How did your sheltie puppy behave when you first met them?

K

Katagaria

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So I've been pondering about the "selection process" when it comes to getting a future sheltie, when I met my boys first there were quite avoidant (I think they were about 6 weeks old at this time, I didn't pick Cosmo up until he was 8 weeks, Jet came a couple of months later) they all generally avoided me/my touch.

Now I'm wondering, was it just them, or is it a normal puppy/sheltie puppy thing?
When you met your pup at however many weeks old, did they bounce up to you? Avoid you?
Does it at all reflect on how they behave now as adults with strangers?
 
My dogs have all been "in your face" puppies. I like them like that, and they are all fine with strangers. Actually, my dogs ignore the "may be reserved with strangers" part of the standard, which I'm totally OK with.
 
ClantyreSheltie said:
My dogs have all been "in your face" puppies. I like them like that, and they are all fine with strangers. Actually, my dogs ignore the "may be reserved with strangers" part of the standard, which I'm totally OK with.
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I'm glad to know they exist lol, my pair live right up to that standard. Though one is an "I'll look at you from a distance" sheltie and the other is a "let me look at you for a minute, then you can pet me" sorta guy!
 
Destin was the only pup that I met before bringing him home- just went to play with 7 week old sheltie puppies that were only 2 hours away.
the whole litter was playful and curious- one of the other boys didn't particularly care to be held and definitely not upside down but Destin was ok with that and so were the other pups. I did like Destin on that visit but had no plans then for getting a puppy but best laid plans etc:winkgrin:
Dixie was over 6 months when I met her - she was super sweet and loved getting attention so when she became available, I had no reservations about bringing her home....:yes:
 
Calliesmom said:
Destin was the only pup that I met before bringing him home- just went to play with 7 week old sheltie puppies that were only 2 hours away.
the whole litter was playful and curious- one of the other boys didn't particularly care to be held and definitely not upside down but Destin was ok with that and so were the other pups. I did like Destin on that visit but had no plans then for getting a puppy but best laid plans etc:winkgrin:
Dixie was over 6 months when I met her - she was super sweet and loved getting attention so when she became available, I had no reservations about bringing her home....:yes:
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This has me thinking maybe I met the puppies at a bad time when they were possibly all tired haha.
 
No Strangers

CHIP has yet to meet anyone he doesn't seemingly adore and visa versa. Son has a Lab female who Chip met for the first time today. It probably took two minutes max for them to decide "Hey we are having fun". Of course he could run under the Lab. LOL

We picked him up at 8+ weeks. You would have thought he had always lived with us.
 
I met Bacca and my soon to be pup, Callan, when they were both just about 4 weeks old. They barely had eyes open, but I could tell that both had been handled a lot by people, because both settled quickly in my lap when I picked them up. That was a good sign.

Beyond that, the most important period is the age of 8-16 weeks. This is where you want to get to the pup socialized to YOU and your house. I have a huge amount of trepidation about going through this process again. I remember the theory, but now I have to do it again in practice.
 
I got to choose between two of the five in the litter, the little boy and the biggest girl. At 8 weeks, those were the only two the breeder was willing to part with. So I sat cross-legged on the floor in her family room as the two puppies were running like mad around the furniture playing. The little boy suddenly stopped running, came over and sat down next to me, looked up at me, and put his right paw on my leg. Then he was off like a shot chasing his sister. She never even acknowledged I was in the room.

He rode home peacefully snuggled in my lap the whole two hours...

(I think that was the last time I got to hold him for two hours LOL, I'm lucky to get 20 seconds these days!)
 
When I got my last sheltie - the breeder had 5 for me to choose from. All sables and tri's. She really wanted me to take the runt - he was the smallest sheltie she's ever produced ( something she did not want, as she was very much trying to breed to the standard) and she really wanted an adult home for him. But after watching them for half and hour I decided he was too much dog for me. :lol:

He was very clearly top dog and she mentioned that he bit her twice while she was giving them their shots ( another first for her) - he might have been little but he was badass! Kali played with the other pups who were all piled onto my daughter's lap for a few minutes but then she wandered over to me climbed into my lap and fell asleep. That was it. Turned out to be a great pick as she was very sweet, more reserved than Hanna but not shy.

Same thing pretty much with Hanna - I can't resist the snuggle bugs and the fire crackers just don't do it for me. again couldn't have chosen better - she is very friendly and outgoing and a total sweetie.
 
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