Puppies are such attractive animals that unfortunately they often go to quite the wrong homes. Their lovely temperament makes them ideal as a children pet and frequently a young married couple, probably living in a flat, embarks on buying a dog without a thought for the life the puppy will lead when they are both at work. Later on when the first baby arrives the new mother is nervous of letting a very bouncy and under-exercised puppy go near the baby.If the puppy has been purchased during the spring or summer all may be well for a while but what happens when the winter comes and it is dark when his owners leave for work and again when they come home?
Time and again when the young dog has spent a year or more being threatened and shouted at one hears that he 'has to be got rid of'. By which time the dog has learned bad habits and is often too old to be trained for work or too out of hand to do much with at all. So he gets passed from home to home on a downhill path.
If you can satisfy your conscience that you can do justice to keeping a dog and all the demands he will make on you, then go ahead and buy a puppy and you will have in all probability twelve to fourteen years of devotion from one who thinks the world of you and is never happier than when he is with you. If properly trained he will do your slightest command and take a delight in doing so.
It is worth taking some time and trouble over the selection of your puppy. Although you may not be looking for a top quality dog to show later on it is worth inquiring at a breeding kennel, for while not all puppies in a litter have show potential, they are probably strong and healthy having been well reared. If a breeder has none available he will probably know where puppies are to be obtained because he knows where litters have been sired by his own stud dogs. Choosing a puppy of show quality, especially a young one, is always difficult, and takes a lot of experience.
If you are a complete novice you should take someone knowledgeable with you to help you, even if he or she is more interested in another breed. They will know the basic things to look for which are a must in any breed. First impressions are important. The mother should - whether you require a puppy for show purposes or a pet - he friendly and proud to show you her family. E vowing the parents and their background is a great help as you know what faults are likely to crop up and where the puppies are most likely to excel. Litters vary so much. Assuming that the litter has been well reared and is an even one, at first glance, at any rate to the novice, the puppies will all look the same.
First of all the puppies should be running around naturally, behind wire if possible. If you are interested in buying a bitch, ask the owner to shut up all the dogs so that you have fewer to concentrate on. It is quite hopeless to have them all running around under your feet, as you cannot then discriminate between them.
The puppies will naturally come up to the wire and generally sit on their haunches. This is a good opportunity to notice whether their forelegs are straight and the shoulder placement correct. If the puppies are about six weeks old, ask the owner for a table to stand them on and go over each individual puppy. Stand it on the table as if showing it and you will be able to get a good idea of its general outline, length of back and neck. Pass your hands across its hack, gently pressing down on its hind-quarters. The more resistance one feels the better and stronger the hind-quarters will he. Weak hind-quarters will give way and the puppies will probably he cow-hocked.
Avoid the throaty puppy which is also likely to be short of neck and upright in shoulder. See that the eve rims are not slack and that it does not show the haw. It is not possible at this age to tell the color of the eye but if the parents and forebears have good dark or brown eyes it is unlikely that you will have anything to worry about. The eyes do not change from the deep blue they have as babies until they are about twelve weeks old.
The mouth of course must be looked at to see if the jaw is formed correctly. Puppies often resent this but by passing the forefinger between the lips it are possible to feel the position of the baby teeth. If in any doubt make a closer examination. The top teeth should be slightly over the bottom ones at this age.
Before making a final decision asks the breeder to hold two puppies at a time facing you so that you can compare their heads. Often at this age they have a small streak of white hairs across the skull. Generally speaking this disappears as the puppy gets older but it does depend on the color of the puppy. If the puppy is dark and the white is very apparent it is less likely to go, but if it is a thin line, then it will probably disappear altogether.
Choose a hold puppy that will come to you and not run away when strangers appear. Do not be too disturbed if his tail seems a little gay - at this age they are apt to carry them a little high especially when they are feeding.
It is difficult to assess the ultimate color of the puppy, but the best guide is to examine the color of the ears closely. It is impossible to tell whether the coat will be straight or wavy. Sometimes one can, however, detect a slight wave on the longer hair of the ear. This is a matter of taste, as both straight and wavy coats are correct.
Inquire if the puppy has been wormed. Some people worm at six weeks, others earlier. Puppies should be done again ten days after the first worming. You should worm them again at twelve weeks old. But if you are not satisfied, do the job again as it is better to be quite sure. Worms can cause a lot of trouble later on, particularly when the puppy is teething.
Before you take the puppy home, ask for a diet sheet as well as the pedigree and registration card if he has already been registered. Also ask for a signed transfer form so that the puppy can be officially made over to you at the Kennel Club - you cannot enter a puppy for a show until this has been done nor can you breed from a bitch in your own name unless it has been transferred.
If the puppy is to live indoors decide where his bed is to be, and teach him to go to it. It is important that he should have a place of his own to which he can retreat when he is tired or take his bones and play things.
You should not allow your puppies to be reared in kennels on their own. It is a very lonely life for them so if possible buy two puppies so that they can he company for each other. It is not difficult to find someone who will buy the one you do not wish to keep later on when you have reared it and your show puppy is big enough to join the rest of your kennel.
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