Do you know the ways a breeder’s decisions and actions will affect your dog’s future behavior? How do you pick the person you’re going to trust to determine your dog’s genetic temperament heritage, and to structure how your puppy will be treated in the critical early weeks?
A Good Start for Your Pup’s Behavior
Inherited traits affect a dog’s behavior in an infinite combination of ways. A timid dog who tends to retreat when frightened will present different behavior challenges than a timid dog who tends to react aggressively when frightened. A dog who has a strong protection attitude combined with steady nerves can be a stable family member.
It’s the sum of the various factors making up the temperament as a whole that you’ll be dealing with in your dog’s behavior. The better you understand the elements of the temperament, the more you can work with the dog to bring out the qualities you need and quiet the ones that could be problems.
Temperament is not just good or bad. The right temperament for one situation can be the wrong temperament for a different one. In many cases you can help shape the dog’s temperament to your needs. That depends on the raw material in the dog’s makeup, and a good breeder helps you obtain the right dog and understand how to best handle your dog.
Research continually turns up more ways the experiences in the first weeks of life affect a puppy’s future temperament. The breeder you choose for your puppy or dog will control this handling. Puppies need stimulation for their brains and nerves to form properly, and it needs to be the right stimulation.
The breeder will provide the environment in which your pup starts life. Stimulation and security are both important to the puppy’s developing brain, nerves, and belief system about life. Try to meet as many other dogs produced by the breeder as possible. Find out where and how the breeder cares for the mom and pups, and what activities are provided for the puppies in their time with the breeder.
The longer the breeder keeps your pup, the more opportunity there is for an expert in the breed to give your dog a great start. On the other hand, if the breeder is not doing the right work with the pup, staying too long in that environment will put the dog’s temperament at risk. You want to know that your pup is in the hands of such a breeder.
The pup’s health will affect future behavior, too, and health is a product of both genetics and environment. Some problems are unavoidable and can’t be anticipated, but you’re looking for a breeder who conscientiously tests for known genetic problems and cares for the mom and pups to keep them healthy. A dog who feels well and can move and be handled without pain is most likely to be able to learn the behavior that will be safe and pleasing to you.
The breeder will need to know you well enough to determine what kind of dog is going to fit your needs. It’s a good sign when a breeder wants to spend time learning about you. An expert breeder is the person in the best position to know the pups in a litter and choose which pup is best for which home. While people may think they want “pick of the litter,” it’s usually better for a breeder to play a major role in picking the right pup for you.
What a Good Breeder Means for Your Dog
A breeder who is an expert on the breed and in good standing with other breed experts is in an ideal position to help you with any dog behavior problems. The breeder should be one of the first people you call on about a behavior problem. When considering a breeder, think about whether you can picture yourself consulting this person.
Just as you need a veterinarian you feel comfortable communicating with, you need that comfort with a breeder. Ideally, you and the breeder will share some values, including the welfare of the dog and the safety of people who will come in contact with the dog.
A responsible breeder will remain available for the life of the dog to take the dog back and provide a home if you cannot. This is the bottom line of a breeder’s responsibility.
A breeder who accepts the responsibility of the pups for life is highly motivated to produce pups of good temperament who will have the best chance of succeeding in their homes. If you ever cannot keep your dog, this responsible breeder should be contacted and involved in rehoming the dog.
A dog’s death often represents the loss of an animal you see as a family member. A good breeder shares your sense of loss, and can be instrumental in helping you find a successor dog if that is what you want. Breeders tend to place a high priority on doing this for people who have given good homes to pups of theirs in the past.
Whether you’re coping with the loss of your dog, working through a behavior problem, or have specific information needs related to your breed, an expert breeder is an incredible resource. Some breeders provide other services to their puppy people, too, including things like grooming help and even boarding.
A good breeder is a lifelong friend to your dog and a support system for you. When you acquire a puppy or dog, money that you pay to a breeder is not for “dog flesh,” but rather for the services this breeder has put into the dog and will continue to provide for the dog’s lifetime. It’s well worth taking the time and doing the research to choose a great breeder. Your dog’s behavior will certainly benefit from this person’s help.