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Puppies
 Each puppy has a character all his own. Each will have his own way of approaching other puppies, interacting with you, and exploring his environment. You need to measure these qualities so you can see how the puppy's personality will complement your own.
Litter LanguageBy seven weeks of age, puppies have begun to develop a world-view. Each has a special way of relating to littermates, mom, and the world beyond. There's a pecking order in litterland, the beginnings of a dog pack hierarchy. Every puppy has a place and behaves accordingly. Bright, energetic, and bossy types are highest. Those puppies with a more laissez-faire attitude occupy the middle ground, preferring leisure over leading. More timid types rank lower. These puppies like peace and quiet; sitting on the sidelines is just fine with them.There's a place in the world for all of these puppies, but which is right for you? You'll need persistence to convince a high-ranking puppy of your authority, patience to train the relaxed middle-grounders, and time to build up a shy puppy's self-esteem. The payback is always worth double the effort, but only you know what you're capable of doing. Let's look at the range of personalities in a hypothetical litter of five puppies. You may see litters of more or less than five, but generally, each pup's personality will fall into one of these categories.
Litter Line-upOur hypothetical litter is composed of three males and two females. I'll list each one's rank, approach to play, exploratory behavior, and greeting behavior. Then I'll describe who the right owner would be.
Puppy #1: The Leader of the PackWith Littermates: "Challenge and Win" is this puppy's motto. She loves to play and wrestle, mainly because she always wins. She thinks she's hot stuff and her behavior shows it. This is the puppy who is mock-fighting with the squeak toys and relentlessly attempting to break down the barricade.With You: You'll probably meet her first. She'll charge forward, leap in the air, and wag her tail furiously. Don't get a swelled head & she's like that with everyone! This gal will mouth excessively, jump, and maybe even climb on top of you to show off her confident flare. The Right Owner: Many people fall for this girl's fancy greeting act. It's so flattering! But she's not trying to flatter you & she just wants to be first. Very intelligent and funny, she needs an owner with the time and perseverance to train her. Without a serious commitment to training, she'll become a tyrant and will make a difficult family pet.
Puppy #2: The Next in LineWith Littermates: This puppy loves a good wrestle, too, and spends a lot of time fending off the Top Dog. When he's not under assault, he spends his time mock-fighting with lower-ranking pups and exploring his surroundings.With You: Confident and happy, he's just not as pushy as the leader. He may mouth you and jump just to show you that he's a pretty outgoing puppy, too! The Right Owner: Although not as cocky as #1, this puppy is energetic and boisterous and needs an owner with similar qualities. He'll keep a close eye on you and may take advantage when your back is turned. He's great with older children and a family dedicated to an assertive training regimen.
Puppy #3: The MiddlemanWith Littermates: I call this puppy the explorer. She'll defend herself in a wrestling match, but competition is not really her cup of tea. She'd rather explore her surroundings and pursue more peaceful activities with littermates.With You: What a relaxing change from the other two! She'll sit calmly, maybe getting up to follow you as you walk around the room. She might mouth or climb on your chest, but it will be moderate compared to you-know-who and her cohort. The Right Owner: This dog is often ideal for laid-back families. She'll have a high tolerance for noise and confusion. Though she'll need training, occasional lapses won't result in a battle for control.
Puppy #4: The Passive PupWith Littermates: This puppy is shy with his littermates. He submits passively to the other puppies who always know a softie when they see one. He interacts with lower-ranking siblings and enjoys quiet exploration and play.With You: The passive puppy is calm and quiet. He might mouth you, but it will be pretty tentative. When you walk around the room, he may be more content to watch. The Right Owner: This calm, considerate temperament needs an owner with the same qualities. Older children may enjoy this dog, but everyone must be aware of his sensitivity and use the gentlest handling techniques. This puppy needs training to enhance his self image, but it must done with much patience, very little discipline, and a lot of positive reinforcement.
Puppy #5: The Shy PupWith Littermates: Your heart will go out to this little creature. She'll show fear when approached by her dominant littermates. She may play with puppy #4, but will usually play by herself. This pup will be the one playing with a chew toy in the corner or exploring by herself while the other puppies are wrestling.With You: You'll feel sorry for this puppy. She'll be happiest curled in your lap and may show fear if you make sudden movements or walk across the room. She won't like loud noises at all. The Right Owner: The shy puppy is not good with children because loud noises and chaos send her into a state of shock. She'll need a very special owner who is patient and supportive. Gentle training methods will help to develop her self-esteem.
Puppy TryoutsNow, that you've taken a look at different puppy personalities, it's time to select your pup! The rest of this section presents seven exercises that you'll use to assess each puppy's personality. Perform each exercise with each puppy, and then rate each puppy's performance on the following Puppy Tryouts Score Card. (You can copy the card and take it with you as you visit various puppies.)
By now, you should know which type of puppy you'd like to bring home with you. Active puppies are a lot of work, but they're also lots of fun. Spirited and intelligent, they are well-appreciated by those who have the time and determination needed to train them. Neutral puppies are relaxed and undemanding - sort of the "regular guys" of the dog world. Passive and shy puppies appreciate love and support, but are fearful of change. They'll do best in a consistent environment. Test each puppy while he's awake and active. Perform each of the following activities with each puppy:
Letting Kids Help with the Puppy TestingYoung children can help out on the Gentle Caress and Crash Test exercises. In fact, it's a good way to see how your future puppy might get along with your current, less hairy "puppies." Older kids can do all of the tests, but only one test per puppy, please. If everyone in your family starts crashing to the floor, even the bravest puppy will head for the hills.
Tallying the ScoreNow for a little score analysis. Count up your As, Ns, and Ps. Got it? If you're all As, I don't want to tell you what you're dealing with: a Leader type; one who'll want to take control if no one else steps up for the part! All Ns and you have a Middleman on your hands. Ns and Ps mean your dog is likely to be a passive and easy going. All Ps mean your dog may turn out to be shy without appropriate socialization. Identifying your pup's personality from the start will help you mold a training program that will be good for everyone.
Two Puppies: Twice the Fun or Double the Trouble?Unfortunately, two puppies usually mean more trouble than fun. They'll pay more attention to each other than they will to you because they're dogs and you're not (nah, nah!). A single puppy will figure out ways to bridge the species gap; two puppies won't bother. This impedes training, housebreaking, chewing, and overall polite behavior. Your rules are just not as compelling as what the other puppy is doing. If one starts to tear a pillow apart, the other will join in. If one wants to obey but sees the other ignoring you, you'll be forgotten.As they grow up, one will be more bossy, while the other will be a willing follower. The head honcho will want to take control in all situations, while the follower may show excessive submission and poor coping skills. Both will suffer when separated, often barking, peeing, or chewing until reunited. At puberty, same-sex pups (especially males) often fight for Top Dog position. There may be competition for attention, food, or toys. Without behavioral conditioning, their differences could be irreconcilable. But having two dogs can be a lot of fun for you and for them. So what to do? I suggest training one puppy for the first year, and then getting a second. The first puppy will form a bond with you and teach the newcomer house rules and behavior etiquette.
Selecting an Older DogSelecting an older dog of any age can be a lot easier. The cute factor has lost its shine. You're usually testing one dog at a time, instead of twelve. But if you have a bleeding heart like mine, a dog's individual story can suck you in even though the dog may be unsuited for your lifestyle.So, to help you keep your head on straight, I've written some guidelines and a few tests you can set up if you're strong enough to let your head lead your heart. Nothing is sadder than rescuing a dog and having to return it because the dog couldn't cope with your life. Be strong & find out ahead of time by taking the following steps:
Bear in mind, dogs are less accepting of strangers and strange situations than puppies, so allow some room for edginess. But if you see anything more extreme, back off, especially if it's aggression. Unless you want a major training project, look for a dog who is accepting in each test and shows patience with kids or other animals if they're a factor.
Choosing, Training & Raising a Dog By Sarah Hodgson ©1996 Available online in THE STORE |
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