There are many important things to consider before you start looking to buy a dog – from finding out if you are ready, to discovering the right breed to suit your lifestyle. Also, do you want to buy a pedigree puppy or get a dog from a breed rescue?
If your thinking of buying a puppy then good on you (as long as it’s for the right reasons), dogs bring you so much love, fun and happiness, the feeling is quite special but… be warned, owning a puppy is not always easy. Owning a Puppy is just like looking after a Baby! It’s true, the first few weeks and even months of owning a puppy can be stressful, tiring and exhausting, especially in the toilet training and house breaking stage. The key is patience and if you have plenty then owning a puppy will be a joyful and rewarding experience.
When you buy a puppy, things you should look for include;
Make sure you Buy from a Reputable Breeder
It is really important that your potential new puppy has had the best start in life and a reputable breeder will make sure this happens. After all the first 8 weeks of a puppy’s life is crucial. A reputable breeder will have Bred and Reared the puppies in there home. Look for signs like whelping pens, food bowls and bedding to make sure and ensure the puppies look comfortable. If they appear scared and seem unfamiliar with there surroundings then this maybe a sign that the puppies weren’t bred in there home. A reputable breeder will also ensure the puppy has had all the necessary vaccinations and will usually provide you with all the information of the puppy’s first 8 weeks of it’s life.
You must at all accounts avoid puppy farms and help us stop puppy farm cruelty, we can’t stress this enough. Puppy farms are where greedy breeders house, sometimes hundreds of dogs in rather poor living conditions, usually outside in the cold simply to breed them and reproduce and sell hundreds of puppies. This activity is done purely for profit with no thought or care for the animals welfare. You can find out more about our puppy farm campaign here.
You Should Meet the Parents, or at least the Mother
Its really important to see the parents. If you can see both the father and female together then thats a bonus but you should at least request to see the mother and the siblings together. Interact with the mother and she how she responds to you. Puppies usually inherit the characteristics of the parents so if your faced with an angry and aggressive mother then you could expect these behavioural problems to be inherited by the puppies. Check the mothers health, does she appear fit and healthy? It is expected that a mother after recently giving birth will be slightly underweight and will have enlarged nipples from feeding. Just ensure she generally looks healthy and has healthy teeth.
What breed should I get
When getting a dog, the breed is the most important decision, you need a dog that fits your day to day life, for example The Labrador Retriever is a high energy working breed, initially bred for very physically demanding work retrieving game for hunters. This would involve all day hiking, running and swimming in sometimes difficult conditions. So Labrador Retrievers were bred to have lots of energy and be very active. And though their main role in life today is as a family pet, they still have those same genetics that made them suited to their original role. This means they have a body built for and one that craves a lot of physical activity and if you don’t provide a way for them to release their pent-up energy, they may very well find a release for it themselves.
And near the other end of the scale is the pug. A puppy’s exercise should be strictly controlled. Strenuous activity (such as excessively long walks, or running up and down the stairs as well as jumping on chairs) can contribute to joint problems, so stick to gentle play. Unrestricted access to the garden for free-running is ideal to start off with and gradually add in lead-walking initially on grass before moving onto harder surfaces, so the garden is a good place to start.Pugs do not require a great deal of exercise, but they do need more than you would think and it should be part of the regular daily routine. You should aim at giving an adult Pug two 20-minute walks a day, together with free access to a well-fenced, secure garden. Don’t get a breed for the sack of getting that breed, make should you can provide for it, if you get a working dog, it needs working! It will walk all day and still play fetch when you get home, If you don’t want to do much walking get a tiny lap dog, but even they need 2 walks a day.
Check the Puppies Age and Health
Puppies should be at least 8 weeks old before leaving the mother to start there new life. Before buying a puppy check the puppies are not suffering from the following health conditions:
· Weakness on their feet or struggling to walk
· Tiredness – Ensure the puppies have bursts of energy
· Hair loss or itching and scratching problems
· Sore red, inflamed or runny eyes
· Visible ribs – Severe sign they are under weight
· Dull thin coat of hair
· Signs of diarrhoea
· Hunched or crouched body
· Struggling to go to the toilet – Straining
Check the Puppy Records
Ensure you obtain records of the following:
· Vaccinations – If the puppy has already received these check the records have been stamped by a veterinary practice. If no vaccinations have been carried out make sure they are carried out soon after buying a puppy.
· Micro Chip – If the puppy has been microchipped ensure you obtain the details for you to make owner changes.
· Worming and Parasite Records – Puppies should be wormed at 4 weeks, 6 weeks and 8 weeks of age. Ensure you have the dates of when this treatment was carried out.
· Buying a Pedigree Puppy? – Check the records carefully and ensure that the registered adress on the documents are where you are buying the puppy from.
Which Puppy to Choose? (Presuming you have decided on Male or Female)
This is by far the most difficult part. Trust us, you will end up wanting all of the puppies at this stage. Choosing the right puppy for you is important and it is recommended that you visit the puppy more than once on separate days.
Take time to spend plenty of time with all the puppies. 15 minutes or more is recommended so you can really see the characteristics of all the puppies. After playing and spending time with all the puppies together take each of them away one by one into a separate area and see how individually they respond around you.
After spending time with the puppies and after visiting more than once with your family then you should feel a strong bond coming on with one of 2 of the puppies. You just then need to decide which one!
I hope all this information has been useful to you, and remember, insure your pets