Purchasing a puppy for your family is a very big decision. It
should never be approached casually, or lightly. A new pet
becomes part of your family. You should do everything you can to
educate yourself about the breed of puppy you are considering and
its personality. You should also explore how much grooming or
maintenance each new addition to your family requires.
The worst thing you can do when selecting a puppy is simply
choosing one because you think it is cute. Most dogs are cute.
Cuteness alone does not make a good pet. Even the sweetest
looking dog can bring havoc to your home if you are not set up
and prepared for it.
Each breed of dog should be investigated. You do not want a dog
with herding instincts around small children. They may truly
take to rounding up the kids and nip and bite at their heels
during play. Breeds which have the hunter instinct in them may
not work well in homes where there are other pets, such as cats,
hamsters, rabbits and birds. Dogs which require constant
grooming may not work well in a farming family, or living
outside. Research the history of the breed you are considering
before you purchase your animal. If you are purchasing a beagle
to hang out in the house, you may be upset when he decides to
take off after that aroma that is beckoning to him from the
woods.
Terriers are favored choices by pet owners because this breed
comes in various sizes, from large to small and they have much
personality. The Cairn Terrier, for instance is wire-haired. This
breed sheds very little. You should keep in mind the Carin was
bred to be a ratter. You should be prepared for a pet that loves
to dig and burrow. This breed is very trainable, and if you
supply him a patch of ground for digging all should be well.
However, if you plan on keeping a Carin in a quiet apartment
complex, you should keep in mind this breed is prone to barking.
Find a breed which matches the personality of your home. Be
realistic and do not assume you can change a dogs nature.
When you go to observe a litter of pups, you should take in the
kennel cleanliness and the health of the parents. If the kennel
is smelly, dirty and unkempt, you can assume the mother dog may
not be in the best of health or she probably hasn't had the best
care. You should never assume because the mother is thin she is
unhealthy. Most mother dogs do go through a thin stage after
birth and during the weaning process. However, signs of
malnutrition are obvious. If the mother dog is in bad shape, you
should not purchase a pup from her litter. If she is aggressive
toward you, you should also reconsider purchasing one of her
pups.
Don't jump right in and start picking up the pups. When you go to
choose your pet, you should observe him as he plays with the rest
of his litter, first. Is there a pup that dominates his family?
Is he pushing the others aside, or being rough toward his
siblings? This pup should be considered the alpha dog of the
litter. This dog knows who he is and what he wants. You should
keep in mind these dogs tend to push their boundaries. If you
purchase one, you will have to be very diligent with your
training. He can never assume he is dominant over you, or the
children in your family. These dogs do make wonderful pets for
the family who has enough time to give them the consistent
loving but firm attention he will require. However, they can be
stubborn.
What about the pup who is cowering in the corner? This pup may
be the runt, or the shy one in his family. If you are wanting to
purchase a pet to serve as family protection, this dog is
probably not for you. This dog will scare easily and will most
probably beat you to the hiding place if an intruder bursts into
your home! However, it should be said these pets do work well
with children. They tend to be gentle, and they will come out of
their shell if they are lavished with love, praise and the proper
training. These dogs are lovers, not fighters. However, if these
pups are not worked with, their shyness will turn to fear. This
could lead to snippy dogs, or ones that actually bite. Children
should not be allowed to mistreat animals, especially ones which
are timid or shy by nature. Their sweet, loving pet may turn on
them.
If there is a pup in the litter who is barking at your presence,
you should carefully observe it. Is it barking simply because
you are a stranger? Is it barking because he wants your
attention? Or, is it barking because he is afraid? If he is
afraid, this dog could possibly grow up to be aggressive and
possibly dangerous. Fearful dogs protect themselves through
barking and barring of their teeth. If the pup is aggressive, it
will most probably grow up to be even more so. Just because a
dog barks doesn't mean he is aggressive, though. Some dogs bark
to be friendly. You should be able to tell if the pup you are
observing is simply saying "hello" or "get out of here and leave
me alone."
The middle of the road pups are usually the best. These are the
pups which come up to you. They are friendly. They may
playfully pull on your shoe strings or climb upon your lap and
start licking your face. These puppies are already trusting by
nature. They are willing to socialize with you and they want to
make friends.
You should take each pup you are considering purchasing away from
its litter to a different area for observation. How does it
react away from its family? Is it jumpy and nervous? Is he
confident and happy? Does it cower? Do loud noises send it
scurrying to hide, or is he simply startled and then full of
investigation instincts? When you talk to the pup, does he seem
interested in you, or is he simply ignoring you and doing his own
thing? All of these little clues will give you an inside peek as
to the personality of the pup.
When you hold the pup like a baby, what is his reaction? Does he
struggle, lash madly and try to nip at you? If so, this pup is
probably very stubborn and will require a firm hand to get it to
obey. Does the pup stare at you wild eyed and it fright? This
pup is probably very skittish and will require a lot of love and
coaxing. The pup who tries to right itself, relaxes, then tries
again, off and on while you are holding him should be considered
a middle of the line dog. This dog should be fairly easy to train
with the proper care and training.
Try walking away from the pup. If he doesn't follow you and is
more interested in doing his own thing, this dog will be very
independent. He may not be interested in training at all, and it
may be a challenge to get this pup to focus on you. If you call
him, he looks up and continues about his business, this is also a
sign that you have a little prince or princess on your hands who
may be oblivious to rules.
Choosing a puppy for the family should be an adult decision.
Children can easily be swayed to choose a pet on a whim. Parents
can easily check out the litter first and choose a suitable pup
or two for the children to choose from. You should also keep in
mind that children will be happy with a pet you simply bring
home, even if they had no say in the selection process.
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