Here are many important things to consider when purchasing or to
adopt a puppy dog, I give you the principal to help you find your new
best friend.
Before buying a puppy or a dog, ask yourself:
* Can I afford to have a dog, taking into account not only the initial
cost of purchasing the dog, but also the ongoing expenses
such as food, veterinary fees and medecines?. For this, you do a
calculation for dog can cost!.
* Can I make a lifelong
commitment to a dog? - A dog’s average life span is 12-15 years.
* Is my home big enough to house a dog?
* Do I really want to
exercise a dog every day?
* Will there be someone at home for
a dog? - dogs get lonely just like humans.
* Will I find time
to train, groom and generally care for a dog?
* Will I be
able to answer YES to these questions every day of the year?
If you have answered ‘no’ to any of the above, you should think again
before buying a dog.
If you have been able to answer ‘yes’ to all
the questions you can follow the steps below to assist you in finding
your perfect companion.
BUYING
Finding
the right dog breeder.
When sourcing a healthy pedigree puppy it
is the breeder that is the most important consideration - buying a
pedigree dog should not be done ‘on the cheap’ nor should it come from a
disreputable source. By going to a responsible dog breeder you stand
the best chance of getting a dog that will enjoy a happy and healthy
life.
What to expect from a breeder.
* The
breeder should give you the opportunity to see the puppy with its mother
and the rest of litter. This is very important
because it will not only give you an opportunity to see the
temperament of the mother, but may also give you an idea of the
future characteristics and size of the puppy.
* Have the
opportunity to see all the puppies and be able to handle them, rather
than just seeing the puppy being offered to
you.
Where NOT to buy a puppy or a dog.
Never
go to a pet shop as their breeding stock may have come from puppy
farmers – breeders out to make a quick profit often at the expense of
the health and welfare of the puppies.
Puppy farms,
puppy dealers and pet shops.
Puppy farms are like factory farms
where dogs are bred purely for profit. The dogs are normally bred too
often, many are unhealthy, and often live in unbearably poor
conditions. The puppies are generally removed from their mothers far
too early and sent by rail or van to ‘dealers’ or pet shops in the big
cities to satisfy the public’s demands. Many are severely traumatised
by the transition, and some do not make it alive. Do not buy a puppy or
a dog from these sources, as they will have had the worst possible
start in life, and are far more likely to have health and temperament
problems.
A pedigree in itself, is not necessarily an
indication of quality ‘Dealers’ are agents for puppy farms. They buy
puppies and sell them on, advertising them in newspapers and magazines,
often masquerading as breeders. If an advert lists more than one breed
of puppy for sale, then the person placing it is probably a dealer (but
not always). Ask if you can see the mother with the puppies, and if
they make an excuse about why the mother cannot be seen, do not buy a
puppy from them. Never buy a dog from the back of a van at a motorway
service station or from an airport car park, as this is how many dealers
operate.
Do not buy a puppy or a dog from a pet shop
as it is likely to have originated from a puppy farm.
Good breeders
would never sell their puppies via a pet shop, despite what you may be
told.
CHOOSING A RESCUE
DOG
Consider giving a home to a rescue dog as long as
you are prepared to put in extra work if it is needed but it can be an
immensely rewarding experience. Do not consider adopting a rescue dog
if you have a busy life, or very young children, as they often need
special care and the people re-homing it can give you a full history.
Considerations
for a Rescue Dog.
Rescued dogs are usually more than six months
old, are housetrained, and mainly past the ‘chewing-everything’ stage,
they are normally happy to be placed in a loving home. Many have been
precipitously uprooted from a loving family by some misfortune, and some
have been abused or neglected and need lots of patience and care, to
get past the trauma in their short lives.
Rescue dogs
may be neutered, and should be vaccinated and at least relatively
healthy before purchase. A dog on medication for an ear infection or
arthritis can easily go to a new home; a dog with heartworm or an active
respiratory or intestinal infection should stay put until the disease
is cured to avoid the stress of relocation while under treatment.
Most
rescue dogs have had at least one home and sometimes many homes. They
may come with behavioural ‘baggage’ and some problems due to the fact
that they may have been rejected at least once and, in some cases, a
number of times.
Some will have been in kennels or the
rescue centre for some considerable time. This will have an effect on
dogs, especially those that are normally used to family life and
constant attention. The dog may have been put in a rescue centre because
of behavioural problems, which could include toileting indoors,
excessive barking, destructive tendencies etc.
The
initial adjustment can be difficult as the dog may need to learn to
trust again or even for the first time. Separation anxiety, fear of
noises, and attempts to run away are common. But once past the first few
months, when the dog learns to depend on the kindness of his new
owners, then the bond is forged.
Rescue Societies.
Rescue
societies come in all shapes and sizes and with a variety of policies.
Some rescue groups have no facilities to keep dogs; they make referrals
from the current owners to potential adopters. Others have foster homes –
particularly with people who know the breed well.
All
try to help owners find new homes for their dogs, give advice for
solving problems, maintain a list of available dogs, and screen
potential owners. Most rescue organisations are anxious to place dogs in
good homes.
Good rescuers try to match each applicant
with an appropriate dog. They know if a particular dog likes children,
can get along with other pets, needs lots of exercise, plays rough, is
easy to train, is afraid of adults, jumps fences and so on. They cannot
make a good match if they don't ask questions about the type of home
the adopter will provide. So be prepared for the following types of
questions:
* Why do you want this breed?
*
Do you have enough time and energy for a Border Collie (or a
Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Labrador Retriever etc?
* Do you
have a fenced garden?
* Do you plan to walk the dog a mile or
more every day?
* Will the dog live indoors or outside?
* Do you have children? How old?
* Do you have other pets?
* Do you plan to visit your vet at least once a year?
KEY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CHOOSING A DOG
Male
or Female, Puppy or Adult
This depends on many
things. Discuss your options with experienced dog owners, your
prospective veterinary surgeon and breeders from whom you may consider
purchasing a puppy (who will be informative but might be hugely
biased!), and those involved with rescue organisations (who are normally
grittily realistic). These people will usually be happy to share their
experiences and opinions with you, and should give you a good range of
opinions to consider.
Please read the information given
below to help you with your choice:
Size.
Does
your choice of dog, in relation to its size, suit your home, car,
children and exercise plans, and suit friends or family that might look
after it during the holidays? Large dogs generally have a shorter life
span, and cost more to feed, kennel, insure and medically treat than
smaller ones.
Coat length and type.
Do you mind
spending hours grooming and cleaning your dog and your house, or do you
want a low-maintenance breed? Some dog breeds have a strong smell;
others dribble a great deal! Can you live with these things?
Health.
There
are no naturally unhealthy pedigree dog breeds – but there are breeds
in which certain conditions tend to surface more. It will inevitably
take time for these conditions to be eliminated but where there are
known health problems, which can be tested.Tests such as hip and elbow
scoring enable potential owners to have a good idea about the future
health of their puppy. Pedigree dogs also carry a breed standard which
is an indication of their likely care needs.
Temperament.
Some
dogs are bred for looks, others for their working ability, and the
result is that you get a whole range of temperaments in between. Which
one is right for you depends on many variables so get expert help on
your intended pedigree dog breed and be very careful about where you buy
your puppy.
Pedigree/Crossbreed.
A pedigree dog
is the offspring of two dogs of the same breed whose lineage is recorded
with a recognised club. Pedigree dogs carry a breed standard which is a
blueprint for their likely character and health needs.
In
addition to pedigree dogs there are also crossbreeds to consider. These
dogs often display a mixture of their ancestors traits. So it is
important to take this into account. If you know the mix of breeds this
may help but otherwise find out what you can about the parents.
Buying
two dogs together is a bad idea.
Whereas it may be true that they
will keep each other company, they will do so at the cost of your
relationship with them. The tendency is for them to bond with each
other, rather than with you and your family. Rearing two puppies
successfully takes an enormous amount of work, as you have to rear them
separately, and give them each individual quality time, space, exercise
and training, so it is not for the faint hearted or busy dog owner.
Existing
dogs.
If you have an existing dog and would like to buy a
companion for it, consider the fact that many dogs prefer being the only
dog in the family, and resent sharing their space, humans, attention,
toys and treats with other dogs. If you do want another dog, a good age
gap is about four or five years. If you are not sure how your dog will
feel about it, ‘borrow’ a friend’s dog for a few days to get a rough
idea.
How to choose?
Good Citizen Dog Training
Scheme, responsible dog ownership and in turn is enhance our
relationship with our pets and to make the community aware of the
benefits associated with dog ownership.
Use the list below to help
you consider your choice of breed or type of dog:
*
Energetic and lively or couch-potatoes.
* Strong-willed and
ambitious or easy-going and indulgent.
* Friendly with humans
or reserved with strangers.
* Playful or disinterested in
toys.
* Friendly to other dogs or disinterested or
incompatible.
* Friendly to cats and other pets or
disinterested or incompatible.
* Affectionate or aloof.
