Posted by Jeanne on December 29, 2008
There are lots of ways that people choose a new family dog. Some may search the newspaper for advertisements from breeders who are selling new puppies; others find breeders through listings on the internet, while still more may simply purchase a puppy from a local pet store. Perhaps the best method, however, in terms of being helpful to society in general is to adopt a dog from a local animal shelter.
Adopting a dog brings a new friend into your life. It also helps to reduce the number of unwanted and homeless dogs in your area. Unless the shelter is a “no kill” facility (and these are sadly few and far between), it will also save a dog’s life. Animal lovers everywhere champion the adoption of dogs from shelters as opposed to any other method of bringing home a new pet for this reason alone, but there are other reasons to choose the adoption option.
- Adopted pets have had their shots
- Shelters often have information about a dog’s temperament
- Adopting a pet frees space in the shelter for more dogs
When you adopt a dog, you can be sure that the staff at the shelter has had the dog examined by a vet for diseases and parasites and that the dog has had its shots. This is not always true of dogs acquired by other means such as kids giving away “free puppies” from a box in front of the local grocery store or pet store.
The dogs at a shelter are not just strays and often are turned in to the shelter by former owners for various reasons. When this happens, the shelter collects as much information about the dog as possible, including whether it’s good with children, how much it barks, how playful or obedient it is, whether it’s housebroken, and other important details. While it’s true that this information is only as good as the honesty of the former owner, most of the time it is fairly accurate.
Animal shelters provide a valuable service to the community that they serve by keeping the streets as free of stray animals as possible. Because many of them do this with little or no public funding or governmental support, they are very limited in the number of dogs they can have in the shelter at any given time. The only way that they can bring in more stray animals is if they remove the ones they currently have. This is done through adoption or euthanasia. Obviously, they would prefer to have the dogs adopted rather than killed. Adopting a dog could very well save its life and allows the shelter to bring in another dog in its place.
Posted by Jeanne on November 24, 2008
It is an exciting time when you get to bring home a new puppy. He quickly becomes part of your family and you create a bond with lots of cuddling, trips outside, and walks in the park. If buying from a breeder, you will want to be sure you choose a responsible breeder versus a backyard breeder (those who are only breeding for financial benefits).
When shopping for your new dog, there are things you need to expect from your breeder as well as some things the breeder will expect from you. If you have found a responsible breeder, he or she may come across as a very nosy person. This is okay, considering that the nosier breeder, the better!
From a responsible breeder you can expect to be asked such things as your work schedule, who lives in the house with you, what your yard layout is like and the kind of friends you have that may be visiting you in your home. Although these seem like personal questions, the breeder cares what kind of home their puppy may be going to. A breeder who asks no questions and is just looking for the sale won’t be able to offer you the same quality and breed of puppies as the responsible breeder will.
Another perk to buying a puppy from a responsible breeder is that you will be told the lineage that the puppy came from. In other words, you’ll be privy to the father’s as well as the mother’s heritage, and will be given the papers to prove it. This can be an important aspect of buying a puppy because personalities, as well as health issues, are generally hereditary, and it’s nice to be certain that your puppy is from good stock. Most of the time, a backyard breeder or pet store simply won’t offer this type of information. In addition, pet store puppies usually come from a puppy mill – a relative breeding farm – and they are sold on a first come, first serve basis. Questions aren’t asked of the buyer and no attention is paid to the puppy’s welfare.
A responsible breeder will also expect the buyer to have questions and concerns of their own. A buyer should not be afraid to ask questions about this new life you will be taking into your home. Here are a few things you should ask your breeder about as well as some expectations that you should have:
- Is there a signed veterinary health certificate, plus a written health guarantee from the breeder, including one against congenital defects?
- Are ACVO eye screening and OFA or Penn Hip certificates completed, to avoid any future problems with the puppies?
- Does the breeder have a written contract available for you to sign, specifying the rights of the seller and also the breeder’s rights?
- Is all health information available and up to date?
- Can the breeder provide AKC or CKC registration papers on the puppy?
- What is the lineage of the puppies? A responsible breeder should be able to tell you lineage from generations back, as well as giving you a family tree of the puppy.
Responsible breeders will be able to help you find the puppy that is right for you and will be happy to give you tips on raising and caring for your new bundle of joy. As long as you find a responsible breeder, it’s a sure thing that you’ll find the perfect puppy.