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Dogs are only limited in what they can achieve, by the humans in their
lives. Before a puppy is born, the breeder made the decision of putting
dam and sire together, thus creating a genetic blueprint for the pups,
as an architect would provide a design for a building. The design of a
litter, however, is not an exact science, by any stretch of the imagination.
The vagaries of canine traits, both exhibited and hidden, and their passage
from parents to pups, place a spin of randomness on every litter. Even
the most tightly line bred litter has much potential for variation in type,
structure, personality, or trainability.
Consider the blueprint of a building which contains many options regarding
functional space, room layout, utility connections, and design and see
the similarities to a litter of pups, whose temperaments, looks, intelligence,
desire to please, and structure vary from puppy to puppy.
A person wishing to multi-task with a pup must first rely on the breeders
ability to produce a pup capable of multi-tasking. Secondly, the puppy
buyer must rely on the breeder being able to determine which puppy in the
litter is best suited to multi-task. Some breeders evaluate their pups
using standardized puppy testing techniques, while others rely on their
gut instinct, and years of experience with their particular pedigree. Either
way, I feel that the potential multi-tasking puppy should stand out in
the litter.
In the first weeks in the whelping box, the pup should be noticeably
bolder and more resilient than his littermates. When nursing, he should
not frustrate easily, nor give up when pushed off a nipple, but should
seem able to work out on his own, how to get the food he needs. He should
happily tolerate handling by the breeder, and be inquisitive, rather than
stressed when placed in unfamiliar surroundings. At this point, the future
star's potential, is nurtured by the breeder, and by everyone and everything
else interacting with the litter.
As the architect toils over his blueprint, and begins to lay the plan
for future construction, so the breeder in the care of the dam and pups
lays the groundwork for the multi-tasking dog.
The multi-tasking pup may seem more eager for adventure than his littermates,
and certainly should be extremely human-oriented. He will possibly show
his potential by pushing to the forefront whenever there are visitors,
possibly earning the reputation of everyone's favorite pup. When given
a choice between playing with littermates or following a human, he will
choose the latter. He will learn daily routines more quickly than his littermates,
and exhibit almost a second sense in regards to feeding, watering, and
play times. Each new experience will be met as if it is high adventure,
and problems will be worked out quickly, easily, and enthusiastically.
Some breeders may regard such a pup as "odd", while others may consider
him the "stand-out" pup. Either way, by the time the multi-tasking pup
is old enough to go to his new home, the breeder should place this puppy
wisely, because, in the wrong home the multi-task puppy has the potential
to become his own worst enemy.
Humane societies are full of multi-tasking dogs, which became too much
for their owners to handle or control. Most breeders of any longevity,
have experienced at least one "boomerang pup" (returned on more than one
occasion for a myriad of reasons), or thank their lucky stars every day
that a particular pup is living in the "right" home.
My Cardi and I probably fit this latter scenario perfectly. I cannot
even imagine Ripley in a typical pet home, for there have been times in
the past ten years that even I have been at my wits end regarding what
to do with him.
Most dog owners cannot even begin to cope with the highly intelligent,
sometimes bossy, easily bored, incredibly energetic, multi-tasking puppy.
A knowledgeable breeder will place this pup with the owner who seems most
capable of providing the best materials for continued construction of the
multi-task dog. At times such a placement causes mixed emotions, because
the personality of the multi-task dog is frequently exactly what is necessary
to win breed or groups. If the pup is also correct in type and conformation,
it can be very tempting to place it in a conformation show home, and hope
for the best. Of course, the multi-task owner, while possibly not being
too particular about markings or coat type and ear set, will definitely
require a structurally correct pup too. I would hope that in the Cardigan
breed, the days of placing the pick puppies in show homes and the homely
dogs with faults in obedience/performance homes are history.
Breeders should remember that more people would probably see the multi-task
dog than will ever see it as a conformation show dog only. They will look
in performance catalogs and note the sire, dam, and breeder of record,
so it would be advisable to place in performance homes those pups with
which you are most pleased!
As the pup's breeder, you as the architect are finished with the blueprint.
Hopefully, you have responsibly selected the right contractor to complete
the construction of your multi-tasking Cardigan. That construction will
be the subject of my next column.