The puppy’s temperament
There are always different personalities in a litter. Some puppies are calmer, others are more high-energy. Some are bolder and some a bit more cautious.
If you want to compete with your dog, you shouldn’t choose the calmest puppy in the litter. At the same time, if you want a companion dog, you shouldn’t pick the wildest one. Try to find a puppy that matches your own personality. Also remember that a puppy’s character can change from one day to the next, depending on where it is in its developmental stages.
Your knowledge and your puppy’s
You need to learn to understand a puppy’s needs and personality. You also have to teach your puppy many things you yourself may never have thought about or practiced before. If you place the wrong kinds of demands on the puppy, it can have unfortunate consequences for the dog.
If you’ve never had a dog before, you’ll be like a first-time parent. You may want too much and set overly high goals compared to your level of knowledge, which can sometimes lead to frustration. Many puppies quickly learn what the word “no” means, but they probably haven’t understood what they themselves did wrong.
Ideally, don’t buy a puppy that has grown up as a single puppy in the litter, since it won’t have had the important social training that comes from interacting with other puppies of the same age.
What is the mother dog like with the puppies?
The mother of the puppies is a very important factor. Be wary if the breeder doesn’t have the mother dog at home or, for some reason, won’t let you meet her. If the same thing happens on further visits, choose another breeder. Not all parents are good at raising their young, and this applies just as much to dogs as to humans. Some bitches are uninterested in the puppies, sometimes even afraid of them, and are therefore minimally involved in their development. Remember that choosing the right mother for your puppy is just as important as choosing the right puppy.
Ask the breeder for help – they’ve lived with the puppies for many weeks and have observed them closely. Read more in the article “Uppfödarens kompetens och engagemang” (The breeder’s competence and commitment).
Insurance
Through our partner Trygg-Hansa, you can insure your puppy from 6 weeks of age. The best option is to take out insurance from the day you pick up the puppy from the breeder, and preferably before the puppy is 4 months old. If you insure your puppy before 6 months of age, you also receive a 25% discount for the first year.
