So you've spent months looking for breeders whose dogs impress you. You've read their websites over and over and spoken to them on the phone. You've narrowed down your search and made visits to meet the breeders dogs, asking lots of questions about hip scores, haemophillia tests, pedigrees, temperament, training and what the breeders themselves are expecting from the litter. Maybe you've been waiting on a list for months for a puppy which you hope will turn into the dog of your dreams.

Finally the day comes when you can go along and choose your pup. A Little pack of furballs greet you when you arrive and your heart melts. One of them approaches, licks your hand and you are in love. But is this the right pup for you? What will this adorable bundle be like as a full grown dog?

Predicting how a young pup will mature is very difficult. Add to that the environmental influences of your home circumstances, socialisation, your own dog experience and any training you may do with the dog and outcomes can be greatly influenced. This is why it is a good idea to think very carefully beforehand about the kind of personality that would fit in with you and your family. Discuss your expectations for the pup with the breeder and be honest about your environment, experience and plans for training. Your breeder should then be able to help you pick out a pup more suited to you.

What do we, as breeders, look for in a pup we intend to keep?

Here at BMK, we aim to produce dogs that are capable of fulfilling a variety of working roles. First and foremost we place emphasis on the herding instinct and ability. We want this trait to be strong in our lines so we select pups which possess the characteristics we feel are important for this work:

High Prey Drive

Herding work involves the channeling and focusing of the prey sequence (hunt, chase, kill, eat). This sequence has been channeled and refined over hundreds of years so that in the working dog what remains is a strong desire for watching, controlling and possessing the prey. With training this develops into the focused precision essential for controlling a flock of sheep.

A pup with high prey drive will enthusiastically chase objects thrown for it. Retrieving the object is not essential but high interest is. A desire to possess the object - perhaps even running off with the object and guarding it is absolutely fine.

Persistance

A herding dog must not suddenly become bored with it's work and look for something else to occupy it. Herding dogs are required to work for hours on end without a break, sometimes without the shepherd's presence (in the tending style). This trait is also essential in search and rescue dogs.

A persistant pup will not give up the game of chasing an object quickly but will run out after it time after time long after it's littermates have tired of this activity. A pup with high persistance will also usually be the first one to climb out of the puppy pen!

Focus

A persistant, high prey drive dog with no focus means a lot of hard work in training. Focus is the ability to remain relatively calm and clear headed even when the drives are stimulated and distractions are present. This concentration is essential in a herding dog and is necessary also for most other working roles. A dog with good focus will be a fast learner and will be receptive to it's master's commands under high levels of distraction. It is also a good trait for a pet, companion dog or competitive obedience / agility dog to have.

A pup with the potential for good focus will be a "watcher". It will not be the mad, nutcase constantly chasing about. This kind of pup will occasionally sit back and watch what is going on with clear intelligence in it's eyes. It will often be seen observing the humans in the room and will be able to concentrate for a few minutes on learning a simple "sit" command for a treat whilst it's litter mates are still charging around.

Intelligence

It goes without saying that a good herding dog must possess high intelligence. These dogs must be capable of split second, independent decision making that is not the product of a trained circus trick or obedience routine. There are many many accounts of GSDs making decisions regarding their flock of sheep when their shepherd deals with an emergency. Obviously an intelligent dog is desireable for all working roles and sport / obedience but beware of choosing a highly intelligent pup as simply a house pet because it will need huge amounts of stimulation to prevent it from becoming bored and will soon work out how to do things like open / unlock doors.

Let the pup see you putting a ball / treat under a small towel. An intelligent pup will work out that the item is now underneath something that it has to remove in order to get it. Place an obstacle in the room that is too high for the pup to climb over but which is easy for you to step over. Make the obstacle quite wide (3-4 feet). Step over it and attract the pup. An intelligent pup will quickly work out that rather than try to follow you he has to go around the object to get to you.

Confidence:

A herding dog must be a confident dog in order to face a herd of approaching sheep with authority and presence. The dog must be able to move out away from the shepherd and work at a distance from him under any circumstance. This trait is also essential for dogs working as police / protection dogs and as search and rescue dogs.

A confident pup will be willing to investigate new objects and new locations. It will be prepared to move away from it's mother, litter mates or breeder to investigate new things. A confident pup will also tend to run straight up to visitors and begin interacting straight away. (That GSD aloofness comes later with maturity!) Eagerness to engage in a tug toy game is also a good sign of confidence.

Strong Nerves:

Having strong nerves is similar to having confidence but whilst a confident dog may over react to some situations (seeing a threat where there isn't one and being confident enough to move towards that threat and bark at it), a dog with strong nerves will be more discriminating. A herding dog needs strong nerves in order to be able to work under changing circumstances without over reaction. This trait is desirable in all GSDs. A dog with weak nerves is a constant liability.

A puppy with strong nerves may flinch just perceptibly but will not bark, cower or run away when loud bangs or crashes are heard nearby.

Strong Human Bond

The shepherd and his dog are a team. The dog takes delight and ultimate satisfaction in the knowledge that he is contributing to the work required. It is essential that the herding dog's bond is deepest with his master and not with any of the other dogs. Of course he will enjoy playing and socialising with other dogs but at the slightest signal from his master he should be by his side ready for work - because he wants to, not because this behaviour has been trained into him.

Pups with the potential for a strong human bond will tend to come and relax at the feet of the humans once play is winding down whilst their litter mates may lay down all together in a heap. Good eye contact and "watching" the humans is a good sign too. The pup that is prepared to exert himself (climb over/under obstacles) to get to the human (who has no toy or treat) is a very good prospect indeed.

Summary

The pup with clear evidence of all these traits I'm sure has never been born. Selection is always a compromise and traits you saw at 6-8 weeks can disappear. The pup you discounted as being low in drive can suddenly become very high in drive. All you can do is watch the pups endlessly, make your observations and select the pup with at least some knowledge about the possibilites of character.

Selecting a pup as a companion / pet