How to find the Right Puppy

The best—and the only foolproof—way of finding a pup with the right temperament for your needs is by using a registered, well-established breeder. Breeders who are intent on breeding top-quality, show-winning stock are more likely to be breeding dogs with good temperaments than are dog owners who have decided to breed using their own male and female dogs, or their own dog and a dog belonging to a friend.

The novice breeder would be unlikely to have a good understanding of what a dog with a good temperament is all about. In our experience, such breeders are often motivated more by the physical appearance of the dog or by possible financial gain than by considerations of temperament. (There are no hard and fast rules, of course. Many dogs with a beautiful temperament may come from an inexperienced breeder, but they will be the exception rather than the rule.)

Right Puppy

If you decide that you will be getting your pup from a breeder, you will be creating a situation where you can view the parents of your prospective pet. And you will find that meeting the parents of your pup is a bit like meeting the parents of your partner for the first time—it gives you an insight into how your chosen one might turn out.

If one of the parents of your prospective pup has a temperament problem—aggression, shyness or over-exuberance— the possibility is fairly high that this trait has been passed on to the offspring. For obvious reasons, then, you should avoid the pups of such a dog, regardless of how cute they may seem.

The easiest way to select the right pup is to ask the breeder to choose one that is not shy, overly dominant or stubborn. However, if the breeder prefers you do the picking, try to take an experienced person with you to view the pups.

If all else fails, the following tips on getting the right pup should help you.

Selection tips

Watching a group of pups at play will help you to choose the one you want. So, if you do get the opportunity to view several pups, try to arrange to see the whole litter together. Then you will be able to see temperament differences in action. If, for example, you wish to avoid owning a pack-leader type, you can look out for the classroom-bully-type pup that dominates and picks on the other pups. Once you have distinguished this type of pup, you will know that it will not be going home with you!

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Likewise, avoid the pup that runs and hides when the bully appears. A pup that barks at you or the other pups should also be avoided at all costs. You do not want a pup that is overly vocal: if one of the litter is barking at this early stage, it is going to be a nuisance barker. Good watchdogs do not usually start barking until they are between seven and 12 months.