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If you are thinking of buying a dog, the Barking Buddies team along with the help of our members, have attempted to bring you some general information about as many breeds and cross-breeds that we can to help you to choose the dog best suited to you. You can see some info about different breeds and get some tips on Choosing a Puppy.
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Breeds
This section is under construction!More breeds to come! If you wish to write about, or disagree with a description of your breed of dog, send it in! dogchoice@barkingbuddies.com
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Choosing a Puppy! |
Someone once said: "Choosing a dog is the only time in your life you get to choose a relative". So take your time and choose wisely. It is best to choose your puppy from a respected breeder when buying a pedigree, and only when you have checked out the breeder thoroughly. Do they seem knowledgeable and caring? Avoid a breeder who besmirchs other breeders or their stock, remember you may have to deal with this person again if you have problems with your purchase, you might find that nastiness turned on you! - Look elsewhere.
Take careful note of the kennel, a clean well laid out establishment usually means a breeder who takes pride in their animals. Check out where the keep the adults, as well as the puppy area. The best breeders concentrate on one breed of dog. Ones that change what they are selling depending on whats popular don't take the time, and usually havent the knowledge to produce quality stock. Check out their credentials for that stock, such as veterinary clearance, (hip and elbow x-rays).
You should ask to look at the puppies parents, at least the mother, the sire is also a good idea. You are looking for a good temperament, a mother when with her puppies might not be overly friendly, however on her own she should be a friendly dog.
Look for a puppy who has clear eyes with no discharge, playful and not shy. they should be in good condition, too many fleas means a puppy not being reared correctly, a pot belly might mean a belly full of worms. The coat should be clean and shiny, the gums a healthy deep pink and the puppy should not be lethargic or wary which might indicate sickness or bad temperament.
You should look at the puppies at about six weeks of age, and buy them at eight weeks. A breeder selling before eight weeks is not reputable. They should have been wormed regularly commencing from around two weeks of age. They should have been vaccinated and checked by a veternarian at six weeks. There should be a certificate for vaccination for at least distemper, parvo, and hepatitis. The breeder should provide a diet sheet for your puppy, to avoid sudden change of diet when you take it home. Make sure you receive the correct papers, both pedigree and registration papers. If the pup is is still in the process of being registered, get a signed guarantee that the correct papers will be forwarded to you.
Above all, remember that a puppy is for life and that it won't stay a puppy for long. Most breeds demand a lot of your time and patience. Otherwise you might end up with a barking, chewing, whining bundle of hairy trouble!
Please take some time now to look at some of the different breeds in our Breed Description area. Note that the descriptions are not breed standards, they are there to give you an idea of what each breed is like. You should then get some more detailed info from another source.
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