Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 5:24 pm Post subject: What Age?
My puppy will hopefully be born in the next couple of weeks, and I am super excited. Just wondered, what age do you think is best to actually 'pick' my dog? Obviously you want them to be moving about and showing interest in things, but how many weeks would you/have you picked yours?
Also, is it wise to put down a deposit without actually having chosen my dog, but maybe the first visit I make, to ensure that despite waiting to pick one, i am still guarantees one?
If you have researched your breeder well (ie you are happy she has done all the health tests and you are happy with her and the pups parents ) Then she will know the best time for your pup to go home .
Sorry, Must have not explained it properly - I'm not expecting to bring him home until he's 8 weeks, but I was thinking more about when to choose which puppy I want!
I had in my head maybe about 4/5 weeks, but what have others done?
Most breeders seem to keep the pups until they are about 8 weeks old now, although some will let them go a little before this and others like to hang on to them for a little longer. I personally prefer pups to be at least 7 weeks old, although I have had 6 week old pups before....and on one occasion an even younger one.....but it is really hard work. Not only are they sooo young, but they miss out on the social interaction within the litter, so you have to make up for everything.
I put a deposit down on Mojo when I first saw the breeder and the litter at 3 weeks old. There was only one bitch available, so basically she was chosen for me. Although over the next few weeks, the breeder did ask me if I really wanted her, as she was the "different" pup (the noisy one, the escape artist one, the clever one, etc) and if I didn't think I could cope with her, I could have my deposit back (obviously I refused the offer ).
Errmmmm if I was actually "chosing" a pup, then I would prefer to leave it as late as possible.....so 5/6 weeks if I could, as before that it is hard to tell what they are going to be like. Also BEFORE seeing the litter I would want the breeder to know what I was looking for in a dog and then hopefully she/he could point me in the direction of the best pup for me.
It is very difficult when you look at a litter of pups, as the quiet one in the corner may only be quiet now because he has just spent the last hour "killing" his brothers and sisters ...... So really unless you get to spend a great deal of time with the litter, you are best off asking the breeder about the personality of each pup.
I chose Charlie when he was just over five weeks old. His breeder just happens to be a lady who lives a few minutes up the road from us, so I had several more opportunities to visit him with his littermates and mum over the next three weeks, before eventually bringing him home at eight weeks old.
I did not put a deposit down, and just paid everything when I got him. I guess different breeders can operate in different ways though. I have certainly heard of deposits, and would have no objection to doing it if I ever get another lab pup.
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).
...... So really unless you get to spend a great deal of time with the litter, you are best off asking the breeder about the personality of each pup. 
