Puppies by Paul Hawkes

It is sometimes a daunting task when taking the family to view, with the intention of picking a puppy, that is going to be with the family for 10 to 15 years. I have only ever picked my pups to fit into my work regime and have always been lucky enough to have picked from my own litters born and bred on the place and thus I have been able to study the various pros and cons and select from there. But to have to go with sometimes as little as 10-15 minutes to pick is not easy. I don't even think about selecting a pup for myself until they are 6 weeks old and I select a couple and study their every trait.

Pups tire very easily and often when people go to look at them you have perhaps a couple of boisterous pups and the rest are curled up in a pretty inactive state. Come back in ten minutes time and the boisterous pups are sound asleep and the others are quite the opposite, so this doesn't really reflect on their nature.

There is the obvious things like markings, coat type and shape. People have set ideas as to what they are looking for and on my part it was not for me to dissuade them. Ask as many questions as possible and as stupid as you like! What do I look for in a pup? I prefer a bitch but that is my preference. I don't like a bully and I would rule that out straight away without hesitation.

Yes, pups squabble all the time but keep an eye out for the pup that is going round the others looking to bully. I like a pup with a bit of colour about it but this has no reflection on the nature of the pup it is purely preference. I like a pup with a dark eye, as it always has a warmer friendlier feel, and a nice long body with everything in proportion. I am prepared to accept front dew claws but will not tolerate rear dew claws at any cost. I think it is tempting fate for a costly vets bill in the future. Tail docking for a family pet is a cosmetic issue as it has no bearing on the nature of the dog. People who intend working their dog may have a different view and therefore may insist their chosen pup have a docked tail, but I don't want to get embroiled in a veterinary argument here. In this day and age of e-mailing pictures, ask for regular updates and don't be frightened to ask the breeder questions. Remember it is not until they get to about the 6 week old mark that different characteristics start to emerge so don't pick too early!