Where do you find a healthy, quality puppy?
How does it all start? With exceptional care and
love. Without these two things puppies and kittens are bound to be a heart ache for both the breeder and the new owners.
We follow a rather strict plan when it comes to taking care of all of our adult dogs as well as puppies.
1) Start off with quality dogs. This doesn't mean
that you have to go out and spend a small fortune for your new puppy or breeding dog but it does mean that where it comes
from and how they handle these things are very important is the Most important thing. It does mean that Not every dog
need to be bred, no matter how it is registered or not registered.
2) Do your home work. It's ok that you want a family
pet and not a show dog - I am sure the majority of them all go into pet homes and not breeding and showing home. Read
up on your breeds of choice. Don't run out and buy a beagle and then no longer want to keep it because it chases
rabbits! That makes me crazy! They are doing what they have been bred to do for so long, your not going to change
that. Find a breed that really suits everyone in your family. There are good things about all of the different breeds
out there and I feel sure if you spend more then 10 minutes looking into this you will find a dog that will fit your life
style perfecty.
3) Finding a quality breeder...we'll this can be very
tricky! The fact is people Lie to make a dollar like they so often do in all types of work. Dog breeders are no
exception. Find one that has your breed of choice and get on a waiting list if you have to.
4) Slow down.. make informed choices. See the adult
dogs whenever possible. See what kind of facility they are in and how they look. All dog deserve to be treated
fairly and taken well care of, after all they are bringing in income to help support the family that goes up and beyond the
call of duty.
5) Keep in mind, if it looks like to good of a deal,
it is. You do get what you pay for. I am not suggesting that you get raped by a well talking breeder but knowing
what the average dog in your breed an sex that your looking for certainly is a good idea. People over charge all of
the time but they also dumb the dogs that are not fit to be sold on to people who "feel sorry for the dog". My advice
walk away...unless you are prepaid to spend thousands of dollars in vet bills and untold amounts of heart ache for you and
your family. Keep Looking!
It is very easy to look up the breed standard for each
breed of dog. Now, not all of them are perfect,most are by far NOT perfect but finding a breeder who cares is the first
step. Make sure you See mom and dad. Don't take NO for an answer. Chances are they are hiding something.
Filth, poor dogs in poor health, over sized dogs, shy un socialized dogs. You name it - they are all out there.
Your not saving a puppy, you have helping these people stay in business and create more unhealthy and unloved dogs.
6)Never buy a dog without a written contract. These contracts
spell out what you need to do and what the breeder is required to do. If something falls apart at least you have a leg
to stand on if it has to come to court.
7) Ask what dog food they are feeding and make certain
that they send a smaple along with you if you chose to buy a puppy. A sudden change in feeding will upset stomach and
the last thing you need is a new puppy with a seriously upset stomic running around your house on your new white carpet.
How long will that last? Everyone gets tired of that very quickly.
8) Ask any and all questions, you don't have to act like
a detective but ask questions so you can know what to expect with your new puppy.
9) Never buy a puppy that is under 8 weeks of age.
Puppies learn so much from each other and they need this interaction to grown into well adjusted adult dogs.
10) Sign up for puppy classes. Learning to Sit and
Stay is highly important if they never learn another command. Picture your dog on the other side pf a busy street.
All they can think of is getting to YOU. If you can put your dog on a "Sit, Stay" you can then cross the road to get
them and not have to witness the horrible site of them getting killed just trying to get back to you or your family.
Just a few things to think about when looking for the
right dog to add to your family. Keep it simply and use common sense..
.