When it's time to actually choose your indidvidual puppy (from the responsible breeder you've chosen!) you may discover that the breeder chooses for you, rather than allowing you to choose for yourself! Sometimes breeders feel they know their puppies better than anyone else - and that's quite probably true. Responsible breeders may screen and select homes for their puppies. They may also turn away people whose living, commitment or home situation does not fit their ideal home setting. So if your breeder interviews YOU first, that's a good sign!

But how do you go about choosing a puppy if you are offered the chance? The first thing you should do is to check the appearance of the mother and puppies. Do they appear healthy? Are they happy and playful around you? Are their eyes clear and bright, free of any discharge? Are their coats shiny? The nursing mother's coat may be thin and patchy, even missing spots of hair. This is a normal hormonal reaction to giving birth - but you can check her personality and her response to the breeder. She should not seem afraid of people, or out of place in the house. (Signs that she's not normall kept indoors with the family.) If you can, pet and fuss over the parents, checking their temperaments. You want to look for any signs of aggression, fearfulness, nervousness, or any behavior problem symptoms such as chewing feet, tail, or skin damage. Do the dogs pace around away from you or seem wary or distant? This is especially important in the mother, as the puppies are in close contact with her. It has been shown that the mother shapes the behavioral future of the offspring. While her genetics are the foundation, the care and upbringing the puppies get from her are just as important.

So now it's time to sit down and make a decision from all of these adorable puppies! How do you tell them apart to choose the one to come home with you? Many times people say, "our little puppy chose us" which is great if it works out to be a good match. So here are some general concepts to consider - and remember, they are not always 100% accurate, but we have found them to be good indicators:

• Bold brash "come to you first" puppies are often the most adventuresome and mischievous. They're curious, eager and inquisitive. Do you want to live with that ALL the time? Pug puppies are much more active than adults during their first year or two. Add on this tendency to get into things, and it may be more than you want or expect to handle.



• Those pups who hang back, are a little reserved but then warm up, tend to be more loving and cuddling as adults. An advantage for their reserved nature is that they are not likely to run to strangers immediately as adults. For a breeder producing show puppies, this type may look beautiful, but the temperment is not suited for the show ring.



• The pup who is not afraid, but never does come to you, remaining stand-offish, is going to be an independent dog who may require that you earn his trust. While very unusual in a Pug, it does happen. You may consider this one a little out of the ordinary - this Pug may NOT follow you into the bathroom every time!



• Any pup who runs away from you, is fearful and overly afraid may have social or psychological issues. Did something happen to the mother after the litter was born? Have the puppies been allowed to play together and learn learn together? A fearful Pug should only be chosen if you understand you may spend years reassuring it that your family is not going to abuse it. And while you may think you can make it come around eventually, is it something you're willing to commit to for ten years or more?

Spending time with the entire litter and observing them all together will help you to identify those with good, outgoing personalities. They’ll be in the middle of all the play, friendly and trusting, and not dominant nor submissive among the littermates. You will probably be able to pick out these three types of pups:

• outgoing, bossy, dominant and noisy;
• quiet, submissive, sweet and gentle;
• delicate or picked on, possibly the runt.

Puppies who have been handled properly won't fight or struggle to get down when you pick them up (securely supporting them). Ask yourself some obvious question: Does the puppy seem to enjoy being with people? Is it overly afraid of sounds or sudden movements? Most of this is common sense and you don't need books or a degree to see if there are any issues with the puppies. And anything is better than saying simply, "I want a tan one."

You’ve picked out your puppy and paid the bill. It is six weeks of age and you want the puppy now! However the breeder says you can’t take it home for seven more days. They say they always keep the puppies with the mother and littermates until they are 49 days of age. Exactly seven weeks! While you may be disappointed, in our opinion you are very lucky. You are working with a breeder who is worried more about doing what is right for the dog than getting out of an additional week of puppy cleaning duties.

It may seem very subjective, but it has been shown by several animal behaviorists that this is what’s best for the puppy. They should stay within their litter situation until they are 49 days of age and then immediately go to their new homes. Through seven weeks of age, the pups are still gaining from the interaction with their mother and littermates. This will help the puppy later in life when she is confronted by other dogs. Being in the presence of its littermates gives the puppy more confidence when she encounters new experiences. These could be anything from a loud noise, fences that need to be climbed over or through, a large object like a tree or the sound and sensation of the wind in her face.

The puppy still needs to be around people. That will never change. In fact, it’s very important for a six-week-old puppy. If the breeder does not have young children play with the puppy or is running short on time, you should plan on spending time at the kennel during the next few days if it’s at all possible. Your responsibilities started the day you said you wanted that puppy.