Gun Dog Forum

When is the correct time to select your pup? Is it when it is time for them to come home, at like 4wks old? I am just wondering if there is a certain age that is the best age for the connection or bond to begin.

Thanks
Corry

Typically, pups shouldn't be taken home until 8-10 weeks.

Never buy a pup from anyone who let's you take the pup home before 7 weeks of age. 8 is fine 10 would be better. The breeder should have already started the human bonding with the pup at 4 days old. It should be no problem for you to take over at 10 weeks. The pups should want to be with people if they are correctly socialized.

By about 6 weeks puppies are getting very little from the mother. She is ready to move on. But they really do need the litter socializing and pack training. We let our puppies go at eight weeks. We would prefer to keep them 'til ten weeks and give them there second round of shots and crate training. Be aware that puppies have a very small chance of getting any immunity from their first shots. Especially if given before seven weeks. So' be careful what he is exposed to.
If the breeder is not socializing the puppies the sooner the leave the better. It's a traumatic time for the puppy and you can have a major impact on his future by not over stimulating him when he first comes home. I know how, Especially with kids, it is but calm and quiet the first few days is the best way to go. CJ

I watch the mom when she starts to bite the little buggers it's time to go, when you selling.
Very difficult to choose the better ones under 8-12 months, if you want to the pic of the litter.

My main question is that I have 3rd pick of the litter, and I have never had to do that before, so do you go in earlier at like he 4 or 5wk mark and pick them then, or is the pick made when you arrive at the 8-10wk mark?

Thanks
Corry

Every situation is a little different. Talk with the breeder about the home situation & what you're looking for in a dog. A quality breeder will help pick out the right pup for you, from what is left after picks 1 & 2. An experienced breeder interacting with the pups daily can usually identify traits more easily than the buyer. Even the breeder though is just taking an educated guess, with many dogs turning out differently than expected.

from a structural standpoint, what you see at 8 weeks is pretty much what you will see when they are grown up. They tend to grow unevenly and at 8 weeks the are pretty much in-sync for a short time. It is much better socially to let them stay with the litter until at least 8 weeks.

The later you can pick, the better. You'll have a better idea of personalities the longer you wait. Try to put it off as long as is possible. I hate it when breeders force you to choose at 4-6 weeks - it's really hard to make a good decision. Mine let me wait until 9 weeks with my Vizsla - I pretty much got exactly what she said I'd get.

Thank you all for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

Corry

Pups change so much from 4-8 weeks that, IMO, you are wasting your time making your choice before 8 weeks. (8-10 MONTHS would be better, as a previous poster stated. But that's impractical). Arrive as soon as the breeder is willing to let the pup go. If you are third in line, choose 3 pups based on gut feeling, color, sex, or whatever floats your boat. Odds are, you'll get your first choice. If not, number 3 may just turn out to be the better dog in the long run. Good luck and enjoy your pup.

Aline Curran

Ghosted3 wrote:Thank you all for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

Corry

pick puppy with BIGGEST HEAD. big head means more room for brains.i am from old school and thats how most of my pups over 46 yrs are picked.
but when you are 8th on pick you get what is left.

you are low on pick,so use the HEAD.

JIM K wrote:

Ghosted3 wrote:Thank you all for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

Corry

pick puppy with BIGGEST HEAD. big head means more room for brains.i am from old school and thats how most of my pups over 46 yrs are picked.
but when you are 8th on pick you get what is left.

you are low on pick,so use the HEAD.

Yup - just like humans, the ones with the biggest heads are the smartest. That's a myth.

Fireside wrote:from a structural standpoint, what you see at 8 weeks is pretty much what you will see when they are grown up. They tend to grow unevenly and at 8 weeks the are pretty much in-sync for a short time. It is much better socially to let them stay with the litter until at least 8 weeks.

My GSP first pick male was the biggest male in the litter at 8 weeks. At 14 months he's the smallest pup of the whole litter. Stature wise anyhow. He's short but weighs about 60 lbs .Compare him to his 55lb brother and he looks tiny. Solid Freaking Muscle i guess. Just like me except I'm tall with a lot of fat.

old MY THS are hard to break.

BigShooter wrote:

JIM K wrote:

Ghosted3 wrote:Thank you all for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

Corry

pick puppy with BIGGEST HEAD. big head means more room for brains.i am from old school and thats how most of my pups over 46 yrs are picked.
but when you are 8th on pick you get what is left.

you are low on pick,so use the HEAD.

Yup - just like humans, the ones with the biggest heads are the smartest. That's a myth.

my brothers son head is big for his age.he is in tenth grade. he is doing senior school work.getting all A .

i watched kids at awards and most of very smart ones had BIGHEADS!boy, i hope they dont read this :roll:

If I could, I would pick all of my dogs at 10 weeks. At seven weeks you can tell nothing about a pup. By ten weeks, you can tell a lot. Picking at four weeks will get you nothing.

[quote="JIM Kit.



pick puppy with BIGGEST HEAD. big head means more room for brains.i am from old school and thats how most of my pups over 46 yrs are picked.
but when you are 8th on pick you get what is left.

you are low on pick,so use the HEAD.[/quote]

Yup - just like humans, the ones with the biggest heads are the smartest. That's a myth.[/quote]


my brothers son head is big for his age.he is in tenth grade. he is doing senior school work.getting all A .

i watched kids at awards and most of very smart ones had BIGHEADS!boy, i hope they dont read this :roll:[/quote]

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Actually kids with hydrocephalus have the biggest heads but ...............

http://ca.search.yahoo.com/search?ei=ut ... 0kid&type=