Before you decide at choosing
a dog breed, it is important for you to find out details about
what this will entail. You can help yourself by answering
a few questions. Please visit the Ready
for a Dog page to go through these questions which also
gives you an insight on what having a dog is all about.
Now that you are sure that you want a dog, you can proceed
to choose a good dog breed for yourself. Here we have given
information on a few steps to be followed in the process of
choosing a dog breed.
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- Decide on what dog breed to choose and whether you want
a male or female dog and also whether you want a pup or
a dog. The breed should fit the purpose and the environment
of the dog. Female dogs are known to be better tempered
and are therefore easier to train although you will have
to decide on whether you want your female dog to litter
or not so that you can take the necessary precautions. It
is advisable to start with a pup rather than a grown up
dog. Dogs may be set in their ways and behaviour and are
more difficult to train. If you don’t like their habits,
it will lead to unnecessary frustration.
- Look for someone who has a good reputation in the field
of dogs. You can ask around and also call up the sellers
directly to find out more about the ones selling pups/ dogs.
If you want to ensure that you have the breed you want,
you need to ensure that you have a good seller who could
either be a breeder or just a dealer in dogs and also who
can give you a history of the pup and can guide you on the
perfect environment to be created for the small pup to survive
in the new place..
- Choose a dog which is healthy and a medium-sized pup.
We have suggested a few checks to help you try and ascertain
the general condition of the pup.
- Turn the pup onto its back and check for fleas, ticks,
etc. or any indication of a rash.
- Check that its teeth are white and are firm within
the pink gums.
- Walk the pup a little to check for stiffness in its
movements.
- Move away from the vision of the pup, make a few noises
to see if the dog responds and you will know if he is
deaf.
- Check if the pup has a runny nose or watery eyes which
is a good indication of illness
- Check if the pup has a cough or running a fever.
- Its rectal temperature should be below 102 degrees
F.
- Take the pup to a good vet for examination where you
can also seek some advice on food, medical requirements
and grooming requirements.
- Your pup will feel welcomed if you place a bowl of warm
milk for him although it is best not to force him to drink
it. Keep a warm rug for him to lie down. You will find that
young pups in new homes whimper and cry during the first
few days. You can comfort him by holding him close to you
and speaking softly to him. Reduce this over a period of
time and he will eventually stop crying.
- You will first need to begin housebreaking your dog. Please
refer to our Housebreaking
your Pup page for a few tips on housebreaking.
Your new pup is almost like a baby and therefore will require
a little more pampering. Ensure that he gets adequate sleep
as this is most needed and also ensure that you give him regular
meals as advised by your vet. By the time your dog is eight
months old, he is ready to be trained to respond to commands
like ‘sit’, ‘come’, etc. You will
find that this time of training is also a time of bonding
for you and your dog. Our Dog
Training page will give you a few tips. If you want your
dog to have professional training, contact a good dog trainer.
All through the life of your dog, he will require good dog
grooming to ensure that he remains healthy. For more information,
please visit our Dog grooming
page on this site.
Dogs add color to an otherwise dull day and once you have
won your dog’s favor, you will find that he will adore
you and be your faithful friend for the rest of your life.
You will know that you did the right thing by
choosing a dog.
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