What is Puppy-ality?

The Meet Your Match Puppy-ality Adoption Program is part of the Meet Your Match Canine-ality Adoption Program. Puppy-ality is designed to identify current behaviors that either need reinforcement or modification in the immediate future, setting up adopters for success from the moment they get their puppy home.

Because behavior in dogs younger than six months old is difficult to predict, and constantly changing, the Puppy-ality Assessment is intended to provide a “snapshot” of what the puppy is like right now. The assessment is not intended to predict future behavior.

Adoption counselors can provide adopters with information about a particular puppy, helping to ensure adopters have the correct information, increasing the chances for bonding and permanent placement.

The Puppy-ality Assessment also provides a consistent adoption process for adopters, regardless of whether an adopter is interested in a puppy or a dog.

The Puppy-ality Adoption Program uses the Puppy-ality Assessment and Puppy-ality cage cards, which are specific to puppies. The program uses the Dog Adopter Survey and Meet Your Match guest passes used in the Canine-ality Adoption Program.

What Does the Puppy-ality Assessment Evaluate?

The Puppy-ality Assessment evaluates each puppy’s:

• Level of comfort and exploratory behavior in a new environment
• Social response and arousal
• Interest in play
• Frustration tolerance and response
• Ease of handling
• Tendency for food guarding

An evaluator uses the assessment scores to select the appropriate color (green, orange, or purple) for the puppy. Each color category represents the level of training and attention that is likely required for puppies scoring in that category.

Within the color category, the evaluator then selects the appropriate Puppy-ality description from the three Puppy-alities in that category. The puppy’s source of motivation internal, external, or social (i.e. human attention) determines which description the evaluator selects. The evaluator then fills out the color-coded cage for the puppy. The card is pre-printed with the Puppy-ality description.

Adopters Learn about Their Puppy-ality Preferences and Themselves

The Dog Adopter Survey identifies adopter preferences that correspond to characteristics measured in the Puppy-ality Assessment (and the Canine-ality Assessment). Adopters can complete the one-page survey in a few minutes.

Adopters enjoy completing the survey and finding out what "color" they are:

• Green adopters are most successful with puppies who like to be physically and mentally engaged.
• Orange adopters are a good fit with middle-of-the-road pups who are responsive and like regular activity and interaction.
• Purple adopters are comfortable with puppies who show a laidback attitude and enjoy an easygoing lifestyle.

A color-coded guest pass in hand, adopters can introduce themselves to puppies whose cage cards identify them as green, orange, or purple. Adopters aren't limited to puppies in their color category—love at first sight does happen. The Puppy-ality Assessment enables adopters to be prepared for their new love's response to their home and to be ready to help the puppy adjust.