# Puppy evaluation



## riverlogic (Mar 1, 2012)

Hello 
I haven't posted before although I've been lurking for about a year. We have a Havanese Shih Tzu cross who we adore and are now looking for a Havanese with show potential. We found a breeder we're confident in. Puppies are now six weeks old, and it looks like the one we'd initially chosen will have a depigmented nose. As we'd like to show and perhaps breed, we're now looking at a different pup from the same litter. Showing will be a new experience and we will have a learning curve. the litter has good lines maternally and fraternally. I'd like to ask, what would you, as a breeder, look for in a pup with show potential? How would you evaluate that pup?
Thanks

Michelle
Bucky's mom


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

hmmmm, I am NOT an expert, but I think if a pup in this litter has a depigmented nose, then that may be in their genetics ... and since you want to show and possibly breed, personally if the nose isn't going to turn black, I would look elsewhere for a show potential. 
That is just my OPINION though!! Hopefully some of our amazing breeders chime in and offer thier expertise!


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## riverlogic (Mar 1, 2012)

That's something I had also wondered about. Thanks Tammy. Would love to hear from other breeders too.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

My question is, how does the breeder know which pup is show potential this early? I'm not sure but I would think getting a show potential pup in a liter, let alone 2 would be uncommon. Be careful. I've heard of breeders keeping pups over 8 woks to see if they were show potential so I just figured 6 weeks is a bit early. I could be totally wrong. I'm sure someone will comment who has more experience. Good luck and welcome!!!!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I would think besides physical appearance the breeder would look at temperament.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

We look at 40 points of conformation at 8 weeks, movement, temperament, attitude, in depth pedigree (if we would be looking to buy one from outside-which we wouldn't, but it should be mentioned), and most important after that-overall impression.

Pigment can sometimes come in late on a cream dog, especially if it also has all white pads on the feet, but that's something you have to rely on the breeder for their past experience. Maybe they can show you pictures of a past puppy through different ages that had late pigment.


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## riverlogic (Mar 1, 2012)

I think there are a number of factors that, even at such an early age, are apparent, such as pigmentation, but those are, after all, are only possibilities at that point. And at eight weeks, the pup would have started developing so much more, with aspects such as those Tom mentioned being more apparent.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

8 weeks is a pretty good time to see how balanced their conformation will be as an adult. With horses, there is an old adage that says you look at them at 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months, and again at 3 years. As crazy as that might seem, it really works out. On our picture gallery page, you can see the conformation lines drawn on a 3 week old colt, and those all stayed pretty close to what he is as an adult. 

With a Havanese, before eight weeks, the elbows may be above the bottom of the chest a bit, but by 8 weeks everything should be in their final proportions.


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