How to Choose an Individual Puppy

Evaluating a Puppy's Temperament. The most common puppy temperament test consists of six easy-to-perform exercises. For this test to be valid, the puppy should be at least seven weeks old with the accuracy of the test declining as the puppy moves past that age. The results of the test reflect both the traits of the breed and traits of the individual puppies in the litter. When you look at a litter of puppies, take a pencil and paper. Before evaluating any of the puppies one-on-one, watch them when they are all together. Note any that seem to dominate the others and any that are overly submissive or bold and independent. Next, work with each puppy individually. Remove all of the other puppies so the others do not influence the one you are evaluating. As you complete each exercise, write down the puppy's reaction using the categories of normal, dominant, submissive and independent. Exercise 1 - Clap. The purpose of this exercise is to judge the tendency of the puppy toward social interaction and his level of confidence as opposed to dependence. Kneel about five feet from the puppy and clap your hands together lightly. Rate the puppy according to its reaction as follows: Normal: Puppy comes readily, tail up. Dominant: Puppy comes readily, tail up and may jump up toward you or bat at you with his paw. He may try to nip, lick or chew your hand. Submissive: Comes hesitantly, tail down. Independent: Doesn't come at all.
 
Exercise 2 - Following. The purpose of this exercise is to determine the puppy's tendency to follow. Get up and walk away from the puppy. Then squat down and encourage the puppy to come using both your voice and by lightly clapping your hands together. Normal: Puppy comes readily, tail up. Dominant: Puppy comes readily, tail up. May get under foot as you walk away. The puppy may jump up toward you or bat at you with his paw. He may try to nip, lick or chew your hand. Submissive: Comes with uncertainty, tail down. Independent: Wanders off, not paying any attention to you.
 
Exercise 3 - Rollover. The purpose of this exercise is to determine how the puppy reacts to stress when it is socially and/or physically dominated. Gently roll the puppy over onto its back. With one hand on his chest, hold him on his back for a full 30 seconds. Normal: He resists at first, but then accepts the situation with at least some eye contact. Dominant: He struggles the entire time. He might be vocal about his unhappiness and might nip or claw you. Submissive: He doesn't resist at all and might lick your hand. Independent: He doesn't resist at all and avoids eye contact.