If you didn’t love your dog, chances are you wouldn’t be reading a dog blog, but how do you show your love? The list below is adapted from one published by the Humane Society of the United States.
Continue reading Tuesday Top Ten: Ways to Show Your Dog You Care
My first non-fiction book is just about ready to be published, and I’d love to have your feedback before it goes to press. Based on the research I do every day for this blog and for the articles in the doggies den, I have written a little instruction book for prospective dog guardians called “101 Things You Should Know Before Getting a Dog”.
You can download and preview the first chapter of the book here. I’d really like some honest opinions – do you love it? Hate it? Think it might sell? After reading the 1st chapter, there is space on that same web page for you to rate the book and tell me what you thought.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
I had a question come in via e-mail that I thought a lot of people might be interested in, so the writer, Colleen, very graciously allowed me to post it.
Hi Beth,
My husband and I are interested in purchasing a dog from a breeder. What are some of the things we should know before hand. The breeder is registered with AKC. What are some of the questions we should ask the breeder?
Thank you
At a minimum, you should ask to see the parents. Sometimes they will not both be on-site, but at least the mother should be. The purpose of seeing the parents is that you can get a general sense of their health. If you are lucky, the breeder will take you to the kennel area when showing the parents, which means you can check out the living conditions. Run, don’t walk, away if the conditions are not clean, adequately heated/cooled, and humane. You can also see whether they breed several breeds or specialize
in just one or two (which is usually better). Check to see how many dogs they have who are pregnant or still nursing. Ideally, they will space out their litters, especially for each mama, rather than breeding each dog every time she comes into heat.
Ask to see the vet records for the parents, including an OFA certification for hip dysplasia and a CERF record for eye problems. Also, make sure that the parents are up-to-date on their shots and that initial puppy shots and worming have been done on the puppies. If you are buying a breed with a docked tail or other alterations, you might ask if the breeder does these procedures himself, and ask to see where, so you can make sure the facility is clean.
Depending on whether or not you plan to show the dog, you will want to discuss the breed standard, and how the breeder tries to further the quality of the breed. Ask to see breeding records so you can see that he is making an effort to prevent in-breeding and to try to bring out certain traits or suppress others.
Follow your instincts. If you get a bad feeling about a breeder,it is probaby best that you don’t buy there. A good breeder will also want to ask you questions to make sure his dog is going to a good home. He may also have a waiting list, indicating that he doesn’t overbreed just to make money.
Thanks for writing, a good luck! Let me know when you get your little bundle of joy – I’d love to see pix.
P.S. Do you mind if I post your question and my response on the site for others to see?
Thank you so much and yes feel free to post my question. May I ask one more how do I determine what price is appropriate for the breed?
The way I’ve always done it is to check with several breeders and see what they charge. I rarely take the highest or lowest price.
One other thing. Once you have several breeders’ prices, you may be able to negotiate with the breeder you have chosen for a puppy you really like, telling him that you can get a similar dog at a lesser price and would he be willing to come down some? Also, some (but by no means all) breeders will give you a price break if you are buying with no intention of breeding your puppy.
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
Do you have all of your shopping done for the holidays yet? We here at doggies.com just have one request: please, please, please don’t buy a puppy on impulse and put him under the Christmas tree or Hanukkah bush. Choosing a puppy is a very personal decision. Care must be taken to match the dog to the person and his or her lifestyle.
Continue reading Safety Tips for Newly Adopted Dogs 
Last week on Top Ten Tuesday, we listed the top ten dog names for male dogs, as culled from the Veterinary Pet Insurance database and reported in USA Today. As promised, here is the list for the fairer sex. Continue reading Top Ten Girl Dog Names
Introducing a new feature here on doggies.com: Top Ten Tuesday. Each week we’ll bring you a top ten list about dogs for your enjoyment. If you have a topic you’d like to see covered, just let me know. My email is: [email protected]. This week’s topic: top ten male dog names.
I cringe whenever I hear a well-intentioned person say, “I would never put my dog in a cage.” That statement comes not from a well-informed perspective, but rather from our having grown up going to zoos and seeing the animals behind bars, primarily to protect US from THEM. A crate is just the opposite… it’s main purpose is to protect the dog from us!
Continue reading Why a Crate for Your Dog?
Looking for a new member for your family, but not sure what breed to choose? A controversial study from the American Veterinary Association shows that breeds can be placed in seven groups based on three general traits:
You can use this these groups to narrow down your search, based on what you are looking for in a dog.
Keep these 5 “P’s” in mind as you approach the job of housetraining your puppy… you’ll wonder why it used to be such a challenge.
That’s it! 5 easy P’s! Prediction, Place, Persistence, Patience and Praise. And you’ll have a happy dog and a clean floor!