I am visiting my puppy for the first time in 3 days time.  She is one of two.   She will be two weeks old.  I know how to chose an older puppy but how to I chose the right one at this age?  Please advise me.

Sorry lkj I can't answer your question but how exciting for you,a new fur baby for your family....yaaaayyyyy. I'd be so excited I wouldnt be able to sleep.

Yes Champ 76.  It's the waiting when you consider it will be in June before I can collect her.

lkj have you read Champdogs "Guide to Buying a Puppy". It will help steer you through the minefield that can surround buying a pedigree puppy

2 weeks old is very young and wouldn't make a choice at this age. They don't have their own personalities yet and have only just opened their eyes. I'm surprised a breeder is allowing you to see the litter so young too

I have read about choosing a puppy.  It's like taking an exam.  You know all the course work but when you have to put it into practice the mind goes blank.
Yes.   I thought two weeks was far too young but thinking about it the breeder wants to take a look at me.

>I have read about choosing a puppy.  It's like taking an exam.

Most of what appears in the guide is common sense, but it is worth taking the points on board to save yourself heartache later on.

>You know all the course work but when you have to put it into practice the mind goes blank.

So grab a scrap of paper and write down the main points and take it with you when you go to see the puppy

There is no way you can choose a pup at just 2 weeks, not unless all you go on is markings, if it is a breed that has them. You will see absolutely nothing of character at this stage. I won't allow any of my pups to be chosen before 5 weeks of age. In fact I won't let anyone (as in buyer) visit before 4 weeks as it isn't fair on the bitch.

I have a litter at the moment, they are 16 days old and yesterday was the first day all pups had opened their eyes. They are just starting to get up onto their legs and try to walk.  You can't tell breed looks or character at all yet.

Thank you Goldmali for your reassuring comments.   I think the breeder wants to see me.   Maybe I did not give a good impression on the phone when I rang.  As a breeder do you wonder to yourself about buyers who phone or are you lucky enough to have a waiting list?

Most of the time my pups are booked before birth. This time I had a larger than average litter for the breed so had 3 spare pups. One looks likely to go to a lady I already know, one I have had very extensive e-mail discussions with, the final one was over the phone only. When possible I prefer my buyers to visit BEFORE the pups are born, and most have done so for this litter.  The rest will arrive between 4 and 5 weeks. I wouldn't really want a stranger visiting at just 2 weeks, if I saw it as urgent I'd say 3 weeks but no choice to be made. Is this breeder not keeping a pup? In a litter of two  I would not expect there to be a choice as of course the breeder will always pick first, unless both pups were the wrong sex to what the breeder wanted to keep.

You don't, you choose your breeder and or litter (based on parents you admire, if yoru involved with the breed or researching specific lines).

The breeder will be in best position to choose the best fit for you as they live with and can assess the pups best.

Unless this is a breed with very different colours or markings you won't recognise the puppy you have seen in a week let alone in 6, they change so much.

In my breed a stranger would be hard put to recognise any of the pups from each other even on the day if I didn't have coloured wool collars on them.

> I'm surprised a breeder is allowing you to see the litter so young too

I allow people to visit any time if they want to, but certainly no choices are really made until past 6 weeks when I may be sure which pup I am unlikely to keep for myself, or for someone else wanting to show.

Yes early visits are really about getting to know the owner and how they are with my dogs, and for the potential owners to reassure themselves about me as a breeder, as visits before the litter are born are not always possible...

I'm quite nervous re meeting new people. If I say went to a breeder who I had contacted re a puppy and went to meet them and/or litter, would this count as a negative? Or would a breeder recognise this and not bump me immediately from list? How does it work from the breeders point of view? Is it gut instinct re possible owner? From a prospective buyers point of view often my gut instinct says no because of how the breeder has interacted with us. Does it take a few visits for both breeder and potential owners?

> Is it gut instinct re possible owner?

Yes, and reaction of and to the dogs, shyness would not put me off.

Thank you

Let me know how it goes for you lkj please.

I took the Volhard puppy test with me and the breeder and I did it together when they were 8 weeks old.  I gave up.  All four male puppies passed with flying colours.  Some parts of the test seemed geared to older pups.  I quit.  Really, I could tell much more myself just watching and interacting with them.  But it was kind of fun.

The breeder of my dog did the Volhard tests too. He was looking particularly for a dog pup which showed the best ability for working to keep(Gundog breed). He also wanted to select puppies for each family rather then let them choose. All the bitch pups came out about the same on the tests, nothing to distinguish them which made things difficult for me as I ended up having to choose from four pups who all looked and acted exactly the same. In the end I threw myself on the mercy of the breeders wife who had spent the last eight weeks looking after the pups and had got to know their personlities very well. She knew what kind of dog we were after and although told us about each one, she thought that 'little Miss Purple' was the girl for us. How right she has been.
Be guided by the breeders of your pup, they will have got to know them very well.

I really would not recommend Volhard anyway it is VERY outdated and focuses too much on the dominance myth. Why would anyone these days want to roll a puppy onto its back and stop it from moving for 30 seconds?

> Why would anyone these days want to roll a puppy onto its back and stop it from moving for 30 seconds?

Every one of my breed would probably object, unless it was done very gradually from being cuddled, so half asleep.  I have often lined sleepy trusting pups on their backs this way.  I would not expect them to 'submit' to this from a stranger, it's self preservation not to. 

They are an independent bold energetic but very stable friendly breed.