Test 3 - Rollover: Gently roll the puppy over onto his back. Hold him there with one hand on his chest for a full 30 seconds. The purpose is to determine how the puppy accepts stress when socially and/or physically dominated.
Normal: He resists you at first but then accepts it with some eye contact.
Dominant: He struggles the entire time. He might be vocal about his unhappiness and might nip at you.
Submissive: He doesn't resist at all and might lick your hand.
Independent: He doesn't resist at all and avoids eye contact.

Test 4 - Petting: Sit next to the puppy and stroke him firmly from head to tail repeatedly until a recognizable behavior is established. The purpose is to determine the degree of social dominance.
Normal: He cuddles up to you and tries to lick your face.
Dominant: He jumps, paws and tries to nip at you.
Submissive: He rolls on his back and licks your hands.
Independent: He walks away and stays away.

Test 5 - Lifting: Lace your fingers together and place them under the puppy's belly. Gently lift him up so that all four paws are off the floor. Hold the puppy there for 30 seconds. The purpose is to test the acceptance of dominance in a position of no control.
Normal: He doesn't resist and is relaxed.
Dominant: He resists the entire time. He might be vocal about his unhappiness and might nip at you.
Submissive: He doesn't resist at all and might lick your hand.
Independent: He doesn't resist and is frozen without any movement.

Test 6 - Playing with a toy: Use a ball or toy to get the pup's attention and roll it across the floor. Encourage the puppy to go after it and bring it to you. The purpose is to determine the degree of willingness to work with a human.
Normal: He goes after it but then carries it away to chew on. He allows you to take it from him.
Dominant: He gets it, carries it away and then growls at you or refuses to give it up when you try to take it.
Submissive: He is nervous about the toy and is reluctant to approach it when it stops
moving.
Independent: He displays little or no interest in the toy at all.

When you have finished the tests, add up how many normals, dominants, submissives
and independents there were. Most people or families will do best with a puppy that scores normal in three to four tests.

In addition to temperament, here are some other things to consider. Most of us are swayed by the cute and cuddly puppy, giving little or no regard as to what the puppy might eventually grow up to be as an adult dog. If the pup is a purebred, you have a reasonable expectation of what the adult dog will look like, but have you thoroughly researched the breed and the known breed behaviors? Unless you've done your homework, this can come as an unpleasant surprise and is frequently why so many dogs wind up at the local shelter after outgrowing the cute puppy stage. Dogs often meant to become strictly companion animals have had their basic instincts repressed and this comes out in displaced behaviors. Herding dogs like the Border Collie that herd children instead of sheep, sled dogs that pull on the lead and are difficult to train, overprotective Rottweilers said to be aggressive are all dogs that end up at shelters. How do we prevent this from happening? With a little effort and research, it is possible to find a suitable dog that will fit into your lifestyle and your personality.

Should you get a male or female? There is no data that supports one gender over the other with respect to intelligence and trainability. There are some studies that attribute higher levels of aggression to males. In general, certain behaviors will be exhibited in one gender but
are not exclusive to that sex. For example, marking is most often seen in males, but females in heat will also exhibit that trait.

To help further your research efforts, we recommend a book called "The Perfect Puppy How to Choose Your Dog by Its Behavior" by Benjamin L. Hart, D.V.M. and Lynette A. Hart, Ph.D. The book evaluates 56 of the most popular breeds of dogs and ranks them by 13 behavioral traits. These traits are: excitability, general activity, snapping at children, excessive barking, playfulness, obedience training, watchdog barking, aggression toward other dogs, dominance over owner, territorial defense, demand for affection, destructiveness and ease of