# Critique our new boy! - 14 weeks old on Oct 7



## Rowanwood (Oct 9, 2014)

This is our new boy Atlas. He has issues behaviorally and physically because he came from a backyard breeder at only six weeks old. We adopted him from one of my husband's work friends last Sunday on the 5th, he's 14 weeks old as of this past Tuesday, and he's a clever little snot.

I love him to bits but keep in mind that he's not going to be a show/breeding dog. I just want outside opinions on how he looks. He weighed in at 20.8 pounds today (I'd wager that half of that is in his feet alone, haha) but I'm going to switch his food soon to something better and large-breed specific. He still looks and feels a little bit too bony and there is no fat to be felt anywhere, not even a little on top of his shoulders.

Also sorry about the poor photos and poses, I'm taking videos of his stack training sessions and I can only get what I get with no help and an untrained new puppy. The photos are from his first and second sessions(yesterday and today). This Saturday I'll have my husband take proper photos for me so I can focus on his posture and not have to worry about if he's in the view of the camera. Feel free to be harsh and ask for specific angles. I'll be doing side, front, and back on Saturday. I'll try to get him to jog with me and get photos/video of his movement but no promises there.

His most obvious flaws right now are his roach back, cow hocks, and slightly crouched hind legs, but I'm crossing all my fingers (and toes!) that he'll grow out of those as much as possible.

By the way, he doesn't look like he should have it, but the bite form and prey drive this little guy has is INCREDIBLE. He is a joy to work with; he's incredibly brave, bold, attentive, clever, and energetic. It took him all of one day to master his fear of the two flights of open-step stairs up to our apartment and all of three days to learn flawless bite inhibition and not to bite people after having little to no training previously. His next mission is to stop pulling on the leash like a plow horse!

He's amazing. I don't know how I've gone this long without a German Shepherd. He makes my clever Boxer/Beagle mix look like a blundering idiot by comparison.










Second time ever stacked.
(sorry for my hand on his hock, he's a touch fidgety)










More or less unstacked, just held still.










Had to include his adorable sit. I love his face, it's very intelligent and you can really see him thinking.

















I am expecting his color to mature as a fairly small and/or faded saddle with a small mask since the black has receded so much by only 14 weeks old.

But yeah, tell me what you think of my boy Atlas!


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## Lobo dog (Sep 19, 2014)

I am no expert on critiquing but I think he is handsome  I love his feet, they look nice and tight  he is a little on the small side for 14 weeks but not horribly small  we got a German shepherd puppy (i will be starting a critiquing thread for Lobo soon) this summer and at 14 weeks he was about 35 lbs and now at 5 months he is 60 lbs. I love the name by the way  Enjoy your new addition, they grow soo fast!


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## Rowanwood (Oct 9, 2014)

Thank you, Lobo! I love your boy, he's pretty much my dream dog! 

These were taken today, I didn't include a front shot because while I had him stacked perfectly and he was standing still and at the perfect angle for a front shot, my husband was busy taking pictures of my butt instead and completely missed it. Silly boys. 

(he doesn't usually spread his right front paw that flat; he got his toes stepped on earlier today and it's a little sore.)










(he is properly stacked and not completely straight to the camera, but what are ya gonna do with a 15 week old?) :crazy:











(look at that sweet face!)


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## Lobo dog (Sep 19, 2014)

thank you! Lobo is a handful but as I am sure you know they are always totally worth it have you decided on a large breed puppy food yet? For some reason all of the photos disappeared  how did you pick his name, because i think it is just as awesome as I thought it was in my last post


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## Lobo dog (Sep 19, 2014)

Oh wait the photos popped up again


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## Ace GSD (May 30, 2014)

awww cute


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