Final Puppy Place

Since 2012, one recurring concern from prospective homes — and a common reason people decide not to join a litter — is the fear of being “last.”

So let’s talk about what that actually means.

Puppies are chosen in deposit order.Someone who has been planning and waiting for a year will choose ahead of someone who joined the litter two weeks ago.

That’s fair.

But here’s the important part: no two homes are looking for the same puppy.

Within any litter we might have:

• an active couple,

• a family with young children,

• a home with an existing dog,

• or a retired couple.

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Each home is seeking something different — temperament, energy level, confidence, sensitivity. Because of that, a puppy who was almost chosen first may still be one of the final two pups to be chosen.

Which is why there is no “last puppy.”

People are wonderfully predictable (sorry — but you are).From a very early age we’re conditioned to see “last place” as a negative: a punishment, a reflection of ability or worth.

But choosing a puppy isn’t a primary school egg-and-spoon race.

This isn’t about placing. It’s about matching.

Some breeders solve this by allocating puppies — and that can work beautifully.But even then, there is still an internal order of allocation. Someone is still first. Someone is still last.

My process works. It has worked consistently since 2012.

Here’s how it works:

1. We identify suitable parents.A retired couple taking on their first dog may not want lines that mature to full standard size and happily knock off Snowdonia, mountain hikes, and 5–10k runs.Likewise, an active couple who love camping, running, and hiking won’t want one of my more laid-back lines who baulk at the very idea of unnecessary effort.

2. You are placed on 2–4 potential litters.Why?Because a bitch may not fall pregnant.She may have three puppies or eight.

Being number three on a list sounds exciting — but if mum has three pups, it’s no different to being number eight on a larger litter.

3. We assess temperament and suitability.If you fall in love with a puppy, but you have a busy, loud family home and that puppy consistently avoids children, noise, and stimulation, then you will not be taking that puppy.

My priority is — and always will be — ensuring the right puppy goes to the right home.That only works if we trust each other and work together.

So when I hear:

“I don’t want a puppy from this litter because I’m last,”

What I actually hear is:

“I don’t trust the quality of your breeding lines, and I’m worried I’ll be left with a three-legged, one-eyed, mange-ridden reject.”

And that simply isn’t how this works.

Below is a photograph of a beautiful girl who was the final puppy chosen in her litter — and she is absolutely stunning.