Choosing Our Little Guy Tomorrow

[St Mars]

Hello Boxer World!!

This is my very first post besides the welcome post. I joined because my husband and I are going to be bringing home a little Boxer Pup soon and are extremely excited!! We are getting a puppy from a litter that was born on January 18th. 4 males and 4 females, a total of 8 puppies. 3 were brindle and 6 were fawn.

I am writing because I would just like some advice on picking our pup when we go tomorrow. I know that some ppl have some rules of thumb about choosing the right puppy for you, so I am open to any and all suggestions about things we should do tomorrow when we arrive at the breeders.

Thank You so Much in Advance
~Jenna~

 

[Kisaq]

Let us assume you did your research and chose a reputable breeder with a line that produces the kind of dog you are looking for...


I have never chosen a puppy, myself, mostly because you really can not know completely what you are getting. Their complete personalities and temperaments don't really settle in until after maturity at 2-3 years old.
But that being said, if I WERE to be in a position to choose a puppy from a litter here's what I'd do:

1/ I'd ask myself what kind of life I plan to have for the next 12 years. An active one? A quiet one? Do I want to get into competitive dog sports? If so what kinds? Do I want a calm dog or a strong willed dog? Do I want a dog who is going to be out going (there are good and bad points to that), or a dog who is really more interested in watching the world go by.
2/ I'd go sit with the litter for a while (more than once), to see which puppy(s) caught my eye and my heart. I'd try very hard to ignore the color and markings of each puppy - because I have no interest in showing - but I would pay attention to any medical/conformational issues each puppy may have. I wouldn't necessarily "X" a puppy who had issues, but it would have to weigh into the decision.
3/ I'd try to meld the reality and logic behind what I'm looking for and what pulls my heart strings.
4/ I'd talk to the breeder and try to get an idea of their impressions on the personalities of the dogs and their experience with how things change when maturity comes on their line.
5/ I'd go away and sleep on the decision and come back the next day to choose my puppy and go with my instincts.
6/ I'd check my dog medical savings account to be sure there is enough money in there for all those inevitable puppy emergencies. :D


Did that help?

P.S.: Congratulations! And good luck!

 

[Gunther]

Been 11 years since I had a puppy but here's my story from an average puppy picker upper. I wanted a boy, I wanted the guy that was standing on top of all the other puppies and barking his head off!

But all the boys were off the table and it had been a long hard road for me so I was getting a dog now! I sat there holding mom, one of the puppies walks over to me and sits quietly in my lap. I think to myself well here's a real firecracker...not!!

I said oh well I'll take this one, I can live with a calm quiet dog? Got her home and ...wrong, she was a little firecracker also! Might have just been tired from being a little tornado all day??

Anyway I let the dog choose me but my only requirement was that it be a Boxer!

 

[TwoDogs]

I use the Volhard Puppy Apptitude Test Puppy Aptitude Test when I evaluate a potential puppy for myself, for a client, and when litters come in at the shelter where I volunteer.

It helps to be knowledgeable about breed tendencies though. I'd expect a hound to score differently on the retrieve than a Labrador and I would expect a border collie to score differently on the sound sensitivity than a terrier. I wouldn't necessarily consider a lower score in that area to be a fault for a breed where it was expected and I would expect high scores in areas that test for certain things in certain breeds. Scores should be compared relative to that breed's normal characteristics.

 

[St Mars]

Thank you

Thank you everyone for your replies. They mean a lot to me. All of them were helpful from different angles.

I am printing the puppy aptitude test as well. There are some tests on there I am def. interested in doing on the pups.

Thank You again and I will post a pic!!

~Jenna~