Puppy Evaluation At what age do you start evaluating puppies for show prospects? What do you find is the best age ? How do you do it ? |
8 weeks is usually a good time to evaluate for the first time. Look at bite, topline, proportions. If it doesn't look good at 8 weeks, it probably won't get better. Those that look promising, keep watching and checking |
Thank yu for your response. Do you evaluate at 8 weeks only ? Do you re-evaluate at 12 before making a final decision for your show hopefuls |
The first evaluation takes place at 8 weeks, because before that time, tissues that hold the bones together are not fully developed. So, in general, at 8 weeks you see a miniature of the adult dog. At that time you check front and rear angulations, topline, balance, presence and temperament. After 8 weeks the puppy grows unevenly. So its very difficult to guess, because everything goes out of place. Fronts and rears grow with different rates, so you just wait for everything to settle. Each dog and strain are different so the time that all will be in their place is hard to guess. Also, yorkies are very hard to evaluate color wise. So...take your time and look at the signs. I hope this link will be useful evaluations Its a written version of the old time classic "puppy-puzzle" by Pat Hastings. |
Puppy Evaluation at eight weeks old: !) Suspended stack evaluation - hold puppy cradle with one hand their jaw, and other hand between hind legs - Lift and look at angulations while suspend front/back legs - Sidelines - neck length - head proportions - View front on - from side - and from rear. You want to see - straight topline - legs hanging down easily and with no foot turn in or turn out. Look at tail set - Relative body length to height proportions. 2) The Hard Stack. This is when you place puppy up on table and stack them correctly. Evaluate as above - I also do vertebrae by vertebrae A/P evaluation. Sacrum set which should reflect as a good tail set. 3) Palpate all boney joints of the legs. Identify if knobby joints are present and where. Look at elbow set - should not be turned in or out. Put each joint through range of motion - look for ease of movement and a definite end range. 4) Look at rib sprung 5) Evaluate natural movement and tail carriage. That is where the puppy moves around (preferably on a non slip surface) - playing, walking, trotting, running, etc. THis is good to video and review later. 6) Evaluate the head - Ear set - Eye shape and placement - Muzzle - Jaw and any evidence yet of under/over bite? Pigment of gums correct? This list is for breeders and as such all evaluative critieria measurements go back to the Standard for the Yorkshire Terrier. By necessity Breeders must make their decision by 12-16wks old who if any of the litter they will keep as a Show Promise Yorkie. If a breeder is letting a puppy go at 6mths old or more as a Show Prospect, I would want to know why they are letting this Show Prospect out of their hands. What changed - why do they not want to keep them anymore? Paunique do you not have another thread on here about getting a 6.5 month old female for show? |
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According to my experience it depends on what they already have in their hands, what they are striving for and what they can not stand. Another factor very crucial for yorkies is their color. You may have a well build balanced puppy with great temperament but with signs that will be an early bloomer, and another one with almost the same virtues but with stronger colors - especially the tan. In this occasion you just compromise with what bothers you less. It also depends on the overall quality of the litter and your breeding knowledge. When one has consistent results, locking wanted traits, step by step, like the old timers did... In this occasion of course you keep the best, but the second best is not so far beyond the first one... |
True enough Mike. The very very best one could hope for is a very best prime breeding example, but because the breeder has *enough* of this breeding in home, she/he will let this very high quality puppy go to a trusted breeder. And the breeder is entrusting you with their lines.... Huge trust in my opinion. Also sometimes the breeder does not want or need the female best, but the male best of the litter.... Anyhoo good question to ask this breeder, and be prepared for follow up questions. |
Honesty and TRUST is everything in these situations. That is why great dogs don't get to anyone's hands without credentials. |
One more thing that is very important, is to know the difference between "show potential" and "show quality". A fully developed dog with no surprises is probably a show quality dog. (besides color which is another story). In this case you worry about color and temperament, hoping that the breeder cared for proper socialization with sounds, smells, people and other dogs. There is a huge risk here, because many breeders who have many dogs, don't have the time to interact with each puppy separately. A 5 months puppy has potential to become a show quality dog - if everything turns out well. So in this case you have to worry about structure and colors. Many things may change depending on the strain. At this time it is easier to correct improper socialization. A show quality 3months puppy is an anecdote :D |
This is a very helpful thread, thank you. There are many topics about weight projection on this site. As a show breeder, how do you chart your litter's weight or do you bother and is there one week or month that is more important to you help you determine what a puppy may weight as an adult? |
Oh this is a nice thread, thank you Gail and mike for going over those specific points in evaluation. I had very much intended to show when I got Lilah but I had a yorkie learning curve to develop first! :) I still aspire to show 'one day' but another show came and went today that I wanted to attend (just for more experience as an observer) and could not :( so perhaps I have a little bit more to wait until my wiggle room is bigger....love to watch all the videos though! |
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