May 28, 2013

Can you give me your honest opinion on a puppy I plan on importing to my country?

Full Question:
Hi Cindy,

Trust you are doing well.

I need your help, Cindy. I attached a video of a puppy. This is the puppy the breeder selected for me. He is 8 weeks old in this video. Can you give me your honest opinion? This really is a big step for me and this will be the first Dutch Shepherd in my country. According to me, the dog shows a lack of drive or interest in the bite work. The breeder reckons he is independent and will be a slow maturer. Whatever that means.

Maybe his prey drive has not developed or is not opened yet?
Cindy
Cindy Cindy's Answer:
I could not view your video as the file was not compatible with my computer. What I can say is as a breeder I know that different puppies show things at different times of the day. It’s possible the pup is a slow maturer or maybe he doesn’t have a lot of prey or maybe in the setting of the litter he isn’t that interested. Maybe he played a lot earlier in the day and he's tired. Maybe he doesn't feel 100% today, the list is endless.

I’d look more at the breeder, what they have produced, the parents of the pup and their progeny to make a decision. When importing a dog for sport or any working venue, you need to know puppies are a crapshoot. Even if you went over there and picked it yourself, it’s still a crapshoot. I’ve kept pups from my own litters that didn’t turn out the way I’d hoped or expected, when dealing with baby animals there are just so many things that can factor into the development.

If you can’t risk the time and money on a puppy, it’s always my advice to buy a young adult where you can evaluate drives, temperament and joint health.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Rhodes

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Expert Dog Trainer Cindy Rhodes
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