When you are evaluating your litters, what qualities have you found to be of the utmost importance? Are you more forgiving for some structure flaws in favor of a more appealing temperament? Are you more forgiving of temperament (I don't mean a bad temperament, just preference) in favor of structure?

It seems to me that trying to look at "the whole picture" when choosing your pups is very difficult. Are there any ticks/processes to make it easier?

I look for a balanced puppy. There are so many things to be considered. I think you need to know what you had expected to improve and see if there was improvement. If you really needed coat and only a couple had the better coat you were looking for - are they everything else you want or will you forgive something for the better coat? If you wanted better movement - then which has the better structure and balance of angulation or better angulation?

It all depends on where you you are, in terms of need for improvement. In terms of temperament - only talking about outgoing (perhaps more showy) vs quiet/subdued. It is easier to work with a more showy attitude than not, but if the best puppy was a little quiet I would not disregard it, as a puppys' outgoingness can be worked on and they can become more than they are within the litter.

Mr or Mrs Barky does not stay whatever they look like. They are sent as only dog and get smothered with attention.

I am a head hunter. Must have nice head.

Structure better than their mother , they stay. Barking , screaching puppies with high drive , live someplace else, no thanks , I have a life and I will not deal with or Breed a demanding dog.
And I am not opposed to running on several , and sorting thru them at a later date. Once they are gone, they are gone, I would rather run several on and not be sorry later.

I wonder if the pet buyers know what they are getting into with all these barky, screeching, demanding puppies we breeders are selling for top buck. Buyer beware?

No kidding. I was thinking the same thing. Yikes.

I think we breeders are bright enough to place our high energy puppies with people that are savy enough to know what to do with them. Beleive it or not, there are alot of pet owners that want this type of dog . And where did it say in any post , that we were not up front and honest about the puppies temperment, only that we did not choose to live with it. I hardly think anyone would pawn one off on an unsuspecting pet buyer. Give me a break ! We are not in the business of making our pet buyers miserable, that would be shooting one in one's own foot !

From my litter experience, the pups crying the loudest are pretty needy and want attention, but that doesn't mean that they are bad puppies. In a litter of 8-11 pups, they need a bit more one on one time. In my litters, it also turned out that they were pretty clearly not the picks of the litter, so unfortunately while I cared equally for the pups, SOME did get more attention, which did not sit well with the barky ones. You can just tell those pups are SOOO ready for their own family, and I have gotten calls/emails back from their families on how well socialized and how quickly they have all bonded.

Me...you are right!

Most breeders will evaluate for structure first. After all most are looking at improving something structural in each generation. Temperament in our breed should be a given as temperament of both Sire & Dam should be stellar and that is what is genetically passed on to the pups (breeders do your homework). Providing that the pups are well raised, handled and given ample opportunity to experience many different situations and stimulus most will become well adjusted family dog members. After all these are labs! However I am a believer in temperament testing and evaluating the litter, not only for structure that we all understand from Pat Hastings, but realizing what she says... your best structured puppy better be going to a performance home. So as far a assessing structure, also an independent temperament test should be done, as within a litter, it will show you the laid back puppy (senior, or family with small children), the pleaser (good all around family dog), the shy submissive (quiet home - 2 adults), and the troublemaker ( the active sport home). That barky, active, in your face pup is probably the best for an active person and a performance home. All about placing the right pup in the right home.
A good friend, top national agility contender laughingly tells me when she wants a new puppy she says to the breeder, "Just send me the rotten one!"

I agree .... I do obedience and much prefer working with the troublemakers, LOL.

That said, structure's got to be there as I want a dog that will hold up.