subject: Bring Home the Best Puppy for YOUR Family [print this page] Author: Barbara Graff, Furbie's Place Author: Barbara Graff, Furbie's Place
Are you looking for a new puppy to bring home for your family? It can be confusing to decide on the right breed and to learn about the care of each breed. We'll try to add some insight on those issues and more in the following article.
Just about everyone loves a puppy when he's small and cuddly. There is no doubt that they are adorable and you know they will become a friend for life once in your home. But there are some people who are completely crazy about puppies. We all have friends who own three or four dogs. And while buying a puppy is not difficult, taking care of him can be a big job. Of course they need lots of love, but they also need so much more for a long healthy life. Be prepared for the cost of vet bills, dog food, toys, leashes ... need I say more?
When you are searching for a new puppy, you will find many places to purchase or rescue one, and there are many breeds from which to choose. Doing research on the internet may help you determine the right breed for you. You can talk to your friends, read a book that describes the attributes of the different breeds, search online, all of these will help you narrow down your search. The next step is to decide where to find just the right puppy.
Breeders:
There are breeders throughout the country that can provide healthy, beautiful puppies of the breed you are looking for. They usually will have a web site and you can search for one convenient to your home. They will usually be meticulous in their breeding and that may come at a price. But for those that want a specific breed and want one with all the best traits, this can be the best place to go. Normally a puppies should be at least 8 weeks old and weened from their mother. Breeders will have them eating puppy food before they can leave with you, and will suggest the food they think is best for the breed.
There are other places to find puppies and some considerations to keep in mind.
Getting a puppy from a shelter saves them from being put to death. Sometimes a family finds they cannot keep the puppy due to no fault of the puppy, and they will leave it at a shelter. Sometimes a puppy is in a shelter due to past behavioral or health problems however, so you will want to talk to the staff about any problems they are aware of. Some shelters will have had a veterinarian examine the dogs to ensure that they are healthy and have all their shots. They may also neuter them. If they don't do it themselves, they may require you to do it within a certain time period and provide them proof that you have done so. This is for the protection of you and the puppy.
Rescue Organizations:
A rescues organization is actually an organization to help out those puppies, like a shelter, have been given up by their owners. The organizations help find them a new home. These puppies may be boarded by a member of the organization until a family selects them. Therefore, these puppies are usually healthy and trained and just looking for a permanent home where they will get lots of love. Some local pet stores will host a rescue organization over the weekend where you can find puppies and other pets. Check with them for dates and times.
Pet Stores:
Pet stores may have just a few puppies, or many, depending on the size of the store. While they may have a good variety, they may not have precisely the breed you are looking for. However, some stores get their puppies from puppy mills, breeders that breed just to sell an entire litter to the store, and are not discriminating about the home the puppy will go to. Also, puppies that are kept in cages with lots of other puppies can catch an upper respiratory disease known as kennel cough, so you will want to take your puppy to a vet right away if you go with the puppy store puppy. These puppies also may not be socialized as well as puppies that were kept in a home while waiting for you to find them.
Classified Newspaper Ads:
Sometimes owners will sell either puppies or older dogs with a newspaper ad rather than taking them to a shelter. This may mean you can get one at a good price, but you will want to find out the details of why they are reselling the puppy if it's a pet. It may be a puppy from a litter born to a pet they own. If so, you should ask to see both the father and mother of the puppy so that you will know if it's a purebred dog or what we lovingly call a "mutt." Again, you will want to ensure that the puppy or dog is in good health and has all of it's shots. Get all of the information you can from the seller, and visit a vet as soon as possible. And don't turn down your nose at a "mutt." Sometimes they are the smartest and most loving pets of all.
Remember, when you make a commitment to a puppy, it should be for his or her lifetime. You'll find they will give you so much more than you give to them.
Barbara is the owner of http://FurbiesPlace.com and lives in California with her husband, two cats, and hopefully a new puppy by the time you read this.
