# Picking a puppy/Breeder



## Jason Carter (Dec 16, 2018)

I want to start out by saying hello to everybody out there in the working dog world. I’ve been training hounds for a long time but this is gonna be my first working dog puppy. I always love training puppies and since I’m not new to training dogs in general I want to start out with a puppy. I have chosen a trainer to work under and I think I’ve chosen a breeder and now I would like to hear some comments or suggestions of what all you guys and gals are looking for in a prospect. I know enough about dog training to know that as a beginner in this dog sport I’m not going to take my first puppy and win regionals when it’s a two or three-year-old. My goal is to get on my prospect and make a solid protection dog for myself, and get this dog a Schutzhund or PSA title. I have my own way of picking a prospect for a **** dog but I would like to hear from all you experienced guys and gals how you would pick a pup for what I described. I would appreciate everybody’s input.


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Jason Carter said:


> I want to start out by saying hello to everybody out there in the working dog world. I’ve been training hounds for a long time but this is gonna be my first working dog puppy. I always love training puppies and since I’m not new to training dogs in general I want to start out with a puppy. I have chosen a trainer to work under and I think I’ve chosen a breeder and now I would like to hear some comments or suggestions of what all you guys and gals are looking for in a prospect. I know enough about dog training to know that as a beginner in this dog sport I’m not going to take my first puppy and win regionals when it’s a two or three-year-old. My goal is to get on my prospect and make a solid protection dog for myself, and get this dog a Schutzhund or PSA title. I have my own way of picking a prospect for a **** dog but I would like to hear from all you experienced guys and gals how you would pick a pup for what I described. I would appreciate everybody’s input.


My advice here is know what you don't want first and then go from there. Be absolutely clear about that.


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## Jason Carter (Dec 16, 2018)

The breeder I was considering breeds GSDs that are trained as police / protection dogs and not really geared for sport. His studs are all imported and are mostly “DDR” and “Czech” lines. Are these lines better for work than sport. I think he was breeding these lines way before this big commercial demand came along. Many of his puppies are police dogs. He does advertise and sell to the public. Wow, I have so much to learn.


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## Chip Blasiole (Jun 7, 2006)

You are asking for a lot. IPO and PSA are very different sports. For PSA you need a dog with very good nerves and a higher threshold for defense. The same is true for IPO, but to a lesser extent. Neither are that good at developing a PPD, although genetics will be a major factor. For example, in PSA, the dog is going to be pushed to bite a lot when he is not supposed to which is counter to what you want in a PPD. DDR (although there really is no longer such a thing) and Czech dogs tend to be sharper/more defensive and would make training in IPO and PSA more difficult. PSA is better suited for a high prey, high fight dog that is not reactive and sharp. My comments are generalizations but have some validity. Each dog is an individual. I think only one GSD has even obtained a PSA 3 and less than 20 dogs have ever obtained a PSA 3. Sometimes a nice breeding of Czech/Slovak lines with West German lines can give you a more suitable dog for PSA. The vast majority of dogs competing at the higher levels of PSA are Mals and DS's, often unregistered KNPV stock. FInding the right type of dog and the right training group is no easy task.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I agree with Chip on this. 



Both my GSDs are WG over Czech yet they were/are totally different from looks to personality and temperament.


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