Adopt from a breeder or a shelter?

A day may come when you decide that you need a companion in your life. There are two venues available to you: a shelter or a breeder. However, there are other issues to consider first. What type of pet fits your lifestyle? If you work long hours then a dog may not be an optimal choice because of their dependency upon you for exercise. Do you have allergies? There are hypoallergenic dogs; however, these tend to be smaller dogs. Cats and rabbits may not be a good choice for you. Is space an issue? If so, then you may want to consider other pets like guinea pigs, gerbils, rats, etc. Do you have children or family members with small children? Some pets and some breeds of dogs are not children friendly due to age (very young or very old pets), temperament, or size. Lastly, do you have the finances to cover a major medical emergency for the chosen pet? Usually, a first veterinarian health check for a dog or cat can range from $60-$160 because of health checks and usual medicines like heartworm preventatives. A medical emergency will be more expensive the larger the pet or the more specialized the pet (ferret, rabbit, lizard, etc). The starting fee for a medical emergency usually can range with an office visit cost of $100 and a retainer of $500. If you can answer these questions, then you can decipher which venue, a shelter or a breeder, will suit you.

A shelter is an excellent choice if you are an experienced pet owner. However, if you are not an experienced pet owner, the first rule you should establish is that you will not bring home a pet until you spend at least three to four visits with the pet. You should also know that some shelters will have alternative pets (gerbils, rats, ferrets, etc). Once you go to the shelter, you should pick out at least five possible candidates. You can then ask for the pet's history. How old is the pet? What breeds are in pet? Does the pet have any known health conditions or behavior issues which can result in higher veterinarian or training costs?

The next venue for you to consider is a breeder. Many types of pets have breeders: cats, gerbils, dogs, etc. You must understand that an animal registry does not validate a good breeder, it registers the pedigree (family tree) of an animal. For example, an American Kennel Club (AKC) breeder just means that the dog's pedigree (family tree) is registered. This does not guarantee that the breeder is a good breeder or that the lines are good either.

Each animal type has a written standard of what the perfect animal should look and act like, which ensures that the money you spend is for a healthy and sound pet. Next, you are looking for breeders who have dogs with credentials. You are also looking for breeders with only one to three breeds in their care and only two litters at any given time.

You should then ask for the breeder's current show record for the last three months with no disqualifications or repeat excusals. Then you will want a copy of the breeder's contract and a current picture of the pet (should you not be able to visit). If the contract does not minimally offer you a health guarantee and a refund for congenital defects, then the breeder has no concern for their animals. The breeder should be able to give you references.

It may seem like an overwhelming amount of information; however, this is a very important decision for both you and the pet. Many of the pets in the shelters are there because someone did not do enough research and/or the pet did not meet the owner's expectations in the areas of care, health, or temperament.

To breed or to not breed--that is the real question

To breed or not to breed dogs is a question all dog owners should ask themselves before acquiring a puppy. If a dog owner is not interested in breeding or showing their dog in conformation, then the owner should purchase a limited registration dog (pet quality), which means that the dog should be purchased on a spay/neuter contract. Usually these contracts require that the dog be spayed or neutered by 6 months of age. This ensures that the owner will not breed the dog.

However, if the dog owner wants to consider their options or have a desire to breed a litter of puppies then they should research the breed of dog that they are interested in. Some dogs like the English Bulldog, Neapolitan Mastiff, and pugs may require high assistance or caesarian in order to deliver their puppies. These expenses, plus puppy vaccines, whelping boxes and warmers, and litter registrations, can add on astronomical costs that one may not consider. However, this is the start of separating a "back yard breeder" from a true "dog breeder". The next step after picking the breed is to research the pedigrees of the available puppies or the breeders from which they want to purchase a puppy from. The pedigree will tell you about the lineage of the dog, health concerns, and genetic make up of the dog. The owner should then study the breed standard which is listed on www.akc.org. The breed standard tells an owner what the perfect dog of that breed would look and act like. It includes things like size, weight, gait, and temperament. This ensures that the puppy you are purchasing for full registration as a show and/or breed-able dog is worth the money that you are spending. Lastly, review the breeder's policies, contracts, and guarantees before agreeing to purchase a puppy. Most puppies come with a 12 month health guarantee. The contract protects you and your investment.

If you decide this is the route you want to go, you should be prepared to develop puppy contracts, shot records, puppy packs for the puppies that will be placed with other families. You will make sure that no mating occurs on the first heat and that the second heat is at least after 12 months of age prior to breeding. Most dogs' pregnancies run a gambit of 58 to 63 days so if you decide to breed, you do not have a lot of time to contemplate supplies. There are also tests to be run prior to mating to ensure the health of both dogs. Some of the suggested tests are hips, eyes, and brucellosis. You also must be prepared to assist the whelping if there should be complications and be prepared to make an emergency visit to the vet as well. This is not a cheap venture to just throw two dogs together! Lastly, you must be prepared to conduct interviews with your prospective parents. As a responsible breeder, your first concern is to better the breed not to produce cute puppies and next is to promote interest and love of the breed through responsible placement with the right dog with the right family.

This is a lot to consider but it is a large responsibility to breed a litter. For most, if you are not prepared to take on these responsibilities, then do not breed because this is why we have an overpopulation of dogs with bad temperaments, genetic problems like hip dysplasia, or unwanted puppies. Lastly, do not get caught in the designer dog fad that is currently ongoing. Even though the claim is that breeds are being mixed to overcome the health concerns of one, this is also not true. For instance, the puggle is comprised of a pug and beagle mix. This design came about to correct the pug; however the beagle has 97 health issues of which some of main 20 are the exact same as the pug. This means that over time that the same or more health issues will be exaggerated by continuing to breed these two breeds. A cute dog but will they be without the problems that many have worked at correcting? Consider all of this before you decide to breed or not to breed a dog! It is not for the light hearted unless you want to be classified as a back yard breeder!

What is a Puppy Mill? How can I spot one?

I have been asked this question many times by pet owners and dog enthusiasts.

A puppy mill is any facility or breeder whose only purpose is to produce puppies for sale to the general public, brokers, and pet stores. Many offer no health guarantees or replacement puppies for extremely sick puppies or genetic defects. Dogs and puppies are commodities--not cherished members of the breeder's family. Usually the facility will have over 3 different breeds of dogs to include designer breed dogs like yorkie-poos. Many will make claims about affiliations with AKC (American Kennel Club), UKC, Animal Control, etc. Some may even be licensed by the USDA in attempt to seem legitimate; however, what puppy from a facility like this will make a good pet when they have had minimal human contact; the mother is constantly bred without allowing her body to rest; and there is no research on health/genetic problems for the breeding lines? USDA tries to get around to these facilities once a year; however, as you and I know, with so many of them and other responsibilities, this is not possible. It is not the fault of the USDA; it is the fault of unethical breeders and facilities.

How the process works is that these facilities will have many litters on the ground at any given time. If you find a breeder with more than 2 litters on the ground at the same time then they are most likely a small puppy mill. The reason why I say this is that a litter of puppies requires a lot of attention, care, and costs. No ethical breeder can justify having more than 2 litters on the ground at the same time and give each puppy and mother the attention that they need. Many of the dogs in these facilities are housed in pens or kennels that are meant to conserve space. You will see methods that will enable a speedy clean up like wire bottom cages or all concrete pads so that the excrement can fall through or be hosed off. After the puppies have been weaned and they are between the ages of 6-8 weeks, they are either sold directly to a pet store, broker, or placed in a dog auction to the highest bidder. The larger the operation, the cheaper the price that a facility is willing to accept for a puppy. Bids can start at $20 or even less and the highest bidder (usually a broker) walks away and cleans up the puppy, and then resales it to a pet store for maybe $100 . Consequently, the pet store turns around and marks up the puppy to $500 -$1000. Please look at the below link, you will even find AKC registered breeders here who have registered their dogs with other registries in order to sell them to brokers. The dogs pictured at this link are dogs from a dog auction.

http://www.nowisconsinpuppymills.com/thorpauction-dogstats.html.

Hopefully, this answers your questions about puppy mills. Do your research carefully.

The Pre-Post Christmas, Valentine, and Birthday Gift

Maybe you decided that your child(ren) will enjoy a new puppy for Christmas. Or maybe you witnessed your significant other walk past the adoption booth fawning over the poor dog that no longer has a home. Or maybe...


The reasons are endless for why a dog is bought or adopted. Even though made with the right intentions, many owners have not performed the necessary research for dog ownership. Many are well meaning when they bring Fido home but find that they are ill-prepared. Bringing a dog into your home, requires a lot of planning just like bringing home a newborn from the hospital. Consequently, in choosing a dog, you have certain choices that you do not have when you have a baby.

First, you should research what breeds are a match to your likes, lifestyle, and expectations. Maybe you want a small dog without a lot of grooming but is highly trainable and can get along with your cat. Listed below is a link from Animal Planet that does a pretty good job on matching perspective owners with a particular breed.

http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do

Once you have a list of about 2-5 breeds, go to http://www.akc.org/ to research the breed to validate that the breed is the right one for you. You will want to read the breed history because the reason why the breed was created and utilized will tell you how the majority of that breed will act. For instance, if you are looking for a dog that will welcome your extended family and be a loving companion then a mastiff or guardian breed may not be a match because they are taught to be loyal to the immediate family. A hunting dog or endurance dog like your Northern breeds (Malamute and husky) will not be a good breed for a small apartment since they need a lot of exercise and love to cover a lot territory. Once you have narrowed your choices, you will want to read the breed standard so that you will purchase the best quality for your money. The breed standard tells you what the dog is supposed to look like, how the dog should act, and what faults or traits are undesirable or unacceptable. A dog with one or two minor faults will be deemed show quality while a dog with a major fault will be pet quality. You do not want to pay show quality money for a dog with various faults. Even if pet quality, the amount you pay should be based on the quality of the dog, which is driven by the number of faults when applying the standard.

The next step, now that you are knowledgeable about the breed, is to meet the breed. You should go to an AKC dog show because you will be able to see various ages and varieties of the breed that you have chosen. Keep in mind the dogs you will see will most likely be some of the best, will have had a lot of training, and should be well-mannered. These will be your show quality dogs. Once you find a dog that you like in the ring, wait until the dog is finished competing and then introduce yourself to the breeder/handler. Ask questions about the breed and of them. If the breeder/handler is quite helpful and you find that you might want to get to know them better, ask for their contact information. Your job is not done yet.

Now that you have found some potential breeders, visit the national and regional breed club website. You can find this information either from http://www.akc.org/ or by Googling it. There will be recommended breeders who abide by a breeder's ethical code that is club regulated. This will be another resource. You can utilize the newspaper and internet as well but buyer beware because you will need to screen these resources even more. You should write down interview questions asking how long they have been into dogs, where they are located, what are their health guarantees, etc. You will need to request written proof of show record (dates should be in the current year), and names of 3 references. The reason for the show record is because many breeders are claiming AKC Champion lines; however, after researching their pedigree, many of the AKC Champions are 3-5 generations back. By asking, at least you can validate that the dogs have not been disqualified or excused out of the ring because of major faults and that the breeder is actually showing his/her lines. You can also ask for the pedigree. What you are looking for is to ensure that there are champions in the first 2 generations. You are also looking to ensure that there are not a lot of repeat breeding of the same dog on the pedigree unless it is a champion and (even more desirable) a SOM, DOM, SOD, DOD appears after their name (these dogs are known for producing prodigeny that are show quality).

You should plan on visiting the breeder so that you can see the facilities, the quality of all of the dogs, and to meet potential candidates. You should try to spend a minimum of an hour with the breeder. The breeder should be happy to talk with you and to answer all of your questions. You should at this meeting receive a contract and a questionnaire if you had not already been provided one. The intention of this visit is not to take home a puppy but to learn about the breeder and the breed.

After conducting this research, now you are prepared to meet the real citizens of the breed--the commoners. You can contact the breed rescue and http://www.petfinder.com/ to find your breed at your local shelters. Once you have located dogs that are of interest to you, call the rescue or shelter to ensure that the dog is still available and to find out the full story about the dog. If this is your first dog, then you may not want to take a shy or abused dog because these dogs will require an experienced dog owner. Yes, it breaks your heart to hear some of the sad stories behind these dogs; however, if you are not experienced with behavior problems then you may unintentionally cause the dog to have even more emotional and behavioral problems. If you are prepared to train this dog past it's issues come thick or thin and are willing to spend money on a good training class and trainer, then you are the right person for the job of rehabilitating an abused or abandoned dog. Once you have found potential candidates from the shelter and rescue, schedule an hour to spend time with each of them. The intention of the visits are to find what personality matches you, whether or not you are allergic to the breed's coat type, and what energy level is a match.

During these visits, you ought to take the person(s) for whom the dog is intended to be a gift to. Yes, everyone wants to surprise their significant other or children; however, these moments should be reserved for inanimate objects. Dogs are living, feeling, and breathing beings. For instance, remember a time in your life when you were rejected. The dogs that are in rescue and shelters have already faced rejection and should not have to endure another one. This also applies to puppies from breeders because they are leaving the only family that they have known, as well as their mother and siblings. So the decision to open your house to a new member should be one that is not taken lightly.

After performing the visits and these steps, you will need to decide what breeder you are most interested in doing business with. Visit their website so that you will be knowledgeable about how they operate. Next, compare the pros and cons of the breeder with the rescue or shelter that has potential candidates. Is money a concern? A breeder will be more expensive; however, you will have the benefit of a dog that is covered with a health guarantee. Is a purebred important to you? If not, then a rescue or shelter candidate maybe more appropriate. Do you have young children? Then a mid-sized puppy might be more appropriate or an older dog that was a family pet. Once you decide the source from where you will obtain your pet then you will want to prepare for him or her.

You will need to find a pet trainer, veterinarian, and possibly a groomer. Next, you must decide to purchase either a crate, pen, or gate or all three to create dog and dog-free zones in your house. Then you should research and purchase pet supplies like a collar, leash, bowls, food, treats, safe toys and chews, combs and brushes, pet toothbrush and toothpaste, and shampoos. You should now be ready to welcome your new addition.

Your final steps should be to finalize your decision of what dog would fit into your family through further visitations and to finish the necessary paperwork and contract. Schedule a well-visit and a spay/neuter appointment with your vet about 24 hours from the date that you are to pick up the dog. If you are not showing your dog to validate your breeding stock and if you have no intent on bettering the breed, then you should not leave your dog in tact. Just wanting a litter from Fido or a puppy from Fido is not enough reason not to spay/neuter because you will be bringing 4+ more Fidos when you only wanted one!

Sign up for a training session that is 2 weeks from the pickup date. The day that you bring home Fido should be a quiet day so that the dog can settle peacefully into your home and routine. It should be explained to children that the dog needs space and peace. They will have a lifetime to love Fido. Subsequently, set up a potty schedule. For a puppy, the hours that it can hold should be its age in months plus one. So, a three month old puppy can hold for up to 4 hours. Don't assume that an adult dog that is potty trained will come into your household and be perfect. Your house is a new territory and it may be nervous as well.

Hopefully, the above information has been helpful in your decision of whether or not to give a pet as a gift and how to pick a breed that will fit into your lifestyle. Happy hunting!