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Choosing A Pet Dog

Choosing A Dog

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Choosing a Dog for a Pet

Guidance on what to consider when choosing a Dog for a Pet

Where To Get Your Pet Dog

Depending on your requirements, there are a variety of places to go to find and select the best pet. The first decision to make is whether you want a pure-breed dog or if you are not fussed, then you can consider a mixed breed.

There are 8 ways to buy a dog. Some avenues are better than others, hence we have ordered them by preference.

1. Animal Shelters / SPCA

Animal shelters, or what used to be known as pounds or dog pounds, are either governmental or private organizations that provide temporary homes for stray, surrendered, or abandoned pet animals. Most shelters offer adoption programs and are staffed with trained counselors experienced in matching families with suitable companions. The animal is kept at the shelter until it is reclaimed by the owner, adopted to a new owner, placed with another organization, or euthanized. Most animals have been screened for major health and temperament problems. Many shelters offer additional free services such as training materials, shots, and initial check-up, and spay/neuter surgery. A large range of pure breed and mixed breed dogs and puppies can be found in shelters and the cost of acquiring a dog is very reasonable.

2. Reputable Purebred Dog Breeders

Dog breeding is the vocation of mating carefully selected specimens of the same breed to reproduce specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics. At its best, breeding is a blend of science and art. Breeders generally:

1. specialize in only one or two breeds of dog,
2. is affiliated with this particular breed for at least five years,
3. is a member of their national breed club, and
4. will usually take back the dog if for whatever reason it does not work out.

The skilled breeder has at least general knowledge of genetics and health, and in-depth knowledge of the breed standard and conformation points of his chosen breed. Most breeders are fiercely loyal to their dogs, and are concerned about each individual animal. They can discuss the pros and cons of this breed with you in depth. They will likely screen you quite vigorously, as they feel totally responsible for the puppies they bring into this world.

The cost of the dog will depend on the dogs age and whether it is show quality, pet quality or breeding stock. In general, the prices are usually much more reasonable than in a pet shop.

3. Purebred Dog Rescue Group

A rescue group or rescue organization takes unwanted or abused pets and attempts to find new, caring homes for them. Most rescue groups are created by and run by volunteers, who take the animals into their homes and care for them-including training, loving, playing, handling medical issues, and solving behavior problems-until a suitable permanent home can be found. The cost to adopt is usually quite minimal, but often these rescue dogs need immediate medical treatment and a commitment to neuter the dog as soon as possible-if it has not already been done. Most potential adopters are carefully screened before being put on a waiting list. Rescue groups can be found by contacting the national breed club or your local animal shelter.

4. Taking In A Stray Off the Street

This is quite a random situation where the decision is one based on emotion. The dog will have no history and often drag medical and temperament problems, they may be solvable, but only with time and money. Be cautious.

5. Newspaper Advertisements

There is an element of trust here … because you are relying on the person selling the dog, you have a chance to contact them and inspect the dog. The risk is that they have conditioned the dog with bad habits, resulting in their inability to live with the dog, yet they love the animal and want it to go to a good home. Be cautious.

6. Pet Shop

While many people are satisfied with the puppies & dogs they acquire from pet stores, many argue that there are numerous problems with the way some stores acquire, care for, and sell animals. These stores give more reputable stores a bad name. Most pet shops deal only in purebred puppies. Consumers should be sure to ask about the level of care provided while an animal is in a pet stores care.

Some stores acquire most or all of their stock from large-scale commercial breeding operations that may also supply animals to industries that pet store patrons could find morally objectionable (such as cosmetics testing). These puppies are not brought up in a healthy home environment, nor are they well socialized into the world around them. They are taken from their mother and littermates too early to be developmentally sound and placed in a stressful, unsanitary environment. Overcrowded cages and long, stressful air & land  journeys can cause the spread of disease and sickness. A pet store with responsible, well educated staff should have no problem caring for these animals. However, the results are all too often sickly puppies that are nearly impossible to housebreak and train effectively. It is important for the consumer to exercise discretion and judgment in determining whether or not they feel that a particular pet store is reputable or not.

7. Amateur Backyard Breeders

These people generally think there is a profit in their current stud. The real world of good practice breeding does not result in a profit. Its not advisable to buy from amateur / hobby breeders.

8. Puppy Mills - Commercial Breeders

These are dog breeding operations that are considered to be disreputable and irresponsible. The high volume of these operations do not provide for the close daily examination a new puppy deserves.

Reputable breeders raise their animals in humane conditions, provide good socialization and often formal training, and follow breeding standards. They are knowledgeable about health problems associated with their breed, and with the principles of genetics, frequently undertaking specific matings to produce or refine particular desirable characteristics in their dogs.

Puppy mills are characterized by ignoring duties that are standard among responsible dog breeders. Often dogs are kept in overcrowded, unclean or otherwise inappropriate surroundings. The puppies they produce may be improperly socialized or may suffer from health problems which are often not disclosed to purchasers.

Purchasing dogs, especially those claimed to be purebred, from a pet store is strongly discouraged by reputable breeders and animal shelters. Reputable breeders generally will not sell pups to pet stores. While many pet stores claim to purchase dogs from "local breeders" instead of puppy mills, this is often untrue.

 

Related: Dog questionnaire