Picking the Agility Puppy with the Tippy Board Test

Article by: Justine Merrill - The Dog Lady of Forest Grove, Hillsboro and Portland Oregon

When considering a youngster, do not be in a rush to take home a puppy under twelve or fourteen weeks of age. All previous written advice in the 70’s and 80’s has advised the opposite. We were encouraged to take puppies home at six, seven and eight weeks.  “So they bond to us”. I have never taken a sheltie home that did not want to bond, no matter the age. If we still believe that old myth why do so many nice agility dogs come from rescue?

Keeping youngsters in the puppy pen for a few extra weeks does no harm: they learn dog manners, and grow up just a bit. Sheltie babies are such babies at ten weeks. Constantly I advise people that a fifteen week show grow out youngster can be the best possible agility or pet pick, they have had lots of attention, are ready to learn, and the temperament is more on display.

Since the biggest issue that arises in agility shelties is stuff and noise sensitivity, I want to test puppies when they have a little more brains under that cute fluff. I like to test after twelve weeks, I am not sure that results with a tippy board under ten or twelve weeks are accurate. This is just based on working puppies and having a puppy or two that did well at eight weeks, which did not test so well, or poorly at seventeen weeks.

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