4 Ways To Determine Whether A Puppy Is A Good Fit For You Before You Bring It Home
Posted on: 12 April 2016
Once you have decided to adopt a puppy, you may be concerned about making the right choice. After all, the new pet will become a treasured member of your family. Thus, the decision should not be made haphazardly. Still, there are some tests that you can perform on a puppy before you make your selection. Here are a few things you can do to help discover whether a puppy is a good fit for you before you bring it home:
Rub Its Tummy.
As you narrow your selection of puppies, roll each pup onto its back to expose its tummy. Dogs with different temperaments will respond differently to this action. A puppy that is docile and easy-going will lie still as you roll it over and rub its abdomen. However, a dog with a more aggressive temperament will protest by wiggling, whining or even nipping at you to maintain control of its body.
If you are certain that you would like a puppy with more of an aggressive nature, be sure that you have plans for proper training. This will be especially important if you have small children in your home. An aggressive puppy may feel that it should be in control of your living space instead of you and your family.
Touch Its Paws
If a puppy does not mind you holding its two front paws for a period, it is already showing signs of submission. The animal may be more easily trained than a puppy that has a more aggressive temperament.
A puppy with an aggressive nature may resist having its front paws held for any length of time. To protest, the animal may start to growl or snap at you. If holding the two front paws does not elicit a response, try gently holding onto the pup's back paws. The motion should not harm the puppy in any way, but it does remove some of the animal's control.
Small children may regularly touch a puppy's paws during times of play or even just out of curiosity. Therefore, it is important to understand the puppy's response to these types of actions before it is adopted.
Gently Tug on the Ears.
By playing with a puppy's ears or gently tugging at them, you can have a preview of what will happen during play times with your new puppy when it comes home with you. A puppy that licks your hands and views the tugging as a career instead of an aggressive act will likely fit well with a family that is more relaxed in nature. This is also true of a puppy that does not mind its tail being gently tugged.
Bring Along Any Other Canine Pets.
It will be important for your new puppy to connect well with any other dogs that are already a part of your family. By allowing a supervised meeting between the puppy and your other canine pets, you can help determine whether or not the puppy will fit seamlessly into your family.
To learn more about choosing the perfect puppy, visit a pet adoption agency in your area.
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