Picking Your Puppy

At Desert Sky Poodles, puppy buyers select their puppy at 7 weeks when I can provide results of temperament testing, a growth chart to see where each puppy is projecting for size, weeks of observation of the puppy, and a veterinary health exam. Learn why this approach is a benefit to the puppy buyer!

Picking YOUR puppy

If you have been looking for a breeder from whom to eventually select your next puppy, you have probably noticed that some breeders allow the selection of puppies very soon after birth and others wait for a set amount of time before prospective puppy buyers pick their specific puppy from the litter. There is a wide variety of options. Desert Sky Poodles are selected at 7 weeks. Getting a new puppy is an exciting time. It can be difficult to wait if you've found your breeder and litter well before this time. Let me do my best to describe why I feel I'm serving my puppy buyers the very best by waiting for puppy picks. If you are a visual learner, this comparison chart will help you see.

benefits of selecting puppies at 7 weeks

The short answer to why I do selections at 7 weeks is that I can provide FAR more tools to buyers to help them select their best match for a puppy if they wait. The personality traits of puppies do not begin developing and being observable until around 4 weeks. Those traits develop from 4-7 weeks and can be observed through the tools found in standardized puppy aptitude testing. Selections before this time and without these tools are simply just picking a color and a gender. That's not the best recipe for success.

Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test

The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT) was developed by Jack and Wendy Volhard in the 1970s. The Volhards are well-known figures in the dog training and breeding communities, particularly for their work in developing training methods and tools that help dog owners better understand and work with their pets. This led to the development of the Volhard PAT as a systematic way to assess puppies at a young age. The main goal was to create a tool that could help predict a puppy's behavior in adulthood, making it easier to match puppies with appropriate homes or roles, such as working dogs, therapy dogs, or family pets.

The test includes a series of specifically outlined exercises that allow an opportunity to evaluate a puppy's reactions to various stimuli, helping to reveal its underlying temperament. Just like siblings in a family come with a variety of innate personalities, puppies in a litter are the same. The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test is a widely used and respected method for assessing puppy temperament and has become an integral part of responsible breeding practices.

Here's how the test helps in selecting a puppy:

Understanding Temperament: The Volhard PAT (puppy aptitude test) consists of several exercises that assess various aspects of a puppy's behavior, including social attraction, following, restraint, social dominance, and reaction to new stimuli. These exercises reveal how a puppy naturally reacts to different situations, providing insights into its baseline temperament.
Matching to Owners: The results help match puppies to potential owners by highlighting traits like confidence, independence, sociability, and trainability. For example, a highly energetic and confident puppy might be better suited for an active family or as a working dog, while a more submissive and calm puppy might be ideal for a quieter household.
Predicting Future Behavior: The test can indicate how a puppy might behave as an adult dog. This can include tendencies towards dominance, shyness, or friendliness, allowing potential owners to select a puppy that fits their lifestyle and expectations. It also gives insight into training methods and the intensity that they should be approached for helping the dog reach its highest potential.
Objective Selection Process: There are a lot of emotions when we interact with puppies. The Volhard PAT provides a standardized, objective (measurable) way to evaluate puppies, reducing the influence of subjective impressions, emotions, or biases in the selection process.

Is the test ever wrong or inaccurate?

No evaluation is going to be perfect. It is 10 minutes in time and it's important to remember that. However, this test was developed in the 1970s and is still being used by some of the most experienced and knowledgeable dog trainers and handlers that there are. That says something. The test gives valuable information to be used in selecting a puppy that can only increase the chances of success.

Can the puppy "fail?"

No. The test is a tool. In many cases the test gives insight on specific exposure and socialization to focus on in the following weeks. For example, if a puppy is hesitant to greet a stranger, I will send the puppy home with its new owner with specific instructions on how to properly socialize the puppy and use positive reinforcement techniques to build the puppy's confidence with new people. Many of the behaviors evaluated in the test can be improved with good training techniques. Some could be completely reversed and others may always be part of the puppy/dog's personality.

Can I see the score cards and the actual test?

Yes. All of the score cards will be scanned and can be shared in a PDF file. I also record the tests and you can watch the puppies in the actual test. This is especially important for puppies being selected for specific tasks, dog sports, or to train as a service dog. Click here to see the score card and to read more about the test.

Is there a chance that the PAT will tell me that there isn't a puppy available in the litter that will match what I'm looking for?

It's possible, but unlikely. Through careful selection of breeding dogs, early neurological stimulation (ENS), and early exposure to a variety of sights and sounds, the majority of our puppies score consistently in the 3 and 4 range, which is the ideal place for future companion animals (see pages 5 and 6 of the score sheets). There will be an occasional puppy who is extra timid. This would mean that the puppy showed fear in multiple tests (sight, sound, social attraction and/or following). These are the puppies who I am extra thoughtful about in their placement. If you are looking for a dog to train as a service dog, I like to speak directly to the trainer you will be working with before a deposit is placed to discuss their preferences for how the PAT is administered and specific characteristics they are looking for.

What other questions can I answer about puppy temperament testing?

Growth Charts

When human babies visit their doctor for their regular check ups it's very common for the parents to be given charts showing where their baby is on a growth scale. I keep detailed growth records on my puppies in the first 8 weeks and ask puppy buyers to send me data through the first year at 4, 6, and 12 months of age. Because Standard Poodles have such a large range of sizes (anything above 15" in height at the shoulder), it's a detail that is worth looking at. The data I can share with you at 7 weeks can be helpful in developing an estimate of the puppy's adult size. If you were to pick a puppy at birth you could end up with the largest or smallest puppy of the litter and you may not have wanted that.

Boone & Darla's 'Little Rascals' Growth Chart

Here's an example that will be updated when these puppies reach their mature weight at 1 year. Using this chart and data from previous litters, I have seen that the majority of the time the smallest and largest puppy (or puppies) in the litter at 8 weeks remain smallest and largest (compared to their siblings) when they reach maturity. If we categorize the puppies by weight range into small, medium, and large (within the litter), sometimes they will move from the smallest to medium at mature weight or large to medium, but they won't jump from largest to smallest or smallest to largest. This data is helpful at selection. We have to be knowledgeable that data always has outliers, but the data can be a very useful tool to make an educated estimate.

Breeder Observations

The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test provides a formal evaluation of a puppy using standardized procedures and given by a tester who is not familiar with the puppies or biased (trying to sell a puppy). Informal observations of the litter are also valuable to consider because they span a larger window of time. I watch for puppies who like to hang out with me during play time rather than play with their litter mates to identify puppies that are more human centered. I watch for the puppies with the most confidence and adventure when they begin outside play times. I notice puppies who learn to use the dog door first, or who do or don't use the litter boxes. I know which puppies are most vocal and when. All of these observations can be used in your selection.

Health Evaluations

Another reason I like to do puppy selections later is to give plenty of time for the puppies to develop and grow and exhibit that they are healthy and thriving. Occasionally puppies are born who fail to thrive. It often expresses itself in the first 5 days, but sometimes it takes longer. Other minor health parameters such as umbilical hernias are also not noticeable until the puppy is older. Offering puppy selections at 7 weeks allows me to be confident in thriving and healthy puppies who have been examined by a veterinarian before a puppy buyer falls in love with them.

Summary & FAQs

I hope this page helps you recognize the immense benefits of waiting to select your puppy until it is 7 weeks old. In summary, please know that if you are putting a deposit on a litter for a future puppy selection I realize that you are placing a lot of trust in me as a breeder. Thank you for your trust. I have seen many puppies successfully placed using this process. It would be much easier for me to just let you pick your color and gender and send the puppy on its way, but I believe I can give you and the puppies something better if you will trust the process. If you are ready for a puppy, I recommend placing your deposit to secure your place in the pick order.

What does puppy pick day look like?

Puppy pick day is exciting! In a scheduled video call or an in-person visit I will work my way through the deposit list. I'll share all of the information I've described on this page. With all of these tools you will pick your puppy. Then I'll move to the next deposit holder. Once the deposit holders have picked, the puppies will be available to all and can be officially secured with a deposit on a first come, first served basis.

Can I wait until after the puppy is 7 weeks old to place my deposit?

Yes. Of course. I want you to feel confident in your purchase and your future puppy. If you prefer to wait, even knowing you will be lower on the pick list, let's have a conversation and/or a video call BEFORE temperament testing so I know you are standing by. If you choose this option, set an alarm reminder in your phone to call/text me on pick day. I'll get back to you as soon as the deposit holders have made their selections.

Will you (breeder) select my puppy for me based on all of the results and data?

No. The selection of your puppy is definitely still your choice. You will select in the order of when your deposit is placed. My job as a breeder is to provide and lay out all of the tools I can for YOU to use to select your puppy.

Can I select my puppy based on color?

Yes. Ultimately you will select your puppy. Color is technically the least important aspect of a puppy when considering everything that will make your future dog the one you are dreaming of. However, I do know that color is important and plays a big role in how we picture our future life with a new puppy. However, I hope I educate you well enough that you want to look at the big picture (temperament, personality, etc.) as well. I have selected multi-color Poodles to be in my breeding program to offer the best options possible in every litter. I do this so that first, middle, and last pick in each litter offers a beautiful dog. Be sure to read my page on Poodle Colors to learn more about all the terminology, colors, and color combinations.