I would advise you, if you're looking for love, to follow The 5 Golden Rules on Puppy Buying:
1. First Things First: Firstly think about your circumstances, ask yourself, does everyone in the family want a new pet? Do you have the right facilities to raise a dog? Will the dog get bigger and do you know what breed suits you? Can you provide it with food, water, exercise, fun, medical treatment and/or toys? If your thinking about an older/younger dog/puppy then research or ask breeders/shelters/vets/neighbours who have dogs about what things you need to do before/when/after buying or adopting. You can also go to Dog Shows if you know a specific breed you are interested in, ask breeders or groups etc who specialize in this particular breed, but make sure you do your homework!
2. Where to go?: Once you know what type of dog/breed you are looking for, find a responsible Breeder OR as we more advise, a Rescue Shelter or Pound. Go to a Rescue Place first please because unlike litters of bred dogs, these dogs can be in denial, they may be destroyed..... its painful to think of it but please go to a Shelter and look there, there's many dogs/pups looking for homes who desperately need them!!
3. The Right Pet? The Right Place?: Make sure when you think you've found the perfect pup/doggy that the Breeder/Rescue Center is a responsible one, so make sure (important if you're buying from a breeder) you ask questions such as, 'How long have you been breeding? Can I see the parents? Are there any medical problems that may be genetic or associated with this breed etc? Have there been any behavioural problems since birth? Questions like these can only take up less than an hour of your time, but help you and a dog for a lifetime, then you can be sure that your new pet is healthy, balanced and comes from a good background. Of course, all the puppies/dogs are cute and adorable! - But you need to make sure you choose the right one to suit your lifestyle! And make sure your not buying from a dodgy source. Some pet shops may contain puppies from Puppy Farms or Mills, to find out more about these inhumane set-ups then just visit http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/03/puppy-farms-battery-dogs and read the article, you can also contact Puppy Farm Rescue Groups/Charities such as http://www.puppywatch.org.uk/ and http://www.dogs-r-us.org/, well-known Dog Charity The Dog's Trust also offer advice and information on Puppy Farming, here's a link to the page http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/az/p/puppyfarming/default.aspx you can also speak to your Local Vet. Please be aware about the practice of Puppy Farming/Mills, its immorality, its inhumanity and also its dangers.
4. Found the perfect match? Paperwork done - whats next?: Decide a pick-up date on when to finally bring home your lovely new addition to the household! Remember that some Rescue Shelters may want to plan a home visit. But after some weeks or so, you can finally bring home Fido! Make sure you start balancing and helping him to settle in right away, start to bring in the rules and barriers of the household softly and slowly and don't force your new friend, it may take some time for him to get used to you and the new routine. Remember he may have been in kennels for weeks and may seem a bit shy and reserved at first. Help him to learn where everything is, his food, his water bowl, where he will be sleeping, where to (not) go/what to (not) do and where he can pee and poop. If you have a puppy make sure you do not scold him all the time for doing his business in the wrong place, it is a whole new concept for him!
5. Most importantly - Enjoy!: Enjoy your time you have with your new buddie, show him to your friends and family. Get him used to other pets and introduce him to new things in the area but be careful and cautious. You don't want him to get too overexcited around new animals/people/kids. Start early with socialization with other people and animals. Let him experience new things and sights and sounds. You don't want him to get mentally scarred though by a bad experience so take it easy! But remember with puppies you need to get them jabbed before they can go outside or see other dogs/animals around the neighbourhood. If you are confused about your pup's welfare/health/behaviour then simply contact your Vet etc, or visit a few websites, here's a few which may help you, http://www.cesarsway.com/channel/dog-care/new-dog http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppy http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/raising-puppy http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/388 http://www.hillspet.co.uk/dog/puppy.aspx http://www.dog-names.org.uk/canine-health.htm http://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-health-advice/puppies-and-dogs/ http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/az/p/puppies/default.aspx http://www.bluecross.org.uk/1741-2773/caring-for-your-puppy.html . Now that's alot of information! Make sure you fully know what to do! But don't fret, help is at hand from the professionals! They have the experience and knowledge to help you!
Now that you know The 5 Golden Rules on Puppy Buying you can start your adventure on finding a new family member or buddy! Dogs are GREAT GREAT GREAT companions and animals can heal and help us in ways which we cannot understand. Animals have amazing powers...
Now enjoy buying, looking, searching, researching, visiting, seeing, meeting, greeting, bringing home, loving and spending time with your new companion! Just Remember... Do your research and you'll be glad you did! There may be ups and downs in puppy raising and growing up with your doggy friend(s) but you'll love every minute and new experience that it brings! And all of it is worth it! Trust me, I've experienced it and loved every minute of it! I'm sure you've seen or read Marley & Me! Enjoy your new doggy!
"Dogs are not our whole life. But they make our lives whole."
Roger Caras
Fun Things To Do:
Think of a random dog breed, it could be a Labrador Retriever, a Pug or even a Mexican Hairless Dog! But try to research 5 facts about the breed.
Draw a puppy dog, name it and colour him in! http://www.how-to-draw-funny-cartoons.com/cartoon-puppies.html This link to a website can help you through the steps! Have fun!
Make a list of rules for your dog/puppy, don't be harsh but fair and correct, you could pin them up for all the family to see and follow!
Buy a couple of puppy books etc and read all about puppies and then make a presentation for a local group or for some friends or family, you could also do it for your vets!
Hope you have fun!
