#ponzu has always been chill and gentle and loving toward all people

[intriga-hounds]

Hello! From your experience being around newborn puppies, bigger puppies and grown-up puppies, what is your experience, can a teeny-weenie puppy's personality or base character be concluded even this early? (Like when looking for a puppy, is it a good indicator of their personality how they are behaving very young?)

not really! you can tell some really big broad strokes things. for example, the last time paloma had a litter, it was just a week after olive had had her litter. ponzu and her siblings were waaaaay quieter and more lowkey than the loma babies right from the start. those things can change, ofc, but that’s an example of being able to see a big general trait that ended up holding true.

it would be silly to try to select a dog for things like drive, temperament, biddability, and structure at this age. these things become clearer at 8-12 weeks, but even then you should assume you’ll get surprises as the dog matures. a temperament or structural evaluation at these ages is also just one snapshot on one day in one location. your breeder will have the best idea of who each puppy is, based not just on their daily behavior but also on that of their parents. but even then, nothing is a guarantee. you’re just making the best educated guess with the information that you have.