11 tips on choosing the puppy who’s perfect for you

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Looking at puppies is fun, but choosing a puppy is a decision that can impact your family life and your relationship with the dog for years. Here’s how to find the perfect puppy match for your personality and lifestyle.

1. Look at several litters if possible. Don’t choose the first puppy who runs up and jumps in your lap or looks the prettiest or seems to be the boss. Seeing a number of puppies will help you make a better decision by showing you a range of personalities and helping you to eliminate extremes in both personality and size. Biggest isn’t necessarily best, and neither is smallest, loudest or quietest.

2. Watch puppies as they play together. Who’s in charge, and who gets beat on by other puppies? Which puppies get along with everyone? For most people, the middle-of-the-road pup is the best choice.

3. Every puppy is an individual. Some are serious, some are clowns, some are reserved, some are everyone’s best friend. Before you go to see a litter, write down what kind of personality you’re looking for in a dog, activities you enjoy and your own personality traits. Ask the breeder to show you pups with the qualities you’re looking for. (Walk away from any breeder who says they’re all the same.)

4. Avoid puppies who seem fearful, shy or extremely nervous. You may feel sorry for them, but living with a dog who is afraid of people, loud noises or new experiences can be frustrating.

5. If you’re serious about getting the right puppy, don’t make up your mind on the first visit. Come back on another day and look at the puppies all over again. You may find that the best puppy for you was sleepy during your first visit and didn’t make a good impression, or maybe had just gotten up from a nap and was wilder than usual.

6. Temperament is important, but so is good health. Ask to see up-to-date health certifications from board-certified veterinary specialists for both parents. Meet the parents -- at least the mom. Temperament is inherited, and parent personalities are clues as to what you can expect from a puppy as he matures. You should see happy, easygoing adult dogs.

7. Avoid purchasing two puppies from the same litter. They’ll bond to each other instead of to you. Instead, get your first puppy trained and through adolescence, then bring in a second one.

8. Don’t bring your children when choosing a puppy. You’ll be under too much pressure to take the first one that appeals to them instead of the one that's right for your family. Bring the kids only when it’s time to take the puppy home, and ask the breeder to keep other pups out of sight.

9. Don’t let price be the deciding factor. Sure, a $250 puppy may seem like a better deal than a $2,500 puppy, but if the breeder doesn’t have proof of health certifications on the parents, doesn’t provide good veterinary care or socialization and doesn’t feed high-quality food, veterinary bills and pup psychology sessions may increase the cost of the dog in the long run.

10. Don’t be in a hurry to take your new pup home. Depending on the breed, the best age for puppies to embark on their new lives is when they are 8 to 12 weeks old. Puppies in that age range are more mature. They’re generally able to sleep through most of the night, making them more easily housetrained.

11. In short, use the Goldilocks principle when making your selection: Choose a puppy who’s not too big, not too small, not too aggressive and not too shy -- he should be just right.

More advice on finding and raising a puppy can be found at fearfreehappyhomes.com.

Q&A

Is temperament

color-coded?

Q: I’ve heard that Labs have different personalities depending on their color. Is that true?

A: That’s a persistent myth about many breeds, including Labrador retrievers. For instance, chocolate Labs are thought to be difficult to train. Some people believe black Labs make the best hunters. Yellow Labs have a reputation for being mellow.

In other breeds and species, Dalmatians with liver-colored spots are said to be more laid-back. Black pugs have a reputation as high-energy criminal masterminds, while fawns are said to be sweet and gentle. Orange cats are sweet while tortoiseshells have “tortitude.” Calico cats are clowns.

In some breeds, temperament differences are seen between working and show lines of dogs and may be associated with color -- as in the idea that black Labs make the best hunting dogs. But all colors of Labs can make excellent companions, family dogs and hunting dogs.

In any breed, breeders may select for a specific color and temperament. Any time breeders select for a particular coat color, they may unintentionally end up with a particular behavior characteristic. Conversely, when breeders select for temperament, ending up with a desirable color or pattern is a bonus.

In Labs, at least, the two genes that decide coat color are unrelated to anything else about the dog, including personality or temperament. All three colors can appear in a single litter. And genetically speaking, yellow Labs are yellow only because they have a recessive gene from each parent giving them that color. Without those recessive genes, they would be black or chocolate Labs.

Just as in the human population, personalities differ among individuals, and not along color lines. A Lab is a Lab is a Lab. Color doesn’t affect temperament, but parents and ancestors do. Remember the saying: No good dog is a bad color. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

How dogs adjust

to vision loss

-- Common causes of blindness in dogs are glaucoma, cataracts, corneal ulcers, dry eye and other severe corneal diseases, and retinal diseases such as progressive retinal atrophy. Factors in a dog’s ability to adjust to blindness include how quickly vision is lost and whether vision loss is painful. A dog who loses vision slowly generally copes well, but rapid vision loss, even if the condition isn’t painful, can require an adjustment period of a few weeks. To help vision-impaired dogs get around, talk to them so they know where you are, and take them on the same route on walks so that they learn the trek by smell.

-- Play-fighting is cute, and it’s also an important developmental stage for kittens. They bat at things with their paws, practice stalking and pouncing and roll with and bite each other. Rolling over and displaying the belly is a sign of trust, but it’s also a defensive measure -- claws out and paws kicking. During play fights, kittens learn boundaries with each other, including how hard they can bite without causing injury. As they leap, kick, slide across the floor and bite at a littermate’s tail, they acquire agility, coordination, resourcefulness and the ability to deal with the unexpected.

-- Does your pet need to lose weight? The following tips can help. Feed small meals frequently instead of leaving out food all the time. This allows you to control the amount of food your pet gets and prevents hunger pangs. Put kibble inside a puzzle toy so your pet has to move to get at it. He’ll exercise his brain, too. Feed chow hounds separately so they can’t steal another pet’s food. Schedule several short walks or playtimes daily, and gradually increase the length and pace as your pet becomes more fit. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

While away a few hours this summer with some of our favorite new books about animals

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

-- Animal lover and natural storyteller Mark Goldstein brings to life his career as a veterinarian, zoo director and animal welfare advocate in his new book, “Lions and Tigers and Hamsters: What Animals Large and Small Taught Me About Life, Love and Humanity” (HCI Books). In it, he shares the stories of a rhino with Academy Award-level acting talent; Oscar, a shaggy little dog adopted by an order of nuns who demonstrated sincere love, abiding loyalty and genuine thoughtfulness; and Carol the cat, whose relationship with her person, Charles, taught Dr. Goldstein a valuable lesson.

Our favorite takeaway from the book: Goldstein’s principle of never withholding possible solutions for a pet’s treatment out of fear that people might be offended, couldn’t afford them or might not believe in them. By giving people every appropriate option, he was able more often than not to return pets to a happy, healthy life. “For the rest of my career, in my mind, thinking about Charles always reminded me to practice medicine the way I did with Charles and his cats: not to judge a book by its cover, since clairvoyance was not taught in vet school, and to honor the power of the human-animal bond,” he writes.

-- In “Unleashing Your Dog” (New World Library), ethologist Marc Bekoff and bioethicist Jessica Pierce help readers “walk in the paws” of dogs, explaining the science of how dogs experience the world and how that translates to their lives with humans. With that as a foundation, Bekoff and Pierce share practical suggestions on how people can let dogs exercise their senses and bodies and enjoy life to the fullest. The result is an enhanced relationship between the two species, helping them live together in mutually respectful ways.

-- If you’re a genetics or science geek, you’ll be fascinated by “Once a Wolf: The Science Behind Our Dogs’ Astonishing Genetic Evolution” (Liveright). The how and when of wolves evolving into dogs has been a matter of much speculation for decades, and sometimes it seems as if the answer changes from year to year or even month to month based on new findings.

In an accessible way, Oxford geneticist Bryan Sykes looks at the journey to dogdom through the prisms of modern technology and human evolution -- from prehistoric canine-human relationships to the development of “pure” breeds -- and addresses the most important question of all: why we love our dogs so much. In the preface, he writes, “Many theories seek to explain what it was that propelled Homo sapiens from a scarce, medium-sized primate to the position of complete domination we enjoy today. The ability to control fire, the evolution of language and the invention of agriculture are three prominent examples. I would add a fourth: the transformation of the wolf into the multi-purpose helpmate and companion that is the dog. We owe our survival to the dog. And they owe theirs to us.”

-- For a look at how real dogs perform their ancestral tasks -- as well as new ones -- in partnership with humans, “Working Dogs of the Eastern Sierra” (Whistling Rabbit Press) by Jennifer K. Crittenden tells the stories of dogs who herd cattle, rescue people buried in avalanches, detect human remains, make therapy visits and more.

-- If you’ve ever lost a dog, even for only an hour or two, you know how frightening it is to realize that your best friend is missing. In her memoir “Where the Lost Dogs Go: A Story of Love, Search, and the Power of Reunion” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), search and detection trainer and missing dog expert Susannah Charleson explores the emotions of bereft dog lovers, shares stories of lost and found dogs and offers tactics for finding lost pets.

-- Cat lovers, don’t feel left out. Matthew Inman (of The Oatmeal webcomic fame) clearly recognizes the superiority of felines in “Why My Cat Is More Impressive Than Your Baby” (Andrews McMeel Publishing), a comic and irreverent take on living with cats (and other animals), including tips on how to sleep comfortably next to your cat (just kidding -- that’s not really possible) and 10 ways to befriend a misanthropic cat.

Q&A

Stress, crowding

spread cat virus

Q: My cat has been diagnosed with feline herpesvirus. What is it, and can she transmit it to me?

A: First, the short answer, to put your mind at ease: Every species has its own version of herpesvirus. Feline herpesvirus can’t be transmitted to humans, and human herpesvirus can’t be transmitted to cats.

Feline herpesvirus is widespread in cats, highly contagious and causes upper respiratory infections or eye problems such as conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers. Some cats experience both.

Usually kittens acquire FHV from their mother. Cats in crowded shelters or catteries are also at risk. The disease spreads through direct contact with saliva or eye or nose secretions from an infected cat or contaminated objects. When cats sneeze, the virus becomes aerosolized, spreading through the air.

Vaccination helps reduce the severity of FHV, but it won’t necessarily prevent it. Often the virus lies dormant until the cat experiences a stressful situation that overpowers the immune system, causing signs to manifest.

Typically, cases resolve on their own, but severe cases or ones that don’t improve are treated with antivirals and sometimes antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections. If eyes are affected, your veterinarian may refer you to a specialist. Eye infections that are severe or not improving should be treated without delay because they can cause permanent damage to the eye, says veterinary ophthalmologist Cindy Mar, DVM.

Even after they recover, the virus persists in the cat’s body, waiting for another stressful situation or immune suppression from medications such as corticosteroids to allow it to reappear. In homes, shelters or other situations with multiple cats, it’s a good idea to isolate the sick cat, provide separate food and water bowls and other items, and disinfect the environment thoroughly. You can find other ways to help your cat de-stress at FearFreeHappyHomes.com. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Cancer trial

seeking dogs

-- The Vaccination Against Canine Cancer Study is looking for a few good dogs to participate in what will be the largest canine cancer clinical trial to date. The purpose of the trial is to evaluate a vaccine to prevent cancer in dogs. Qualifying dogs will be healthy, 6 to 10 years old, weigh at least 12 pounds and live within 150 miles of Colorado State University in Fort Collins; the University of California, Davis; or the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Participating dogs will receive either a series of vaccines or placebos and will be checked two to three times annually for five years. For more information, go to csuanimalcancercenter.org/vaccination-against-canine-cancer-study.

-- Puppy-dog eyes aren’t just cute; they evolved with a purpose: facial communication with humans. That’s according to a study published last month in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers at the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom found that a muscle responsible for raising the inner eyebrow is uniformly present in dogs but not in wolves. That ability may trigger a nurturing response in humans. Eye contact between dogs and humans enables dogs to seek help from humans when they’re unable to solve a problem and know when humans are communicating with them. The mutual gaze, combined with that beseeching expression, is a hallmark of the unique dog-human relationship.

-- Does your cat love water? Contrary to popular belief, many cats enjoy playing in the wet stuff. If you have one of the following breeds, you might be familiar with feline water play: Abyssinian, American bobtail, Bengal, Japanese bobtail, Maine coon, Manx, Norwegian forest cat, Savannah, Turkish Angora and Turkish van. Water-loving cats who have access to a catio or other safe outdoor area will enjoy having a child’s wading pool to splash in. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Water play is a favorite dog activity, but it has some risks. Here’s how to recognize and avoid problems

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Part of the fun of summer is playing in water, and that’s true for dogs, too. They run through sprinklers, splash and swim in pools, and go with us to lakes, rivers or oceans. Keep them happy and safe during summer’s dog days with these tips.

-- Algal blooms. A blue-green shimmer of algae on lakes, ponds and reservoirs is a signal to stay out. Potent cyanotoxins can cause anything from skin irritation to liver failure. “Even if dogs don’t drink the water, if they come out and they’re licking themselves clean, they can take the toxin in,” says Jason Nicholas, DVM, chief medical officer of PreventiveVet.com. The toxins can have the same effects on humans.

At the ocean, algal overblooms can cause toxic red tides. Dogs who don’t go in the water can still be at risk because the toxins can become aerosolized, causing respiratory signs in animals and humans exposed to them. Check conditions before you go.

-- Rip currents. Strong currents near the beach can quickly pull swimmers -- dogs included -- farther out than is safe. We can’t tell dogs to swim parallel to the shore if they get caught in one, so whether you’re tossing a ball into the waves for him to fetch or going paddleboarding with your pup, ask a lifeguard about conditions beforehand.

Keep a brightly colored pet life jacket on your dog. If he gets swept away, it will help keep him afloat until he’s rescued. For dogs who aren’t strong swimmers or don’t have life jacket protection, toss a ball along the beach, not into the water.

-- Water intoxication. Dogs playing in water may accidentally take in large quantities while swimming, or get overheated and drink too much. Either way, the excess water can dilute the concentration of electrolytes in the blood, causing vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea or more severe signs such as seizures or coma. Keep him hydrated by frequently offering small amounts of water so he takes it in slowly. And pay attention to behavior.

“If you see your dog acting lethargic, vomiting, having diarrhea and progressing to ataxia (wobbling), get him to a vet,” Dr. Nicholas says. Treatment can require hospitalization for slow, steady normalization of electrolyte levels and close monitoring of the dog.

-- Near-drowning. When dogs (or humans) go underwater, they may accidentally inhale water. It might not be enough to cause immediate drowning, but water that gets into the lungs sets up an inflammatory process. And if saltwater is inhaled, that draws more fluid from the blood into the lungs. The result is that lungs become flooded and the dog drowns hours, or days, after water exposure. Any time you notice a respiratory change or change in activity level after a dog has been in the water, get him to the veterinarian.

“Let the veterinarian know that there might have been an incident where they swallowed or inhaled water,” Dr. Nicholas says. “If they’re having respiratory issues, it’s just more indication to get X-rays.”

-- Pool safety. Teach your dog how to swim (check out FearFreeHappyHomes.com for an article on canine swim lessons) and where and how to enter and exit the pool. Protect pets with a pool alarm such as Safety Turtle that goes off if they fall in. Flimsy pool covers can entrap dogs who walk on them, so choose a sturdy one that won’t submerge. Fences around the pool should not have spaces large enough for puppies or small dogs to wiggle through. A product such as a Puppy Bumper can prevent them from going through a fence or gate.

Finally, rinse and dry dogs thoroughly after playing in any water to ward off skin and ear infections. Then they’ll be ready to go out and do it all over again the next day!

Q&A

Turn down pets’

noise fears

Q: What are some ways to keep pets from being scared during fireworks and thunderstorms?

A: Loud or unexpected noises trigger what’s called the orienting response, the brain’s mechanism for processing unexpected noises to determine if they signal danger. Pets who are unsure run and hide. Heart and respiratory rates increase, and blood pressure goes up. Those are normal physiological responses, but some animals exhibit more severe signs of fright, such as drooling, trembling, hiding for hours or trying to escape by jumping out a window or destroying a door.

Providing a hiding place is a good start. This may be a covered crate in a room with the curtains drawn to dampen sound or a closet or a bathroom with no windows. Be sure to leave the crate door open so your pet doesn’t feel trapped. That can intensify fear. Some pets feel safe in the bathtub. Put a favorite toy in the room to provide comfort and distraction. Keep this safe room set up all the time.

Pets may respond to synthetic canine or feline pheromone sprays or diffusers. The calming chemicals are odor-free to humans but signal security to dogs and cats. Close-fitting garments such as Thundershirts help to calm some animals.

Certain types of music can have calming effects as well. Try playing harp or classical music, soft jazz or music specifically composed for dogs or cats. A white-noise machine may also help.

Consider sending your pet to stay in a place where fireworks are uncommon. That could be a friend or relative’s home, a boarding kennel or petsitter.

Other ways to help pets cope include desensitization and counterconditioning or medication such as Sileo (FDA-approved for noise aversion in dogs) or alprazolam. In severe cases, consider seeking help from a Fear Free-certified veterinary behaviorist. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Flea control

safety for cats

-- It’s flea season. If you treat your pets with any kind of topical or oral preventive, be sure you don’t share products between cats and dogs. Products made for dogs can be toxic and even deadly to cats. For instance, cats are highly sensitive to permethrin products and can be affected even if they just come in contact with a dog treated with a permethrin-based preventive. Read the label carefully to make sure you’re using the appropriate product for each pet, and check with your veterinarian if you’re not sure. Signs of toxicity in cats include drooling, vomiting, muscle tremors, dilated pupils and seizures. Take any pet to the veterinarian right away if these signs occur after administering a flea preventive product.

-- On a job hunt? Many employers are making efforts to accommodate people with furry family members. Benefits offered by pet-friendly companies include coverage of petsitting expenses for employees traveling for business, providing or subsidizing pet health insurance, letting people bring pets to the office and giving time off when people acquire a new pet or when a pet dies. Among the top pet-friendly companies are Amazon at number one, followed by Procore Technologies, Trupanion (itself a pet health insurance company), Petsmart, Airbnb, Nestle Purina Petcare, Petco, Zogics, Ceros, Uber, Salesforce, and Chewy.com.

-- We all want to save money, but penny-pinching on pet care can cost big bucks in the long run if health problems aren’t dealt with early. The American Veterinary Medical Association has some tips on saving money without compromising care. An important one is to prevent joint problems, ruptured disks and other conditions by ensuring that pets don’t become overweight. Avoid leaving food out all the time, and provide daily walks and playtime to help them stay active. Find more at AVMA.org. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.