Can you tell a dog’s future personality from their temperament at 8 weeks old?

[Geometric56]

Our pup is 8 weeks old, a working cocker. She sleeps most of the day, plays calmly, is happy sitting in your arms when you carry her around. I’m just wondering if she’ll be a laid back adult or if all puppies at this age are like this? We’ve only had her 3 days but she’s been pretty easy so far-no biting, mouthing, chasing feet or barking.

We had a laid back puppy (even vet commented on him) and he is now a very laid back dog.

He did go a bit more loopy and bitey at about 16 weeks though, but that soon passed.

No. I had a young puppy that drove me mad, barked constantly, followed me round everywhere, the opposite of chilled. Now she's 7 months and the loveliest dog imaginable. Never barks anymore and is super relaxed.

We got our springer pup at 9 weeks, he was calm and happy to be carried around. He was fine at the vets, they even commented on how chilled he was. Now 13 weeks and he's a lot different, really bitey and quite a handful. Hope yours stays chilled!

It's a factor. As are the genetics of parents. But there are so many other factors involved as well. Including the fact that at 8 weeks a puppy hasn't learned that they can break the rules, they can make decisions for themselves - and how effective you are at appropriately "explaining that they can but they shouldn't" is a massive factor in future behaviour! My border collie was an inquisitive but well behaved pup. When he hit 16 weeks, there was a short period when I could have happily strangled him. Multiple times a day. He was never destructive or aggressive, but by God he was stubborn and mischievous. One day, having totally perfected recall previously, it took me over an hour to "catch him" because he decided that he didn't have to finish his walk when I told him. That was probably his version of a "near death" experience!

He is now a wonderfully responsive, well behaved (occasionally a little "deaf") fun-loving 4 year old, immensely loyal, generally sociable and calm, but with a weather eye to anyone who might be troubling me. So he is just like his parents (both ISDS registered working dogs), but it was a piece of work to achieve that that we both had to put in. And still do.

Ours was chilled as a puppy, mad for a few months in the middle and is now chilled again at a year old. He is the most gorgeous dog with a wonderful temperament. He does have selective hearing though when he is being called to come in from the garden and he'd rather be staying outside.

Maybe which is no help to you. We chose one of the bolder dogs in a litter as we ready had a dog and wanted one that could cope. When we chose her she had come right up to us, played well and seemed energetic and friendly. She's eight now and is definitely quite timid and nervous. It makes her a dream to walk off lead but she is quite needy (though no separation anxiety).
Our other dog was equally bold and friendly when we chose him and he has remained so, despite a couple major changes in the first couple years of his life (we did two big house moves).

Yes our puppy was very chilled when we got him and spent a lot of time in the garden entertaining himself. He hasn't changed and people often remark on his calm nature - although that changes when he sees a squirrel,He did got through a mouthy phase when younger but that's totally normal.

Obviously we wouldn't be able to tell properly of course without a photo of said puppy ....

Ours was a calm little pup but got madder and noisier as he grew up. Now he never stops and barks at everything.

I've only had one puppy as I've always rescued slightly older dogs.
My pup was very calm, not interested in other dogs, extremely low maintenance and stayed that way throughout adulthood.

I deliberately chose the quietest pup out of a litter of 3, when I first went to see the litter he was the puppy who hung back a bit more and seemed happy on his own.

He is now 10 months and the loveliest and most easy going dog, exactly what I wanted. He has also retained an independent streak and is generally happy to hang out by himself for a bit.

I do think having puppies is a bit like having kids though and luck plays a major part in how easy they are!!

Our pup was a beeeze to train and even at puppy classes he was known as perfect pup 😁

We chose our dog as he was the least pushy puppy in the litter and his breed are known for being bumptious and full of beans (Pomeranian). He has been the sweetest natured, happiest family dog imaginable- he's 10 now and adored by all.

Our previous dog was a spaniel/ lab cross- also chosen as a tiny puppy for her calm nature- and yes she remained calm and gentle all her life, bit lazy and dim though.

It's part of a complex equation. Other things tha impact it are environment, training, how stressed the household is etc.

My oldest working cocker was calm for a cocker and still is now. The youngest was part of an abandoned litter. We fostered her and her 2 sisters at 6 weeks. Our puppy was the chunkier and the pushiest.

She however settled from the day we brought her home, happy to be independent from the other pups and explore. We fell for her and kept her. She is actually quite passive and chilled, like the older one.

One thing to remember, that while puppies do sleep alot, stressed dogs may also sleep alot. Removing a dog from the litter and taking to a new home, is stressful, even if the home is amazing. So how your dog is now, might not be an indicator for how they actually are. It can take a few weeks for their personailty to come out completely.

I hope it continues for you. Hyper working cockers can be handful, to say the least