How to Choose the Right Puppy
If you want a good quality pup for a reasonable price, you may have to shop around awhile, and that means having to leave behind those pups you believe came from puppy mills, brokers or irresponsible breeders, no matter how much you pity them or your heart is captivated by them.
The easiest way to do this is to qualify the pups over the phone first, and don't waste your time looking at pups that have a questionable background. Some of the things you want to find out are:
Are the parent dogs on site?
You must be able to meet the parent dogs in order to determine what traits the pups may inherit, unless it is an older puppy or dog (who will already display his adult physical and personality traits). Although the sire (daddy dog) may not be available for inspection, as female dogs are often bred through a stud service, the dam (mommy dog) should always be available. If the dam is not available, it may indicate the pups are being sold through a broker or originated from a puppy mill.
Pet shops are the absolute worst places to find good puppies because you can't see the parent dogs, you can't examine the environment in which they were raised, and in most cases, you can't see how the puppy interacts with its littermates to determine its personality. Some pet shop puppies originate from puppy mills, which do not promote healthy breeding practices.
Is a pedigree available?
Even if you do not plan to show or breed your pet, it is important to examine the puppy's pedigree, which shows the puppy's "family tree." If you see repetition of names on the pedigree, this means there is inbreeding. Inbreeding increases the chance your dog will inherit a variety of defects.
AKC registration does NOT guarantee the quality of a dog or guarantee that there is no inbreeding. Registration papers will NOT show the pedigree of a dog. There are advantages to having a dog registered because dog clubs often offer a variety of resources to pet owners including breed information, newsletters, and care, training and breeding tips. But be aware that registration has nothing to do with the quality of breeding in a dog.
Has the dog been tested for inheritable defects?
After having done your research on the particular breeds that interest you, you should have become familiar with the inheritable defects and health problems associated with those breeds. Find out if the parent dogs or the pups have been tested and cleared of those problems.
Are there any health or temperament guarantees?
Does the breeder provide any type of health or temperament guarantee? If so, what does the guarantee cover and for how long? Some breeders may require you to have your pup vet-checked within 3-5 days for a health guarantee to be valid. By limiting the number of days after purchase to have this done, they can rule out the chance that the pup picked up an illness from another source. Be sure you understand all the limitations in any guarantees.
Is a contract of purchase required?
Some breeders will require you to sign a contract before you can purchase a puppy. Some contracts require dogs sold as pets to be spayed or neutered. Some will require you to provide a certain amount of obedience training for your pup. Make sure you understand all the provisions of any contract before you purchase. Be sure to read the fine print and don't agree to anything that seems unreasonable to you.
Has the dog been vet-checked or had any vaccinations?
Make sure you receive all information regarding any vaccinations or wormings the pup has received including the type of vaccines, dates inoculated, manufacturer and serial numbers of the vaccines. Some breeders prefer to do the vaccinations themselves, but they should still be able to provide this information. Puppies should have received at least one dose of vaccinations and worming before they are ready for sale. If the puppies have been vet-checked, ask if a Health Certificate was issued for them.
Most experts recommend that puppies stay with their mothers until they are at least 7 weeks old, however, conscientious breeders will often keep the pups until they are 8-10 weeks old. Puppies learn valuable social skills from their mother and littermates, and removing them too early can harm their social and emotional development.
How much do they cost?
If you want to get your money's worth, you need to get an idea of the going prices for a particular breed. Some things that affect prices are:
- Whether the puppy is show or pet quality
- Whether registration papers are available
- Age of the puppy or dog (older puppies or dogs are usually less expensive)
- Popularity of a breed (popular breeds usually have a plentiful supply on the market, which lowers the price. Rare or hard-to-find breeds are likely to cost more.
A plentiful supply of a popular breed usually means reasonable prices, however, it also means there are great differences in the quality of breeding.
After qualifying puppies over the phone and deciding which ones are worth investigating further, you need to carefully evaluate the puppies and their environment when you finally go to inspect them.
Evaluate Personalities- Just as there are physical and temperament variations within a breed, pups from the same litter can also have different physical traits and personalities. The breeder should be able to tell you the differences between the pups, such as which is the boldest, which is the least out-going, which is the most laid-back and which is the most energetic. Be sure to spend some time with the pups before making a definite decision so you can evaluate their personalities yourself.
The boldest puppy may be the most out-going and friendly, but may also have a dominant nature which requires firm leadership. The least out-going pup may be more shy or timid, but may also be more submissive and easier to train. You should choose a puppy that compliments your own personality. For instance, a bold, independent puppy needs a firm, assertive owner and a puppy who appears to be more of a spectator than a participant may be more appropriate for a less assertive individual.
Evaluate the Parent Dog(s)- Meet the parent dogs to determine what kind of representation of the breed the pups may become. This includes noticing the size, length of hair, and temperament.
Evaluate the Environment- Are the puppies or dogs kept in a clean environment? Puppies raised in a filthy environment may be exposed to illness and may be more difficult to housebreak. The puppies should also be clean, with no more than the typical "puppy smell" that all puppies have.
Evaluate the Puppies' Health- This includes all the puppies in the litter. If only one appears to be sick, the others may also be sick, even if they don't show any symptoms. Eyes should be bright and alert, without discharge, cloudiness, or squinting expression. Noses should be moist and free of any discharge. Coats should be clean and glossy, free of parasites or excess dandruff, and without hairless or thinning patches.
It may seem heartbreaking to look at a bunch of adorable puppies and come home empty-handed, but if you are choosy about the puppy you bring home, you will save yourself greater heartaches in the future. And just remember, the RIGHT dog will come along eventually, and when it does, you will not regret waiting for it. A puppy can bring greater joy to you when it is healthy and has the right physical characteristics and temperament!