Pre-Pet Planning> How to Choose a Puppy

Text by: Tanya Munshi
You think of little cuddly creatures running havoc in your house. With a little bark and a yelp, their excitement shines bright in their naughty eyes. Their wet and cold nose is their tool to look up things tucked far away in your room. That’s what you can expect when you get a playful puppy in your house.

While picking a pet is an entirely a personal choice, here are some general tips for you to identify a healthy puppy from a not so healthy one, just so that a breeder/ pet shop owner does not sell an unhealthy pup to you.

Pick a pup that is playful and an extrovert. When you visit a pet shop/ breeder watch which pups come to you to play on their own. If possible, play with the parent dog to see how the pup will be once it grows up.

Shy pups are more of an introvert and timid. Not that they won’t love you just as much and not play with you, its just that shy pups will need some more time and effort to make them a little bolder. So, if you have the luxury of time then a shy pup shouldn’t be a problem.

Play with a few pups. Avoid the aggressive ones, especially the ones who nip or terrorize other pups. As it grows up, the pup will continue to be aggressive and you may have to spend more time to train it.

Check the puppy’s fur for smoothness. It should be shiny, soft and silky. Pups with a little rough coat are a sign of not being completely healthy.

Watch how the pups run, romp and walk. As long as they walk and run in even steps is fine. Any wobbly steps would mean some ailment with the spine or leg.

It is not very easy to choose a pet. No matter how practical you try while choosing a pup, emotions do creep in. There are several people who knowingly have adopted pups with medical problems that are either too weak or born with a disability. For a true animal lover, a pet is more of a companion, with whom one can shower all his/her love and get a dose of unadulterated affection from their furry friend.