Choosing a puppy from a litter

All You have to know about choosing a puppy from a litter

If you've determined what kind of dog breeds are going to suit your household and where you're going to find your new dog (I suggest you look at your local animal shelter!), you might need to make a decision as to which puppy to pick from a litter. If you want a breed or a pure breed puppy, there are few important things to watch out for:

Confidence and Activity Level

When you first visit the litter, it's important to watch the pups communicate with each other before you alert them to your presence. You should be searching for an exiting pupa that is neither too submissive nor competitive with the other pups.

Sociability and Temperament

When you communicate with the puppies for the first time, watch for those that greet you with their heads raised high and their tails wagging. There are indicators of emotionally well-rounded pups that have had the correct start of adulthood. Here are some tests you can do to verify your pup's sociability:

Pick up each of these puppies and test their reactivity. They're not supposed to fight too hard or nip and vocalise, and they're supposed to relax in your arms reasonably easily. Often, stimulate their bodies, tails, and mouths to verify if they are not too prone to being poked and prodded.

Another successful test is to keep them on their backs for 30 seconds, initially they won't like it, but they shouldn't bite or respond violently, and can actually relax under the mild strain. It takes a little talent and faith – it takes adults to do this.

Be alert not to pick a painfully shy litter pupa. We prefer to settle for the underdog, but this nervous trait is very difficult to overcome and is worth resisting until you have the opportunity to teach the frightened dog successfully to give it trust. The perfect dog is going to want to be around you and follow you around and play around you when you get underway.

Puppy Health

Here's what you need to watch out for to make sure you pick a good puppy:

• The pups should be well-rounded with a nice, glossy coat. They're not meant to be too slim or too fat.

• Physically inspect the pup to verify if there is no under-or over-shot jaw.

• Its skin, ears and genitalia should be clean with no discharge or inflammation.

Of the two to three pups you narrowed down, take them aside to assess their vision and hearing separately. This can be achieved by tapping, clapping or throwing something on the ground behind them to see how they are responding. You should also assess their eyes by placing a cookie or a puzzle on the ground around them and making sure they can see it and locate it.

A successful breeder should have all the paperwork in order to show that the pups are of the best standard.

However, I will still suggest a fast vet review to be 100 % positive about your final decision on health and medical problems.

Taking Your Puppy Home

What most people don't care of is how necessary it is to have your dog 7 – 8 weeks old. This is the beginning of the FORMATIVE Phase, and it is the most critical time for your dog to grow. The best thing you can do with your dog is to keep it at this age.

This is the transition stage for the wolf (and the dog) and it is the time that the pups will naturally leave the den and start visiting the rest of the pack. In reality, you and your family are "bags" and building the bond during the formative phase is where you can make or break your puppies. If you skip this crucial formative phase, you risk raising a dog that is malsocialized and may have behavioral challenges such as human or other dog violence, hyperactivity, poor memory or awareness of rules and limits.

At this time , it is important to socialize your puppy with many different people of all ages, races and genders, as well as with animals of all sorts (cats, chickens, stock if you live in rural areas, etc.). It's also time to show your dog all the basic training skills you'll need for a lifetime.

What you need to do before bringing home a puppy

Make sure the house is safe with the puppy. In Puppy Proofing Your Home – 10 Quiet Threats, we're running over all of the typical household hazards that you need to look out for.

Decide if you intend to school your dog in a crib. Crate Training not only offers a safe spot for the puppies to escape when they're frightened, sleepy, or over-stimulated. It also keeps the dog safe and trouble free when you can't keep an eye on it.