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Pet Tracks
CHECKING PUPPY PERSONALITY
Jan Jaeger
The personality of the key players is an important part of any relationship, and just as it is important to have a good personality match in a human relationship, having a good personality match with your pet is also critical to long-term success.
If you are in the market for a puppy, first you need to do your homework on the type of pet that will best suit your needs and the needs of your family. Hopefully, you have already considered the various breed characteristics and temperaments, pet size, grooming and maintenance needs and your family's lifestyle and living environment. You have now narrowed down your requirements and have begun researching puppy availability and finding breeders.
The unfortunate facts of island living are the isolation and accessibility issues. For many, the breeder has to be the decision maker when it comes to picking out a puppy from the litter. This is not necessarily a bad thing, for no one knows their pups like the breeder. However, if you are able to make a personal visit, you can use this opportunity to make further assessments, not only about the breeding establishment, but about the puppies as well.
I remember the first time we went shopping for a Chessie puppy, admittedly, not the easiest breed to find. We were thrilled to locate two breeders within 100 miles. At our first stop, the breeder took us out to a motor home parked on their property and brought out a puppy for us to see. They seemed to think it unusual we asked to see the parents, and as I recall, we were only introduced to the father, not to the mother. We decided to try the second breeder, a home setting, not a kennel, and this is where we found our beloved and legendary Geronimo.
When you are able to visit the home or business where puppies are being sold, you have an opportunity to assess the living conditions of your puppy. If the kennel area is clean and the pups are well tended and handled, this a good sign. I think seeing the mother is a good idea, although taking care of a litter can be taxing and she might not look her best, you can still get a sense of her temperament and general condition.
Observe the puppies with
the litter; see how they interact with each other. The alpha and shy one should be easy to pick out. If a pup gets your attention by barking, try to determine why; is it barking to get your attention and be friendly, or is it barking because it is fearful. Remove the puppy you like from its littermates and see what reaction this causes. Is it nervous or frightened, or self-confident and happy?
Puppy temperaments fall into five categories. Type A is the dominant, rebellious personality, one which requires an experienced handler to cope with its challenging spirit. This dog would make an excellent watch dog if properly trained, but is not recommended as a pet for the typical owner. Type B is independent and self-assured, a good choice for an adult family as a pet or working dog, but one that will still need a firm hand and benefits from consistent training. Type C and D are docile, obedient and stable and are good choices for the family with young children, although Type D is more sensitive and has stronger needs for affection. Type E is timid, anxious and unpredictable and is therefore somewhat risky for a home with young children.
If you are looking at puppies between 6-8 weeks old, there are a couple of simple tests that can help pinpoint their personality type. The letter answer should be indicative of its personality type. The following personality tests were from the Bulldog Information site on the Internet, but I think they are applicable to assessing most breeds.
For Sociability: Put the puppy on the floor, move away, and then attract it by clapping your hands.
A.Pup moves in your direction, jumps or chews at your hands. B.Comes immediately, tail high. C.Comes and wags its tail. D.Comes with a low tail. E.Doesn't move at all in your direction.
Tendency to Follow: Move around the puppy first, then move out of its visual field, without calling it. A.Follows you, chewing at your feet. B.Follows you, tail high. C.Follows you, tail low. D.Follows you, hesitating, tail low. E.Doesn't follow you.
Acceptance of Constraint: Hold the puppy like a baby, on its back. A.Pup struggles and resists, chewing and growling. B.Struggles and resists, not chewing or growling. C.Resists at first, then calms down and licks your hands. D.Doesn't resist at all and licks your hands. E.Behaves inconsistently; first resists, then calms down, starts growling and struggling again.
Acceptance of Dominance: Start stroking the puppy, first its head, then neck and back. A.Jumps up, scratches, growls and bites. B.Jumps up, scratches. C.Turns around, licks your hands. D.Turns on its back, licks your hands. E.Moves away.
Elevation Test: Lift the puppy from the floor, with both hands under rib cage. A.Turns around vigorously, growls, bites. B.Turns around vigorously. C.Turns around, calms down, licks your hands. D.Doesn't turn around, licks your hands. E.Behaves inconsistently, resists or shivers, then calms down, then growls or bites, then licks your hands.
These tests are not foolproof, of course, but they might give you more information to help guide you in puppy selection. You probably won't get a 5 out of 5 response with these tests either, but again, they are intended as a supplemental tool to assist in your decision
making process. I
Jan Jaeger is owner of Geronimo's, Ltd., Nantucket's year-round pet supply and gift shop, and is a member of DWAA and CWA (Dog and Cat Writer's Associations of America). Her pets at home are Junior, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and three cats. At the shop are the cats, Messrs. Fish and Chips, Flower bunny, Willie guinea pig and three budgies. Send e-mail to jan@geronimos.com.
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