Picking a puppy from a litter

Question
We are going to see Golden Retriever puppies and wanted some irecommendations on what to look for and how to pick the right one for us. We are pretty active; have an 11 year old boy and I work from home.

Any suggestions would be helpful.
Thanks.

Answer
Hi Valerie,

Few things are as exciting as picking a new puppy!

For starters, talk to the breeder regarding all of the the puppy's personalities, your own lifestyle, and your wish-list of wants. A good breeder will want only the best for his or her pups, and try to match you to the puppy that fits best into your lifestyle.

Check to make sure that the puppies all appear to be healthy with no unusual discharges from the eyes, nose, or anus. They all should be active bundles of pudgy joy.

While within a breed you should be able to expect general trends in activity level, dominance and temperament, each puppy is an individual with its own unique style. Within a litter you will find puppies that are more or less dominant with more or less energy. Just as you wouldn't expect all your children to be cookie-cutter replicas of each other, don't expect this from the puppies either.

Take the time to observe and interact with the puppies to determine their individual personality traits. Because there are too many factors that can influence how a puppy reacts in a single testing session, (Is he tired? Did he just eat? Is he just having an off day?) this is where the breeder knowing  the pups can really help, especially if you can't visit the puppies more than once.

But bear in mind that what you see in a young puppy is just an indicator and is not an absolute. The experiences the puppy has once he goes to your home will also determine what he (or she) grows up to be.

In a well-bred litter from a responsible breeder, don't worry about getting the last-pick puppy. Each and every puppy in their litters will receive all of the necessary care and attention that they need in order to grow up into happy, secure adults. Also, don't be demanding that you get the "pick" of the litter unless you intend to show the dog (and even that's no guarantee.)

If you are interested in a dog that is barking at you, try to figure out why he or she is barking. Is it because he or she is scared, or is the pup trying to be friendly? Fearful dogs will bark and could possibly grow up to be aggressive. You should be able to tell if the dog is saying "Hello" or "Stay away from me, I don't like you."

Take each puppy you are interested in away from their litter mates. How does he or she react? Is he or she cowering, jumpy, or nervous? Perhaps he or she is happy, confident and ready to investigate your shoe strings? When you walk away from the puppy and call him or her, what kind of reaction do you get? If the puppy is interested in you, he or she will come to you. If the puppy is not interested in you, or is very independent, he or she will ignore you. All of these reactions are a clue and an inside peek into the dog's personality.

Next, hold each puppy you are interested in like an infant. If the dog resists laying on his or her back, it may be very stubborn. If the puppy is afraid and wide-eyed, he or she may need extra coaxing and love. The puppy that tries to right itself, but then relaxes and continues this pattern is considered a middle-of-the-road pup. He or she is probably going to be very easy to work with.

There is no magic way to be sure you get the perfect puppy for your lifestyle. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. In the long run, you need to be comfortable with the decision. If you're looking for some hard and fast rules, there are none. There are however, give you some general guidelines:

Since your son is  older, and active, go for an active puppy but with lower dominant behaviors. (Dominance and activity level are not the same thing).

If you have never had a dog before, go for the middle- of-the-road puppy or a laid-back puppy. A less dominant personality in the puppy will make it easier for you to take control from the start.

If you have had dogs before and been successful in training them, then you are in the position of being able to pick any puppy.

Here is a website with lots of helpful info to consider when picking out a puppy, and for when you brings it home:

http://www.houssen.com/pdf/pupbook.pdf

Best of luck!
Patti