Question about puppies

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

I love the German Shepherd and can recommend some outstanding breeders.  

The concern I have about buying a pup from a barn, garage, basement, regardless of the breed,  is the lack of stimulation and socialization.  Also fleas, worms and parasites should be considered a "you bet they do!"  and a healthy dose of Advantage should be the first order of business.  

At three weeks, it's early to determine personality, but go in and have a look to see how the pups interact and react with each other.  Then go back at six weeks.

Here are some simple things you can do to see how the pups react:

Clap you hands, whistle,  bring in "foreign objects" like pop cans and watch the pups reaction. Skittishness, fear and down right panic are a bad sign.  Curiosity is a good thing.  

The pup(s) you've decided on should be taken out of the pack structure and watched.  Most pups are brave in a group but unsure and unstable alone.

A big concern is what kind of food is the farmer feeding the dam?  I would try and get the pup at 6 weeks and get it on superior food supplement with vitamins, greens and oils.  GSD are known for HJD.  

And last Mike, I would recommend you pick up the book The Art of Raising a Puppy by the New Monks of Skete.  We've used this book for over 20 years and it's a great tool.

Good luck