Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Visiting a Breeder
• Part 2 of 3: Testing the character and behavior of the puppy
• Part 3 of 3: Checking Your Puppy's Health
• Tips

So, after carefully considering the question, you have made the decision that it is time to replenish your family with a new furry friend.You have already studied the different breeds of dogs and selected the most suitable for your lifestyle, and you also found a reputable breeder who has puppies for sale. Now you just have to take the last step in acquiring a dog - choose the right puppy from the litter. That being said, you should keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all “puppy test” for choosing the best puppy. Just try to concentrate on finding the dog that will work best for you and your family.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Visiting a Breeder

1. 1 Try to get your puppy directly from the breeder rather than through a pet store. While you may be very anxious to grab the first adorable puppy you see at a pet store, buying it can be risky. Most of the time, puppies are kept alone in pet stores, so you won't be able to see how the puppy interacts with its brethren. This will make it difficult for you to assess the puppy's character and behavior.
   • In most cases, puppies sold in pet stores are weaned very early from their mother, so they did not have a chance to learn the correct and dignified behavior from the mother or their fellows. If a puppy got into a pet store at the age of 5-6 weeks, then his behavior did not undergo the necessary correction on the part of the mother or the breeder himself. This increases the risk that the puppy will become a shy or aggressive dog rather than man's best friend.
   • Often, puppies end up in pet stores from unscrupulous breeders, whose breeding animals are kept in terrible conditions (constantly kept in cages) and are intensively used throughout their life in order to obtain offspring and profit. Do not buy puppies obtained this way if you want to stop this kind of animal abuse.
2. 2 Schedule a visit to the breeder shortly after the puppies are born. It is better to choose a puppy not when half of the entire litter is already sold out. The best puppies are usually picked first, so try to visit the breeder for the first time right after the puppies are born. Although the breeder will likely not let you interact with the puppies until they are 7-8 weeks old, it is best to place yourself at the forefront of puppy contenders.
   • Bring the smartest family member or friend you trust with you. He will help you evaluate the puppies, as this is a big decision in your life.
   • Establish contact with the breeder even before he has puppies. This way he will be able to keep you informed about how the pregnant bitch is feeling and when she is due to give birth.
3. 3 Do not get puppies from the first litter of a bitch. Ask the breeder what kind of litter is expected from the bitch. The ideal option would be to purchase a puppy from the third litter of a bitch from the same male. This will confirm that the bitch is consistently producing healthy offspring from this dog.
   • The condition of the mother will also have a significant impact on the health and character of the puppies. A bad bitch, very likely, will not be able to produce strong offspring, even with a quality male. Therefore, it is important enough to spend some time with the bitch even before the puppies appear, in order to get to know her and discuss her health status with the breeder.
4. 4 Talk to the breeder about the health of the puppies in the litter. A good breeder will be able to adequately describe the general health and disposition of his puppies. He will also be fully aware of the health status of the mother of the puppies. That being said, he should allow you to interact with the bitch and her puppies during your visit.
   • If you managed to find a breeder with a good reputation and spend enough time in his kennel, then you should establish a fairly good relationship with him. You can count on this breeder to narrow down the range of puppies in a litter that will best suit you.He had the opportunity to observe the puppies in the process of their growth, so he knows which of them is dominant, and who is more agreeable, who is shy, and who loves to be naughty.
   • When visiting a breeder, do not be afraid to ask him questions about the litter of the puppies. But also be sure to try to assess the health and character of the puppies yourself.

Part 2 of 3: Testing the character and behavior of the puppy

1. 1 Observe the entire litter of puppies. Take a look at how they communicate with each other. You need a puppy that will be active, playful, but not too dominant or shy.
   • Make sure the puppies are friendly, curious and trustful both towards each other and towards you. They should crowd at your feet, grab your laces, try to climb into your lap and look at you. They may even start playing with you or fighting among themselves.
   • If out of the four available puppies, three shun you or bark with suspicion at you, then in this litter you may not find a suitable puppy. Despite the fact that the fourth puppy does not show either aggression or excessive fearfulness, he may be too hesitant. Indecision and mistrust of people can be inherent in genes, so such a puppy in the future may turn out to be a difficult dog to socialize.
   • Don't let the breeder joke about the shyness or aggressiveness of the puppies. If the puppies are overly shy or aggressive, this may be a sign that the breeder has not approached his duties well. He had to try to socialize the puppies so that they feel comfortable in the presence of people.
   • Don't go with the largest or smallest puppy in the litter. Instead, pay attention to the size of the litter itself - the more puppies there are, the healthier they will be.
2. 2 Identify puppies with the temperament that suits you. When choosing a dog for yourself, you must take into account its character. Do you want a pet that will crave to please you, or one that will be more independent from you? Discuss the nature of the puppies with the breeder. The following are the different temperaments that puppies may have.
   • A cocky character. At first glance, a cocky puppy may seem very sociable and active. Pay attention if the puppy carries other people's toys or starts to play roughly. Also, the puppy may try to get out of the puppy's territory or even climb over the backs of his fellows. This is a sign of determination, quick wits, and good willpower, but a cocky puppy may not suit your lifestyle. You will have to spend a lot of time caring for and raising such a puppy. If you do not have extra time or you already face excessive stress in your life, then a cocky puppy may not be the best option for you and your family.
   • Cheerful character. Puppies with this personality are quick-witted, loving and adorable pets. They can be as playful and energetic as cocky puppies, but they are also more sensitive and less aggressive. Funny puppies are pleasant enough to communicate and do not show excessive stubbornness. Therefore, they are a good choice for an active person or for a family with older children.
   • Independent character. Puppies with an independent character are quite sociable and playful, but at the same time they can easily have fun with a toy on their own. Such puppies are well suited for a stable and calm family, owners of a more respectable age or families without children.
   • Eager to please a character. The name of the character speaks for itself. Who doesn't want to have such a puppy? However, you will have to prove yourself a real leader for this puppy and show a strong hand in raising him. A puppy with this temperament will need good training using a reward system.With good upbringing and training, an eager to please puppy will become a perfectly obedient dog. He will be a great friend in any family.
   • Calm character. Puppies with this temperament may be less smart than their counterparts, but they behave more balanced in play and communication, and also sleep well. They are perfect for calm and sociable owners. Pay attention to a calm puppy if this character is considered normal for your chosen breed, as well as if you have small children at home.
   • Timid nature. A timid temperament can also be called timid, puppies with such a temperament are not very confident in themselves. They can fall in front of you, showing their belly, or bend their back in a position of submission. You can easily melt in front of the charm and gentleness of these puppies. But a timid puppy will take a lot of time and patience to develop his self-esteem and get used to comfortable communication with other people. These dogs are better suited for lone owners with plenty of time to train and attend to the animal rather than families with children.
   • Remember that a dog's personality and character are often influenced by breed characteristics. Talk to the breeder about the breed's personality traits to get a better idea of ​​what your puppy might be.
3. 3 Observe individual puppies in the litter. Concentrate on finding a puppy that is not overly active or overly timid. Despite the fact that you may have already decided on the character of the puppy you need, most families do not too cocky or too timid puppies. Try to find a puppy whose temperament is about halfway between these extremes, a puppy who won't growl or bite. You need a self-confident pet who decisively approaches you and your family members with pointed ears and wagging its tail with joyful excitement.
   • Don't try to convince yourself that you can reeducate a shy puppy. If shyness is inherent in the genes of a puppy, then he will grow into a shy adult dog. Living with a shy adult dog can be difficult and may even bite when frightened or in an uncomfortable situation.
4. 4 Talk to each puppy individually. When you have narrowed down the list of possible candidates to a few puppies you like, ask the breeder to let you interact with each of them individually.
   • Take each puppy, hug and hold for some time in your arms. If the puppy starts whining and struggling, it is a bad sign. You may encounter behavioral problems with a puppy who does not like or fear being picked up. Light resistance at the beginning, followed by calmness and a look in your eyes will be the preferred option.
   • Touch the puppy's paws, mouth, and ears to observe how it reacts. A puppy who is accustomed to hands from a very young age will have nothing against such actions on your part.
   • Sit on the floor or squat and call the puppy to you. Click your fingers or tap on the floor to get the puppy's attention. If he comes up to you quickly, then he is sufficiently attached to people.
   • If your puppy is distracted and doesn't come up to you right away, he may have an independent personality. If he doesn't approach you at all, then he may have difficulty in establishing relationships with people.

Part 3 of 3: Checking Your Puppy's Health

1. 1 Perform a visual inspection of each puppy. The puppy should look good, be round, but not fat or skinny. Even with graceful greyhounds and hounds, the puppies are rounded up to about four months old.
2. 2 Check your puppy's eyes, ears, teeth, gums, and butt. A healthy puppy's eyes will be clear and bright without any crusts or discharge. Also, the puppy should have clean ears, gums and teeth.
   • The puppy's fur should be shiny, the body should not be stained by anything, and the bottom should also be clean.
   • There should be no traces of pus or traces of feces in the genital area.
3. 3 Get your hearing and vision tested. When the list of puppies you like has narrowed to one or two animals, do a hearing and vision test to make sure the puppies can hear and see well.
   • For a hearing test, clap your hands behind the puppy's head to induce a reaction to the noise. You can also stamp your foot behind the puppy's back or drop a bunch of keys next to him. Remember that it is difficult to detect deafness in a puppy in a pen with other puppies. Therefore, try to carry out this check when the puppy is alone away from his fellows.
   • To test the puppy's vision, roll the ball in front of him and see if he has any reaction to the ball, if the puppy gets close to him and starts playing with him.
4. 4 Pay attention to the puppy's breathing and gait. A healthy puppy will breathe quietly without coughing or sneezing. There should be no crusts or discharge around the puppy's nostrils.
   • It is also important to make sure that the puppy walks and runs without lameness, stiffness or pain. This will help you avoid problems with your puppy's joints, which can become more serious as the dog gets older.
5. 5 Check how well your puppy can control its mouth. Let the puppy grab your arms. If the puppy bites you hard enough, exclaim in a high-pitched voice: "Ay!" Then follow the puppy's reaction. If the puppy is very agitated, you may need to repeat this action. See if he realizes that you are hurting, whether he responds with fear or concern rather than increased arousal.
   • Don't worry if the puppy notices your reaction, stops biting temporarily, and then starts grabbing your fingers again. This is completely normal for a puppy.
   • Puppies that respond correctly to display of pain by humans and other dogs usually grow into adult dogs that have good control over their mouth. Good jaw control means that the dog can engage in play fights with another dog without causing any injury. It also allows the dog to be more gentle when taking treats from their hands or playing with people.
   • A puppy that responds to your pain will become a more obedient pet for you.
6. 6 Take your puppy to your vet within a few days after purchasing. Bring your puppy's passport with vaccinations and deworming procedures, as well as any other medical records for the puppy. All these documents must be provided by the breeder at the time of the sale of the puppy.
   • Check with your veterinarian for the care and maintenance of your puppy.
7. 7 Keep the puppy within the walls of the house, except for short visits to the veterinarian, until he is 12-16 weeks old. Puppies are born with the immunity against diseases acquired from their mother, but as they grow up until all the necessary vaccinations, the puppy develops a certain gap in immunity. To protect the puppy from illness during this period, limit his contact with the outside world to short visits to the veterinarian until 16 weeks of age.

Tips

• Choosing a puppy from a litter is just the starting point in your development as a responsible pet owner. The next step is to provide your puppy with proper care. Discuss with the breeder the responsibilities and duties that fall on the shoulders of a good dog owner, and also gather additional information yourself that will help you become such a dog owner. Keep in touch with your veterinarian and don't be afraid to ask him questions about keeping your puppy.