Buying a puppy as a gift to your child? Utmost care should be exercised in picking the right puppy that you will bring home to your family. Parents usually have the tendency to allow children to do the picking in shelters or kennels but in actuality, the task should be performed by adults.

Before you visit the kennel or the shelter, you could do your own research on which breeds fit your lifestyle, among other specifications. Things to consider include the pedigree's known temperament, maintenance needs, and your family's needs.

When it is finally time for you to pick up your new puppy, try out the following procedures to help you not just on how to pick a puppy but to single out the best puppy of the lot:

Survey the surroundings in the kennel or shelter. A clean and well-kept home gives you an idea that the pets coming from there are healthy and clean. If it is otherwise, maybe you should think twice about purchasing or adopting a puppy from there.

Once the collection of puppies is shown to you, observe each one first before picking up any of the pups. If you take a minute to look, you are sure to find out which ones among the litter are dominant and aggressive or which ones are shy.

You can then pick one with a personality that suits your preferences. It is best to pick puppies that are not overly shy or too rough. Shy puppies are likely to get started around children and may gnarl at them. Aggressive dogs, especially male, tend to have extreme reactions if they feel that their territory is invaded.

If you do not know the first thing on how to pick a puppy, listen first. There are different reasons behind why dogs bark at people. Sometimes, puppies bark because he is trying to get your attention. At other times, it could be because they are scared or feel threatened. If a dog is easily scared, it is not a good idea to get it for a pet. They are most likely to be aggressive. It is not so hard to tell if the puppy is barking out of fear or eagerness.

Try this simple experiment on each puppy that strikes your interest. Take the puppy and put it someplace away from its litter mates then observe how it reacts. When left alone with you, you can get a glimpse of the puppy's personality. Does it show nervousness or it is eager to follow you when you call it to you. Is it independent and just ignore your presence?

Another thing you could try is to carry the puppy as if you are holding a baby. The best-rounded puppies are neither those that neither resists while lying on its back nor those that act scared and wide-eyed. Pick the puppy that relaxes in your arm after it successfully rights itself.