How to Pick a Puppy
A great deal of reading, questioning and
investigating upfront will make life much easier in the future with your new
puppy
MetPet.com Staff Writer
Your dog will be your constant companion, friend and
dependent for 10-15 years or even longer so it makes sense to select a puppy
carefully. It is not unusual for 6-12 months to elapse between the time
you decide to get a puppy to the time you actually bring one home.
The one thing to avoid is the impulse adoption especially with the children
in tow. If you're just starting to consider adopting a puppy then going to
the Saturday morning pet adoption at the local superstore or spending a day at
the local humane shelter is the worst possible idea. The lure of the
dominant, fuzzy puppy who seeks out your lap and gazes into your eyes is too
much for most of us to resist. Resist the temptation and go head instead
to your local library
Here are some basic steps that will help you to make the
best choice.
1. If you haven't had a dog before, considering spending time at a dog park
and asking questions of the owners. You can see a wide variety of dogs of
all different ages and any owner who takes the time to go to a dog park is
likely to quite knowledgeable. Most people are happy to talk your ear off
about their own experiences.
2. Should you decide on a
purebred, crossbreed or mixed breed?
3.
Who are you really and what do you really, really want? If you
are very specific and honest about your lifestyle then you can select a puppy
that will fit that lifestyle. If, for example, you admire how brilliant
and energetic border collies are but you live in a small apartment and are gone
most of the time then a border collie will create any number of problems for
you.
4. Decide on a specific breed or type of puppy:
USA: American Kennel Club
UK: The
Kennel Club
5.
Find a good breeder, shelter, rescue
organization or internet source but be
careful, ask tons of questions and get recommendations whenever possible.
6. Be prepared to be patient and do a great deal of reading. It can
really take a long time to find just the right dog for your family but it really
is worth the trouble.
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