Post by Lucy on May 19, 2011 17:34:42 GMT
Buying a puppy
Are you considering bringing home a puppy? We’ve made a list of a few things to help you on your journey. Even if you already have a dog and thinking of adding another to your family, we hope it'll be helpful when contacting breeders.
1. Questions to ask yourself.
Before you decide on whether or not to get a dog, there are questions you should ask yourself, such as:
- Why do you want a dog? This is a very important question to ask yourself. If your answer is ‘for my child’, remember that it will probably be you doing the majority of the work. If you want a dog because you've seen someone else with one and it was cute, or saw the breed in a film, make sure that you are asking yourself the rest of these questions and researching in to the breed to make sure they're right for you!
- How much time will I have to spend with the dog? Dogs are pack animals and companions, they do not like to be alone. If you spend the majority of your day away from home, is it fair on the dog?
- Do I have the time and energy to train the dog? You might not want your dog to be able to fetch your slippers, play or answer the telephone for you, but basic training is a must for any dog. Also, commands such as ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘down’ etc are very important for a dog to know. Remember that toilet training is also a factor and can take some dogs several months to get it down.
- Do I have time to socialise a dog? Believe it or not all dogs need socialising to be able to be stable in new environments and meeting different people and/or animals.
- (If you rent) Will my landlord allow a dog? You might not have asked at the time of signing your lease, but there are many landlords who do not allow pets in their properties. There are so many dogs who are rehomed because their owner has taken them on and then been told by their landlords that they are not allowed to have them within the home.
- Am I prepared to take the dog for regular walks, even in the winter or on wet days? Yes, even Chihuahua’s need regular exercise! Not only is it a great physical health benefit, but it will also keep your dogs mind stimulated and prevent them from going nuts at home! Whilst some Chi’s prefer not to walk in the rain, this is NOT a breed thing and you will still need to take your dog out even on the cold days.
- Do I have a stable income? Can I afford the extra costs for food, insurance, vets bills etc? Having a dog can become very expensive. If your pup has come to you without vaccinations, you will need to pay for this, along with the cost of a spay/neuter when they get to the right age, worming treatments in the summer months and flea treatment if your dog catches fleas etc. Most decent brands of dog food are not cheap either.
- Are the other people within your home prepared for a dog? If you live with your spouse, partner, children etc, remember that bringing a dog in to your home should be a decision agreed by all. It will affect them too.
- Are you bothered by dog pee or poop? A pup will probably have accident for the first few weeks and some dogs never truly get the hang of toilet training. When you’re out, you will have to pick up after your dog aswell!
- Are you allergic to dogs? This might seem like a silly question, but there are many people who are allergic and don’t realise. If you can, go and speak with a few dogs owners, ask to pet their dogs or if you have friends and family with dogs, go and take a visit.
Remember that a dog is a huge commitment. Certain breeds can live up to 18 years so in a way, this is the equivalent to having a child, only a child learns to do things on their own and not bother you so much by the time they’re 12
2. Research.
Once you have asked yourself these questions and are sure that a dog is right for you, its time to research into the breed that you are interested in to ensure they're right for you.
Now this might be obvious to some people but there are many people who don’t do their research or aren’t sure what they should be reading up about.
When researching in to a breed, there are a few things that you should make sure you find out.
How much exercise does this breed need? How much do they shed? How much grooming do they require? Are there are genetic defects common in the breed? Do they like to be left alone or will they need lots of human attention? How much food do they consume? Are they easy to train? What is their temperament and character like? How active are they? Will they fit in with your life? If you have children, is this breed known to be good with children or better with adults? What is the breed standard (you can find this by going to your kennel club’s website)?
3. Finding the right breeder
Once you are sure that the breed you want is for you, you need to ensure that you go to a reputable and responsible breeder. Never buy from a pet shop as these pups come from puppy farms (see this thread for more details: heychihuahuas.com/index.cgi?board=chihuahuachat&action=display&thread=243). Also, stay away from anyone saying that they breed teacup Chihuahuas, these are usually unethical breeders who are only slapping on a word to the name of their pups in order to charge ridiculous amounts of money for a dog.
The best place to start looking for a pup is your local breed club. If you contact them they may be able to give you a list of breeders in or around your local area who have or are expecting a litter. However, you must be prepared to wait. A lot of breeders will hold back a promising pup for showing or breeding and they cannot guarantee you a puppy just because you’ve contacted them early.
4. Questions to ask a breeder
A good breeder will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the pup, its parents and their lines. Also, you must be prepared to be asked many questions in return.
The sorts of questions you should be asking are:
- Why do you breed? This might seem like a silly question but more often than not, you can tell if a person is a backyard breeder by their answer. They should be breeding to better the breed and improve upon their own lines, not just because they really like the dogs or thought they’d make pretty puppies.
- How long have you been breeding? Whilst everyone has to start somewhere, you will find that the more responsible breeders are ones that have owned the breed for a few years and have taken the time to get to know what to look for and breed towards the breed standard.
- Where do your adult dogs live?
- Do you health test your dogs? Are their lines free from some of the more common genetic defects such as LP. A good breeder will know their lines like the back of their hand.
- Do you show/exhibit their dogs?
- The age of the pup and the age they are letting them leave. A reputable breeder will not let their pups go before 12 weeks of age.
- Are both is parents there to view? (If the breeder has used an outside stud, you can ask if they have a picture available, but sometimes they might not).
- What is the dam’s (mother) age and how many litters has she had? A bitch should preferably not have had more than 4 litters (the KC will only register 4 litters per bitch. She should not of been bred more than 2 consecutive seasons (it is preferred to have a years break between litters). If a bitch has had a cesarian section she should not have had more than 2 (again the KC will not register pups if the bitch has had more than 2)
- If they parents have been shown, do they have any titles or points?
- What is the temperament of the parents like?
- Will you be vaccinating the puppy before letting it leave?
- What worming courses will the puppy have before leaving?
- What food is the puppy currently on?
If you tell a breeder what kind of temperament you are looking for in a pup, they should be willing to help you find the perfect pup for you or perhaps, if they don’t have the right puppy for you refer you to another breeder.
Many times people will visit a litter and just because the puppy is cute or a certain colour, agree to buy it and then when the dog turns out to be not such a great fit, want to rehome it.
Remember, Chihuahua’s come in all shapes and sizes with different characters and temperaments but you should be looking for a breeder who is breeding their dogs ethically and to the breed standard. Don’t be tempted into buying a pup just because it has a cute face or is cheaper than others you’ve seen. Make sure you ask as many questions as possible and ensure that you are bringing home the right pup for you!
Edited to add:
Whilst Chihuahuas are very rarely seen in shelters in the UK, our US members have told us that certain shelters and rescues are over-flowing with chis that are desperate for a home. And don't believe the old saying "you can't teach a old dog new tricks", it can be done
