Thinking is getting a puppy? Please read this first before you purchase any pup.
A puppy farm is a dog breeding establishment that breeds puppies on a mass scale for profit with little or no regard to the welfare needs of the dogs. It is not necessarily an actual farm, they can be at people's homes or at warehouses, anywhere really.
These dogs live in appauling conditions and do not have the proper contact with their mother and siblings which is so vital at this stage in their lives.
The problems with puppy farms:
- No access to clean water
- No bedding
- No socialisation
- Diseases
- Deformities
- Severe ear infections
- Mange
Dogs from puppy farms are more likely to develop behavioural problems as adults. They may be more fearful, aggressive and have health problems.Please do not buy a puppy from a pet shop. They are probably bought from a mass production puppy farm. Do not buy these puppies because you feel sorry for them, as they will only be replaced and you would have helped fuel the puppy farm industry.
If you are looking to buy a puppy. These are the things you should consider:- Buy from a registered Kennel Club dog breeder http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/buying/index.html
- Research the breed first. Has the breed you want got the right activity level for you. Some dogs need more exercise and mental stimulation than others. Some shed hair more than others.
- You must see the mother of the puppies and she should be interacting with them.
- Father of the puppies is not usually present but you should get information on him.
- Reputable breeders have waiting lists. Be prepared to wait for your canine friend. He or she will be with you a long time, so you want to make sure you choose a healthy happy dog. It's rare that you get to choose your family members, so make it a good choice!
- Health test certificates should be available from the breeder.
Never have a puppy delivered to you!Never buy from a pet shop.Never buy from a newspaper advert.Never buy a puppy over the internet.
And remember...you could always adopt a dog or puppy that needs re-homing from a dog shelter.http://www.dogpages.org.uk/
Dog Shelters:
http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/pets/rehoming/petsearch- Buy from a registered Kennel Club dog breeder http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/buying/index.html
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Stages of a dogs life:Newborn 0-2 weeks
The pup is blind and almost deaf, and spends most of his time sleeping and eating. He is very dependant on his mother.Transition Period 2-3 weeks
The pup learns to walk and lap liquids.Socialisation Period 3-12 weeks
This is the critical period. Puppies at this stage are like living sponges. They learn from everything going on around them, developing good and bad habits which will last a lifetime. The experiences a pup has during the socialisation period can affect how it will cope with the world as an adult dog.Juvenile Period 3-6 months
The puppy continues to learn through experiences and becomes increasingly independent.The puppy will stay close to the owner on his first walks but will start to explore further afield as he gains more confidence. The puppy starts loosing his baby teeth and growing adult teeth, and the chewing phase begins!Adolescent Period 6 months – 1 year/18 months
The puppy is now a teenager! He will start to test your boundries and may appear to ignore everything he has learned from training. He will have a strong desire to chew as his new teeth grow. This is a testing time and it is at this age when most dogs appear in rescue centres as owners cannot cope. Be patient...this phase will pass!Maturity 1 year/18 months onwards
Your dog will have developed his character, he is still able to learn a great deal.Training should never stop. An old dog can learn new tricks.
As a general rule, the bigger the dog, the longer it remains adolescent, but they do all grow out of it (eventually).
