Among a litter of Samoyed puppies, how can you choose the healthiest Samoyed puppy?

Don't worry, by mastering the following methods, you will easily pick out a healthy and smart Samoyed puppy!

1. Observe the Samoyed puppy's appetite. A healthy Samoyed puppy should have a normal appetite.

Eating, drinking, playing, sleeping, and excreting are the four major needs for a puppy's normal growth. Puppies that have just changed their environment, food, or who experience car sickness may temporarily have reduced appetite. If a Samoyed puppy does not like to eat or move around, do not choose it.

However, sometimes severe dehydration, latent diseases, gastroenteritis, or physical pain can also cause a puppy to lose appetite. In such cases, the prospective owner should adopt a wait-and-see attitude. Ask the staff about feeding times and arrange to visit again to observe changes.

2. Observe the Samoyed puppy's body shape. A healthy Samoyed puppy usually has the best physical development, so generally, well-developed dogs also have a very fit body shape.

1. Teeth. To pick the strongest and most agile little Samoyed, a simple and effective method is to have the puppy stand straight on a table. Check its teeth and mouth. Good puppies have teeth that are horizontal and scissor-like; the upper teeth should tightly overlap the lower teeth in front, with no gaps.

2. Eyes. As the saying goes, "The eyes are the windows to the soul," this applies equally to Samoyed puppies. A healthy Samoyed puppy should have bright and spirited eyes, clean and tidy eyelashes, and slightly moist eye rims. If the puppy’s eyes are red (congested or hyperemic) or yellowish (yellowing of the conjunctiva), these are not normal conditions.

3. Bones. You can also have the Samoyed puppy stand and feel its entire body. The ribs should be palpable but not visibly protruding. Pay attention to the bones, such as whether the skull is deformed, if the spinal column is curved, if there are cracks in the jawbones, or if the hip and knee joints are dislocated.

4. Activity. By playing and making the puppy run and jump, the little Samoyed’s movements should be normal and agile, without limping.

3. Observe if the Samoyed puppy shows symptoms of illness.

1. Check for nasal discharge. If the puppy catches a cold, has nasal sensitivity, or an upper respiratory infection, it will have a runny nose. If infected by bacteria, the discharge changes to milky white, yellow, or green pus. Also, if food is sprayed from the nostrils, it indicates rapid eating, swallowing mechanism problems, or congenital structural defects. Such Samoyed puppies are not recommended for selection.

2. Check for coughing. Puppies that catch colds, have throat sensitivity, live in polluted air, or have tracheitis or bronchitis may cough. Such Samoyed puppies are not recommended either.

3. Observe the puppy’s nose. A healthy puppy's nose should be moist. If the nose becomes dry, the puppy may be ill.

4. Other common knowledge for selecting Samoyeds

1. When you first approach the Samoyed puppy, if it confidently walks toward you with bright eyes and a wagging tail, you can believe it is a normal and healthy puppy. On the contrary, if it snorts, sneaks away to hide in dark places, it is a lonely-tempered puppy.

If you gently stroke it and it suddenly jumps or barks loudly, this is a nervous puppy born from "inbreeding," so do not choose it.

2. The puppy’s entire body, including its four limbs and tail fur, should be free of bald patches, dandruff, external parasites (insects), or itching. Also, the abdomen should not be overly swollen or bloated; no lumps should be present in the lower abdomen and groin (to avoid "hernia").

3. Gently lift the puppy’s tail; the area around the anus and tail should be clean.