has anyone any advice on the best age to asses and pick a pup from a litter?  is there a best age to asses them that will give an idea of what they will resemble as an adult?  and would movement and construction faults be apparant at a very young age?  or is it all luck :)
thanks,
kelly

Hi Kelly
are you picking a pup to show or just general looks ???
lesely

oops sorry!  yes to show and work, so needs to be well built with good  movement.  both parents are very good examples of the breed, and proven in the ring and harness,
kelly

Hi Scratchy, if you are inexperienced, the best thing to do would be to trust your breeder to point you in the direction of the pup most likely to fulfil your requirements.
Coosing a pup from a litter is hard enough for those with years of experience, and without that, you might as well close your eyes and pick up the first puppy that walks past you. Remember though, there are no guarantees in this game.
Dawn R.

Went down to pick my pup a couple of weeks ago.First all the pups were let in...then the bitches were removed since I want a dog,then the breeder removed any that she considered not suitable for show.Then it was down to me.Firstly I asked for any than didn't 'appeal' to be put away and so narrow the choice as advised by the breeder.Its much easier to pick the ones you don't want than the one you do!!
I sat and watched and played with them and watched them interact.In the end one stood out ..he just said me!! But I must admit removing the ones I didn't want made life easier.
Archer

I never took the pup that ran to me and was very forceful, or the pup that shyed away in the corner, I was more interested in the one's that came to see me but were still happy to go off and play with their litter mates. I would hold the puppy on its back and cradle him/her in my arms, if puppy didn't squirm great. Then I would pinch the pup between the toes, not hard at all don't want to hurt them. If the pup didn't yelp great. I would also throw down some keys and see what puppies came back to investigate. I never looked twice at the one's that never investigated the keys, squirmed or yelped. This is how we picked Taz our hybrid (wolf/rott) and well he's just a lovable teddy bear.

Good luck :)

This was of obvious interest to me as hopefully ill be in the position of picking apup in a few months. People have told me to trust the breeder and i suppose you have to,  but we have heard a couple of reports about breeders steering you towards the ones that they want to get rid of first. Is this common and has anyone else come across this?

I've never steered people towards the pups I want to 'get rid of' first - I've steered them towards the pups whose characters seem most suitable to fit in with the owner's lifestyle ...
:)

After choosing my own first (the reason for having the litter in the first place!) I try to steer the right family to the right puppy.  Having spent most of my waking hours of the previous 8 weeks doing little else than watching the little ones, I know more about them the the prospective owners see in their visits.
But if I was undecided between two puppies, then I would certainly hold both back until last.

I guess it is down to trust...my breeder knows the pup will end up in the ring and hence represent her 'affix/kennels' to the public so would not sell me a pup she considered not of suitable quality.
I think it also depends on how far down the waiting list you are...obviously the lower down the line the easier it is to choose.
Archer

http://www.avontipoodles.com/pat.htm

try that

i dont mean mean temperement testing, i mean assessing construction and movement to gauge an idea of how they will end up as adults.  some people have suggested seeing them when first born and still wet, but i am not breeding them so wont be there for the birth.  the breeder is also a long way from me, so want to make sure i see then at the best age possible to help me decide which is going to be best for me,
kelly

I usually reckon that what you see @ 6,7,8 weeks is a good indicator of end result :D
If you are not experienced in assessing your breed as pups, and most folk aren't, then ask for the breeder to advise you, or take along someone (unbiased) who likes the same type as you (not sure what the breed is) and who shares your priorities, whether its for head, expression, shoulders, back ends or what ever. If you have a particular dislike of a certain fault (which others may not neccessarily see in the same way as you) then remove pups showing those faults before a final cut.

If a pup is 'put together'  correctly it will move correct.

I would never allow anyone to my house just after they were born and you really wdn't be able to tell that much at that point either.   My new owners to be come when they are 4 weeks and then to pick them up a few weeks later.  I hasten to add that at 4 weeks of age the Spanish are retrieving toys etc. and bringing them back to you so they are quite forward for their age.

I wa once told you can "see" what the adult Stafford will look like if you se the pups at 4 weeks. And I have found this to be true.

Karen

If I can do a "link" properly, here is one for Australian Shepherds - it is American - but it might be another helpful tool.

http://www.everett.com/users/jimmb/pick.html

Hope that helps

Margot

When I was looking for homes for my litter the prospective owner's came when my pups were 4 weeks old.