Tollers are all cute as puppies and choosing the right puppy for you can be a difficult task for an average owner.... You are not alone! This is the primary reason why having a breeder with knowledge of the breed and their pedigree's is extremely important.
Are you a family who's active, loves outdoor activities and wants a puppy to be able to "keep up" with your active lifestyle? Then you probably would want a puppy that has high to moderate energy out of the home. A puppy who can hike, bike and play all day with your family. If you are also a family who enjoys down time at home after school and enjoys playing video games, spending time on the computer or just having a little R and R after work? Then you probably would want that same puppy to be able to settle down and sit by your feet or next to you on the couch during these times... not one who will be running laps in your living room!
Your breeder should discuss with you what level of energy you are looking for in a dog and what lifestyle your family has. A knowledgable breeder will be able to give you guidance on puppy selection by helping determine which puppies in their litter are high/moderate or low energy. The level of energy of the puppy determines what activities this puppy can commit to. Your breeder should also be able to tell within the first 8 weeks which of these puppies has an "off" switch. A high energy puppy with an off switch can make a great dog for an active family who likes spending time doing a little R and R. While a puppy without an offswitch will need a dedicated family who has someone at home a majority of the day to occupy the puppies time with activities to keep the puppy stimulated.
Your breeder should also meet you or discuss with you what training background you have had and what temperament you are looking for in a puppy from a training perspective. The breeder uses this information to determine if you are looking for a alpha/omega/beta dog in temperament. A knowlegable breeder has the ability to evaluate the level of dominance each puppy has along with how submissive they are to determine the best method of training for the puppy.
On Average, many people tend to be attracked to the alpha dogs in a puppy pack because they are the most assertive puppies. These puppies are typically the ones who will be the first on your lap and the first to nip your nose. They are also the 'leaders' of their litter and the other pups tend to follow or challenge them. When a breeder evaluates the litter for a family and average companion dog is not a dominant/alpha dog in characteristics. An average family is looking for a puppy who's easy to train and takes to leadership fairly effortlessly.. these dogs are typically omega and beta dogs in the litter.
Last but deffinetly not least is how your dog is put together! A hands on aproach is always the best way for a breeder to accurately evaluate the structure of your puppy. Pictures of the litter are a great tool to look at and help with final decisions and we use pictures and mirrors in all our litters for evaluations. However, hands on will give you a better feel for how the coat is altering appearance of the dog. Hands on also helps you uncover things like incorrect joint formation, hernias, and incorrect bites. Make sure your breeder has fully evaluated your dog prior to 9 weeks of age. A structurally sound dog is not only a 'better' show dog it's also a 'better' preformance dog, working dog, and family dog. Any dog who will be excercising more then 45mins a day needs to be correct in structure in order to preform accurately.
It doesn't matter if the dog you are purchasing is for show, preformance or 'just a pet' you want the puppy that is best suited for your home. We suggest choosing a breeder with at least 5 years experience in their breed. If he/she doesn't have years of experience, then it's important they have leadership from a mentor who does. Many of the traits discussed above can be seen at 6-7 week evaluations so we encourage all puppy people to make sure their breeder is doing temperament testing on their pups prior to placement. The most important thing is trust your breeders instincts on your puppy!
