A quick internet search may yield hundreds of articles about how to choose a puppy.

Hunters may study this advice, learning all about researching pedigrees and finding a reputable breeder. If that work has been done, the actual choosing of a puppy from a litter is not so daunting, and often the breeder will choose the puppy for you.

People get all wrapped up in whether or not they are getting the “first” pick male or female puppy.

Don’t worry about that. I only ever bred two litters, and I did not let the puppy buyers pick. After living with a litter of home-raised puppies for 8 weeks, I knew each of their personalities and what person or family was best suited.

Birth to 8 weeks old is a very important period during the puppy’s development.

They are weaned and their eyes have opened, they can hear. They want to explore and investigate. If they haven’t had enough interaction with people during this time, they may become dogs which are always most attuned to other dogs, rather than people.

When I raised my puppies, I made sure they met 30 people from the time they got their first shots until they went home.

From six to eight weeks old is a good time to start the housebreaking and crate-training process and get them accustomed to nail trimming and grooming.

Also, it’s good to start doing things with the pups as individuals; a friend of mine, Mike Germann, raises English and Irish setters and during the weaning process he feeds each pup individually. Instead of diving at a large common bowl and eating as much as they can, as fast as they can, the pups learn to relax and eat at a nice pace.

Most puppies go to their new homes at 8 weeks old, but that change is made during a very critical point in its life. For this reason, some breeders keep puppies until they are 12-16 weeks old, but they also separate them from their littermates and start individual learning/training, so that the pup learns good habits.

One of the most impressionable times of a puppy’s life, according to a lot of research, is when it is between eight and nine weeks old. This is a time where “fear imprint” can happen, and pups become fearful of loud noises, strangers and discipline from other dogs and humans.

If the pup is truly frightened of something during this time, it may take it weeks to return to normal. Or it may never return to normal – whatever it associates with that occurrence may stimulate fear throughout the pup’s life.

From nine to 12 weeks old, the pup should spend a lot of time one-on-one with humans, with no other dogs. This is the period when the human to dog bond becomes strong.

Puppies left with littermates during this time may have trouble with separation anxiety. Pups are very impressionable during this time and through gentle and consistent training, right behaviors can really be shaped.

From 13 to 16 weeks old, the pups are – I feel – like some young teenagers testing their limits. They are feeling very independent, and while it’s true you want a confident, well-adjusted, well-socialized puppy, you are the leader. A trainer friend of mine put it this way, “I am the dictator, but I’m a benevolent dictator.”

This is the age where the puppy tests its dominance and place. This is another critical time. If the pup is allowed to “get away” with bad behavior, such as nipping, resisting training (such as walking on a leash) or being too forceful around children, you may have a problem on your hands later when you try to fix these behaviors.

Puppy classes are a wonderful tool, where you can get together with other people and dogs under the guidance of a trainer.

The more experiences your puppy has, the more it will learn. Your response – to good or bad behavior – should be consistent, firm but kind, and patient.