> How did you decide on your puppy?
We couldn’t meet the litter either, so we saw them over a zoom call. Only a few hadn’t been sold at that point so we picked the one that stood out to us, who the breeder also said was the most mellow/calm of the bunch.
> Were there any specific behaviors you looked for, or questions you asked your breeder to help determine which one would be the best fit?
Not in our case, I’ll admit. Our whole family agreed on him, basically!
> And can you really tell what kind of personality the puppy has at 5-6 weeks? And has your puppy’s personality changed from when you first got them? You really won’t know their personality until you live with them though. You get an initial impression, but like people, dogs will change as they grow based on how they are raised and socialized.
Oh. Here is my experience in choosing a puppy. I researched different breeds and went back and forth for like a year. I wanted a bigger dog, I wanted a dog that would be okay with my lifestyle ( I wanted a chill dog that wouldn’t mind lounging around). I wanted a dog with a soft coat that didn’t shed too much.
I would search online for puppies near me the whole time. One day 2 months ago, I saw an 11 week old Great Dane / Poodle mix, which met all of my desired criteria, and he was discounted to $800 from the usual $2500 for the breed (because he was not 8 weeks old and the breeder was having trouble getting rid of the last few pups from the litter of 14)
I contacted her immediately and went the next day to visit him and see if he was what I was looking for. He was sweet and docile, but very friendly and well mannered. He listened well, was already potty trained, and just the cutest. Paid then and there, and picked him up a day later.
He is still very sweet, very smart, and pretty submissive. However, he is definitely more outgoing now, and has found his voice (he awoos, grumbles, and barks at me now, which ranges from the cutest thing ever to annoying as hell when I want to sleep).
generally, it is preferable to pick from the litter in person. However, breeds tend to have pretty consistent traits regardless of the individual. Blue Heelers are bundles of energy with a prey drive. Danes are smart, speak with their paws, and like to lounge like lap dogs. Pitbulls are protective and bond super strong to one person. Chihuahuas are hellspawn to everyone but their owner.
So likely you will end up with a Corgi lol. Males and Females also tend to have distinct traits, so that could help you narrow it down a bit. Other than that, you could express your preference for the pup based on their position within the pack, as far as how dominant they are or if they are the runt etc.
Our boy is very mellow in a lot of ways – he doesn’t mind going outside to pee or poo in any weather, doesn’t complain when he’s picked up, doesn’t care if you touch him anywhere at all, can self-play very well most of the time and sleeps exceptionally well in his crate.
But I don’t think we can truly judge his personality yet, given he’s still not three months. He’s a lot more active and energetic now he’s settled but its difficult to tell if that’s puppy energy or how he’ll always be.