PETS Puppy Personality By Tresa Erickson Watching a littler of puppies can be great fun. Taking one home, on the other hand, is another matter. A litter of puppies is like a nursery of newborns. No two are alike. Each has its own personality, which may or may not complement the personalities in your home. While you know what newborn you are bringing home, you may have no idea with the puppies. You want to look for one with the right temperament for your home. Watch a litter of puppies for a while, and you will begin to see different temperaments emerge. Some puppies may be leaders. Some may be followers. Some may be adventurous and leave their mother’s side the first chance they get. Some may stick close to home. Some may run right up to you. Some may hold back. When you are contemplating adoption, it pays to study the litter and zero in on the puppies with the right temperament for you. Before you start the search for the right pup personality, you need to consider the personalities in your home. Who else resides in the home? What are they like? While a loud, energetic pup might suit your kids, it might make your calm, reserved live-in father-in-law a nervous wreck. Look for a pup that will suit all of the people residing in your home. Keep in mind that pup personalities may be both a product of nature and a product of nurture. Cocker spaniels, for example, are generally affectionate animals and highly tolerant of kids. A cocker spaniel that has not been raised with kids, however, may not be as fond of them. If you’re looking at a new litter of pups, you may not need to worry as much about nurture. If the pups are older, nature and nurture are both sure to be at work. You might be able to mold particular facets of a pup’s personality, but you won’t be able to completely change it. When you come across a litter of interest, study it for a while and select a few pups of interest. Then, observe the following: • Approach. Does the puppy appear to like people? Does it come up to you? How does it interact with other puppies? Dominant dogs will take the lead in almost everything. Submissive dogs will stand back and try to blend in with the crowd. They are more watchers than doers and could be easier to train. • Feeding. How do the puppies interact at feeding time? Dominant, aggressive puppies will get to the food first. More submissive pups will hang back and wait for their turn. If you have more than one dog at home already, you may want a more dominant pup to ensure it gets fed. • Touch. Puppies react to touch differently. Friendly pups do not mind being held and stroked. Less friendly pups may prefer to be touched on their terms or not at all. Roll the pup of interest on its back and see if it will let you rub its tummy. Squeeze its paws and stroke its ears and tail. The more affectionate it appears, the easier time it may have around kids. Every pup you come across will have a different personality. Some will be playful and energetic and crave attention. Some will be shy and reserved and require alone time. Look for a pup with a personality that works for you and your situation. Think of the people and the pets that live with you and look for a pet that will fit in with all.
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