Puppy And Dog Tips

You think it is time to get a new puppy or dog for yourself and your family. You have a good home to offer a dog and enough time (and money) to spend with your dog for the term of its natural life.

It does not matter who you are or what circumstances you live in, as long as you give your dog exercise, discipline and love there is a dog breed to suit you. Do some research into the breeds you like before buying a puppy and ask yourself a few questions like:

• Can you afford a dog? Can you afford the ongoing costs of vet bills, food and regular worming?
• How much time a day do you have to spend with your new best friend? Dogs are social animals and need to spend a lot of time with their pack leader – you.  If you don’t have a lot of time then may be a dog of any sort is not the best pet for you.
• What size dog do you want and why? Remember, cute puppies grow into adult dogs.
• Does your dog need to keep up with an active lifestyle? Or will your dog enjoy the relaxed life with regular walks and outings?

Buying a Puppy is a Serious Business

I know you are excited at the prospect of buying a puppy and bringing it home to share your life. But – do not just go out and buy the first puppy you see.

Make sure you know the background of the puppy; the history of the parents’ health. Temperament is another important thing. You need to decide what type of puppy will best fit into your lifestyle. Flat out and boisterous; or quieter and more focused on you.

Best Places to look for your new Puppy or Dog

It depends on what you are looking for on where you will find the best dog for you. Look online in your area, ring your local breed clubs for recommended puppy breeders, and check out your local dog rescue and humane society to see what dogs and puppies need new homes. Then there are the newspaper advertisements that have dogs and puppies for sale locally.

When you visit the puppies check out the environment they have been brought up in. Look at the parents if you can. This gives a good indication at a puppy’s early socialization. Poor conditions may indicate problems.

If you adopt a dog or puppy from a shelter you are saving a life. All dogs in legitimate shelters are temperament and health tested. Only those puppies and dogs that pass stringent tests and guidelines are offered for rehoming to the public. Consider it a privilege to save a life with the extra bonus of knowing that expert dog handlers have assessed your dog and know how to match your needs with a suitable dog or puppy.

Where not to Buy your new Puppy or Dog

Pet shops are the worst place to buy a puppy or a dog. There are a lot of reasons for this, and this includes you do not know what you are really buying. So often I hear stories about people being sold a small breed dog that turns out to be as big, if not bigger, than my German shepherds.

Pet shops are usually supplied by puppy mills where dogs and puppies are bred and kept in the most appalling conditions. It is tempting to save these little creatures. The problem with this is that it only supports the dog mills to keep mass producing puppies. They do not care about health, conditions or who or what breeds with who or what. They are poorly fed and would be lucky to ever see a vet. If you buy one of these puppies then you support the cruelty of puppy mills. And, you have no guarantees about the health of the dog, and often even the breed.

The most important thing when looking for that new best friend to join your family is that a puppy is for its lifetime – not just a short time. If you are a good pack leader to your dog you will spend many wonderful years together enjoying each other’s company.