Sunday, 28 February 2010

Buying a Puppy - Should I Get A Dog Or A Puppy

Many people only think of getting a puppy, but that may not be the best choice for their circumstances or lifestyle; the character of an older dog is easier to see and any difficult or undesirable traits will already be apparent. When it comes to training a puppy, it will generally require more patience than training a dog, as an older dog should already be housetrained, and will usually be more settled than a young pup.

Puppy or Adult Dog - At-A-Glance Guide

A Puppy


Pros
  • Puppies and young adults tend to be more adaptable than their mature counterparts, but it really does depend on many circumstances and characters.
  • You can enjoy seeing a puppy grow and develop.
  • You will, hopefully, have many years to enjoy together.
  • To a great extent, it will be easier to train him to behave in the way you require.
Cons
  • A young puppy needs small feeds at regular intervals during the day at first, opportunities to go outside to relieve himself after meals and plenty of attention in order to shape desirable behavior and properly socialize him, all of which are time-consuming.
  • A puppy may find it frightening to be introduced into a busy family unless he has been brought up in such an environment and been well socialized with humans (and possibly other pets) since birth.
  • If there are young children in the house, they will need a good deal of supervision while around and handling the puppy to ensure he is not inadvertently hurt or tormented.
  • He will not have been neutered.
An Adult Dog

Pros

  • Not as time-consuming as a puppy.
  • He is likely to have been house-trained.
  • Character established.
  • Potentially socialized with people and other animals.
  • He may have been obedience-trained.
  • Potentially neutered.
Cons
  • Limited lifespan depending on age.
  • He may take longer to bond with you and other pets.
  • An adult may be more difficult to integrate into your family.
  • He may have some illness or some established condition.
  • He may have undesirable behaviour traits that only become apparent when he has settled into your home.
Dogs and children

Young children cannot be expected to know how to approach and handle a dog correctly, so it is imperative that they are supervised at all times when together to prevent accidents. Naturally, children want to explore their new pet and play with him, but poking him in the ear or disturbing him when he is eating or sleeping are certainly not the best way to do this.

If your children are taught how to handle dogs with gentleness and respect, then most children and dogs become the best of friends.

Which sex?

If your dog or puppy is to be neutered, then the question of its sex becomes less important as there will be little difference between males and females. How loving and obedient the dog will be depends on how he is brought up and treated by his owner.

One dog or two?

Is it a good idea to get another dog as a companion for your existing one? Having two dogs can usually work very well for all concerned once they have accepted each other. It can also have drawbacks if you do not take care to make sure that they do not bond closer to each other than to you. You may end up with problems in training them, and in their learning undesirable traits from each other.

Dog Breeds - Should You Get A Cross-Breed Or Pedigree

Before getting a dog, you will need to make a number of decisions, including selecting the breed and type of dog you would like. You may have in mind the ideal appearance, color, type and temperament, but would the type of dog you have in mind fit without any problems into your family's lifestyle and fulfill your expectations?

What's the difference?

Picking a pedigree or non-pedigree dog is your decision. However, armed with a fair amount of knowledge you are in the best position to make an informed choice and, therefore, end up with a pet that fulfils all your basic requirements.

Some pedigree dogs are known for certain character traits, such as a laid-back attitude, tolerance and a strong affection for humans, and this can make the job of choosing a dog easier if you do your homework well.

The options

Dogs are available in three varieties:
  • pure-bred (pedigree).
  • cross-bred (pedigree parents of different breeds).
  • mongrel (a dog with one or both parents cross-breds or mongrels).
Cost may influence your choice, but bear in mind that pure-breds are not necessarily superior to cross-breds or mongrels - indeed in terms of health the reverse is generally true, as many pure-bred dogs are prone to physical and psychological problems caused by inbreeding.

What's in a name?

Pedigree dog breeds are categorized into named groups to differentiate their particular uses, that is, what they were originally bred to do.

Longhaired breeds need correct grooming on a daily basis to remain matt-free, healthy and looking good.

Your lifestyle

This determines, to a great extent, what sort of pet you should be looking for/In the dog's lifetime, you are responsible for his health and well-being.

Some breeds, compared with others, are high-maintenance, so only consider these types of dogs if you are able to provide daily care and attention for them for the next 15 years or so. If you get a dog with a coat that needs a lot of grooming, or requires clipping on a regular basis, you must be prepared to learn how to care for his coat properly

If you choose an extrovert, energetic type with high exercise needs, then you must have the time to cater for him. Such considerations may seem obvious, but animal welfare organizations still have to cope with thousands of unwanted animals that their owners felt unable to care for.

The right dog for you

Pedigree dogs are not necessarily more loving, clever or naughty than other dogs, and each breed's appearance is a matter of taste. Working dogs tend to be more demanding of their owners, companion dogs tend to be more laid-back and cross-breeds tend to be generally thought of as being 'hardy'.

Whatever the type or breeding, an animal's character is also determined by the way it is reared and its handling by humans. Whether you get a pedigree or non-pedigree dog, the costs of neutering, vaccinating, feeding and caring for him will be just the same. The only difference will be in the initial cost of acquiring him.

Whatever type of dog you get, you will need to learn how to train a puppy to make sure you build a strong and loving relationship between the two of you. One of the first things you will need to learn is how to house train a puppy