Any tips on selecting a puppy from the litter?

[Adrienne]

I will be visiting my pup's litter on Saturday and I am seeking advice or tips on how to select a puppy. I don't want my EXCITEMENT to overshadow what I am there to do:  select a pup that is a good match for my family.  I have many questions like "Do I just observe first, do I sit still and let the pups come to me, do I handle and play with the pups a lot, etc???  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  

[Bonnie and Kona]

Oh goodness gracious. What a cutie pie. I bet his sisters are just as darling. I can't wait to hear who you have chosen and to see the photos! Enjoy the process.

[Sara and Birdie]

Oh, he is soo cute Adrienne! I can see why you have him on the top of your list.  I was given some photos of the 3 females that I had to choose from, and from the very start, I liked this cute blonde one.  I went up there thinking that was the one that I was going to choose, but when we got there, we saw that the 2 blonde ones (including the one I wanted), were quite a big larger than the darker brown one.  Our Birdie was the runt, and by quite a bit.  That was the deciding factor for us, and we ended up taking Birdie who was the darker runt, who was the bottom of my wish list... LOL..  You will know which one is right when you meet them.  Good luck!!! :)

[Adrienne]

Yes, he is my fav so far but I know that this may change on Saturday.  He is also my DH's fav because he is the largest pup in the litter--the bigger the better for him, LOL!!  The only problem may be getting everyone to agree on the same pup.  We can't even decide on a name...there is always at least one person who disagrees...  I will have to let the breeder know, in private, that my decision TRUMPS all others because I will be at home with the pup everyday, LOL.  4 MORE DAYS!!!

[Sara and Birdie]

LOL.. We had that exact problem since me, hubby and our 4 kids went to pick Birdie out.  Each of my oldest 3 children wanted a different puppy.:)  Luckily me and my DH liked the same one, so it was a pretty easy decision in the end.  Just be prepared that it might take awhile.  My hubby left the final decision to me and I am TERRIBLE at making decisions in general, so this was bad.  It took me a good 30 minutes to decide.:)  I am so excited for you!!! Can't wait to see pics of the one you choose!!!

[Kyoko]

How cute!!

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

OMD Adrienne he is adorable!  His little face is precious:)  

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Such a handsome fella! I think HE'S the one for you! LOL!!

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

What an exciting time for you!  I remember googling some tests that you can do with the pups.  I liked first to see the pups brought out with the mom if that's possible & watch how the pups interact with each other (and the mother).   I seemed to notice a pattern with some of them.  Like some of them always would be the aggressor and some would be the ones underneath getting tackled during play.  Bexter seemed to be both, so I liked that middle of the road temperament.   Another thing I looked at was if the pups hung around me or not.  I liked Bexter because he hung around me the whole time (and there was another one that did too).  Some of the others just kept wandering around.  Then, I took one pup at a time to interact and hold it.  I also held each one on its back to see if it tried to flip over or if it just laid there.  Supposedly that is a good test for a submissive pup.  I don't know how much truth to any of that there is but I must say that Bexter is a very submissive dog who ABSOLUTELY LOVES to be with me everywhere I go.  He is very well behaved around other dogs.  I think in combination with what the breeder says, you will make the right choice for you.  I did take notes also on each pup.  I was lucky enough to visit twice and found that the puppies' personalities were very consistent from the first and second visit, which I was happy about.  Good luck and enjoy!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Our dog picked us :) We had 5 females to choose from.  Luna spent the whole time hanging out with my husband, tugging at his shoelaces... in between leading her littermates on digging expeditions. She was a goofball and still is ;)

We also did some of the "standard" puppy tests - held her, turned her upside down.. and she was totally fine with it.  She was a bit squirmy, but we wanted a fiesty pup.

She is now a very submissive, calm dog but with tons of personality!

[Ginny Nightingale]

OK--gotta chime in here--PLEASE don't expect too much of a 6 week old pup--they are INFANTS!! People come to meet litters at my house and I have had people say "Well, I know you will be choosing for us, but I don't want that one..." Usually they are referring to a pup that acts a bit crazy or is a bit aloof. All I can say is--WAIT and let the breeder who sees the pups WAY more than the 20 minutes you will be with them make a decision for you or at least tell you what the pups are like as they get closer to 8 weeks--(by the way, you may get more than 20 minutes, but the pups will fall asleep). They change so much from 6 weeks to 8 weeks and then they totally change after that--there are some hints of their personalities, but i feel that those puppy "tests" are not reliable.

In the last litter, I had a shy pup who didn't seem to relate to people--I asked one of the people buying a pup to consider him because she had the most dog experience and no kids so she could really focus on his "issue"--well, that pup has totally changed--and not only due to her attention--he was just a late bloomer! He is smart, friendly and as he goes into his fifth month, he is getting very cheeky! He LOVES his people and there is no sign of what I saw at 6 weeks--

And one family was worried that they were getting a very active pup--they had two teenage boys but not a lot of dog experience--he has turned out to be a lovely puppy who is learning so fast--his active nature has been channeled into training and they love him to pieces!

So be patient, don't expect tooooo much and just enjoy the visit!! Breathe in the puppy breath and let them just be themselves without trying to analyze--OK?? It will work out in the end--the minute you leave with your pup in a few weeks, you will not only be in love, but you will forget about all the others that were there to choose from--I promise!

[Ginny Nightingale]

Thanks Sandy!

[Adrienne]

Thx for the advice Ginny.  I will most definitely enjoy the moment and not over analyze things.  They are all so cute.  I wish that I could take them all home.  I also know that you are right about "being in love" with my pup the minute that I know which one is mine :)))