We are well in to December and we are all heading towards our final preparations for Christmas. Wolf Tucker’s topic of the month for December focuses on purchasing a puppy during the festive season.
First, you need to ask yourself why you are getting a puppy. Is it because you have thought about the idea long and hard and this just happens to be a suitable time of year to take on the responsibility of becoming a dog owner? Or is it because a puppy is cute and cuddly and would make a wonderful gift? If it is the latter then we would urge you to seriously rethink you decision. Puppies do not stay puppies for very long, they grow quickly and soon become quite independent thinkers. Puppies need a home that can provide them with firm but fair leadership, a loving warm environment where all their needs for developing into a healthy happy dog are met, a guardian who will give them appropriate training and exercise. You will need to be prepared to put a lot of time, patience and money into meeting their needs.
If you can tell yourself you are 100% willing to do all of the above then you are at the beginning of your journey to find your four legged companion.
We all have preferences as to which breed is for us. But whichever breed you choose it is imperative that you put time into researching the breed thoroughly. Speak to breed clubs, talk to reputable breeders, read books and surf the net. Many mistakes are made when new owners do not understand fully the breed they are taking on. Knowledge and understanding in the early days can save heartache later on.
Once you have done your research you then need to think about where you are going to get your four legged companion from.
Please, please go to a reputable breeder, they can be recommended to you by breed clubs. A reputable breeder will take time to listen to your questions and they will ask you many questions too! They will introduce you to the dam of the puppies and in many cases you will be able to meet the sire as well. Always make sure you visit the breeder in their home. If they arrange to meet you elsewhere then do not even entertain the idea of acquiring a puppy from them.
The puppy farming trade is on the increase and must not be supported. Puppies that are sold by these methods will surely come with health defects. They would have been separated from their mothers far too early and therefore not benefiting from the important skills that are learnt from their mothers and littermates; this will lead to poor socialisation skills and behavioural issues. Such puppies are known to be kept in miserable conditions, and they are often neglected. The breeding bitches used would have been bred from a very young age and when they come to the end of their breeding life they are then discarded. Do not buy puppies from out the back of a car; this is a well-known sign of a puppy farmer.
If you have taken all these considerations into account and you are still eager to own one of life’s wonderful companions then we would like to wish you the very best in your quest.
