What You Need to Know

When Picking Out a Puppy

Bringing a new puppy home is so exciting! But how do you know which puppy is right for you? This article will teach you how to pick a puppy.

Before plunging into puppy parenthood, make sure you are ready to care for an animal. Ask yourself if you have the time and energy to raise a puppy.

If you take on a puppy, you will be responsible for:

• Potty training
• Obedience training
• Crate training
• Socializing
• Correcting undesirable behaviors
• Walking and playing with your puppy
• Puppy-proofing your home
• Taking your puppy to the veterinarian

If all that sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is. So, don’t commit to a puppy until you are certain you are ready.

If you aren’t ready, consider adopting an adult dog. In many cases, fully grown dogs are not nearly as time-consuming as puppies.

Your puppy should fit your lifestyle. For example, high-energy dogs do best with active owners, while lazy canines are better suited to couch potatoes.

You must also consider how much time and money you are willing to put into grooming. If you don’t mind fussing over a labor-intensive coat and can afford a professional groomer, owning a high-maintenance pup won’t be a problem.

But if you don’t have the patience and money for those demanding coats, choose a breed with minimal grooming requirements.

You should also think about how much space you have. If you live in a small home with a tiny backyard, you probably shouldn’t get a puppy that will grow into a big dog.

These are all important considerations to keep in mind when picking out a puppy.

You can get a puppy from either a breeder or a shelter. Let’s take a look at both options.

Puppy Breeder

Purebred pups can be expensive, but buying one from a reputable breeder ensures you get the breed you want.

Just be sure to stay away from irresponsible breeders. A good breeder will:

• Welcome visitors
• Keep the puppies inside
• Readily answer your questions
• Breed responsibly
• Start socializing the puppies
• Begin the training process
• Provide buyers with important documents

Animal Shelter

If a purebred puppy is too expensive for you, consider adopting a rescued pup from your local animal shelter. The two main benefits of this option include:

1. Rescuing an animal that needs a good home.
2. A cheaper price tag. 

The downfall is you probably won’t know much about the puppy’s background and parents. But don’t worry. Just do your best to find out whatever you can. You can do that by:

• Meeting the puppy.
• Making several visits before deciding to adopt the puppy.
• Asking shelter staff how the puppy has behaved during interactions with them.

We should also point out that you might not get the exact breed you want. But that’s okay. When you find the perfect pup for you, your disappointment will quickly fade away.

When timing the arrival of your puppy, follow these guidelines:

• If possible, wait until the puppy is about 8-10 weeks old before bringing it home.
• Buy or adopt a puppy when your schedule opens up.  For example, if you know that work slows down during a certain time of the year, choose that time to pick out a puppy. 
• If your friends or family members are willing to help you out, plan to bring the puppy home when they are available to provide assistance.   

You’ve decided to either buy or adopt a puppy. You also know when to bring your furball home. Now comes the final decision.

Which puppy should you pick?

There isn’t always a clear answer to this question. That’s because most puppies don’t fully reveal their true personalities when they are still very young. Furthermore, your presence might cause the puppies to act differently than they normally would.

All that being said, you can still get an idea of what the puppy might be like by asking the breeder or shelter staff what they’ve observed and experienced.

And don’t worry too much. Training will greatly influence your puppy’s future behavior as an adult dog. That’s why it’s so important to train your pup well.

The process of picking out a puppy shouldn’t be rushed. So, take your time. Once you’ve settled on the right pup, you will be glad you did!