HOW TO ASSESS PUPPY PERSONALITY

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HOW TO ASSESS
PUPPY PERSONALITY

HANDLING DURING FORMATIVE WEEKS:
Puppies require a lot of healthy human contact to prevent them from being afraid of people, especially between the third and sixteenth weeks of life. A reputable breeder will have extensive hands-on contact with your puppy during this stage of life. When you obtain your puppy at around 8 weeks of age, you may want to ensure that the puppy has human contact with a variety of people. SPECIAL NOTE: It is not safe for your puppy to have contact with dogs or dog feces during this time, but familiarity with a variety of humans is safe and very important.

Does your puppy seek human contact or withdraw?
When evaluating a puppy, pay attention to whether they seek human contact or withdraw. Puppies that withdraw, may need a calmer approach to training. Remember, each puppy has individual needs. A reputable breeder can help match you with a desirable pup and a good trainer may help you train your puppy taking in their individual needs.

How does the puppy respond when you hold it on his/her back for a few minutes?
A very dominate puppy will struggle to regain control, a timid puppy will show signs of fear, and a beta puppy will be somewhat relaxed (given that puppies are generally wiggly). Most pups are different at different times. Pay attention to the trend. A dominate puppy means you will need to spend more time getting it's attention. A fearful pup needs to be exposed gently to new situations and require extra attention to boost their confidence. You are hopefully working toward a balanced pup that will be confident and poised in a variety of situations.

How does your puppy respond to being groomed?
Companion dogs require grooming, period. Puppies need to become accustomed to being groomed early in life. It's a wonderful opportunity for human contact and serves as an early training lesson in cooperation. Make it a positive, gentle experience and your work will pay off well over the years :)