Question about pups

Question
Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.  You are going to need a coffee or tea for this e-mail.  I have a few questions about German Shepherd puppies.  This week I plan to look at German Shepherd pup that I am going to adopt/buy from a farmer who said that the dogs were registered with the CKC; (not the Canadian one) the dam is a 5 year German Shepherd this is her 3rd littler.  Great temperament very nice friendly dog.  From what I was told the Sire is more wild, more of a pack mentality.  Not sure of the age but both parents are on property.  The dogs were born on December 27, 2008 this makes the dogs 3 weeks old. The breeder he is not sure if there are any flees on the pups, but all dogs are healthy.  These dog are outside dogs that live in a barn. I know that I have to wait 8 weeks to get the pup; here are the questions.  Is it to early to look at the dogs or should I wait until six weeks to see the personality of the dog?  Is there a test that you give the pups to see if they are the right dog fro you?  Ex: To get a general idea of where they are as far as dominance, independence, and such by how they react to different situations? What would you look for in a pup health wise and what questions should I ask?

Thank you for you time and advice in this matter.

Mike

Answer
Hi Mike.  It is almost impossible to tell the temperment of a 3 week old puppy.  It is also very hard to tell the temperment of any puppy while it is with its littermates.

I suggest that you wait as long as possible, right up to 8 weeks if you can, to pick your puppy.  See if your breeder will allow you to put a deposit down on a puppy, so that that you don't miss out on getting one, but allow you the option of a refund if the puppy temperment does not meet with your approval once it is 8 weeks old and ready to go home.  I give all my buyers this option.

Yes, there are several online tests that you can take that claim to tell you what kind of animal, or breed of dog is best for your lifestyle.  Here is a link to one of those sites:

http://www.petnet.com.au/selectapet.asp?at=43

Good luck and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions.  I want to apologize for my delay in relying to your question.  I am having some work done at my home this weekend, and some how my internet cable connection was cut.

Sincerely,
Penny DiLoreto
www.puppies-dot-com.com