IDAHO CAPITAL CITY KENNEL CLUB  Choosing A Puppy

Nothing is more appealing than a warm, fuzzy puppy snuggling in your arms. But which one to choose? Who ever met a puppy they didn't love at first sight? Reality check time! Not only will these wiggly bundles of fur grow up to vastly different sizes and appearances, but their personalities can be just as different as their looks. Imagine the differences between a dog bred for hundreds of years to be a four pound good luck charm, or a one hundred twenty five pound dog meant to stay alone, protecting a band of sheep from wolves, or a dog with the boundless energy needed to run through the brush all day retrieving for hunters. Each of these dogs has thrived because it filled a practical or emotional need. Each dog is exactly right for certain people, certain situations, and definitely wrong for others, and the advantage of purebred is its predictability of those characteristics.

Your first step in choosing a puppy is to decide which type of dog will suit your family and your lifestyle. Ask yourself what you want your dog to be - a child's companion? a watch dog? a snuggler on your lap? Think about your preferences - do you want a small dog, a huge one, something in-between? Do you want no fuss short hair, or long hair that needs regular brushing, or non-shedding coat that might need professional grooming? Do you live in an apartment, or in a neighborhood, or on a farm? Do you want a quiet companion, a happy-go-lucky pal, or an independent working dog? Do you have time to exercise the dog, or are short trips to the back door more your style? Should the dog to greet visitors with a welcome, or with an announcing bark? Do you want a guardian while you jog on the Greenbelt? A thought here -- if you have young children, be sure to choose a dog who won't be alarmed when they and the neighbor children are running, chasing, shouting and wrestling. This is *not* the time to have a overly protective dog who might get confused between friend and foe, a playful squeal or a scream.
 

There are a number of ways to learn different dogs characteristics, and decide which dog is appropriate for your home, your family, your lifestyle -- books such as "Your Purebred Puppy, A Buyer's Guide", by Michele Welton, or from the American Kennel Club (AKC) website http://www.akc.org, from responsible breeders themselves, or by contacting us, the Idaho Capital City Kennel Club, at 388-1514. We do not list puppies for sale, but we can provide lots of free information.

One advantage a purebred puppy offers is a certain predictability of size, temperament, and needs. If you chose a mixed breed, knowing something about the parents may help you know what to expect. Certainly, you may find exactly the right pet, purebred or mixed at the humane society or animal shelter. There are many dogs there who had the misfortune to be abandoned by people who maybe didn't understand that dogs are neither interchangeable nor disposable. Or maybe they forgot to spend time teaching and training their puppy into a social adult -- and you definitely can teach an old dog new tricks!

When you are looking for a special breed from a well-bred background, the number one rule is "Don't get puppy fever!" Begin by asking questions, lots of them. Ask "What is this breed like to live with?" "What do you like best about them?" "What do you like least about them?" "How are they with children, honestly?" "Have these puppies been checked by a veterinarian?" "Did they have worms?" (No, not all puppies do.) "Have they been started on their shots?" If you are feeling comfortable with the answers so far, make an appointment to go see the puppies. If your children are coming on the visit, be sure they understand you are just looking, and not bringing a puppy home yet. Do the puppies seem clean, bright, and healthy? Do the puppies' mom & dad seem like the kid of dogs you want to live with? Puppies inherit not only their 'looks' from mom & dad, but a very strong dose of their personality. If the parents are wonderful, chances are their kids will be too. If the parents seem hyper, or shy, or aggressive, their puppies are likely to be that way when they grow up. Do the people seem to know enough to help you with advice about housebreaking, spaying/neutering, possible hereditary problems? Remember that anyone who raises a litter of puppies is a "breeder" - there are honest, knowledgeable "breeders", and dishonest, thoughtless "breeders", so it is up to you to be sure.
Responsible breeders will be checking you out at the same time, making sure you understand the characteristics of their breed, asking whether you have a securely fenced yard, how much time you can devote to raising and training the puppy, asking about your work schedule, and your family, suggesting basic obedience classes.
Use your own common sense. If you feel that you have found the right puppy from the right background, congratulations! As part of the written sales agreement, make sure you can take the puppy to your own veterinarian for a 'well-baby check'. If the puppy doesn't pass inspection, take the puppy back, get your money back, and look elsewhere. You also should receive the puppy's American Kennel Club (AKC) registration papers, and the pedigree (a chart of the family tree), all at no extra charge. Understand that AKC papers are not a seal of approval, but they are a record that over the generations, each ancestor was registered as a purebred. With the advent of DNA tests for dogs and increasing inspection by AKC, some puppymill breeders have invented various other registries to avoid that pressure of being accurate. You, with the help of a knowledgeable breeder and your own veterinarian, must make certain that a puppy is healthy, and looks and acts as that particular breed should.
Remember that irresistable little puppy will grow quickly into a full sized adult dog that is part of your family, and will be your responsibility for the next ten to fifteen years. Choose wisely now, and enjoy!

Choosing the Right Dog for You
AKC's Where to Find a Puppy

*** The National Clubs have lots of specific information about each breed of dog:
AKC's National Breed clubs
AKC's Breeder Referral

Need help with your puppy? http://www.wonderpuppy.net/canwehelp/

Back to ICCKC's Front page
or back to the Events page
email: info@icckc.org