The biggest of the litter

A good dog behaviourist will be the first to tell you that a puppy should never be taken away from its family environment before they're 8 weeks old, and that it's best to wait until the end of the primary socialisation period, which is roughly around the 12-week mark. A decent breeder will personally select the right puppy to suit the new owners' lifestyle based on the pup's temperament. In the same vein, they won't let their pups go at just 8 weeks and will usually only specialise in one single breed. As for your question: "What do you think? And will the biggest one at 5 weeks definitely be the biggest as an adult?" Not necessarily! One of my girls was the daintiest of the litter. Two years later, she’d actually overtaken one of her brothers in both weight and height, even though he was the "sturdy" one at the start. Four years on, and it's still the case!

The biggest pup in the litter can often turn out to be the greediest – he’s probably spent his time pushing the others out of the way to get the most food. Often, the runt of the litter can't quite fend for themselves and, as a result, hasn’t had enough to eat. You should go for a middle-sized puppy because they’re neither greedy nor weak and know how to share. Those greedy little bullies or the scrawny weaklings will end up causing you more headaches than joy in the long run. Have a good evening.