# Inputs on puppy pick?



## gsdoak (Aug 10, 2012)

Hi,
We will be choosing our puppy next week and have narrowed it down to the two males shown in the picture at six weeks. The dog will primarily be a companion and family dog, although I do plan to do basic level of protection training with him. I really like the male on the left facing us (sound temperament, good size and proportions), except that the past couple of times that we've visited him, it seems that he comes up to us when called, gives a quick sniff, then very quickly loses interest in us and wanders away, which kind of concerns my family. They like the one on the right, who seems much more affectionate and people oriented. However, he is the smallest male in the litter, and I do want a larger, big headed masculine looking male & I'm thinking that he may take after the mom who has a narrower & thinner face. He may "catch up" but i know its not predictable. Any observations or advice? Thanks!


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

things can change in a couple weeks, personally I go for the puppy who is into 'me' vs physical appearance / size .

You have to live with the dog for the next 10-13 years, guess it's just what you want to live with

Me personally, I'd rather have a dog that was 'into' me and maybe not the most gorgeous dog on the block, vs having a gorgeous dog who could care less about me.

But as I said things can change daily when it comes to this age,,which one does your breeder think would suit you? I would take that into consideration.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I would also choose personality over looks. They change so much as they grow, its impossible to know what they will look like full grown. But that personality is something that can be built upon forever.


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## gsdoak (Aug 10, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. I absolutely would not compromise personality/temperament for looks. Which is why I also want to go with the pup on the right. My question was more about if there were any indicators that I could look at which would indicate the likelihood of that pup right now just being a slow grower, but could "catch up" & become more like his "big headed", masculine looking littermate over time


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## vom Eisenherz (Feb 13, 2012)

The puppy doesn't even know you. Unless he's obviously shy, not just disinterested, what you're choosing between, given the "tests" you've done, is simply how outwardly social the dog is with strangers. Plus, he's only 6 weeks old! A lot can change. I wouldn't put so much weight on that unless you're specifically looking for a very very outgoing, friendly dog. 

Personally, I much prefer the aloof dog to the one who is looking to everyone for attention. The aloof ones are typically bonded more strongly to their family/person, which is exactly what I'd want for protection, were I to do protection w/that pup. If you want a dog in your face 24/7, go for the right one. If you want a slightly more reserved dog who may or may not socialize with strangers, go with the one on the left.

I think a better test of the two would be to see how the puppies interact with their caretaker. May I ask why you're choosing from a photo instead of the breeder choosing the puppy that best suits your needs?


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

vom Eisenherz said:


> I think a better test of the two would be to see how the puppies interact with their caretaker. May I ask why you're choosing from a photo instead of the breeder choosing the puppy that best suits your needs?


I don't know where the OP is from but I think this must be a regional thing. I've always chosen my own puppy. I wouldn't go to a breeder who wouldn't let me choose.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

shepherdmom said:


> I don't know where the OP is from but I think this must be a regional thing. I've always chosen my own puppy. I wouldn't go to a breeder who wouldn't let me choose.


I think it's more of a different way of stating it. I want to have the final choice of pup but at the same time the breeder knows the pups much better than I do. I expect the breeder to question me and say "these are the pups that fit what you want" If the case was that there was only 1 pup that was a good match, I guess my choice would be take it or leave it lol

Most good breeders will do it that way. All of the breeders that I don't consider "good" are of the variety who just take the money and don't care which dog goes home with which family. I guess it's a semantics thing - most of us expect the breeder to be the guiding force in the equation instead of all of the emphasis on the owner picking the pup.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I forgot to answer the question. I would also go with personality over looks. There is really no way to know how the pups will look when full-grown. That is why the breeder is such an important factor - they know if the pup is always a withdrawn personality or if he is just more aloof with people he doesn't know. He could actually be a perfect match for a family. Is the more "friendly" pup actually just seeming that way to the untrained eye when, actually, he is dominant and pushy? That would make him a bad choice for most families.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Dainerra said:


> I think it's more of a different way of stating it. I want to have the final choice of pup but at the same time the breeder knows the pups much better than I do. I expect the breeder to question me and say "these are the pups that fit what you want" If the case was that there was only 1 pup that was a good match, I guess my choice would be take it or leave it lol
> 
> Most good breeders will do it that way. All of the breeders that I don't consider "good" are of the variety who just take the money and don't care which dog goes home with which family. I guess it's a semantics thing - most of us expect the breeder to be the guiding force in the equation instead of all of the emphasis on the owner picking the pup.


This is my thought as well. I talked to my breeder for HOURS before even making a decision to get a pup there. I was happy to answer questions, explain my wants and things I didn't want. The breeder should know what they're breeding and be able to assess people and pups. 
I'd defer to the breeder on this. Do you have the pedigree of the pups? Do their ancestors have a history of doing protection work? If you're looking for that specifically, you need to know if the dog is genetically capable of doing that. Just because it's a shepherd, doesn't mean it's automatically going to be able to handle being trained in protection. Did the breeder ask you about what your plans were for the pup? Any guarantees that the pup you choose will be able to do this sort of work?


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## Packen (Sep 14, 2008)

If you want a protection work candidate then it is absolutely essential that you check,

1. Prey drive (see if he is interested in biting a rag/t-shirt when moved side to side in front of him). How good is the bite? does he stay on when you life him up off his front feet for 3 seconds? Needs to pass all these.

2. Sound sensitivity. Crack a whip or fire a .22 from 20 paces away. Any negative reaction, walk away from litter.

3. Food drive. You want to see him very actively seek and eat the food you offer (say cottage cheese). If no food drive, foundation training will be very hard.

4. Environmental soundness. Put pup on a table and move the table, see how quickly he recovers himself. Change of surface, lure him with food to walk over grass and over to carpet for example. If he hesitates, walk away.

If he passes all the above tests, chances are high that you will have selected the best possible candidate.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Dainerra said:


> I forgot to answer the question. I would also go with personality over looks. There is really no way to know how the pups will look when full-grown.


It really all depends on what you are looking for. I wanted the hardest of all puppies. I didn't care about looks or competing or any of that. I wanted a family member and to get that you have to see how they react to the kids. Breeder pulled out the puppies that were high drive intended for SAR, the ones with the temperment to be a family member were introduced and we got to see how they interacted with the kids. So it was a combo of breeder knowledge and our choice. I would not like it if I was given only one puppy and told this was the best choice for me. I would probably turn down that kind of a situation.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

shepherdmom said:


> Breeder pulled out the puppies that were high drive intended for SAR, the ones with the temperment to be a family member were introduced and we got to see how they interacted with the kids. So it was a combo of breeder knowledge and our choice.


exactly what most of us here mean when they say the breeder should be "picking" The breeder gave you a limited choice "these pups fit what you are looking for" and you made the final, personal, decision on what pup matched your family best. 
Most "normal" people, however, mean that they expect to just walk into the breeder's home and see an entire litter of 8-10 pups and walk out with whichever cutie strikes their fancy. 

We were actually just talking about this on the way to obedience class last week. It becomes a perfect storm too often when people just pick out their own dogs. The quiet, soft-spoken person who falls in love with the pup who comes over and pushes its way into their lap. Except that that pup is often the most dominant in the litter and a horrible match for the shy retiring owners.
Or the loud outspoken family that picks the quiet little pup who sits at the fringes, believing that the poor thing just needs extra love and attention. And then ends up with a dog who submissively urinates and freaks out at the noise and overwhelming bustle of a family that is a bad match.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Packen said:


> If you want a protection work candidate then it is absolutely essential that you check,
> 
> 1. Prey drive (see if he is interested in biting a rag/t-shirt when moved side to side in front of him). How good is the bite? does he stay on when you life him up off his front feet for 3 seconds? Needs to pass all these.
> 
> ...


Not bad testing ideas. Question about #2...walk away from the litter if one of the pups is like this or if its both?


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

pick a pup. a pup at 6 weeks old isn't the same
pup at 8 weeks old. the day you visited the pups
the pups acted a certain way. an hour later the pups
may act a different way. are you usuing a reputable breeder?
any testing or titles on the parents? any guarantee on the pups?
your training, socializing and general care will dictate what kind
of dog you're going to have. good luck with the new pup.


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## gsdoak (Aug 10, 2012)

Thanks for all the very informative responses. The point made about whether the pup is just that way socially with strangers or with the caretaker as well, is an excellent one as is the point about being wary of an overly "needy" pup. BTW, the breeder is an excellent one and I really respect her. She has been very patient and knowledgeable and I've actually visited the pups about 4 times in the past 3 weeks. The breeder believes that both these pups as well as another one of the litter can meet our needs, so she has effectively guided us and now we're trying to figure out which one of these two feels the most "right" for us. 
We're going to visit again today and will absolutely tap the breeders feel for which one she thinks is best suited among these two for us, but just wanted to get the groups intelligence here. Thanks again!


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I think visiting like you are, as much as possible and with the breeders input will really be beneficial in your end decision))

The last 3 puppies I have gotten, I let the breeder pick, they knew what I wanted and what I didn't want, and every single one was spot on, I got what I wanted..

Good luck and have fun with the puppies!


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