Why Do We Wait 8 Weeks
Of Age To Pick?
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Why Do we wait Until 8 Weeks Of Age To Pick?
We often get asked “Why do we have to wait until the puppies are 8 weeks of age in order to choose the one we want?”. This is a very good question that we hope to clearly answer for you….
Take a look at the pictures of the puppies below. You will be able to see the development of a litter of puppies from the first day they were born all the way through six weeks of age.
You will be able to see how much they change over the first month and a half – and it should give you a good understanding of why we ask you to wait before choosing the puppy that would fit best into your own family.
Here are some pictures of one day old
English Cream F1B Goldendoodle puppies
Here are the same puppies at
2 weeks of age
Here they are at 4 weeks of age
Here they are at 6 weeks of age
REASON NUMBER ONE: COAT TYPE
The first reason we wait until they are 8 weeks of age is due to their physical development.
The puppies physical characteristics amongst litter mates can vary tremendously. If you look at the puppies above when they were 8 weeks of age – you will see straight coats, wavy coats and curly coats. Remember that all four of these were from the very same litter and have quite different looks and coat types. These changes are not always evident until they are at least 8 weeks old.
REASON NUMBER TWO: OVERALL SIZE
The second reason is so that we can offer opinions on the overall estimated adult size of the puppies. Although we cannot guarantee what the puppies size at maturity will be – we can offer some advice on the topic because we have had time to evaluate their development in comparison to their own litter mates. Size issues can vary quite a bit even in the very same litter of puppies. This can happen for several reasons:
The first is due to the size of the parents that were bred together. If both parents are about the same size, we may end up with a litter of puppies that are overall quite similar in size – but there can be exceptions to this rule which we will explain below. There are also times when we breed two parents of differing sizes which can mean puppies of varying sizes as well. This size difference is not always evident when they are born – but can become apparent within the first 6-8 weeks of age.
The second reason that size issues can happen even in the very same litter is because of the influence of the poodle, especially when the standard poodle is in the mix. Standard poodles can range in size from about 15″ at the shoulders to about 30″ at the shoulders which is the size of a Great Dane! This is a HUGE difference that can become a factor in the overall size at maturity. You can have one puppy take after a small poodle in their lineage and another one take after a larger one – all in the very same litter of puppies. These size differences are not always known until they have had time to grow and develop.
REASON NUMBER THREE: PERSONALITY
The other reason that we wait until they are at least 6-8 weeks of age is so that we can help you to choose a puppy that has a good personality and temperament for the individual needs of your family.
By waiting these 8 weeks it gives us the opportunity to watch how the puppies interact with each other. This gives us a lot of insight into which puppies may have a more dominant temperament or which ones may be more laid back etc…
Choosing according to personality is very important because each different family has different needs. A family that has multiple children who are very excited to get a puppy and will be playing with them all day will need a puppy with a different temperament than someone with no children at all. Someone with children who have never been around dogs before and are afraid of dogs will definitely need a puppy with a specific personality. If your family has a large fenced in area for running and playing, you will be able to choose a puppy that is quite different than someone who lives in an apartment.
There are many factors that go into choosing a puppy that will be a good fit for the specific needs of your own family! By waiting these few weeks it gives us the time we need in order to evaluate the litter of puppies and help you to make a wise choice instead of an emotional one!
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