What qualities/characteristics do you look for when buying or adopting a puppy?

Answer 1

When I look for a puppy, before I even go out looking I think about the qualities I want in a dog. Do I want an energetic, playful canine friend? Then I will look for the puppy in the litter that's energetic, outgoing, playful, and not shy. He or she should walk right up to me and nibble my shoes or my fingers (don't worry, we will deal with mouthy puppy later!). If I am looking for a guard dog or a more macho dog, I will look for the puppy who seems more aggressive with his or her litter mates. If he or she is tugging the other puppy's ears and always wants to be on the top of the pile, it's a good indicator that he or she will keep a hold of that aggressive personality. If I am wanting a sweet, gentle dog, then I will look for the puppy who is more gentle (probably at the bottom of the "dogpile"!) and who is content to sit in my arms and lick or gently chew my fingers or nose. One thing that I think is important is to always look for a healthy puppy. Make sure there is no discharge from the eyes, ears, and/or nose, and make sure that the puppy isn't acting sick or too lethargic. Also, I think it's better to stay away from a nervous or antisocial puppy. If you try to pick one up and it runs away from you, that's not a good sign. Keep in mind that all puppies are lively and noisy and energetic, and these behaviors will calm down as the dog gets older (as long as he or she is well socialized and gets plenty of excersise). Oh, and one last thing, always pick the dog with the personality that suits you over the looks that you like the best, and always ALWAYS do research on the breed of dog you like. If you are looking for a running companion, don't get a Basset Hound! Vice versa, if you are looking for a lazy house dog, don't get a Labrador Retriever! : ) Good luck!

PS~ Please get your new friend spayed or neutered! There are too many homeless pets out there! : )

Answer 2

there are a couple of things that are a NEED if/when i get a puppy.

1. how big does this breed grow.
if i'm living in a small apartment, having a great dane pup might not be the best idea if you know what i mean. not to mention that it will help determine how much food (and what type) you will be buying now and in the future.

2. how long does the fur grow.
all dogs shed fur... some dogs shed fur a LOT. for some, the long beautiful fur of that particular breed (or mutt, they're all lovable :D) might get all over the furniture... and you as well. if you don't mind the higher maintenence, then cool. but at least find out so it doesn't blindside you later.

3. temperment.
some dogs are more suited to open ranges and large yards than to an apartment. this is a huge factor in choosing a puppy since it may make your dog of choice unhappy with it's surroundings... and then they might "cut loose" when they next get a chance (which might cause problems... especially if they're a very energetic breed and have been confined all day at home).

4. problems with the breed.
some breeds have some genetic problems (such as joint problems and a eye problems). aside from taking the pup to the vet to get checked out (which you should do to all dogs regardless of breed) make sure you know what you might be getting yourself into by reading up on the possible problems that might occure with that particular breed.

after getting informed, and knowing what i'm getting myself into, i go with whichever pup strikes my fancy :D

Answer 3

The first thing is an understanding of the particular breed characteristics. So many people are so overwelmed by the cuteness factor. The other issues that must be considered is how much time, energy and patience do you have to put towards 'raising' a puppy? Some require lots more obedience/training than others. What are looking for, a lap dog? A running mate? A pal? Some dogs tend to be one person dogs, Healers for example. Whereas others tend to be more social, labs for example.

The number one thing I stress everyday is, take your time. Impulse adoptions are usually short lived joys that become more work than expected. Its a 90 day adjustment for the dog, and a lifetime commitment for you.

Answer 4

First you want to match your qualities with that of your new family member. If you dont have a lot of time to devote to training, you may want to consider adopting an older pet from a rescue or shelter. There are a lot of quality animals available.

Once you have decided on a type, always physical characteristics first
check the teeth and gums - pink etc.
Check the eyes, clear - bright
check the ears - should be free of infection
check anus/privates - no discharge

Next Personality,
you will want to observe your puppy with its littermates if possible, you will be able to tell alot about their personality by watching how they play - are they aggressive? are they too submissive, most healthy puppies will bite /nibble you so I dont think this is a good indication of temperment. It is the vigor with which they bite or nip you.

Hope this helps and good luck with your search.
Find a vet first, make an appt within 24 hours of adopting your new pet, most breeders give you a 3-4 day policy for full refund.

Answer 5

Suitability with your lifestyle is a must. If you are active, find a breed that can do activities with you. If you're a stay-at-home type, find a dog with a more sedentary temperament. We adopted 2 beagle dogs from shelters and they are wonderful. Beagles are known to be a family oriented and friendly breed, but be careful. Each breed has its quirks and every dog is different, so don't base your decision on breed alone.

Find a reputable breeder or shelter. Don't go to pet stores or puppy mills since they mistreat and overbreed their dogs. I've found that if you adopt a slightly older dog, they are probably already house trained (as was the case with both of our dogs who were 3 and 4 years old) and their energy level will not be as high as new borns. Puppies will need house breaking.

We live in an apartment, so that is also a consideration. We have to walk our dogs for a while rather than just let them loose in the backyard, so it's a commitment.

When you meet the dog, take him/her for a walk to see how they respond to your leadership abilities. If you have other pets, you might want to bring them with you to see if they get along. See if the dog comes to you and how they behave. Are they too excited? Are they shy? Are they concerned or do they back away?

People tend to love friendly dogs that come up and jump on them and lick them, but remember that they may also behave that way to strangers that may not appreciate it, so they will need obedience training to learn to be calm.

Calm and warm dogs seem to be the best acclimated and require the least obedience work, but if you are going to giving the dog lots of attention and making the commitment to do what the dog needs, you should be fine!

Answer 6

having fostered rescue animals for 3 years, I am very picky as to who gets to adopt my dogs. Even a great dog is not the right dog for every family. First, do you really really want a puppy???? Do you want sleepless nights, messes on floors, furniture chewed, shoes destroyed?? Do you have hours a day to devote to love and training? Keep in mind, a puppy should not be left alone for more than 3 hrs at a time - will your schedule allow that? If not, consider an adult dog that may not require so much work. If so - continue on, but the following applies to adopting either a puppy or an adult animal.

Now you have to decide what size dog - that is first and formost. If you love labs, but have no yard and not time for exercise, you are not doing them or yourself any favors. So, once you narrow it down to small, medium or large - this will help you narrow down breed choices, and then do some research on breeds you want to consider - but keep in mind each animal is very individual, and while they may have the "expected" temperment, good or bad for that breed, then again they simply may not.

Match your and your family's energy level with that of the dogs. This will make it so much easier to co-exist with your pet. If you are truly a TV couch potato - find your canine equal. If you jogg 5 miles every morning, find yourself a running partner.

Next, test each and every animal for their temperment. Even very young puppies will show you if they feel they are the boss. Basically, there is an alpha dog born into every litter. For any dog, you can roll them onto their back and see if they remain in this submissive stance. If they cry, wriggle or fight you, odds are it's an alpha dog. Which isn't bad, will just mean you need to know that you have to immediatly show the dog who's boss and set down rules, otherwise, it will be come the master. Alpha dogs are much more difficult to also introduce new dogs to, as they tend so show more agression. Make sure if you look the dog directly in the eyes, that it averts it's stare. Otherwise, that is considered a challenge in the canine world, and if it does not look away, it's tell you game on.

There is no set rule to males vs. female, so don't get hung up on that. I have see people fall absolutly in love with a pup, just to discover it wasn't the right sex, and then adopt another dog. Guess what, that dog usually ends up being returned, as it truly didn't have their new owners heart from the get go. If it's the size you want, has the personality you are looking for, and will fit into your household - who cares if it's a boy or a girl!

Then, make sure you give your animal consistant training and instruction along with much love. This is now a member of your family, and needs to feel like it is part of the pack. This will create a bond that will last the animals lifetime. Which also, you need to remember, that if you are not willing or able to care for this new pet for it's lifetime - don't get it. They are not disposable. 90% of animals that end up at shelters are destroyed, they do not find new and loving homes. So, if you are not in for the long haul - don't even consider getting a pet.

I hope all, if not at least some of this was helpful

Answer 7

#1: Either choose a reputable breeder who has access to records of parentage, preferably with the dam and sire on site...(mom and Dad of your pup) so you can meet the parents....or choose a dog from a shelter. There are lots of puppies and older dogs in need of homes at shelters.

#2 Look for bright eyes, healthy teeth and a friendly personality. You want a dog who will come up to you..not cringe away and hide...but at the same time, you do not want an overly agressive pup who is defensive and growling at you.

#3 look for dogs/puppies that have been raised with other dogs, or otherwise socialized.

#4 No matter what dog you get, get a vet you can trust, and have your new dog checked out asap after taking your dog home. Get all necessary shots, get your puppy wormed and general checkup. Schedule to have spay/neutering done, depending on the age of the puppy. There are too many unwanted animals already...do not leave your dog "intact" and run the risk of creating more unwanted dogs.

Answer 8

I adopt from the shelter, so my criteria is based on that.

Size/breed, first and foremost. I have a smaller house, so I can't have a huge dog like a Great Dane, or an active dog like a Border Collie -- my house is about the perfect size for my semi-lazy 80lb Pitbull/Lab mix, but I could never add another dog, because there just isn't enough room.

Temperament is secondary for me; I don't want an overly submissive dog, or one that is terrified of everything. On the other hand, I don't want one that is aggressive toward everything, as I don't have time to work through that with it. I also like to see some intelligence in a dog. Whether it gets along with cats is also important, though if it's young it can easily be trained out of cat chasing. Older dogs that have a history of killing cats is not a dog I would adopt, however, for the safety of my own cat.

Health is third, but dogs are fairly tough creatures, so a minor URI is not anything I concern myself with. A handicapped dog, or one that's deaf or blind is something I'd have to think twice about, and if I really have the time to dedicate to it.

Other than that, I usually go by who "picks me". When I adopted my own dog, I did so because he was the one who was truly interested in us -- unlike the other dogs who would rather sniff or interact with other dogs, he wanted to be with us, and play with us.

Answer 9

Choice a puppy is a very important step because a dog implies a commitment from 10 to 15 years of common life.

The first thing to wonder it is if we live in an adequate environment for a grown-up dog because there will not stay in a puppy size, they grow-up at most six months. Have we as well autorisation required for example: a letter signed by the owner, an extract of the regulations of our building or of our municipality, etc. Do all the members of the family wish to share their life with a dog for the next 10 or 15 years? If you have children, this is well to give them responsibilities, but don't forget that some day the responsibility will fall maybe to you . Are we certain to choose the race which is convenient for us in short and long term? Those simples questions are very important, because to adopt a puppy it's take a serious commitment to them, your family and you. It's too frequent to look puppies abandoned after some months because someone had taken time to do enlightened choice being bouth it.

The decision is taken you are ready? How to choose the good puppy, the one who will answer your expectations, who will have the temperament for which you hope?
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What type of puppy should we acquire?

Age

Your puppy should have approximately 8 weeks or more, because at this age it acquired the identification to his pair and is ready to live the detachment with his mother.

Companion dog

When one wishes a dog exclusively for company, especially in families containing old persons or children, the choice turns out major. It is necessary to choose a puppy with a lively temperament but not too much, a very good obedience and a profound sociability, an average or weak possessivite, an aggressiveness and a fighting spirit averagely reduced. It's disadvised on the other hand, to look for an animal to the strong personality. It's not necessary either that the puppy was a good subject for exhibition. The dog of company should be socialized as quickly as possible. It will be advisable to take him in walk, to show to him many things, persons and animals and to make him participate in a collective dog training like the pre-maternal in the obedience. It's necessary to understand that a good dog have a good teacher, a good boss. To be a good boss it is necessary to learn how to educate its dog, how to teach them.


Show dog

If you wish a dog for exhibition it will be necessary to specify that to the breeder, because this one reserves the first one and sometimes the second choice to the buyers who will present them on the " ring" in show. It is impossible to assure that the puppy, grown-up time will be a champion, however by acquiring a puppy issued from a lineage of champions and by knowing well the standards of the race you already have a better hope. Beyond the physical attributes, the dog of exhibition should possess very precise characteristics: a profound sociability, a good obedience, not enough aggressiveness and fighting spirit, a lively temperament and especially it should have what one calls "the sense of the ring ", a natural attitude to show themself. A dog of exhibition will not only be sociabilise with the human beings, but also with these congeners. It should also have to prepare to like transport in car from very young. The training under various aspect will be very important so much for the handler.

Guard and defense dog

The characteristics of a guard and defense dog are not defenit by the sex. The dog should have a lively temperament, a profound fighting spirit, a pointed attentiveness, a big sociability, a very good obedience quality and a very net curiosity. The training up to the infringement of the diploma of level obedience 3 and protection is imperative itself to strengthen these characteristics and to keep the control over the dog. Please, remind that a quite dog will always stay with dog instinct, be careful with guard education.

Finally it is necessary to know …

In a litter all puppies are different even if they arise from same parents. To look at the children of the same family did they all take the same physical and physionomy? and the temperament as those of dad or mom? Or a little of the grandparents? Also for puppies they are different some of the others. It is frequent that in a litter the ideal companion has no qualities of conformation required to become a champion within his race. Samething,, a dog having a promising conformation have'not especially the temperament required to be your ideal companion. The question to wonder is also simple as: Do you firstable want a good companion and is'it important he have the sense of the ring ? If yes you want a futur champion because you hope to present your dog in show it will be important to speak about it with the breeder.
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Answer 10

I look for a happy, cheerful puppy that looks and acts healthy, free of fleas and parasites, with a good temperament. There are a number of simple behavioral tests you can do to determine a little bit about its personality - there are books on that subject. It's best if the parents (at least the mom) are on site. I also like to see that the puppies are in clean conditions and that people have cared for them properly and they have had their first shots and vet check. I found this website that helps:

http://www.peninsulahumanesociety.org/adopt/puppy.html