BUYING FROM A BREEDER
If you buy a dog from a breeder you should also be careful so that you’re not supporting puppy mills. Many registered breeders also advertise their litters in classified ads. Go to the facilities before deciding on buying a puppy.
Follow where possible the same criteria as for buying privately. Here are some tips:
- Are the dogs and the puppies registered with your national kennel association?
- Ask the dealer questions about the breed.
- The dealer should also ask you questions, because if they care where
- the puppies are going to they very likely care about their dogs.
- Look at the living conditions of the animals.
- Are they in proper kennels or in cages?
- Do the dogs seem happy?
- Do they respond to their names? Or do you get the feeling they’re just incubators?
- Do an internet search on the breeder beforehand if you can.
- Trust your instinct. If something appears off leave!
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BUYING FROM A PRIVATE SELLER:
puppy love
When buying a puppy, there are some things to look out for. Is the price they ask in line with other sellers of the breed? A private seller will probably give you a better price than a breeder, but the puppies won’t necessarily be registered. When you have done your research and decided on a breed you can now start the buying process. When you go to view your potential puppy, there are some things to look out for.
Here are some tips:
- Always go see the puppy at their premises, don’t meet them somewhere.
- You have to see the living conditions of the dogs.
- Take some one with you for safety and an objective opinion.
- See all the dogs in the litter if they’re still there.
- Ask to see the parent dogs.
- Are they well taken care of and in good condition?
- Do they seem to like the owners?
- Do they have a friendly temperament?
- Are they pets, or does it appear that owners only have the dogs for the purpose of selling puppies?
- Are the puppies inoculated and dewormed?
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CHOOSING THE RIGHT BREED OF DOG
So now you’ve decided to buy a dog, now you have to decide which breed of dog you want. Do you want to buy a specific breed or adopt whatever dog “speaks to you” at the rescue shelter? Do research on the breed. Don’t simply get the dog because it looks cute or you’ve seen it in a movie. There are some websites like http://www.iams.com where you can fill in some questions and they’ll give you some dog breed suggestions.
Here are some questions to consider:
- Do you want a pure breed or a “pavement special”?
- Do you want a small, medium, large or giant breed?
- Do you want a lazy, average or highly energetic dog?
- How big is your yard, will it be suitable to the dog’s size and energy level?
- Do you want a lap dog, a dog that doesn’t like to be picked up or a dog that doesn’t mind either way?
- Will it be an inside or an outside dog?
- Do you want a dog with long hair or short hair?
- Does the breed need specialized grooming (a specific haircut)?
- If you have a dog allergy in the family, is the breed of dog “hypoallergenic”?
- If you get a highly energetic dog, will you have 1-2 hours a day to walk/exercise it?
- If you live in a complex, does the corporate body allow big dog breeds?
- Do you want a dog that likes living with other pets or a territorial dog that likes to live alone?
- Will it be an inside or an outside dog?
- Do you want an aggressive dog or a friendly dog?
- Will the dog fit in with your life style?
Next: Buying from a private seller.
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Questions to ask before you decide to buy a dog.
It’s pretty obvious and logical, but I thought I’d still give you some guidelines.
- Do you really want a dog?
- Can you commit to a dog?
- Does some one in your family have a dog allergy?
- Will you take responsibility for the dog? (Remember if you buy a the dog for your kids you’ll probably end up taking care of it anyway)
- Can you afford dog food, veterinary care, training (if you can’t manage by yourself) and grooming (if you don’t have time for it yourself.)
- Will you have time to exercise the dog? You can pay someone to walk it, tough it’s best to do it yourself, as it is a chance to bond with the dog.
- Will you have time to give the dog attention?
- Do you simply want a guard dog or will you love your dog? Do you have time to house train the dog?
- Do you have permission to get a dog from the corporate body (if you live in a complex)?
- Do you have enough space for a dog?
- Are you willing to live with digging in and damage to you garden? Especially for the first year.
- Will your children (wit you have any) adjust to the dog?
- Have you considered who would look after the dog when you travel?
- Will it be an inside or an outside dog?
- Have you chosen the right breed?
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Pick a puppy.
So you want a puppy. Where do you find one? With recent talk in the media of puppy mills, more people are adopting. If you want a specific breed it’s still a good option to buy a puppy, if you do so in a responsible manner. It’s better NOT to buy from pet shops. Reportedly many pet shops buy from puppy mills through dealers. At a pet shop you usually cannot see the puppy’s parents. Ideally pet shops should only be used for dog food and accessories.
If you are looking to adopt a specific breed directly from its owner, before it ends up at a rescue organization you’ll also be to look for one in the classifieds. In that way you will most likely get a dog that isn’t traumatized if you’re cautious of going the rescue route. If you do want a rescue puppy some organizations like Wet Nose and FORA have pictures an descriptions of the pets available for adoption. In that way you can look at the pets before you go there. Some of these organizations have a “no-kill” policy so if you really want to save a life the SPCA is still worth a visit. Getting a puppy is a serious decision. Remember dogs only remain puppies for a few months and when they get older you will still remain responsible for them.
Related sites:
myspca.co.za
adoptapet.co.za
< a herf=”http://www.peta.org>PETA
Picture courtesy of www.freepphoto.com
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