effort. No interest. I traded him for another. There he showed zero interest and was bred once as a cold dog. He went to another place and was treated miserably. Damn near starved to death, living in shit and filth. His last owner gave that shit head two choices. One, I am taking the dog. Two, I'm beating your ass for what you have done to this dog and then I am taking the dog. He chose the first option.
Skull must have felt some sort of appreciation because as soon as he was healthy he was a monster. He won 4. Beat 2 champs. And he went over 2 hours twice. He was three before his schooling started and won his last match at 5. I m not sure if he were a late bloomer or he just seen the light. In the end he was all bulldog. In the beginning he was huddled in the corner just minding his own.

EWO
I wonder about stuff like this too. How much can you tell about pups when they are young. I know the balance changes as they age. I know what bossman is saying when he says you raise pups and see them as adults you know your line better. Thats why I don't understand people line hopping so much but to each his own. I like where I am for now.

Most people talk about aggression and hotness in pups. I watch litters to see what pups do. I notice the pup that wanders off by himself and starts working a rug hanging on a rail like a spring pole. I notice the pup that tries to take a bone from his dad and get popped. then goes back to take the bone again. I look a lot at tail position. out of a litter of nine I saw five I wanted. I owed a friend so I gave him what I felt was the second dominant female in the group. I look at tail position a lot. From the parents I had the more reserved on was the killer. I watch and see tail position. One pup I liked was so small compared to his brothers and sisters but his tail was always flagging. his sister was the same way. she was always more athletic. the first to climb the stairs and used to always wander off with her mom one on one and leave the rest of the pups. She could be punishing. Once her brothers were placed I got reports they all came out of their shells. Like they were being suppressed by her and the little male. There was a third pup out that litter. He wasn't shy he used to always be over on his own. His mother was kind of aloof too. This pup would never start problems with the other pups in the litter. I never saw one of the pups in the litter start things with him and come out on the top of the exchange. Maybe this matters and maybe it doesn't. the little pup will follow you naturally and works hard like his dad. he was so unathletic when he was little the sister I kept used to beat him up. He works. He followed naturally and I think hes like his dad where he would try his best to follow you even if he died in the process. We went for a bike ride the other day. about halfway through he starts working hard and running faster like he was getting stronger. when the wrestle now he wears her out with persistence, energy and perseverance. I wonder if in the end he ends up being a really solid dog. because if you look at his puppy characteristics he didn't start shit, didn't take shit and was willing to work. The reserved brother I parked. I think he's a mix of smart and stubborn. He won't walk for shit. he will come to you went he knows you. Hes with my dad now. he will go behind him and steal the tools hes working with. I think its a sign of intelligence and playing. He was never an aggressive dog. something tells me when he turns on he will be a beast. just hard to train how I like to train but he is his mother in a ox strong package. I have limited space and time. I just wonder how many times you have a set of characteristics you value breeding towards. How many times you go with your guy are you wrong and how many are you right. Most of the pups I like never are the ones to just start shit. They usually end up on top if someone else starts it.