How to pick a puppy from a litter: a buyer’s guide to temperament, health, and fit
Key Takeaways: When buyers ask how to pick a puppy from a litter, they want to choose one puppy from a group of littermates based on temperament, health, and household fit. Selection criteria fall into three groups: behavior that becomes visible as puppies develop; physical health signs such as clear eyes, a clean coat, and even movement; and practical fit, including sex, adult size, children, and other pets. Puppy selection criteria apply to anyone buying from a breeder who offers a choice among littermates.
A deposit holds your place in line, but it doesn’t choose the puppy for you. Learning how to pick a puppy from a litter starts well before your turn arrives. We explain how reservations work in our post on what a pick of the litter deposit is. This guide starts where that one ends: the moment it’s your turn to choose.
Why your pick often comes before personality shows
Most buyers expect to meet a litter, watch the puppies play, and feel a connection. With a sought-after Olde English Bulldogge litter, the choice usually happens much earlier. Our families receive photos when puppies are 12 days old, and the family holding first pick has 48 hours to decide.
That timing matters because a 12-day-old puppy has barely started interacting with the world. Eyes begin to open between 10 and 14 days, and hearing starts working during the third week. Puppies become aware of their littermates between 4 and 6 weeks. That’s also when they begin to walk, bark, and wag their tails.
An early pick rests on what you can know now: sex, color, markings, and the parents. Personality comes into view later, as we photograph each litter again at 4 and 6 weeks. Puppies go home at 9 weeks.
Start with the parents, not the puppy
If the puppies can’t show you their temperament yet, the dame and sire (the puppy’s mother and father) are your best preview. Ask how each parent behaves with strangers, children, and other dogs. Ask how they handle a vet visit or a busy house on a holiday afternoon.
You can read about the mothers in our breeding program before your litter arrives. Every breeding male and female here has a current five-generation pedigree through the International Olde English Bulldogge Association (IOEBA). A pedigree is a documented family tree, and ours go back five generations. We select first for health and temperament, then for the classic blocky head, solid structure, and wide chest. Our owner’s scientific training also guides the color genetics behind each pairing.
A few questions worth asking any breeder about the parents:
- How would you describe the mother’s temperament?
- Has either parent had health problems?
- What have earlier litters from this pairing grown up to be like?
- What adult size do you expect from this pairing?
How to read temperament cues as the litter grows
Once puppies are walking and playing, differences start to show. VCA Animal Hospitals suggests watching whether a puppy plays with the group or retreats to a corner, and whether one always ends up on top of the pile. VCA’s advice is direct. If you want an assertive dog, look at the one on top; if you want a gentler companion, look at the one in the corner.
VCA also states that accurate temperament testing isn’t possible at a very young age, so treat early cues as a general direction rather than a guarantee. The American Kennel Club draws a useful line between true fear and a quick startle. A puppy that jumps at a loud noise and bounces right back is behaving normally.
How a puppy is raised after it leaves the litter shapes the adult dog much more anything you see at 6 weeks. Our guide on how to socialize your Olde English Bulldogge puppy covers what to do once your puppy is home.
Health signs to look for in photos and questions to ask
Photos and videos can show more than coat color. Using VCA’s checklist as a guide, look for:
- A shiny coat with no bald patches, sores, redness, or flaking
- Clear eyes with no redness, drainage, or squinting
- Equal weight on all four legs, even with a clumsy puppy gait
- Easy, quiet breathing through the nose
Some traits that look odd are normal for bulldog breeds. VCA notes that an underbite is common in Olde English bulldogges and isn’t a red flag on its own. With an underbite, the lower teeth sit in front of the upper teeth.
Next, ask about what photos can’t show. Is the puppy eating well? Any vomiting or diarrhea? Has the litter been dewormed? VCA recommends deworming every two weeks starting at two weeks of age.
Also ask what comes with the puppy. Ours go home with first immunizations, a health record, IOEBA registration papers, and a purchase agreement with a health guarantee.
Matching the puppy to your household
Olde English Bulldogges adore children, especially when raised with them. They’re still bulldogges and can play rough, so supervise playtime with small kids. If you already have a dog, think carefully about whether to choose a male or female. Olde English Bulldogges usually do well with opposite-sex dogs. Same-sex aggression can occur, especially in dogs that haven’t been spayed or neutered.
Your daily routine matters too. The breed is fairly low-energy, easy to train, and eager to please. Most don’t swim well because of their build, so a family that spends weekends on the water will need a life vest for the dog.
Color is the easiest thing to fall for in a photo, so decide in advance how much weight it gets. A lilac tri is beautiful: it’s a rare lilac coat with point markings on the brows, cheeks, and legs. Still, a puppy whose parents suit your household will matter more on an ordinary Tuesday.
How to pick a puppy from a litter: your pre-pick checklist
Decisions can move quickly once photos arrive, so do the thinking beforehand. Work through these steps with your household before your pick window opens:
- Decide on a male or female, and write down why.
- Rank your top two colors, and agree on whether color is a dealbreaker.
- List everyone in the home, including other pets and their sex.
- Write down your questions about each parent’s temperament and health.
- Book a local veterinarian for the week your puppy comes home.
Once you have these answers, your pick becomes a confirmation rather than a scramble.
Frequently asked questions about choosing a puppy
Should I choose a male or female Olde English Bulldogge?
Choosing a male or female Olde English Bulldogge depends mostly on the adult size you want. Our males typically stand 16 to 18 inches and weigh 60 to 80 pounds. Our females typically stand 15 to 17 inches and weigh 55 to 70 pounds. Olde South Bulldogges can help you compare the expected adult size from a specific pairing.
How old are puppies when they go home?
Olde English Bulldogge puppies go home at 9 weeks. Until then, we hold each puppy and photograph the litter at 4 and 6 weeks so you can watch yours grow. We offer airport meetups, delivery within 150 miles, and a puppy nanny service for air travel.
Ready to talk through your pick?
Picking the right puppy from a litter starts long before the photos arrive. The parents give you the earliest preview, and an honest look at your home tells you which puppy fits. Tell us about your household through our contact page, and we’ll talk through which upcoming litter is right for you.