We are not actually getting a puppy. Two of our dogs are seniors, and we think our younger adult needs to be the only dog after his sisters pass away. I was just thinking about the common advice that I've read multiple times over the years: when you go to look at a litter of puppies, choose one who walks up to you. Any time I read/heard this, I always wondered about the puppies who don't want to walk up to a stranger...I felt bad for them being people's last choices.
It is true that the boldest puppies are usually the first to go, but the subsequent puppy viewers often don't have those puppies to compare theirs with, and the other puppies in the litter may actually increase in confidence once the bossiest one has gone. There will always the chance of the occasional shrinking violet, but fortunately there is usually a potential owner who is drawn to a puppy that has a 'babyish' temperament. They are usually the ones that form very close attachments to their owners and end up becoming pampered little princesses!
The logic behind that is the puppy will be confident and outgoing. And that makes sense if you are looking for a working dog. Of course, the people who seem to voice this advice the most are people who then use aversive training methods to dominate their confident and outgoing dogs. Arggggghhh. My advice is get the puppy that best meets what you want in a dog. So if you want a dog who will sleep at your feet while you work, then don't get a puppy who can't sit still for even a moment. If you want a dog who will happily run around with a dozen kids, then don't get a puppy who prefers to sit quietly by himself with a toy. That puppy playing quietly with his toy will grow up to sleep at your feet. And that puppy who is all over the place and interacting with everyone? Well she will be the dog running around the yard with all those kids. And for the average dog owner, getting the most confident and outgoing cute little puppy often results in their becoming overwhelmed with a confident and outgoing big dog. The average dog owner isn't looking for a working dog. They don't need a dog who is the most confident of the litter. They just want a nice dog - and the rest of the litter will be just that. Now, if the entire litter is fearful, then you should probably look elsewhere for a puppy because that usually means bad breeding or a lack of socialization by the breeder.
Not surprisingly. I was was thinking in terms of a toy or hound litter rather than working or livestock guardian litter.
Unfortunately, I think this follows along with most of the other advice out there. Because it makes sense in THIS situation with THIS dog and THIS person, it must be true for EVERY situation. If you are looking for a hunting dog, you aren't going to want that shy sensitive puppy. They aren't going to be happy and you won't be happy. But that shy sensitive puppy could make a very good pet for a shy 9 year old girl who wants a confidante. I will say that with some breeds excessive temperament traits are common enough to be a problem. So it is always good to look at your applicable kennel club's temperament standards. If they fault for excessive shyness, and you have a very busy household, that breed may not be a good option.
I never understand people with this logic. "Do/Do not __, because [insert one person's experience]!" "Don't date someone who __ because my friend did, and he/she cheated on my friend!" "I don't like [dog breed] because my neighbor has one and he/she is out of control!"
