HOW TO PICK A PUPPY

How Do I Pick The Right Puppy?


I'm assuming you're a rookie at this and are looking strictly for a nice pet. These are only guidelines; taking a more experienced person with you is also a good option. Let's start with what puppy NOT to pick. NEVER take a sick puppy. A good breeder would never sell you one anyway, so right away you know that one who would doesn't care about you, the puppy or the financial and emotional investment you make. DON'T take a puppy that growls at you. That DOES NOT mean they will make better watchdogs! The growling is either dominance or fear induced, neither of which is easy or acceptable to live with. These are the dogs that bite for all the wrong reasons. Don't take the puppy that cringes from your touch, won't come come to you or avoids involvement with the rest of the litter and/or owner. If the whole litter is like that, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. There are many good puppies out there, be patient. You may pay more for a correctly bred and socialized pup, but it will be cheaper than paying for behavioral and health problems later on. The pup you pick should not be afraid to climb on you, should try to lick or kiss you (not bite!) and be willing to follow you around. When you pick her up she may struggle but should soon settle down and try to kiss or paw you. A pup who bites and/or violently struggles, who freezes and/or avoids eye contact is unsuitable as a pet. Avoid pups who run away from loud noises and won't come back to investigate. Toss a piece of paper or ball; a puppy who brings it back to you will be a joy to train. Pick your pup at 7 wks., the optimum time most experts feel truly indicates what the mature dog will be like. Of course meet the parents, the puppy cannot be anything other than the genetics dealt to him, modified and enhanced ( for good or bad ) by the environment and socializing given to him. After all this......? Pick the GOOD puppy that LIKES YOU BEST!!!

Great Advice!! Thanks!!

That is all great advice, but what I want to learn is about lines, and pedigrees.

Great info!

Lines and pedigrees? It depends on what kind of dog you want. Do you want a showline or a working line or doesn't it matter. Do you want a dog for a companion, for work or sport or show? You need to decide what it is your looking for and then ask about specific lines and pedigrees. Also, it is important to find a great breeder who is breeding for temperment no matter what the lines or pedigrees are. Before getting a pup, I think everyone really needs to do their homework. This is a great place to start.

How to pick the RIGHT[u] puppy.

Writing this as a breeder and as the buyer of a couple of lemons (in my early days) there is one word that spings to mind in all of this debate -RESPONSIBILITY.
It is the RESPONSIBILITY of the potential buyer to beware of dodgy breeders who are puppy farming - no hip and elbow scores and no registration with their country's specialist GSD register as well as the country's Kennel Club for a start.
Buyers need to do their homework - we were all naive and in love with the most wonderful breed of dog in the world to start with.
RESPONSIBILITY as breeders and lovers of the breed.
If dogs don't cut it in the show, performance rings - why are people breeding from them?
If dogs are winning in the show ring but have hip and elbow scores that should put their owners to shame - is that what breed RESPONSIBILTY is all about?
I recently bought a book on line just out of interest because it proclaimed to tell the buyer all they needed to know about how to choose the right puppy. I thought that this book was finally going to tell me the answer to the question I desperately wanted to know the answer to 30 years ago as a first time buyer - I was bitterly disappointed and felt for the masses out there who love the breed and are wanting to be RESPONSIBLE about buying their first GSD puppy will be sadly ripped off and frustrated that the online book doesn't tell them diddly squat.
Buying the RIGHT puppy is in my mind (as a breeder) the ultimate RESPONSIBILITY of the breeder - so potential buyers of puppies need to show RESPONSIBILITY in choosing the breeder they buy from.
Once the basic breed standard requirements for confirmation and the associated paperwork has been completed a RESPONSIBLE breeder should be breeding for the ultimate - temperament, as most litters of puppies never produce even 1 top show/performance dog.
As a breeder I have refused to sell puppies to potential buyers because the sale they wanted wasn't in the puppy's best interests. I interview potential buyers over the telephone first - I rarely advertise my puppies as most of them are pre-sold well before the bitch even visits the stud dog. The puppies I breed are handled and cuddled from the moment they are born by a variety of people. Their whelping boxes dominate a complete room in my house - and I have a few rooms in my house - ever seen a heat lamp hanging from a crystal chandelier!?! As a RESPONSIBLE breeder I match potential owners with the puppies I have bred.
The last litter of puppies I bred have just gone to their new homes and the feedback is all good.
One of the owners came from a small country town far away and there was no way I was ever going to be able to meet with this woman or personally check out any of her references. She had got hold of my name after about 20 phone calls the length and breadth of this country in her quest to be a responsible first time GSD owner despite having owned dogs all her life. I chose the puppy out of the litter I knew would best suit her and travelled a whole day to deliver the puppy in person halfway between where we both lived.
Her feedback to me as the puppy's breeder is - "she is the most intelligent incredible puppy, far above what we ever expected or wished for. We took her on holiday with us and there was another GSD puppy there that was 2 weeks older than her and we were shocked. Our puppy was so much more advanced, lively, intelligent, and naturally obedient than that puppy. Everyone in the camping ground made such a fuss of our GSD puppy ignoring the other one. She fits into our family as if she was always a part of it - despite my husband's misgivings about buying a GSD. Gerry my husband is now one of the biggest advocates of the breed after a whole lifetime of working with farm dogs and only knowing our girl for a couple of weeks. Thank you so much for allowing us to have her."
Isn't that what owning a GSD is all about?
Shoot me down in flames if you like - I don't care. I've been burned too and burned badly by several supposedly knowledgeable longtime breeders. And that is why I'm now a GSD breeder - I want to pass on to others the joy of owning a truly magnificent GSD specimen. My buyers are mainly pet owners, but I've been unbelievably blessed with my breeding in that virtually all the puppies I have bred are a cut above the rest in every discipline and could hold their own in any discipline.

Wow Candyce!! Thanks for sharing!! I have never had the pleasure of buying a bred dog. I have rescued both of my babies. Prete my first dog was literally lured in off the streets by my brother and with Odysseus I was looking to save an adult dog. 5 months of searching and every dog I had an interest in having found a home (which is great... just not for me...hehehe) I ended up saving a puppy. For me that was after 2 years of coming to the decision it was time to get another dog. I hope I find breeders as excellent as both of you when and if I buy a dog. Part of me is always so concerned about saving the ones who don't have homes that although I would love to have a pure breed bought from a responsible breeder I just don't know if I ever will because I will see that gsd in a rescue needing a good home.

Thank you so much Candyce for being a responsible breeder and being so concerned with placing them. It is people like you that make it so there won't be another dog needing saved!

Candyce, Thank you for letting me read this. I too have been burned. The only thing that I have done, is neuter, and try to be the best owner for my badly bred dog, and hope that I learn enough for the next one, that I WILL get someday. I just want a pet/companion, but I would like to say, WELL BRED PET!

good post Candyce

Very usefull info, that will truley help first-time puppy buyers, or even people who already own a dog.

Great post, Candyce.