Picking The Right Puppy For You

First and foremost, it’s a great idea to research the various breeds
you are interested in. The general look that interests you is a good
place to start. For example, if you prefer a breed with stand up,
perky ears, then you should eliminate the floppy eared and cropped
ear breeds. Then you must decide for what purpose are you
acquiring a dog. Will it be a housedog when mature, laying at the
foot of your bed, or on your bed, or out on the doorstep being a
guardian? Will you have the extra time if the breed requires extra
recreational playtime? Are you willing to put the time into
grooming that some dogs require, especially the ones with the long
hair? Once you’ve narrowed the choices down, your next job is to
locate a reliable breeder.

One good breeder resource is to contact a few kennel clubs in your
area. Ask them for a breeder referral list for the breed of your
choice. Contact by telephone is more courteous and can give you a
valuable and non-threatened first impression than dropping in
on the person or facility unexpected. These should be good,
reliable breeders but don’t be afraid to ask for names of previous
buyers. Remember, any good breeder will check out their
potential puppy purchasers before releasing a pup into their hands.
This is a very common practice. Next, set up an appointment to go
to see the litter and if possible both parents. They will give you a
general idea of what you can expect from the puppy as an adult as
far as the looks and size go. The breeder’s facility should be clean
but keep in mind if you are going to see a litter of puppies, you
may see an unscheduled poop spot or pee puddle. First observe the
puppies while standing back from the whelping box or kennel area.
Watch to see which ones are pushy with their littermates and
which ones are content to observe from the corner. Which ones
roughhouse play? Who makes the others cry by biting too hard in
play? This puppy could be the tough guy or gal of the litter...or the
ALPHA puppy. This would not be a great choice for a family with
small children or first time puppy owners as it could want to
control the family household and members. Ask the breeders if
they could isolate the alpha puppy so you could observe the rest in
a fairer environment. Now you are at the stage of deciding:
Male or Female.

Once you have your puppy home, you will start to develop its
personality the way you want. If you know which sex you want,
ask the breeder to put the other sex away to give you time to
observe all the males or all the females. Don’t pick a particular
puppy just because it is the cutest! There are easy tests you can
do yourself to help you determine the best choice for you. Watch
them to see which puppy is watching you, making direct eye
contact with you. Take a couple steps backwards away from the
puppies and look closely at who moves with you. Next, take a few
more steps from the group and clap your hands, snap your fingers
or verbally call to encourage the puppies to follow.

Open your arms in a wide fashion and call to the puppies in a
higher pitched voice. Again, observe the followers. These pups
would be the ones interested in human beings, thus making good
companion dogs. Narrow your choices down to 2 or 3 from those
couple of little tests. Next, take each puppy in your hands. Balance
it’s weight by supporting it under the rear and on the chest.
Observe the pup’s reactions at this point.

Is the pup struggling to break free, growling or showing it’s teeth;
These are negative signs in inexperienced hands and definitely
need to be corrected very early in the pup’s life. If the pup is
comfortable and relaxed, maybe even licking your face or hands,
then those are positive signs and those of a more submissive
puppy.

Another quick test is the “rollover test” where you gently roll the
pup over in your arms into a cradle position. Again the pup should
be calm and relaxed. If not, try a simple growl correction to test the
pup’s submission level. If it quickly freezes in a still position, that
means the pup will probably accept human discipline easily.

However, if the struggle continues, be prepared for some
headstrong behaviors in the future. After socializing with each
puppy a few minutes, place it back down on the floor and repeat
the “walk away and follow me test”. Observe the pups for the
quickest reaction to your leaving them. The quickest one to follow you could be the
strongest bonding potential puppy from your choices. Repeat the
procedures as a double-checking system. If you’re happy with the
results and the pup is attractive to you, then that’s the one for you.