My litter is only 3 weeks old so I have a while to go before choosing, but I have a feeling I'm going to have a bit of a dilemma.
It's a large litter but due to colour/markings there is only 1 bitch that I would consider keeping. There are several dogs that so far meet the criteria of colour/markings.
My initial thoughts before they were born were that I would keep a dog, I'm not really sure why.
However, bitch is quickly stealing my heart and if she continues to develop how she has then she looks to be a really nice bitch. Also one of the dogs looks lovely, he got my attention when still wet and my eye has been drawn to him all along.

SO, although I am a long way off deciding, I'm thinking ahead about whether I should keep a bitch that is nice, or keep a dog that is even nicer... I know I'm getting ahead of myself but every time I look at them I wonder how I will ever decide.

Those of you who generally keep bitches... have you ever had to let a male go that you know is better? Or do you change your plans for the 'pick' of the litter?

> Those of you who generally keep bitches... have you ever had to let a male go that you know is better? Or do you change your plans for the 'pick' of the litter?

Often had a good male, but I cannot/won't keep both sexes, so a bitch it has to be.

I tend to let the good males go if there is a bitch in the litter I like as much or nearly as much.
If there's no bitch or not one I want to keep I occasionally keep a male but my breed is small and they all fit together well as a family.
I do love showing the boys and they are such a delight to own but in many ways a pack of girls alone would make my life so much easier at certain times

> <br />Those of you who generally keep bitches... have you ever had to let a male go that you know is better? Or do you change your plans for the 'pick' of the litter?

As most breeders, I'd suggest, have limited space, most would keep a bitch for the next generation, not a male.   As was the case with me.   I'd already bought in a new male at one point too.   However, with one really nice litter we had, I had a couple of bitches I decided to run on, and then the owner of the stud dog came to see the litter and said 'if you get rid of that dog, you'll be mad'.   So I didn't.   We kept 3 from that litter of 9, and they were included in those we brought back to the country with us.    The trouble with keeping a dog is you can really only use him yourself the one time on your own bitches, before he then becomes 'a passenger'.    And another number which as the years go by, and you start to have 'oldies', means you have a lot of mouths to feed and increasingly so.   If the dog is really good, you may, of course, pick up studs for him.   But I always bred for the next generation, which meant selecting the best of the bitches.

If I were you I'd keep the bitch and home the dog, perhaps encouraging the new owners to show (handle him for them?) and having him available to use yourself, if you want to?

Thanks for the replies. I do have the option to keep a male, it wouldn't cause any problems in that sense, but my bitch was spayed at the time of her section- as it was her second section, so if I don't keep a bitch then I would have to buy one in at a later date to be able to continue breeding (this in itself doesn't concern me).
My bitch doesnt enjoy showing at all, goes totally flat and has absolutely zero sparkle in the ring, so I would really like a pup to show as my main priority

Do you have the space to keep both?

No, unfortunately keeping both isn't an option... as much as I would love to!

In breeding ultimately the bitch owner has more control.

If you keep a bitch you can breed on your line, where with the dog you'd have to rely on someone wanting to use him on a bitch you admire and then be able to get pick of the puppies to continue with.

Yes you could buy in a bitch but gain your less likely to get your preference as a breeder is more likely to want to keep the best of their own breeding unless your really lucky and top of the waiting list too.

By keeping a bitch you potentially have your choice of stud dogs ti complement her.

Of course you'll be waiting a while longer to pick as you've said, but if you're particularly wanting to show, I would (a) pick the best one dog or bitch if you have a set up when you can keep either and (b) think about character too - if the best one structure-wish isn't confident and forward enough and will be flat in the ring like your bitch, then you might be better off keeping the most outgoing.

In breeding ultimately the bitch owner has more control.

On the other hand, the reason for why I kept a dog pup from one of my litters was that I would then have the option to breed (or not) for the next 10 years or so -not just a short window of opportunity as with a bitch (especially, as in this case, with a toy breed). I.e. if I decided to not breed for a few years I'd play safe by keeping a dog as he could be used much later than a bitch.

> he could be used much later than a bitch.

but you'd still need to have a bitch to breed him to.

But then I don't like males enough to have the hassle of coping with one with entire bitches in an average suburban house that doesn't lend itself to segregation.

I let my best male go imo to a show home, he's still very raw and has a lot of growing to do. he would have stayed if I didn't already at thay time have a male in the house. I kept a bitch and she's a poppet and has done ok in terms of showing but again like her brother still so very raw in terms of her age.

my next one will be a male as I don't have one now in the home, he sadly passed away a few months ago. I miss having one around. 
I think you've got to look at the logistics and really go with your heart at the end of the day. Is there someone interested in a male who will campaign if you show so you've still got that option to use him later on if all pans out well or at least store his semen if he is a stunning male? I've luckily got that option on this boy once his health tests have been completed to store his semen if I'm totally happy with the way he matures on.