Once you have decided to keep a dog at home, you should first decide which breed you would prefer. Once the breed has been finalized, the next step lies in finding the puppy of that breed that will suit your needs. You can either buy the puppy from his previous owner or you can go to someone who is a professional at breeding dogs and get one from him.
But you first need to make sure that the person who is selling the puppy to you is completely genuine and whether he has not stolen the puppy from somewhere. The person who is selling you the puppy also might want to make sure that you will be able to provide a good home and a good environment for the puppy. You can contact someone from the Kennel club to give you a list of shelters where puppies are available for sale or they can give you a list of professional dog breeders. Many people also visit dog shows in their areas where they can meet other people who own dogs as well as professional dog breeders and also find out where you can find a good puppy.
When going to purchase a puppy, you should get some essential information before actually buying the puppy from the breeder. You should find out how they take care of the dog. You should ask them whether they teach the dog to obey commands or do they just simply breed dogs. You should also find out how many different kinds of breeds are being taken care of in the place and how much attention is being given to every dog. This will help in determining whether the dog is suitable enough to be kept as a pet at home. In case you are thinking of taking home a female dog, you should find out how many times in a year she has had puppies. If the person breeding her is responsible and professional, he will make sure that she does not have a litter more than once in a year.
Questions should also be asked about the previous home where the puppy was living. If the puppy has lived in a home, which is full of people and lots of interaction, it will be more fun than a dog that has been in a kennel. People who have been breeding dogs for a long time will be able to give you all the details regarding the life of a dog, like any medical problems that the dog has faced and any medical problems that could be anticipated in the future. They will also tell you about any health problems that are faced by a particular breed of dogs. They will ask you to return the dog if you feel that you are no longer in a position to take care of it. People who breed dogs also ask the prospective owners many questions in order to find out what kind of dog owners they will turn out to be and whether they can actually provide a good home for the dogs.
Once you have decided the breed of the dog that you want and also found the right puppy, its time to move on to the next step. When purchasing a puppy, it is best to go to a breeder who is friendly by nature. This will ensure that the dogs have been brought up in a good and healthy environment and that they will also be very friendly.
It is also very essential to see the mother of the puppy. Sometimes you can see her in the place where she nurses her puppies. She may not be in the best state of mind after having babies and she also may not like people coming and looking at her puppies. The father of the puppies will not be around most of the time. The father, a stud dog is selected by the female breeder to mate with. You should make sure that you find out all details regarding the father of the puppies like his general nature and health and also find out whether his family has been around for at least five generations. Sometimes even a photo can be asked for and made available.
A puppy is normally ready for a new home once it is around six weeks old. But it is always better to check out the puppy once it is three to four weeks old. Since the puppy is very young, it will be in an exploratory mood and will be very much interested in inspecting its new surroundings, would like to play and also be very naughty. Certain puppies may not be very outgoing or playful and they will need to be trained before being sent to a new home. The puppies have to be reasonably plump and not very fat and they should not have any lumps or bumps. Puppies having a potbelly might be having worms and it is better to avoid them. Some puppies might be having umbilical hernia, which will cause the belly button to become swollen.
You should make sure that the eyes, ears, nose, backside, and coat are very clean. The eyes should be bright and make sure that the ears are not red or itchy and smelly or dirty and there should not be any red or bald patches on his coat. Try to make puppy respond to some sound that you make like a clap or a shout and see what is his response. Some breeds of Dalmatians are deaf and this could be applicable to white dogs, so make sure that you do not pick out a dog that is deaf.
Puppies should spend some time with their mothers as well as the rest of their family before they are sent to a new home. This time that they spend together will teach them their basic communication skills as well as other important skills that they might require for survival. Normally, a puppy is taken home once it is six weeks but in case you are choosing a puppy that is older or about twelve weeks old then it is better to choose a puppy that has lived in a house with a lot of people.
Puppies belonging to different varieties can be found in animal shelters and kennels all over the country. A good animal shelter should have enclosures that have been kept neat and clean and there should be a separate shady place that can be used for sleeping and there should also be plenty of space for the dogs to run around and play. The staff should know all the details that you would like to know about the dog and they should behave with the dogs in a friendly and caring manner. They will also ask the prospective owner many questions about his home, his family and his general lifestyle in order to determine if he would make an ideal owner for a dog. Most animal shelter will have their dogs neutered before they are given to a new owner or they will make the prospective owner sign an agreement stating that they will ensure that the procedure is performed. |