Could I get some opinions here as to exactly what you look for in a stud dog besides the obvious clearances, structure and get? What specific attributes make that stunning boy stick out for you?

I hope I get the grammar police approval

Look at your bitch, have some experienced breeders evaluate your bitch and choose a stud dog who is proven to correct as many faults as you can. There is NO perfect stud dog and certainly not one that is right for every bitch, as much as people like to run to the stud-of-the-moment. Resist doing that, do your homework, talk to your girl's breeder, and then do some more research. There is no simple answer and there's no reason to ask about something like this on the list as we don't know your bitch!

Like she said, find a boy that has more of what your girl is missing. Bone, head,coat,etc. I have a body type I like and look for that. But what is behind that dog, his parents and grandparents get a good hard look. I never look at just the dog. Pedigree, offspring, body type and try to find out the number one thing, that he carrys that wonderful temperament.
Do alot of homework on this one.

Your best bet is to read over back issues of LQ and then go to a specialty and look at the stud dogs and what they have produced. Objectively assess your bitch and then look for a dog that has produced better than she in a number of different pedigrees. The dog that sticks out for one breeder may not be the best choice for your bitch. Ask the stud dog owner how the stud dog matches up with your pedigree and if there is anything you need to be aware of. Finding the right stud dog can take a lot of time and effort. Lots of people give up and just go to the closest reasonable dog or the dog owned by the first person that will talk to them. Be persistent in finding the best dog for your girl. Good luck!

You'll get all the usual responses about finding a dog that corrects your bitch's flaws etc. And I agree with all that.

I just spent a year searching for just the right dog for my girl. At the end of the day, beyond structure, clearances, get, etc., the thing that just leaped out and grabbed me and said "yep, this one!" was the expression and the presence the dog seems to exude.

"I just spent a year searching for just the right dog for my girl. At the end of the day, beyond structure, clearances, get, etc., the thing that just leaped out and grabbed me and said "yep, this one!" was the expression and the presence the dog seems to exude."

The 'expression and the presence the dog SEEMS to exude?' Have you never seen the stud yourself? I need to see and have my hands on the boy, as well as seeing what he produces, clearances, and the like before I decide on using him.

Some unidentified individual wrote:
"Your best bet is to read over back issues of LQ and then go to a specialty and look at the stud dogs and what they have produced."

I have to say that this will SEVERELY limit your choices of studs. Basically, using this method only has you looking at dogs that people advertise (ie. lots of money involved) and that travel to specialties. There are MANY excellent dogs that belong to people who have neither the income nor the interest in campaigning a dog at specialties or promoting it in print.

I DO look at the show results around the country and may notice a dog that is getting a good share of wins or has offspring winning consistently. I can usually find a point of contact to get more information about these "local" gems that are not in my area. There are many ways to shop for stud dogs other than among the "promoted" studs. Don't limit your search based on the money spent by the owner ;-)

yes, this method does limit you to "advertised" dogs in a way, however dog shows are an "evaluation of breeding stock". If you have dogs that you are going to breed then I would expect to seem them in dog shows.

What you see in a stud dog in person is their PHENOTYPE. Just because he has "all that" doesn't mean he produces it. I personally look back at the pedigree and see what the consistencies of the bitch/stud line has produced. I believe that is a better indicator of what this "stud" will likely pass on. You also have to know what your bitch line produces and if it will overpower the stud dogs probability to affect the offspring.

There have been many influential stud dogs who were not the BIG WINNERS yet they contributed tremendously to our breed because of what they passed on, not because of what they looked like.

Just food for thought.

Yup. Seems to. He lives four thousand miles away.

I have seen in person his get, I've researched their clearances, his clearances *and* the match has been fully approved by all of my mentors, as well as several people whose programs I admire and whose judgement I trust - and they have seen the dog in question *and* they know my bitch and her pedigree.

Since it's my first breeding, that's enough for me.

mine is a similar experience. I don't have an opportunity to see my chosen stud in person, but many that I trust have, and mentors have approved, and you know what, in the end, you just never know anyway.

One of my mentors bred her bitch to a well-known dog. She knew the pedigrees inside and out, knew the dog in person, knew his get, everything...she couldn't have planned this better. The dog was the optimum choice by any knowledgeable breeder's standards. And the breeding just didn't produce in the end. Nice pet puppies, but top pick looks like a field lab even though out of 2 NICE show labs.

An anonymous person wrote:
"yes, this method does limit you to "advertised" dogs in a way, however dog shows are an "evaluation of breeding stock". If you have dogs that you are going to breed then I would expect to seem them in dog shows."

I might expect them to be at shows, but not necessarily at specialties unless they are local. Many excellent dogs are never seen at the "big" Lab shows or in the mags.

"dog shows are an "evaluation of breeding stock".

Ohfergodsake! Dog shows are a sporting event, intended to be fun and enjoyed by competitive people interested in purebred dogs. They're about feeding one's ego, (and I don't say that pejoratively, since I myself have a lot of ego wrapped up in my dogs and I take each loss personally ) and being able to say "I had the best dog there today".

Yes, evaluation of potential breeding stock is part of it, but that is by no means the entire purpose of dog shows.