How to Choose the Right Puppy

Bringing home a new puppy is such an exciting moment! It’s easy to get swept up in all the cuteness. But the decision you make today can shape more than a decade of life together. A dog whose size, personality, and needs don’t match with your lifestyle can make things extremely difficult. And sadly, it’s one of the reasons millions of dogs end up in shelters every year.

Choosing the right puppy can make a huge difference in your family’s happiness and your dog’s wellbeing. Let’s look at how you can make the best decision and welcome home the right fit!

First, consider how big your puppy will get

When you’re looking at puppies, especially mixed breeds, it can be hard to know how big they’ll be as adults. Cute tiny paws can turn into huge paws — fast!

Fortunately, there are online puppy size calculators. While not always 100% accurate, they can give you an idea if a puppy will grow up to be a small, medium, or large dog. Considering that some individuals selling puppies are often motivated to tell potential buyers what they want to hear, an online puppy growth calculator can be a useful tool in determining how big a puppy will grow.

Here are a few things to keep in mind before you decide on a dog:

• Larger dogs cost more to feed and care for, including grooming and veterinary expenses

• Boarding and supplies like toys also cost more

• Behavior concerns (like pulling) can be harder to manage

Not only are their poops bigger, but their behavior problems can have a bigger impact, too. A 15-pound dog jumping on guests or pulling on the leash is not really an issue for most people. But a 100-pound dog pummeling grandma at the door or dragging their human down the block can be a major problem.

Next, understand how a dog’s breed influences their behavior

Floofy marshmallow fur. Giant teddy bears. Droopy ears. Wrinkly faces. Just as every dog looks different, they also all have distinct behaviors, too. And knowing what your dog’s breed (or mix of breeds) is known for can save you a lot of frustration. A quick Google search on dog breed temperament will give some general information on common behavior problems and personality traits for specific breeds.

For example:

• An intense herding dog bred to herd sheep wouldn’t be a good choice for a home with cats or toddlers who will become the substitute for sheep and experience heel nipping
• A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel bred as a companion would not be suitable for a family who is away all day
• A guardian breed like a Great Pyrenees or German Shepherd might not be suitable to apartment dwelling where they will alert bark at every noise they hear

If a dog doesn’t have appropriate outlets for the work they were bred to do, their behavior can become unmanageable for most households. A dog bred to hunt or run the fields all day won’t be content as a couch potato and the behavior problems that arise from the frustration of not being fulfilled can be extremely challenging for their humans that dwell in an urban or suburban setting.

While training can certainly help, if a dog has the genetics to do a particular job, it would take such an enormous amount of time and effort to train this behavior out of them. The time would be better spent giving them appropriate outlets to meet their needs. If a potential pet parent is unwilling to put in that time, another breed would likely be more suitable.

Finally, remember that individual personality matters, too

While breed plays a big role, there’s a lot of variance between individual dogs as well. This is important because a puppy’s personality should fit the lifestyle of the household. For example, a busy household that has children, children’s friends, and plenty of guests stopping by the house would be best suited to the puppy in the litter that is clamoring for attention and melts in the arms when held. It wouldn’t be fair to the shy puppy in the corner to be expected to endure a bustling home that’s just not in their nature to thrive in.

The best way to know a puppy’s personality is to speak with the person that raised them. However, if the circumstance doesn’t allow for this, there are some other ways to get to know their personality. If you get a chance to meet your puppy before bringing them home, here’s what to look for.

A few behaviors to watch for to understand a puppy’s personality:

When interacting with the litter, it’s helpful to consider the expectations for interaction on a daily basis. For example:

• An independent person may prefer a dog that is satisfied with a quick belly rub and then goes off to enjoy their own personal space. If this is desired, it’s helpful to observe the litter to see which puppy came up for a greeting and then happily walked off to play with their toys.
• Looking for a dog to join you on hikes, errands, trips, canine sports, and more? Try sitting with the litter and see who keeps choosing to interact by bringing their toys and choosing close proximity. By walking around, it’s helpful to see who follows and keeps choosing the human interaction. After tossing a toy, the puppy that chooses to bring it back to continue the interaction would be a good choice for a home eager to adopt a dog that is highly sociable.

Remember that observing a puppy’s behavior on adoption day is just a glimpse into their personality during a short window of time. It’s a good idea to start training early to ensure there’s a trainer on board to help navigate unexpected personality traits and behavior changes and share strategies to help the new puppy thrive in their new home.

Deciding where to get your dog

Choosing a reputable breeder

If a potential puppy parent has decided to purchase their puppy from a breeder, there are a few ways to ensure they are a reputable choice. A good breeder will ask an interested individual just as many questions as they are asked, because they want to ensure that each puppy they have raised goes to the right home. A reputable breeder knows each individual puppy’s personality by heart, and can tell each family which puppy is best suited to their lifestyle. A question such as, “What have you done to socialize the puppies to people, surfaces, sounds, handling, and experiences?” will quickly differentiate a breeder who has put time and effort into preparing the litter for the complexities of living as a pet dog, and someone who is just selling dogs for profit.

Adopting a puppy from a shelter or a rescue

Shelters and rescues can be an excellent source to adopt a new puppy. Reputable rescue organizations that have the resources will often place puppies in foster homes until they are old enough to be adopted. This is helpful because they can give you information about their personalities and have hopefully done some socialization with the pups in their care.

Final thoughts

It’s easy to get swept away by tail wags and puppy kisses, but we want to ensure that the puppy we choose will have the best life possible given their genetics and personality traits. Every puppy will need to be socialized and trained to know what is safe and acceptable in human society, but it’s always easier to start the foundation of a lifelong companionship with a puppy whose size, breed, and personality is suitable for the household and environment in which they will live.

Photo by Chris Arthur-Collins on Unsplash