Neighbor's puppies - Page 1

My neighbor's German Shepherd just had pups and I would like to buy one but need some info.  First of all, how much should I pay, what should I look for etc.  Also, they have pink on their noses.  Will this turn all black as the puppies age?

Thanks

How old are the puppies...?...What are their bloodlines/pedigree?...Are the parents titled?...There are questions that you need answered before you know what they'll be like...basically they'll be what their parents are...no better...but sometimes worse...Maybe you could ask your neighbors for a copy of their pedigree...and maybe even a picture of their parents...

~Bob~

You first and foremost need to see the parents and interact with them. It doesn't matter what their pedigree says if the dog itself doesn't seem balanced. I learned this the hard way going through my local German shepherd club to find my next puppy and was led to what I thought was a good litter. Father did have a good pedigree, but the mother's wasn't that strong, even though she was AKC. Went out to look at the litter at 5 weeks and the mother was out with the puppies, but was antisocial and barked so much they ended up keeping her a good distance away from us. This was back in the day where we thought she might just be protecting her puppies so we didn't think a thing of it. Long story short, we picked out a puppy and he ended up acting exactly like his mother! He's reactive toward people and other dogs, even though we heavily socialized him from the age of 8 weeks. Although he's incredibly smart, I know his issues were the direct result of the breeding. It was definitely not a good pairing and I hope to God they never breed her (or any other dogs) again. We later found out they kep a littermate and ended up having to give him away as the mother got aggressive towards her own son and wouldn't let him eat. They actually didn't understand why he was losing weight. Talk about clueless! That being said, if the parents are approachable and friendly, then probably $250 to $400 is all I would say you should have to spend. Price points vary if the parents are AKC, have strong pedigrees, are OFA, etc. You also need to REALLY ask yourself what you're looking for in a puppy. Don't just go by looks. If you're a laid-back person and end up with a dominant, high drive puppy, you're in for a rough time. Read up on temperament testing, ask your neighbor how they socialize their puppies, things like that. If registering your puppy with the AKC is something you want to do, make sure the puppy comes with the proper paperwork. Getting a puppy is a big commitment. The dog will be with you for a long time so don't rush into something just because the litter is next door. MomofBeckett http://www.cafepress.com/simplyshepherds