How To Pick A Puppy From A Litter

Once you have made up your mind to bring home a puppy pet, the next big task is to find a puppy that will grow up as a well-behaved dog in your home. You need to like the puppy and its demeanors. In the same vein, your puppy needs to like you and your family members.

For trouble-free compatibility, you should check the personality traits of the puppy you are choosing for adoption. There is nothing called a ‘puppy test’ that can foretell how the puppy is going to behave.

However, there are some traits that you may pick up looking at the puppy and how it behaves with the rest of the litter. These traits can be an indicator of how the pup is going to be.

At this stage, you should have researched the different breed types and the one that you want to bring home. Now, the question is how to pick a puppy from a litter?

Pick One From The Breeder, Not A Pet Store

You may find attractive puppies in the showcase of your neighborhood pet shops. You may tempt to buy one from there. But that’s not the right way to pick your puppy.

In the pet shop, the puppies are kept in their small cages where you have little chance to see how they interact with other mates in the litter.

The puppies sold in the store are born in puppy mills to dogs that are kept in pitiable conditions in cages all through their lives. Picking a puppy from the breeder is always a better option.

The living condition at the breeder is better where the litter is allowed to interact with the mother dog as well as the littermates. This helps the puppy pick up and develop his natural personality traits.

Why Is It Important To Know The Personality Traits Of The Puppy?

You want to bring home a puppy that grows up as a healthy, friendly, and trustworthy dog. You don’t want to bring home a pup that’s going to grow into a dominant, rebel, or violent dog. You can watch the puppies interact with other littermates and spot their personality traits.

Looking at them interacting, playing, and fighting, you can understand their individual demeanor and temperament. This would finally let you know which of the puppies a perfect fit for your home.

Visiting The Breeder

If you are far behind in the queue at the breeder, by the time your turn comes to pick your puppy, some of them would have already been picked.

For the healthiest puppy, you should pick from the third litter of a bitch with the same stud. Looking at the previous litter, you would know that the bitch and the stud had been giving birth to healthy pups.

The best puppies would be friendly and curious. They should show trust to their littermates and you. They should stare at you, get into your lap, gather around your feet, and tug at your shoes and trousers.

Check out shy and aggressive behavior in the puppies. These traits could get established in their genes and would become stronger when they grow up.

A shy puppy may not trust anyone while an aggressive puppy is a more aggressive dog. Both will show anti-social behavior when they grow up.

Now let’s identify the puppy for you…

A litter of puppies has many personality types – shy and aggressive are just a few of them. Here are some of the types you can expect to encounter at the breeder’s facility.

Dominant Pup

A dominant pup is also the bully pup. He can be social and interactive but he would not lose an opportunity to steal a toy or pick a fight. He would love to climb on other pup’s back and try to cross over the enclosure. This kind of behavior highlights willpower, determination, and smartness.

Will such a puppy become a sociable and well-behaved house dog when it grows up? Perhaps not! This kind of personality makes a dog unfit for a domesticated life. Keeping the puppy from more of this kind of behavior as it grows up will demand more time and attention from you.

This may cause stress to you as well as others in the home.

Rebel Pup

The rebel pup can come disguised in some very sweet demeanors – playful, intelligent, and interactive. It can show high levels of energy and a more active temperament. A rebel pup is a lot similar to a dominant pup but it is less belligerent and more sensitive.

This kind of pup is not obstinate. It is also more sociable and personable. If you are an active person who likes to spend time and play with pets, this can be a good companion. But they may not be the perfect fit in a home where there are small kids.

Independent Pup

Can you spot a puppy who is content with himself, his toys, and his errands? He is also playful, interactive, and overall happy. This kind of puppy is a good match for your home if you have older people living in a calm and stable setup.

Eager to Please Pup

There are some pups excited and eager to please you. If such a pup has none of the traits mentioned above, it can become a great home dog. But you would need to be firm with him and give proper training along with reinforcement.

Relaxed Pup

This kind of pup shows a balance of different traits. They are interactive, playful, relaxed, and intelligent. But they don’t overly show any of these traits. They can be an ideal companion dog for an owner who is cool and relaxed. They can live happily with kids.

Timid Pup

This kind of puppy is a shy puppy. It does not put up a great protest or fight. It will show a submissive posture like making an arch of their back or creeping on their bellies. It will take a great deal of patience and training to get this kind of pup to regain its self-esteem.

This could be a good companion for a single owner who could spend time with it.

Final Thoughts

How to pick a puppy from a litter? We have discussed many points about a puppy’s personality traits. It is possible to identify these traits and visualize how the puppy would behave as it grows. Based on what kind of home you have in terms of kids, elderly people, etc., you can pick a puppy from the litter that has a chance to grow into a healthy, trustworthy, and well-behaved dog.