Questions on Orphaned Pup

[nancy in AZ]

I have an opportunity to acquire a 4 mo old smooth coat pup bred from a working sire and bitch on a WY ranch.  I'm told he is currently about 22lbs. I'm thinking that would likely place him in the mid 40lbs range as an adult. The folks offering him are recent transplants, and due to a tough family situation need to re-home the pup ASAP. We have a meet and greet scheduled. Truthfully, I did not anticipate acquiring another bc as a permanent family member, especially not a puppy! (I haven't had a pup this young since the 90's and swore never again-LOL) All of my bc's  (he would be my 5th, in addition to a couple of aussies and a heeler in the mix as well) have been rescues, and several of those came with significant behavioral issues that made finding appropriate placement a challenge. Some were foster fails. I am not up for another project dog at this stage of my life.

Despite being on the fence regarding acquiring another dog, I've always thought I would like to raise a young bc bred from working parents.  If he checks several of the boxes--particularly biddability-- I may consider taking him on. I should mention, I am an active pet dog home who has dabbled in stock work and agility, but for one reason or another, those pursuits were not fruitful. 

According to the current owner, the litter was orphaned at 4 weeks and spent the next couple of weeks being tended at the rancher's vet. I'm aware of the importance of pups learning proper social cues/behavior from their litter mates, and especially their mother, ideally for at least their first 8 weeks. So here are my questions:

What are some of the potential pitfalls, and what characteristics/behaviors/traits should I be on the lookout for as an indication of potential red flags? 

What should I watch for or do to test for or determine biddability?

What specific questions should I ask to help determine if the temperament of the pup is suitable? 

What props/exercises should I bring to see if the dog is engaged/biddable?

I will not be bringing my female, Mouche to our initial meet and greet since she is reactive to strangers.  She does delight in playing with other dogs, some more than others--she will lose interest after the first 20 min if she's not feeling fully engaged with her playmate.  She was utterly besotted with the last bc that was in residence, and that, I confess, is part of the reason I'm even considering this pup. Thoughts? TIA!

[Journey]

Congratulations!

 

Some of these questions are purely personal preference. Yours. Just watch him/her (?) and see what type of reactions you see. Inquisitive? Shy, recovers quickly? I'm not sure there are any hard fast red flags, especially at this age. If they were raised as a litter in the vet office you know there was interactions with stranger's, as well as their littermates being with them, and atmosphere of a vet office should make them pretty stable imo! Bring some treats, some toys, see what is a better motivator for this pup, don't expect long engagement, 4 months old has the attention span of a gnat! Follow your gut would be my best recommendation and then send pictures!