Puppy selection usually begins when the pups are around one week old, sometimes earlier, sometimes just a bit later. We've done it this way since the beginning and have never had any issues.
We believe you should be able to pick your own puppy!
Reasons we do it this way:
1. We raise puppies for one main reason....companionship. So the overall temperament of each puppy is not too different from its litter mates. If we were raising working dogs, this might be a different story as some pups have more working drive than others.
2. The temperament of each puppy will change, sometimes drastically, once they become acclimated to their new home. How they act around their mother and litter mates does not always translate to how they act with their new families. Puppies tend to take on the environment they're raised in. If you have a high energy lifestyle, odds are your puppy will pick up on that and enjoy all those activities with you. If you are low key spending your down time on the couch, odds are your pup will too.
The main thing that plays into this is training and time! Take the time to train your pup and shape them into the dog you want them to be!
3. Actual temperament testing at a young age is grossly inaccurate. That's why there are so many service dog dropouts. Temperament testing was designed to look for specific markers that would be a good indicator the pup could perform a certain task. This is of no benefit for companion homes.
4. We have very diverse litters when it comes to color. While color/sex might not matter to some, we know it sometimes does for others and we want you to be able to choose what you want. No matter what others may say, if you want a certain color/sex dog, there's no reason why you can't have it. Picking early allows you to know if you're going to get what you're looking for. It gives us the assurance each puppy has a loving home waiting for it, or lets us know we need to contact our reservation list or advertise the litter.
4. We want you to get attached to your puppy! We post many pics and videos of the pups as they grow with us. Knowing who your puppy is allows you to bond with that puppy, not a puppy you wouldn't even be able to choose. It gives you plenty of time to prepare as well.
5. We're not going to pretend to know you well enough to pick your puppy for you. While we do get to know our Copperhead families, some really well, we do not believe after asking a few questions, we'd know you well enough to tell you what's best for you and your family. We love to give suggestions, but feel ultimately this is your family member, your purchase, your decision.