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EVALUATING A PUPPY FOR THE PET OWNER[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/B][/B][/COLOR][/COLOR][/B]
I often get asked how do I choose a puppy; what do I look for? So the first thing I always say is do your homework first. Check out the breeder, through all the methods available to you. For Yorkies, Yorkie Talk has many breeder reviews, Google the name and business name, search BBB complaints and YELP, and any other internet reporting vehicle.
Next spend some time in determining what “type” in terms of personality of dog would truly fit in with your lifestyle. Do you want an intrepid explorer, a shy and cuddly love bug, a dog that needs high activity to do really well? Do you have an active lifestyle? Want to take your dog on long hikes, camp, boating, want your dog to travel with you. Are you interested in performance sports with your dog? Obedience, rally, agility, earth dog, disc, flyball, to name just a few. Do you have a busy social life that you want your dog to be part of?
This little exercise will help you to hone and refine, what you truly would like in your adult dog. It is something then you can talk clearly about with your breeder.
I would like to say that all “good” breeders do a standard temperament test on their puppies; how-ever for the toy breeds it doesn’t seem to be as common, as in other breeds. That means along with inquiry of the breeder, you might be on your own to evaluate the puppy you might be interested in.
For now let’s assume you have vetted your breeders, and are on a waiting list with one or two of the preferred breeders.
Before the home visit:
1. Ask for lots of pictures of the litter. Most breeders do love to post pics of the puppies. If they have videos all the better.
2. If the breeder says something like I have two males, or two females to choose from. Ask for select pictures of the two.
2B) Here is what you ask for; Of course the standard seated face on shot – all breeders love to show those cute Yorkie faces. How-ever you will ask for a suspended stack photo; where the breeder lifts their dog up, one hand under chin, and one between their rear legs. A photo that shows the side view of the dog; both right and left sides. A photo that shows them front on, and from the rear.
Nb: Many breeders are not used to doing this; so just ask gently and say I want to get to “know” this puppy from all sides before I visit.
3) These are things that are very nice to have prior to the visit; how-ever in this day and age of digital manipulations, can be suspect.
The Home Visit:
Ideally you will have the opportunity to see the whole litter interact with one another; how-ever some may have been sold etc. Still try to see what-ever the remaining pups are, interacting with one another; even if all the pups left are not yours to choose from. And very important you want to observe the “mother” and how she is, and interacts with the pup and you.
Please plan on at least one hour visit with your “breeder”; you don’t want to feel rushed, or to rush the breeder either.
Who is the leader of the “pack’? Which pup comes out to sniff you first? Which pup who may be first, goes away and stays away? Which pup if any decides your feet are a wonderful bed to lie upon? Which pup is always engaged and active, running here n there. Which pup sits back away from the pack and observes? These are all clues to their temperament.
Examination: And you should intelligently hold and at the same time examine the pup
1. There should be no obvious odor from the pup, except a milky smell.
2. All pups should be observably clean upon your arrival, and the house should smell clean as well.
3. Eyes should be bright and clear, no tearing, no encrustation at the corners.
4. Ears should have no smell at all.
5. Teeth: Examine the bite, or ask the breeder to do it for you. You do not want to see an over or an underbite.
6. As you hold the pup, feel their tiny bones and spine. If their legs feel like matchsticks, as opposed to popsicle sticks, that is a sign that this puppy may have “tiney” bones. Bones are the structures that muscles hang off. Tiney boned pups can be more easily injured.
7. The spine with proper placement of front and rear legs, should be straight. No hollows or dips.
8. When you watch the puppies stand (which they might do for 1-2 seconds), you will look for paws pointing relatively straight ahead, a straight spine, an upright tail, the space between the front and rear legs approximately equal.
9. All puppies should move easily. An occasional bunny hopping type of movement is okay, but if it that is the only preferred movement pattern, that is a caution. Puppies should be comfortable moving at a walk, at a trot, or at a run. And ideally over the time of your visit will show you all those movement patterns.
Ideally 8 weeks old is the first time and for almost all breeds the appropriate time to evaluate a puppy. As at this age; it is a good forecaster of how the puppy will mature as an adult. The caveat being baring, accident, injury, illness, or owner insufficiencies. So if you can visit at 8wks old, and then again at 10wks old prior to making your final selection that would be best.
As owners you need to feed the best food for the puppy, give appropriate exercise, training, socialization and vet care as your puppy grows.