HOW TO PICK A PUPPY
After you have chosen your breeder and your puppy's sire and dam, you're ready to choose your Saint puppy. But which one? The most important aspect of this choice is temperament. Puppies' temperament's vary even within the same litter.
Many people will choose the first puppy that runs up to them and pulls at their pant leg because they think this must be a more outgoing puppy. Not every Saint is for every family and this puppy may not necessarily be THE puppy for your family. So how DO you choose a puppy?. You should choose a Saint puppy that has a temperament that compliments your family's.
Ideally your puppy's breeder will use Puppy Aptitude Testing and family profiles to match puppies with their new owners. Puppy Aptitude Testing evaluates the individual temperament of each puppy. A family profile consists of a series of questions which allows the breeder to assess your family's situation and disposition. The breeder may even ask to choose a puppy for you, longtime Saint breeders are reallly GOOD at this! If the breeder is skilled in Puppy Aptitude Testing, they can generally choose the best puppy for your family. If the breeder does not perform these tests, you will need to know how to choose the right puppy yourself.
First, look at your family's situation: Do you have small children? Do you have elderly in your household? Is your family quiet or of gentle nature? Do you already have another dog? Do you feel guilty when disciplining your children or current dog?
If you have answered "yes" to any of these questions you may prefer a puppy with a more subordinate temperament. A dog with dominant tendencies would not fit into this particular family situation. Dogs are pack animals and they will try to establish a pecking order within their pack, and your family will be their new pack.
Subordinate (submissive) does not mean shy or timid. A puppy with a subordinate temperament will simply be closer to the bottom of the dominance ladder (pecking order). A subordinate puppy will not try to dominate the small children within your household, nor will it be as apt to challenge your authority or to compete with another dog for dominance. Note: Timidity (shyness) is a genetic fault in Saint Bernards.
If you already have a dog: Is it submissive or dominant? What is its size? Is it male or female? With another dog already in the family, especially a dominant one, consider a Saint puppy with a more submissive temperament and/or one of the opposite sex. A submissive puppy will be less likely to challenge your existing dog for pecking order. Males seldom compete with females for leadership position. Smaller dogs can be easily injured if they are involved in disputes with a Saint.
Are you experienced with giant breeds? Do you NOT have young children nor elderly within your home? Are you comfortable offering constructive criticism? Have you had any dog training experience of any kind? Is your current dog a larger breed of submissive nature? Do you have the time and are you planning to train this puppy in either Obedience, Conformation, or for Canine Good Citizenship? Is your family active and outgoing?
If you have answered "yes" to all of these questions you may wish to consider a puppy with more dominant tendencies. Dominant does not mean aggressive. A Saint Bernard with dominant tendencies is one which would compete for its place higher up on the dominance ladder. It will be more apt to challenge a child or another dog. There is a difference between a dog with dominant tendencies and a true Alpha dog. An Alpha dog, of any breed, may even try to challenge YOUR authority. It is never a good idea to place a dominant puppy into a home with another dominant dog, especially of the same sex. Properly reared dogs with dominant tendencies can be wonderful, loving family companions.
Saint puppies are adorable, even when they are naughty. Maybe especially when they're naughty. You catch your little fluff ball with your slipper in it's mouth, or halfway through the destruction of yet another roll of toilet paper and instead of being upset, you smile, and laugh...and head for the camera. Although this reaction is normal. It's definitely not the way to raise a Saint puppy who knows to leave slippers & toilet paper rolls alone when it is inside with the family. If you want your puppy to learn, you need to be consistent about what's acceptable behavior and what's not!
Developing a consistent approach to naughtiness requires a little thinking and effort on the owners part! The best advice to remember is be CONSISTENT in your training approach with a Saint Bernard puppy!
