Most puppies go through an awkward stage no matter the bloodline. Their bodies stop being cuddly as they take on an adolescent appearance, becoming gangly "teenagers." Fortunately, most puppies emerge unscathed from this stage, and eventually display most of their original promise. However, there are some who never live up to to the desired potential.

Some puppies do not go through this phase: They maintain beauty, balance and proportion throughout their first year. These puppies are often called "flyers," and outshine their gangly siblings. If one of these rare individuals comes your way, lets hope you will recognize and treasure it. Don't overlook their awkward littermates, however, for sometimes they can also develop into outstanding show dogs.

It is impossible to predict the exact timing of a puppy's awkward stage. It can start as early as eight weeks, but may not start until the puppy is three or four months old. Most puppies are out of the awkward phase by the time they are eight months old, but some puppies emerge from this metamorphosis as early as six or seven months.

Generally, the timing of the awkward stage is consistent within the same bloodlines. For example, from past experience with a particular bloodline, a breeder could determine that the progeny of that bloodline usually experience the awkward stage between three and seven months. Knowing when to expect its onset and how long it typically lasts can help reduce the anxiety level of the breeder. This breeder may mentally lock away this pup until he is seven months of age, and then pull him out for reevaluation.

The two main causes of the awkward stage in puppies are their rapid growth and dentition (the loss of their baby teeth). During this time, the puppy's head and body part company, and typically, may lose their previous beauty and balance.

Fortunately the head and body usually begin to improve as the puppy approaches maturity. Generally, the improvement becomes noticeable at about six months of age, and continues until the original lines and proportion have been restored.

If the head stays in balance during the awkward stage, the head in all likelihood will turn out nicely. If, however, the head loses its original balance, the puppy may not grow into a top-quality show dog. Some breeders have been able to abolish the awkward, or" plaining out," phase in their stock by selective breeding. Their puppies never go through this phase; their heads are good as little puppies and they remain that way.

The rapid rate growth during this time can cause many puppies to develop awkward uncoordinated bodies. To make matters worse, different parts of their bodies can develop at different rates. One puppy's legs may develop before his chest, giving him an" up-on-leg" look; he may walk around looking like he is on stilts for months before finally filling in. Another pup may develop his forechest early; this may cause a low- to- the ground and "dumpy" look until his legs catch up.

Usually the body parts even out by the time maturity is reached, but not always. Many a breeders dreams have been shattered by a puppy whose development just never caught up with his early promise. When this happens, try to take it in stride; learn from experience which dogs to pin your hopes on.

A good rule of thumb for beginning breeders is to evaluate your puppies at eight weeks of age, before the onset of the awkward stage. At this time puppies will usually reflect their adult potential more accurately than later during the awkward period. More experienced breeders can draw from past experiences to determine the appropriate timing for assessing puppies from their bloodlines.

When appraising eight- week-old puppies, rank most highly those with overall balance rather than those with a few great parts. For example, imagine you are comparing two puppies. The first has a great head and spectacular markings, but is a little weak in the body and coat, and seems a bit shy. The second has a pleasing appearance: Nice-but not great-head,good coat and body, and a winning personality. Which has the greater likelihood of success in the show ring? Though the first has a better head, the second possesses overall symmetry and balance, plus an outgoing demeanor. Therefore, the second has greater show potential.

Base a puppy's evaluation not only on how he looks in a show pose, but also how he looks while moving on the ground. There are several reasons for doing this. First of all, when arranging the puppy in a show pose, you may inadvertently manipulate the puppy into looking better than he really is; you may actually end up deceiving yourself as to his worth. Also, you need to see how the puppy moves and how he handles himself with other puppies. The best "movers" are the ones who are well-coordinated, who can cut and turn easily, and who appear light and nimble on their feet.

Along with the puppies physical appearance, you also need to consider his personality. A dog must have a certain magical spark to be a top winner. This elusive spark of personality adds life and spunk to an otherwise empty, though lovely, animal. Without it, a dog may never be able to handle himself with confidence in the ring. A winning dog is flashy in appearance and spirit. He prances into the ring and says "Look at me, aren't I something!

In order for a show quality puppy to fulfill his early promise, his environment must provide all the necessary conditions to insure ultimate growth and development, both physical and mental. The person responsible for providing such an environment is you, the breeder or owner.

A puppy's first contact with the world can have a significant effect upon his later development. Some bitches are simply poor mothers and are unable to get their puppies off to a good start. Luckily, normal healthy puppies that do get off to a poor start will usually catch up with those that are in a more positive environment. They may not grow as quickly, and their growing period will usually be longer, but by the time they reach maturity, there should be little difference in size.

The same usually holds true for the older puppy which has received a setback due to illness. Growth may be temporarily be halted during the illness, but such puppies have be known to make up that period of growth at a later date. Many breeders are tempted to write off puppies such as these- and many do, only to discover later that they made a mistake.

The quality and quality of food a puppy receives is vitally important; poor nutrition can result in a puppy's failure to live up to its potential. The limits of a puppy's eventual size, bone, and development have been predetermined by heredity.This development can either be fully realized through proper diet, or never reached because of poor nutrition (read the Doral book Canine Nutrition for more information).

Because appetite and eating are important habits. the good eaters are one step ahead in developing their potential. On the other hand, the poor eater may be penalized through his own lack of effort. One of the most difficult tasks imaginable is to get a poor eater to develop properly. Any possible physical cause of a lack of a healthy appetite, such as infected tonsils, or worm infestation, should be investigated thoroughly. Unfortunately, there are some puppies that will never eat more than what is required for marginal subsistence. These will never be great show dogs.

A puppy who is a good eater will often be a bit chubby. Should this puppy go through the awkward stage, his awkwardness will be more pronounced than his slimmer littermates - the chubby puppy usually looks loaded at the shoulder and also looks soft, sloppy and cumbersome. The unknowing owner gives up on this specimen before a proper diet has a chance to work. In is important to note that extreme obesity can cause permanent structural damage in a puppy. This is especially true in the large breeds.

At the other extreme, the too- thin puppy, while retaining a semblance of his original promise, often will never fulfill out enough to make a good show dog. This puppy will often appear frail - for lack of proper nutrition can have an adverse effect on physical well being. This puppy too, may be discarded as a potential show dog without the owner attempting to uncover the causes of his diminished appetite.

For Breeds in which an outgoing personality and good disposition are highly desirable, breeders must help to develop their dogs' personalities. A show specimen must have something more than physical beauty- the show dog must posses "heart." Without this extra spark, the most perfect specimen is nothing more than a shell. The responsibility for developing personality and disposition is just as important as providing proper food and medical care. The personality problems of most shy, snapping, wetting puppies can usually be traced to environmental factors rather than inherited ones.

Doral Books to read for more information:

   The Standard Book of Dog Breeding by Dr. Alvin Grossman

   Born to Win: Breed to Succeed by Patricia Craige