Tips on Buying Or Picking Your New Puppy

How to Pick the Perfect Puppy

When you start to think about buying a new puppy or dog, there are many things you’ll need to consider before making a final decision.

Making the decision when buying a puppy

Currently, millions of dogs are living in dog shelters throughout the world. Many of these poor animals are euthanized every year. These animals, through no fault of their own, become so traumatised they are not likely to be rehomed. Often this is the result of the potential owners making the wrong decision. Not enough thought has gone into buying a dog that suits their present circumstances or the type of dog they go on to buy.

Before you do rush out to buy a new puppy or rehome a dog, you must sit down and consider the following question. You need to be honest with yourself. A wrong decision will often lead to heartache. You and your family’s lives can be negatively affected and may cause an animal great stress and even death.

Becoming a dog owner

Getting back to your desire of becoming a dog owner, you can expect a great deal of stress, heartache, trauma, and a load of loyal, unconditional love. So, the right decision is pivotal to a harmonious life for all.

Think about how much time can you honestly devote to your new puppy or dog? There are specific breeds, such as border collies, and springer- spaniels that require a great deal of attention.

Being realistic when buying a puppy

I can vouch this statement having owned both a collie and a springer at the same time. They don’t do well in a situation where they are confined alone for hours at a time, in fact, they can become quite destructive if left alone for a long time.

Be realistic with your expectations and select a breed that is known for their patience and ability to spend a few hours apart from you. Of course, if you’ve plenty of time to train a dog and keep it exercised you’ll have a far wider choice.

Size does matters when selecting and buying a new puppy.

Your new puppy will of course be a small bundle of joy at first, which may not be the case in a little over six months. You could now be dealing with a monster problem and a monster-sized canine.

If you’re living- space is restricted, such as a small apartment or small house, you’ll find a large breed is not the best choice of puppy to buy. In addition to space constraints, you need to remember that large dogs also have larger appetites than a smaller dog. So, if you’re on a tight budget, a smaller dog will cost less in food and will be more economical, unless you go for a high-end price tag.

Research Before buying a puppy

Before buying any pet, you need to do your research. This applies to any animal that will share you home but especially dogs. Researching various breeds traits is essential to ensure your new pet will suit your lifestyle.

Take the time to thoroughly research these traits so that you can make an informed decision. Some breeds shed more than others, while some breeds have known behavioural issues. For example, Great Pyrenees dogs are exceptionally beautiful and popular, but they are bred for livestock guarding and not apartment living.

Cuteness

Never base your decision when buying a puppy on which dog is the cutest. Neither should you decide on buying a puppy just because you like the look of the breed. It’s so easy to fall into the cutest trap. You need to use your head not your heart when researching the best type of dog for you and your family.

Health issues

Research breed health issues. This is becoming a widespread problem due to improper breeding. Most breeds will have congenital health issues, with some being more severe than others. German Shepherds, for example, are known to suffer from hip dysplasia, and many smaller breeds will have an eye or ear problems. Obviously, many of these congenital health issues are manageable but may put an added financial burden on you. Whilst others will end up with a lot of heartache for all concerned.

Best Breeder

If you decide you want to buy a pure breed, make sure you pick the best breeder for that type of dog. Never, ever get a puppy from a puppy-farm or pet shop. Many future health and behavioural issues will be avoided simply by choosing the right breeder. Once you have decided on the breed of dog, contact that breed’s registry for an approved list of breeders. Also, get breeder recommendations from your local veterinary on the type of dog you’re looking at. Also, a recommendation via word of mouth can often save time, heartache, and money.

Rehoming instead of buying a new puppy

Consider thinking about a shelter pet. Adopting a dog or puppy is not always the first option if you have small children or other pets that may not mix. If you don’t mind not knowing your dog’s background or if it’s an older dog, you would be saving a life by adoption. Animals from a shelter are assessed prior to rehoming for any behavioural or health problems. Adopting a dog can be extremely rewarding and they usually end up as a wonderful and loyal companion.

Selecting and buying a puppy

Selecting and buying a puppy is an emotional decision. So, it pays to keep these points in mind before you make your final decision. Once you’re armed with the right information you can now make an informed choice. You’ll be able to pick that perfect companion that the whole family will enjoy and love.

Final thoughts

Choosing the right canine for your household is very important. So, here are a few questions you need to ask yourself if you haven’t already done so.

How will the dog get along with your children?
Will, the dog bond with your other household pets?
Does the breed have a good disposition?
Have we got the time to train and exercise a dog?
Do we have the budget to buy and feed a dog plus pay any potential vet bills?

Now go back over what you’re looking for. Is it a purebred or mixed breed or just a plain old mutt? Mixed breeds are often more affordable, whereas purebred can turn out to be quite expensive. Don’t dismiss the mutt option either from the local pound. Mutts can be just as lovable, energetic, and loyal as the other breeds.

As mentioned earlier, size does matter. Visualise the size of dog you want and how it will fit into your home environment? Is there room for a puppy to run and play? Now, visualise that puppy has grown up and is the full size?

Is there still enough room for him to play and fit in with the rest of the family? Do you have a backyard or nearby areas where your dog run free? If no, to any of these questions you need to think carefully. The wrong choice has the potential to have a negative effect on many lives. You may be interested in my post new dog owners survival tips