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Before you take on the responsibility of a Dog or Puppy you first
need to evaluate your circumstances.
Where do you live?
Is the area dog friendly.
Is your house big enough?
This could affect your choice of a large or small breed.
Do
you have a large garden or a small yard? Size matters.
Are you a keen gardener or a cut the lawn once a week sort of person? A
large dog running around the garden on a wet day will ruin beds, borders and lawns in no time.
Is
your garden well fenced? You will need to make sure your dog cannot escape.
How much energy do you have? Some breeds are 'high energy' breeds that
require a lot of exercise and stimulation.
Are there small children or elderly adults
in the house? Very small dogs can be tripped over or stepped on, large dogs can knock over
those that are unsteady on their feet.
What is your lifestyle like?
You need to take in to consideration the amount of time you have available, puppies should not be left
on their own for more than 2 hours if you want to be successful with house-training; adult dogs should not be left for more
than 4 hours. Will this fit in with your schedule?
Do you have the finance available?
Puppy vaccinations; Insurance; Micro-chipping; kennelling and food can come to quite an expense.
What type of dog/puppy are you looking for?
Pedigree
- You will know the dogs parentage, have a good idea of how large it will get, you will have an idea as to its temperment
and suitability for your lifestyle. You will also be aware of any possible health problems associated with that breed.
You should expect to pay a good price for a well bred and reared pedigree puppy.
Crossbreed
- A dog bred from 2 different pedigree breeds. You will have a rough idea of its size, it could be the size of either
of the two parents or somewhere in between. The temperament could be an even mix of the two breeds or may have more characteristics
of one of the parents. You will also have to take in to consideration the health problems associated with both breeds. As
offspring are definitely not considered pedigree dogs, you should only expect to pay a small proportion of what a pedigree
version of the parents would cost.
Mongrel- This is a mix of one or more breeds. You will
have no idea of its size or temperment. Coat colour and pattern does not always reveal the breed beneath. Health problems can
still materialise although unusual due to hybrid vigour. (The genes are so mixed up that it is unlikely, though possible,
that the dog is carrying two of the necessary markers for a disease to appear). As most of these puppies are the
result of random (accidental) matings true parentage is unknown. You should only expect to pay a nominal sum.
Rescue- There are
many dogs in rescue, Pedigree, crossbreed and mongrels of all ages. Most arrive in rescue through no fault of
their own, some are there because they have a behaviour problem that their previous owner could not cope with. All will
be carrying baggage of some sort, being placed in a rescue centre can be traumatic for some dogs. Every one of them
deserve a chance at a normal home life for ever. If you have the time and the patience a rescue dog should be on your
choice list. You will be asked to make a donation towards the charity running the rescue centre.
NOTE: You will
be vetted by the rescue centre, they like to check out your home and will ask you questions about your lifestyle to make sure
you and your home is suitable.
What
Breed?
Before making a decision, DO YOUR RESEARCH. Talk to people who
already live with the breed; attend dog shows (Crufts is ideal you can see lots of different breeds, and find out about different
activities you can do with your dogs, its not all about beauty!); talk to the breeders; ask questions, no one will mind if
they realise you are really serious; find out about health issues, your vet and the Internet are good resources; find out
how much exercise and mental stimulation the breed needs, a Border Collie will quickly develop behaviour problems unless they
have work to do!
How to choose a Puppy/Dog
When you
have chosen your breed, you will need to find a litter of puppies, the Kennel Club, local papers, the pet shop and your
vet may have advertisements for puppies. Go and visit the puppies, can you see one or both parents? (stud dogs
don't always live on site), you should definitely see the puppies with their mother. Are the facilities clean and
the puppies clean and parasite free?
If it is a pedigree puppy, ask to see the pedigree and Kennel Club registration
form. Red lettering is a bonus, the important thing is how many times does the same name appear. If it appears
more than once on each side of the pedigree ask the breeder about it. What you don't want to see is obvious inbreeding.
This can fix good points, but it will also fix bad points and can increase the risk of inherited diseases.
If you are looking at a crossbreed or mongrel, there will not be a pedigree so you will not know if any
of the ancestors are related. You can only rely on the honesty of the breeder.
DO NOT PURCHASE ANY PUPPY FROM A PUPPY FARM OR PET SHOP. ALWAYS GO TO THE BREEDERS PREMISES.
OFFERS OF DELIVERY SHOULD BE VIEWED WITH SUSPICION. MAKE SURE YOU PICK YOUR PUPPY UP FROM THE BREEDER WITH A PEDIGREE
AND REGISTRATION FORM.
(IF APPLICABLE).
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