Choosing the right puppy

dtabor · 10-19-2002, 07:17 PM

I am going to be looking at labs soon and would like ANY and ALL input from everyone out there on choosing the right puppy from the litter. The last lab I owned was an outstanding pet and hunting dog but I had someone pick it for me who knew what they were doing. Im on my own for this one.

Anyone who has any tips, expertise or anyone who can point me to a webpage with good, reliable info would be greatly appreciated. At this point the dogs are only a week old so I have a little time to research.

Thanks all in advance!!!

drgildy · 10-20-2002, 04:56 AM

If the litter owner is someone you know and trust tell him what you prefer as to sex, size, temperment etc. and let him pick. He is the one that sees each puppy each day and should know them all by the time weaning time comes. If it is some backyard breeder you probably will know as much as anyone else. The one thing that you will have to do is check that they have a proper bite ie no overbite or undershot jaw. Check for hernia and it would be a good idea to have the hips x rayed for possible dysplasia. As far as which puppy is the most aggressive by holding them on their back to see how long before they struggle to get right side up this will work to a degree. Just remember that they aren't all wide awake at the same time.Sometimes you look and one is awake and harassing the other pups and an hour later that puppy may be so sleepy he will hardly move. Good luck on your new buddy.

caveman22 · 10-21-2002, 08:47 AM

Great advise, however, it's my understanding that the hips can not be checked until the dog is about two years old. I do not think a 7 week old puppy is mature enough to make a judgement on. Thats my two cents.......please correct me if I am wrong. Good luck with you search!

drgildy · 10-22-2002, 05:24 AM

The vets we have here will check at any age. t two years of age some of the real bad ones are already debilitated by the problem. To do it right the parents should be checked before ever breeding. This is one reason to ask whether it was a backyard breeder or kennel. Most backyard breeders do not want to spend the money to check the parent dogs. Having said that, you can't say either that you can't get a good solid pup from this type breeding. They usually are much cheaper in price to begin with and can be excellent dogs also.

Ruddyduck · 10-24-2002, 03:43 PM

Research ,research,research. There are no gaurantees the pup you pick is going to be a great dog , but by doing the proper research ahead of time can greatly shift the odds in you're favor.
Pick a breeeder that breeds for the particular traits you desire in a dog. A breeder that also has got cerification for hips,eyes, & elbows also. Not that Field Trial dogs aren't good dogs , many are teriffic ,but many can be high octain and not the trait one looks for in a family member.
I could go on and on but it is enough to say do your homework and it's a safe bet you'll get a good dog. It took me almost two years to settle on a new breeder when my last dog died. The breeder I had previously had got my other 3 dogs from had passed away which left me hunting for a new breeder.