I will be getting a puppy in the summer and our breeder has asked that we visit the puppies at 4/5 weeks to make our choice. We will be asked to select two puppies (1st and 2nd choice), as she will be keeping a puppy from the litter and will be making her choice when they are a little older. She will be watching the puppies and assessing their charecters and will try and match the puppies up with the appropriate types of prospective owner, although she will also respect our own choices, but perhaps steer us in the right direction if necessary. To those breeders out there, do you do this? What do you look for in your puppies and what steers you to decisions? Do you do any of the tests suggested in John Fishers books to see if puppies are more dominant or submissive charecters? I've chosen pups before, mainly between two or three puppies, but not been in the situation where I will be able to decide between all of the bitch pups (in this case). I know the obvious things to check for, don't go for the one that jumps all over you, nor the one that cowers in the corner, and I'm being slightly led in that I want a Goldie that is a good golden colour this time, so will have my eyes on those that should go end up golden (ear colour). Any other hints and tips to help in this difficult task, will be gladly received.

As a breeder, yes, I try to match the pups to the new owners. In a typical litter of mine some pups will be wanted for showing, some for work such as agility or flyball, and some as just active pets, and it's no good the person wanting to do agility getting the most laid back pup, or the one not wanting to do much more than go for long walks with a bit of pet obedience getting the over the top pup that has to work all the time. But as we now know dogs are never dominant over people, that doesn't come into it. You just have stronger or less strong characters. In a litter of Goldens I think you're unlikely to have much of a problem with any of the pups -it's not very likely that one will be really OTT or one really shy, it's just not that kind of breed. :) (Unless it's a field trial bred litter perhaps!)

Is the pup for showing or a pet?  The breeder should give you some advice re puppies character etc.  Allow yourself plenty of time to look at the litter - please don't be swayed on colour unless that is the only difference between your choices.

With my last pup - I had pick of the bitches and there were 6!  All were superb but I kept going back to one in particular and she was the one. She has been a wonderful youngster, my first dog to qualify for Crufts - all I could ask of her really.

Hope breeder allows you to interact with pups - I'm sure one will pick you rather than the other way round!

She will be a pet.
I'm not planning to obedience train or trial work, but would like to do something further in the training line, perhaps nose work and agility. The sire is a dual purpose dog so I'm hoping she will have beauty and brains!!

At 4 or 5 weeks?  And you have to assess this yourself?  From all I've heard that's #1, way too young and #2, may not be representative of their overall character, which you get to see only a few hours of but the breeder supposedly has had a chance to observe for 8 weeks or more.

I am in Canada so things are possibly different here but surely to heavens puppies are puppies where ever they are.  Here I would suggest you find a different breeder.  I see no one else has said anything at all similar so is this breeder's request acceptable in the U.K.?

To a large extent the breeder will decide which pup goes to which person.
Yes, we will be able to interact with the puppies, not just look. We will be able to pick up and cuddle and play as well as observe. This will be the fifth puppy I have bought and chosen in pretty much a similar manner
How does in work in Canada?

Ah, now I see that this is your 5th puppy.  Even if you were not active in breeding or some kind of competitive venue if the breeder already knew you then it would be much more likely you'd get to pick, though 4 to 5 weeks would still be considered far too young to judge character you hope will last a lifetime.  And probably you'd be expected to make more than one visit.

Here there's a list of things that a "reputable" breeder is expected to do.  One is the breeder knows the puppies best and breeder picks which one will go to which home.  That's what happened when my sister purchased a dog from a breeder at a distance from her that she could not visit ahead of time.  In reality the breeder will interview the purchaser and satisfy themself that the home will be good and the puppy will go to the one best for the puppy.  But often the purchaser picks the right puppy, ie. the very active people pick the energetic puppy.

FWIW I took the Volhard puppy test when we went to pick out Oban at 8 weeks of age.  Our second pup from the same breeder.  I took the Volhard Puppy Test with me.  We'd visited 4 times previously and it was awfully hard to do that test on 8 week old puppies.  I gave up on it.  The things I did seem to be able to do they all came out (4 boys) about the same yet it was obvious there were striking differences in them while they played together. The breeder indulged me with the test and helped but her observations of how they acted coupled with my own helped more than the test.  Here it is to take a look at:  http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php

Have fun.  Well of course you will.  :)

>the obvious things to check for, don't go for the one that jumps all over you, nor the one that cowers in the corner

It's also down to preference.  :-)  I accept that, for most folk wanting a pet, they will be looking for a middle of the road pup in a litter.

I always go for the naughty in your face pup in any litter!  I adore them.  It does depend a lot on breed and your experience within that breed.

I have a friend with 14 agility Border Collies, and she always chooses what she calls the gobby little sh*t in a litter.  But she has handled Collies for nearly 30 years.

Go for what you feel is right for you.  (I know you will.)  And ENJOY!  :-)  :-)

>I see no one else has said anything at all similar so is this breeder's request acceptable in the U.K.?

Yes JJ, it isn't in the least unusual.

Although the breeder can point a purchaser towards a particular puppy, the final choice should always be with the buyer. The breeder might have lived with the pup for 8 weeks, but the buyer hopes to live with the pup for 14+ years, so it has to be the one that most takes their fancy, or they'll never be totally happy.

I had a bit of an unusual experience with my crossbred dog - I went to see the litter at 7 weeks and I was the first potential buyer, from a novice breeder.

Out of the six, at first two puppies came running happily up to me and I was allowed to taken them out of their pen and spend some time with them on the sofa with toys etc.

One played with me for a bit then lost interest. The other did want to engage me, so she stayed on the sofa with me, but was busy and not really focussed. Then two others decided I was something worth exploring, so they came out of the pen as well.

One of these engaged immediately and played with the toys I offered him... we had a great game together. When he was put back in the puppy pen he didn't join the others, he laid down ignoring them and just kept his eyes on me the whole time. This was the pup I ended up with with.... apparently he showed no interest in other people who came to view later. I did have a photo of him staring at me from inside the run, fixated (later lost when computer died). The two others out of the six stayed at the back of the run and had no interest in me at all.

I also heard a tale from someone who went to view a pup, and the pup they were assigned to was polite, but another puppy (already booked to go to Australia) kept coming up to the person and ragging their sleeve, demanding attention, in the end plans were changed and the pup who  insisted it wanted to be with that person, went to that person and is now a top dog in its sport.

I think it's very special when one chooses you, but it doesn't happen often - you could visit several litters, and not one shows a preference. I found that when going to look at litters of kittens many years ago.

Point being, yes it's special if it happens but that's rare - and it goes the other way too. I have a rescue dog, and the opposite happened there - I saw some photos of her online, read a bit about her history, and knew she was my next dog - even though it wasn't a perfect time and place, it all came together and she is my beautiful girl.

It sounds really nice when a pup 'chooses you'  It does depend on what mood the pup is in when you see it - it could just be ready for a nap.  I had to choose at 3 nearly 4 weeks because someone was coming a long way to see the litter and I had first choice.  Really impossible to see a pup's character at that point.  5 weeks is a lot better. I had my second visit then.   However my choice was not the one I fancied from appearance.  All but two of them wriggled to be put down and cried.  Out of the remaining 2 one nuzzled me and made a fuss.  When I put him down and stroked him he leaned back up into my hand.  That was my choice - an affectionate dog I hope.  But who knows!  He is only 7 weeks old now and has been with me for 3 days.

Have you got any pics to share.... I would love to see!
And I do think he chose you :)

> It does depend on what mood the pup is in when you see it - it could just be ready for a nap.

I agree, but in my case I made squeaky noises and called Puppppeeeees! waved toys around and deliberately wanted to be their new best friend.... yet as I said, out of the 6... two rushed up, two came later. Two didn't give a toss, I never got to meet them. It was interesting speaking to the dam's owner later on after she'd had other visitors - the pup who chose me was like the two at the back when I was there, who didn't care, not interested at all.

Although the breeder can point a purchaser towards a particular puppy, the final choice should always be with the buyer. The breeder might have lived with the pup for 8 weeks, but the buyer hopes to live with the pup for 14+ years, so it has to be the one that most takes their fancy, or they'll never be totally happy.

That's why it should always be breeder's choice above all, because otherwise the buyer may end up with a puppy they cannot happily live with. Buyers may fall for something they think is cute or funny, which in the long run will be anything but, to them. You should be able to tell character at 3 to 4 weeks of age -certainly you can in my breeds. Not everyone wants the same type of dog. Absolutely nothing will drive me more insane than living with a laid back slow dog, for instance. Yet for others that's ideal.

Ceejay I SO agree!

People always come with this idea about the quiet one, the cheeky one, the standoffish one!

I have to tell visitors that it depends greatly on what stage they are in in their sleep/eat/play cycle.

" oh he's quiet" ..10 minutes earlier he was running around doing the zoomies until he flaked out!

Yes the breeder has the best handle on their real character, observing their interactions with everyone they meet and how they are within their litter.

Totally agree, Tooolz!!

I always have a good idea of 'big' characters at that age but some of the quietier pups come into themselves in the following weeks.  I had a pup in our last litter that I honestly believed was dead behind the eyes.  No personality at all.  She would never interact deliberately or anything with her littermates or me.  I was seriously worried about her.  Then at around 6 weeks, she just found herself! And she was the pup that stayed!!  She had such a sparkling personality that I couldn't let her go and I was right to change my mind about my pick.  She's a fabulous dog!!  Sometimes the quieter ones just need a bit more time?

>in my case I made squeaky noises and called Puppppeeeees! waved toys around and deliberately wanted to be their new best friend....

And people say dog people are peculiar!

:-)  :-)  :-)

Sorry, couldn't resist.

> And people say dog people are peculiar!

I've never said I'm not! :) :) :)

I never met Nando until the day I collected him! My parents and my sister went to visit twice but I was working in America so I didn't meet him! We picked a bitch but really wanted Nando, fortunately the breeder didn't like the man's wife who had reserved Nando, and as such he became available!