Start by being passive
Step in with the puppies and be passive at first. This can give you an idea of which puppies are curious and socially interested. Then you can try sitting down and watching them. Look at how vigorously each puppy wags its tail, which indicates how interested it is in social contact. This can help you see which dogs are likely to enjoy cooperation.
Pick the puppy up
Pick up the puppies one at a time – of the sex you’ve chosen – and observe how each one reacts when lifted. Does it cling to your hand with its front legs and go still, does it growl, or does it allow itself to be picked up willingly? This can give you a hint as to whether the puppy hasn’t been handled enough in a positive way, or if it’s showing signs of anxiety.
Close to your face
Another test is to bring the puppy up to your face and talk to it calmly to see how it responds to your cooing. Does it repeatedly snap at your face, does it turn its head away and remain passive, or does it return your social greeting by licking your face and gently nibbling your hair? Whatever it does, the important thing is that it feels okay to you.
What is the puppy’s mother like?
Naturally, the mother is just as important as the breeder when it comes to how the puppies are raised. If the mother hasn’t cared for her pups, this will show in the puppies through poorer social behavior, such as not responding when she growls at them.
Put the puppy in an unfamiliar place
You can then test the puppies one by one in a place that is unfamiliar to them and see what each one does when you set it down. Wait a minute or so and watch what the puppy does and – regardless of what it does – quietly turn away from the puppy and slowly walk off. Does it follow you, turn in another direction, or stay where it is? It’s perfectly fine if the puppy is a bit cautious before it starts exploring its surroundings.
Ball test 1
Play is an important part of communication between humans and dogs. Roll a ball away from the puppy while gently holding it by the chest. Is it curious enough to follow and grab the ball? And what does it do after it has taken hold of the ball? Does it spontaneously come back without you having to call it, with just a bit of encouragement as it returns, or does it prefer to play with the ball on its own? Repeat the test 3–4 times to see whether the puppy behaves differently from one attempt to the next.
Tug-of-war test
You can also try a short game of tug-of-war with, for example, a glove or a sock to see whether it enjoys social play. If the puppy grabs quickly when you drag the sock in a zigzag pattern along the ground, let it tug for a while until its intensity in wanting the sock makes it try to pull back or shake its head. If that happens, loosen your grip, walk away, and sit down a short distance off without looking at the puppy. How does it behave now? The most desirable behavior is for the puppy to immediately seek contact and want to continue playing. The important part is not whether the puppy brings the glove or sock back, but whether it is interested in social contact with you. If the puppy does come back with the glove or sock, pet it, give the sock a gentle tug, and then trade it for a dog treat.
Ball test 2
You can also test by holding the puppy while you throw a ball, then immediately letting the puppy go to see how long it takes before it becomes engaged in finding the ball.
