Hi all,

We are considering buying an Australian Shepherd puppy as a family pet. Some local breeders won't be having another breeder until spring, but one local breeder has a 6 month old puppy for sale. I have not asked yet why that puppy was not sold with the rest of the litter. I know there could be many reasons why.

I just got done watching Ed's Puppy video and it seemed there is a lot of development between 8 weeks and 8 months- from their own growth to their bonding with their family.

Is there a reason to get a younger v.s. older puppy if given the choice? I know with an older puppy, we may get one that is house/ crate trained already, but wondered if there were other things to consider.

lots of other things to consider is the dog the runt? is he missing teeth or has bad teeth is it all scronny looking or to hyper or to fearful maybe to dominant be really carefull ask for lots of pics even a video and ask lots of questions

I don't think a video or pics are necessary...this breeder is local, right? Visit this dog a lot before making your decision! Certainly ask why the pup is older. Could be they were seeing if the dog was a breeding prospect, could be they stand behind their dogs and someone who was a dunce returned him. If the dog was returned, check to make sure there aren't any weird phobias or bad habits the dog picked up.

By that age you should expect some decent housetraining, crate training and basic manners. All things being equal, there are some benifits to having an older dog. You should have a good idea about the pup's temperament...better than you could tell with a baby, anyway. You could get lucky and not have to deal with all the puppy-stuff (crying at night, mouthiness, etc) although I'm sure the new adjustment would cause some of that.

Pay attention to this dog's health records!

You should consider an older pup, if everything seems okay. It should still bond with you. A friend of mine has the closest bond I've ever seen between man and dog and he didn't get the dog until the dog was two years old.

Good luck!

Thanks for the quick replies. We're hoping to go see him Saturday.