# When can you start to see a puppy's personality



## morgan&thor (May 22, 2013)

I dont have my puppy yet. Im waiting on a litter of pups to be old enough for me to bring one of them home. My breeder told me that I can come when the puppies and a few weeks old (They are only 4 days old now) then I could come and make my decision on what puppy im bringing home, but I dont want to choose my puppy to early because I dont only want to make my decision based on looks and color or whatever.. I want to be able to see the puppies personality too, so when can you see the pups personality and tell what kind of a puppy he is and what kind of adult dog he will be.


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## lyssa62 (May 5, 2013)

ours was 11 weeks old when we went and got her...I could pretty much tell by her personality there that she would "fit in" with us..and I think she could tell too. NOW..I'm not saying she won't have a mood swing now and again..I'm sure it's coming but for the most part I think 11 - 12 weeks would be a good starting point.


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## Kittilicious (Sep 25, 2011)

Knuckles' personality is night and day compared to how he was the first couple months. We was a super shy, unsure puppy and now he's pretty much opposite, still a little unsure but he's sure not shy!


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## Fade2Black (Apr 30, 2012)

My breeder (Bullinger Shepherds) Tracy picked out the GSD puppy I got. I had told her he would be in a companion forever home. That I was interested in one of the 3 long-coat males she had from a litter of 8....

As soon as I got him I could tell his personality was different then my Kaos who was still alive at the time. Should add in Havoc's personality is the same now (almost 5 months and 2 weeks old) compared to when I got him at 10 weeks old....


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## tacticalseries (Dec 24, 2012)

We got our mieka at 10 weeks and it may sound dumb but when we went there was 3 boys and 2 girls. Both parents were on premises and mieka was the only one that was primarily interested in getting back to her parents. She would show some interest in us but always returned to momma and felt to me "Loyalty" may have just been a pup wanting mom but thats how i felt at the time from the others they would have walked out with us in a heartbeat but mieka was hesitant and i beleave that was the bond and connection she is capable of having with another and 8 months later mieka is by my side at all times and I wouldn't have it any other way. 


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## Kingsj (Sep 17, 2011)

My pup was selected by the breeder with my input at 8wks of age. We had a number of discussions about the delta between a couple possible pups, but I felt I had influence on the final decision. Also, she gave me a very accurate temperament/personality description that held as true then as it does now. 

I have heard of some dogs losing a screw about the time they go through adolescence, so you are never guaranteed the personality will be constant. Many of the Wildhaus dog owners will tell you, however, their dog is everything the breeder said they would be when the they were 8-9weeks old. 

Good luck with the new pup!


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

If you are working with a good breeder, I would recommend that you really listen to their input and not pick on your own. All of my dogs have pretty much been picked for me by the breeder, the exception being a young female(8 mo old). 

I always talk at length with my breeders, letting them know exactly what I want, what traits are the most important, what I won't budge on, and let them help me figure out what is going to be the best match for me. So far that has worked for me. 

With my newest addition I told the breeder I was looking for a SchH prospect and a FEMA USAR prospect, with the knowledge that any pup may not work for those endeavors. So I wanted a dog that had the basics fir that but one that was open and friendly, not overly suspicious, a pup that I could take everywhere and be around everything. Because at the end of the day, this pup will be mine no matter what and I wanted a dog I could fully enjoy in all aspects. And that what I got. So far, he is only 5 mo old. 

I think you get a good idea on personality around 6 weeks old. But the breeder has known them and watched them grow and seen their personalities. So be honest about your life, your expectations and your experience and they should be able to match you. 


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

I think the OP may have a bit of a problem with the breeder . The dog will start to show its "personality" around 6 weeks and be more obvious , or testable by 7 to 8 weeks of age. The breeder of the pups, I think, would probably like to see them all picked asap , that is why they are allowing the OP to pick at a week or so of age (other thread). I don't think they are going to hold the litter till older , or help make selections that are going to be "better" for the people. Pretty much a first come first serve situation.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i don't have much faith in the breeder picking a pup to match
my personality. the day you pick the pup the pup is acting in
a certain manner. the day i go for the pup i'm acting in a
certain manner. because a pup is acting a certain way as a
pup doesn't mean he's going have the same manner as he grows
old. i also don't believe that in a litter of pups there's a pup that's
right for everyone. with training, socializing and buying reputable 
breeder you're going to be fine.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

well hopefully the breeder is going to make as much of an effort in getting to know the people, listening to what they are asking , having them over several times , as they are in observing the pups and imagining them on a course and making decisions which pup would be best suited .
You owe that to all your pup owners . You owe that to the pups.
" i also don't believe that in a litter of pups there's a pup that's
right for everyone" who decides this and what happens to that pup if the wrong person , the poor fit , chose that dog.


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## Mrs. P (Jun 9, 2013)

My breeder lives about 40 minutes away from us, so when the litter was born she told me that I could come visit every 2 weeks until we took our girl home at 8 weeks. My husband and I went at the 2 week mark, and one girl kept nuzzling up to me. When I went back to visit at 4 weeks with my mother, the same girl kept giving me her attention. At 6 weeks, hubby and I went together and officially decided on that puppy, our Ruby. Essentially, I say it was she that picked me. I was fortunate enough to live close enough/have a breeder who was comfortable with frequent visits before actually choosing the puppy. If you live close enough, ask the breeder if you can see the pups before its time to take yours home.

As far as her personality goes, she was the first born in the litter and 'should have alpha tendencies', but she really doesn't. She's certainly frisky, but she knows daddy is the alpha in our house. As was mentioned earlier in the thread by doggiedad, with training and consistency, your pup will be wonderful.


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

My breeder picked three she thought would work for me, and I had some input on the pick. I kind of knew what one she thought would be best for me, and not having owned a GSD before I picked that one. I wish I'd gone with the one I was leaning toward now, because she ended up being really rock steady. Actually the one I REALLY REALLY wanted, ended up being the best of the bunch, but someone else got to pick her first, dang it! 

As it turned out, my pup ended up being more difficult than the breeder thought. She's not a bad dog, and I wouldn't trade her for another, but I think she gets overstimulated easily and this has been pretty difficult for me to manage. Their personalities can change some as they grow, or rather, they seem to gain intensity (or mine did). But she was always a big suck with people and still is. 

It's hard, puppies sleep a lot too, so it's can be difficult to get a good read on them with just a couple of short visits, so the breeder should really help you pick the right pup.

Despite everything, her breeder has been wonderful and supportive, which has gotten me through a few rough times, so don't underestimate the importance of a good breeder who will support you and your dogs throughout the dogs life. I think I've come to accept both mine and my dog's faults, although we continue to try to work on things. 

If something doesn't feel right, just walk away. There are so many pups available, people here are a wonderful resource and can help you find a great breeder to work with. It's potentially a 10+ year commitment, so waiting for the right pup and breeder now is peanuts if it means you get a great dog.


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## Markobytes (Sep 11, 2012)

You can start to see personalities around five weeks of age and they can change by the time they are seven weeks old. A puppies brain is still being wired until about four months of age and whatever is present genetically can be enhanced or suppressed by experiences at this age. Unless you are familiar with seeing different puppies at this age develop into adults, you may not be able to predict what you are seeing. It is very important to get a puppy from a breeder knowledgeable in training and animal behavior who can guide you and tell you what they are seeing. It is in the breeders and puppies best interest to be matched to the correct owners unfortunately too many breeders haven't got a clue what they are breeding and are incapable in making matches.


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## lyssa62 (May 5, 2013)

I went up to see little miss pink collar -- she had a slight over bite which after talking to the vet said would NOT be a problem and we are known to take the "misfits" of every group of animals we get. 

sorry to say little miss pink collar really wasn't that interested in me  I tried..but I think she had been spoiled just a tad bit by the breeder and I am betting she's going to stay with them. She was very very attached to the husband and he to her.

so I sat there ...and little miss black and red collar ( my favorite colors) ...came up to me and just kind of sat and studied me. I could just tell that she would "fit in". 

that was at 11 weeks..we are at 20 weeks old now and I have to say...we do just "get each other". I know she knows every word I say...3 of the cats that have owned me in my life understood everything I said to them too..and this is my first GSD. It's just cool when you talk to your pet like they are your best friend and you can tell by their look that they "get it".

Little miss black and red collar now Roxy


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