Re: what can you really tell about a pre-8wk old p
Originally Posted By: ardavis324When placing a puppy with a specific type of person, what can you really tell about the puppy, and at what age? (6, 7, 8wks?)
I sometimes see breeders advertising "show prospects" and working prospects, etc. What actual characteristics or physical traits make a puppy a prospect vs. a "pet"?
I agree with the others. You really can tell a lot as they develop just by watching their general behavior, interactions with their littermates, playing with you, interactions with other people/dogs, exposing them to all sorts of different objects and sounds and environments and seeing how they react.
What makes a pup a prospect or a pet depends on the goals of the breeder. A show prospect is typically going to be the puppy that is the most promising in terms of structure, color, coat type, etc... Pups that don't appear promising in terms of having a successful show career are considered pets. Working prospects are based more upon personality traits: drive level, boldness, pain sensitivity, grip, dominance, attitude, etc... Pups with higher levels of those things tend to be in the prospect category, whereas the lower drive, more laid back, softer, more submissive personalities tend to be in the pet category.
Originally Posted By: ardavis324
I am familiar with some of the tests, is that all some breeders are basing these statements on?
Generally it comes from observation. Puppy tests may play a part, but often only a small part. We do puppy tests, but they're more to check to make sure the personality traits we see with us in familiar surroundings also hold true when the pup is put under the stress of a totally new environment and a totally new person they've never met before. Sometimes there are surprises, but rarely. And if there is, with the pup acting totally different than normal, that itself is very telling about personality. Most breeders I know who do puppy tests view them the same way. Not as a means of gaining significant insight into the pups or placing them into categories, more as a means of double checking what the breeder already suspected about the pup's temperament.