Choosing a Dog

The puppies or dogs should show NO signs of lameness, discharge from eyes, ears, nose, etc. They should have clean, shiny coats and be alert. Their stool should be firm. A good breeder or rescue group will have no issue if you wish to have your vet examine the animal before bringing it home.

Many will insist you do. If you are going to a breeder, ask what tests were run on the parents to help ensure the healthiest dogs were bred. If there were no tests done at all, leave immediately. If there were no shots given to puppies, leave immediately. Also a good breeder will give you some form of health guarantee. Many will even have a lifetime guarantee as long as you are taking proper care of the animal. Are the dogs from lines that fit the breed standard correctly – ideally they dogs should have proven themselves in both the show ring as well as in some form of performance sport like Obedience or Agility.

Now, look at the condition of the facility. Is it full of feces and looks unclean? Does it have a really offensive odor or smell too heavily of cleaners as if something was being hidden? Is there sign of pest infestation? What is the attitude of the people to the animals? What is the attitude of the animals?

Attitude

Is the person trying to place the pup or dog trying to push the animal on you? Is the person telling you both the pros and cons of the breed – or cross? I cringe when I hear statements like "This is the BEST dog for anyone." This is far from true. What I would like in a dog is probably different from what you want. I like active dogs with a strong work drive and moderate to high energy levels.

I prefer longer coats and dogs that can handle various climates. I want something that will think nothing of hauling a pack or cart or working all day if asked to. This can be quite a handful for many people. No matter how I feel about the breeds I like and have, I would never insist it is the best breed for everyone. Anyone who tells you this should be selling used cars on the corner. I look for someone who will tell me both the good points and bad points of a dog.

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