What do I look for when selecting my new puppy?

4477 Views 6 Replies 6 Participants Last post by tjmom, May 30, 2007

ttaillac

Discussion Starter · May 29, 2007

Ok - I've bought a previous dobe from this breeder and had a wonderful dog until she died tragically in an accident at 1 1/2 years old. It's hard to even think about, so I won't go into the details.

Fast forward 2 months and here I am.

I've got the pick of the litter and want a male. Pups are just over 6 weeks old now and should be ready for their new homes in 2-3 weeks. I visited the pups this last weekend. It's down to 3 boys and I don't really know what to look for. All their teeth looked good. Didn't see any missing or an under-bite or anything. Markings all looked good, but again, I'm not sure what to look at. I know I don't what a shy one (I have 2 girls at home aged 4 and 6), so playing with kids is a must.

Does anyone have any pointers or specifics I can look for?

My wife and I spent about an hour with the pups and this is really difficult decision to make.

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sundobe

· #2 · May 29, 2007

You really need to read this: http://members.execulink.com/~korevaar/buyingguide.htm
it is the best advice you can get about how to properly select your breeder and puppy.

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Murreydobe

· #3 · May 29, 2007

ttaillac said:
Ok - I've bought a previous dobe from this breeder and had a wonderful dog until she died tragically in an accident at 1 1/2 years old. It's hard to even think about, so I won't go into the details.

Fast forward 2 months and here I am.

I've got the pick of the litter and want a male. Pups are just over 6 weeks old now and should be ready for their new homes in 2-3 weeks. I visited the pups this last weekend. It's down to 3 boys and I don't really know what to look for. All their teeth looked good. Didn't see any missing or an under-bite or anything. Markings all looked good, but again, I'm not sure what to look at. I know I don't what a shy one (I have 2 girls at home aged 4 and 6), so playing with kids is a must.

Does anyone have any pointers or specifics I can look for?

My wife and I spent about an hour with the pups and this is really difficult decision to make.

If you're going through a reputable, experienced breeder, the best thing to do is tell them about your household-how many members, activity level, etc. Also your expectations for a puppy-what do you want to do with it..a show prospect, a performance prospect, a couch potato? Then let the breeder find the puppy best suited for your needs and wants...they're generally pretty good at matching puppies and homes.

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Dobesanddragons

· #4 · May 29, 2007

New puppies are very exciting!

But just want to point out there is a red flag here; you have the "pick of the litter" and don't have much experience picking out a Doberman puppy and aren’t sure of how to proceed.

Maybe I am missing something. Reputable breeders breed for the betterment of the Doberman breed, and they usually keep the "picks of the litter" for themselves - at least co-own to show the dog. They will also be able to grade the puppies and place them in performance, pet/companion, or show prospect homes for the future owners.

Since they have been with these puppies since birth and have been observing them and in a good breeding program know the temperaments and health of the both sides of the pedigree really well, they are qualified to assist you in making the decision.

Just visiting the puppies once or twice usually isn't a good assessment time as certain puppies could be different one day, for instance, tired at the short time to visit, or wild, etc. There are puppy temperament tests, a good breeder should be able to help you with those.

I 100% trusted a very experienced reputable breeder to pick out a show prospect for me with the right drives and temperament I was looking for (I was VERY specific in what I wanted and picky) and the puppy sent to me turned out to be one of the best dogs I have ever had in my life and was everything I was looking for plus some. But I don't know what category your breeder falls into...if they know their lines, have spent lots of time with their puppies, show, health test, etc.

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Dobesanddragons

· #5 · May 29, 2007

This site might also help you
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/article_menu.htm

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bleh60

· #6 · May 29, 2007

Seriously listen to everything dobesanddragons just said. I think there are definately a few red flags there.

I know I don't what a shy one

If you even fear getting a shy dog or pup from this litter then this is probably not a good breeder. Pups of any and all breeds should be curious and outgoing, not shy or reserved.

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tjmom

· #7 · May 30, 2007

I have to agree with dobesanddragons on this. Your breeder should pick out the pup for you. When we got our Titus the breeder only had to males left and she did allow us to pick which one we wanted, however she stated that she would not have allowed us to take Titus if we were first time dobie owners. At first I thought how could she know so much about a dog that young. Silly me

She has been breeding for over 35 years and she REALLY knows her business. I have to say that Titus sure would not have been successful in a first time dobie owners home. He is very confident about himself and at times bull headed. When we contacted another breeder for Jada, she asked us all kinds of questions regarding our home life and TONS of questions about Titus. She wanted to make sure she selected the best sister for him. And boy did she hit the nail on the head. A docile and timid dog would not have stood a chance with him.

An experienced breeder should select the right dog for you. I hope this helps - and let us know how it works out for you.

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