My mother in laws Pom is about to give birth to 4-5 pups (based on xray). Mated with her other Pom. We are getting first pick of the litter. How do we go about choosing which one we want? What traits do we look for in a 6-8 wk old puppy? I have two children under 4. I have done significant research on Poms, but havent found exactly the info needed. Also, are there specific colors/markings to expect in the pups? The mom is yellow gold, and the dad is dark red/brown. Also, the mom is super sweet though the dad is a bit snappy and high strung. Any breeders out there with advice?
2006-12-01 06:57:13 · 3 answers · asked by neabean18 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Sit for 30 minutes, and watch while the puppies are in play. Choose the puppy that gets along, and is liked by the other puppies. Often the one Mom favors, is not the best puppy for a family, as it will likely be the dominant one (more like dad) or she will prefer it because it is colored most like her..so the relationship to the other pups is important..You want one that isn't biting hard, isn't strutting his stuff, isn't bullying, and isn't shy or whiny..The one right in the middle of the extremes of aggressive or shy is always the best choice for a family..If a person is wanting to show the dog, then the strutting one is the good choice, as they have a better 'ring' presentation..but not usually the best of the pet/companion choices..
I also have found the males to be best with children, as they are generally more tolerant and less moody..
I know same will disagree, but I have raised 23 foster children in a home filled with both genders of dogs, and have found this to be the 'general' rule..As the old breeder's saying goes, "Dogs are lovers, and B!tches are b!itches" Of course, there are exceptions to every rule..For instance, I have 5 dogs in the house right now. Both males love children, and are delighted when they visit..any kids of any age..One of the females loves kids, and the other two females would just as soon that they go home..
You are likely to get pups of both colorations, but the color depends much on what the grandparents colorings were, as much as what the parents are..Remember, the pups will be born much darker than what color they will actually turn out to be..Keep looking at the color nearest the skin where newest growth is, as the puppies grow, to get a better idea of the final result..
2006-12-01 07:14:42 · answer #1 · answered by Chetco 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you looking for a breeding dog or a family pet?
If you want breeding stock, check with the American Kennel Club to discover the breed "standards", and choose the dog that most closely matches these standards.
If you want a companion for yourself and your family, wait until the pups are at least 9 weeks old -- that's when they start showing their real personalities. You'll want a puppy that is healthy and bright eyed, but one that will accept you as its "alpha". A quick "test" for this is to pick the puppy up in your arms and roll it onto its back. If it lets you do this, it will be a compliant pet that will be easier for your to train. If it fights with you and tries to roll back over, it means the dog has a somewhat dominant and independent streak and may be more difficult to train.
Never leave the puppies and your children together without proper supervision. Small children can be loud, unpredictable, and sudden in their movements which can cause the pups to react with fear or aggression. And smll kids can sometimes inadvertably hurt puppies by handling them too much, holding them too hard, or dropping them. Children need to be taught how to properly handle and play with small dogs. To keep everyone happy, keep everyone safe.
The puppies from your mother-in-law's dog's litter may resemble one or both of the doggie-parents, but don't be surprised if you get some coloring from past generations (or even from other breeds, if there was mixed breeding in the parent-dog's backgrounds over the past generations).
Temperament is often a mix of genetic predisposition and early training. To help the pup you choose to be a good doggie citizen, get it a lot of training and socialization when it's young. This will help it to cope more effectively with new people and new situations when it grows up. (Dogs that are isolated as puppies often grow up either very fearful or very aggressive.)
2006-12-01 07:10:28 · answer #2 · answered by Fetch 11 Humane Society 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some poms are black and my great aunt s pom is bigger than her parents were some can be small dogs some can be bigger than others
2006-12-01 07:03:04 · answer #3 · answered by pinkfloyd_money01 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋