Buying a pup

Curious Geroge

Hello all, we're currently looking to get a small house pup and hoped you may be able to share your experiences. We have a country house, loads of space but we both work during the day.

In the past I had 2 collies which were let run around outside during the day but came into difficulty when the neighboring kids would play with them after school. Being careful of what 'might' happen I thought it best to give the dogs to a local farm.

Looking for a house pet (bichon frise / maltese / ****zu pup type) but not sure what too look for. Is it better to get a full breed / cross breed ? Also, why do I see so many with micro-chipped in the advert ? Is there any way to know if the dog is well mannered when viewing ?

morganafay

Unless you want to consider getting a rescue, then I'd say to go for a purebred dog, with papers, because that way it's easier to find a good breeder and get a healthier pup. To register dogs now you have to have them micro-chipped so that's why a lot of pups are micro-chipped now.

Bichons and Maltese are really nice dogs, though Maltese's are really expensive. Shih-tzus can be nice but I've met some snappy ones, though lots of nice ones too. I've never met a snappy Bichon, they're so so sweet.

If you don't have a fenced in garden or can't fence it, then I'd suggest getting a dog run so the dog can be out during the day and be safe.

If you're at work for a long time, then it might be very difficult to have a puppy, because they just need so much attention and all, not to mind feeding and cleaning up after them every few hours. Once the puppy is about 6 months, even a bit younger, it would be ok, but for the first few months they need so much attention. Apparently Bichons need loads of human company

Cherry Blossom

Curious Geroge wrote: »

Hello all, we're currently looking to get a small house pup and hoped you may be able to share your experiences. We have a country house, loads of space but we both work during the day.

You would need to make other arrangements for your dog during the day. Toy breeds especially will get very stressed if left alone for any period of time not to mention all day. Day care would be the best option.

In the past I had 2 collies which were let run around outside during the day but came into difficulty when the neighboring kids would play with them after school. Being careful of what 'might' happen I thought it best to give the dogs to a local farm.

Would you not have considered leaving them in during the day or making your property secure so kids couldn't get in?

Looking for a house pet (bichon frise / maltese / ****zu pup type) but not sure what too look for. Is it better to get a full breed / cross breed ? Also, why do I see so many with micro-chipped in the advert ?

If your are considering a cross breed research both breeds thoroughly and pay particular attention to any genetic defects, illnesses and health problems both breeds are suceptible to. I would pay very little for a cross breed in terms of money if your aren't getting it from a rescue. Go for full-bred if you have any intention at all of showing the dog. All breeders registered with the Irish Kennel Club have to microchip all their puppies.

Is there any way to know if the dog is well mannered when viewing ?

The mother should be availble to see and you can assess her temprament. If your getting a pup whether it has manners or not will be down to your own training of the dog

Cherrycoke

I know lots of posters here don't approve of buying pups from donedeal, but if they're IKC registered would that be the same as buying from a breeder that the IKC would reccomend??

crally

hi

great but keep in mind that the pup cannot be left all day, home alone and when you are trying to house train it you will have to be there. it will eat everything in sight will pee and poop (i have experienced this!) you will not be able to leave it outside as these dogs are being stolen daily. i have 2 dogs which i walk for half an hour in the morning. they are 4 and 5 and are housetrained (rescue dogs) i then walk them for nearly an hour in the evening. i cannot leave them in the garden as i am afraid they would be stolen. getting a housetrained dog is great, someone else did the hard work. those small dogs need more attention and would be unhappy left alone all day. if you get two dogs together the fear is that they will become too dependent on each other. there are lots of great dogs n fostercare and this is great because you can find out about their temperment, etc. best of luck!:)

Cherry Blossom

Cherrycoke wrote: »

I know lots of posters here don't approve of buying pups from donedeal, but if they're IKC registered would that be the same as buying from a breeder that the IKC would reccomend??

Genuine breeders have to advertise somewhere as well, I found myself it was quite hard to get information from the IKC and breeders clubs to the point where I ended up getting a different (more popular) breed. I want 2 eventually anyway so will go with my origional choice when my elderly dog passes on. When you ring you should be vetted over the phone and use common sense when you go to view the pups.

suziwalsh

Unfortunately being IKC registered accounts for nothing...other then the breeder has paid for registration for the pups. The breeders are not checked up on and I have seen incorrect papers used to register dogs etc. Also not all dogs that are advertised as IKC reg are not.

andrewire

Curious Geroge wrote: »

Hello all, we're currently looking to get a small house pup and hoped you may be able to share your experiences. We have a country house, loads of space but we both work during the day.

In the past I had 2 collies which were let run around outside during the day but came into difficulty when the neighboring kids would play with them after school. Being careful of what 'might' happen I thought it best to give the dogs to a local farm.

Looking for a house pet (bichon frise / maltese / ****zu pup type) but not sure what too look for. Is it better to get a full breed / cross breed ? Also, why do I see so many with micro-chipped in the advert ? Is there any way to know if the dog is well mannered when viewing ?

I have a West Highland White Terrier and he has the nicest personality ever. He was very easy to train and loves people and is very friendly with other dogs. I'd say Westies are extremely suitable for the environment you've described. Mine loves to be outside and play all the time. They are also good to entertain themselves which in your case would be ideal.

morganafay

Cherrycoke wrote: »

I know lots of posters here don't approve of buying pups from donedeal, but if they're IKC registered would that be the same as buying from a breeder that the IKC would reccomend??

Good breeders advertise on donedeal too, you just need to be careful to make sure any breeder is good.

Cherry Blossom

andrewire wrote: »

I have a West Highland White Terrier and he has the nicest personality ever. He was very easy to train and loves people and is very friendly with other dogs. I'd say Westies are extremely suitable for the environment you've described. Mine loves to be outside and play all the time. They are also good to entertain themselves which in your case would be ideal.

Certainly isn't the case with my Westie, if left outside with no people out there she'll entertain herself for half an hour then whines and cries to get back in and failing that tortures my older dog for attention. If she was left inside alone she tear the house to pieces

Sigma Force

westies are terriers so can be more independant than other smaller dogs.
Bichons and other small toy breeds do crave company and either way a pup can't be left for more than about 2 hours to start with then building it up to 3 and 4, it takes a couple of weeks to get a pup used to being left they really can get very stressed if left for long, will poop on themselves and get into a right state.

It doesn't last but this is something to consider, a dog minder or friendly neighbour etc. might be an idea if you work full time.

Don't get any dog until your garden is secure, the collies tbh should not of been allowed out loose and small toy dogs are being stolen left right and center so it's important that they are kept secure.

lorebringer

First off - please look into the rescue route, there are so many young pups available in rescues at the moment that would be perfectly suited for your what you want. Most rescue will assess dogs/pups so that they are homed with the right family for them (and so that the adoptive family get the right dog). Pups develop personalities very early on and you could get information about their temperament early on from the rescue.

If you do go the breeder route, a few points:

1) See the mother, with the pups. She should be perfectly relaxed, not tense or scared of you. Pups should the same and acting as pups do, not frightened or overwhelmed.

2) Look at where the pups and mother are kept. In the house as part of the family, exposed to normal living, is best. Many breeders do not keep dogs in the house so ask to see where exactly they are kept. It should be warm, clean and a safe place for the pups to run around. If it is dank, smelly, dirty or the animals seem unnerved by being there - run a mile. Never collect the pup(s) halfway, unless you have seen where they have been kept beforehand. Don't go blind to meet someone without clearly seeing where they have lived before the come to you.

3) Quiz the breeder about the breed. They should be willing to tell you the good points and the bad points about the breed. They should be very clued up on any health issues that are common in the breed. The breeder should also want to talk to you about what you expect from your new X breed puppy, where it will be kept, will it be part of the family etc. Do your research before you go to see the pups and breeder so that you know what to ask and to answer. Ask if they are willing to take the pup back if anything were to happen that you could not care for it anymore - they should be willing to take the pup back at any stage in life, for whatever reason you give. Good breeders put a lot of time and effort (and money!) into their puppies, they are a lifetime investment from their point of view. They should also volunteer to you that if you take a pup, they will be available for any advice or help that you may need.

4) Ask for the parents health certs regarding any health problems in the breed (eg. heart certs, hip scoring, MRIs etc.), dealt with by specialists. If the breeder doesn't have them, ask why. The phrase "my lines/dogs don't have any problems" or "there are no problems" are red flags and walk away. Ask about the general health of the parents, ALL dogs get sick at some point (like people!) - some are prone to infections, some have allergies, some have sensitive stomachs etc. - and the breeder should be perfectly willing to tell you all about the eye infection the parent had 3 years ago, or the time they ate something from the bin and pooed all over the kitchen!

5) Get a vet check cert for the pups and all medical paperwork - vaccination certs, microchip details, worming details etc. Some breeders vaccinate themselves, which is fine, but from the time they were born up until the time you see them they should have been to a vet at some point and the breeder should be able to prove this, on paper. The pups themselves should be healthy little pups - no swollen bellies, lethargy, goopy eyes etc. Have a good look at them and make sure they are very happy, healthy pups. Obviously, pups pick things up (infections and such) but the breeder should be willing to tell you if any of them have been/are ill and what they are doing to get the pup(s) better - vet visits etc. Don't buy pup unless it is perfectly healthy, even if it means waiting a few extra weeks until it has recovered from a minor infection - and make sure to get a vet cert to prove it. The breeder should never be blasé or glazing over any problems the pups have or have had - it's all part of life and a good breeder is realistic about the health of their pups.

6) IKC certs for the pups should be available to bring with you when you collect the pup, not offered to be sent on to you at a later date. Parents IKC papers should also be available to view (many breeders use external stud dogs, but even so the fathers papers should be available to view). Pups have to be micro chipped to be registered with the IKC so you should have details of this and the breeder should explain how to register the details and how to change ownership of the IKC papers.

7) Assess the pups (this is the hardest part) - if the breeder has passed all the previous points, it's time to choose your pup! Look at the pups as a group and alone with you. They should be curious, playful, confident and very comfortable with their surroundings. When you take one aside to look at how it acts it should be very used to being handled, want to play and generally act like a puppy. Some pups are a bit scared about being away from the group but it shouldn't be frightened out of it's wits or frozen with fear. Manners, unfortunately, has to do with you and how much work you pup into your puppy. You have to teach them right from wrong - they aren't born knowing. They will learn how to interact with their peers and their mother will put some manners on them but most of the work will be up to you. Nervous pups will need some confidence building where as a super confident pup could be very stubborn when they get older - choose very carefully.

Regardless of what breed you get, the breeder is so important. Many good breeders have a waiting list or only have litter a few times a year. You should take your time choosing the breed and the pup, don't feel pressured to make a hasty decision. You'll have the dog for anywhere from 10 to 15 years and if you pup the work, research and effort in at the beginning it'll pay off in later years. Cross breeds can have just as many health problems as pure breeds so don't think that be getting a mixed breed dog that you are avoiding health issues. Regardless of breed, puppies are A LOT of work so be prepared for everything and anything that can happen. As I said before, there are loads of puppies in shelters around the country so please look into it.

Gook luck!

EGAR

Cherrycoke wrote: »

I know lots of posters here don't approve of buying pups from donedeal, but if they're IKC registered would that be the same as buying from a breeder that the IKC would reccomend??

Even Puppy Millers can get their pups IKC reg'd if the parents are purebred and reg'd. IKC registration doesn't equal good breeder.

sligopark

rescue route you and the pup/dog will feel rewarded - perhaps call in person to your local and speak one on one with the rescue people themselves

sligopark wrote: »

What about a rescue centre like egar (http://z10.invisionfree.com/EGAR/index.php?showforum=2 [do register and log in]) - lots of bull breeds that don't often get the chance of rescue along with lurchers too?

Local pounds don't have the same attention to detail but are full of dogs whose only other route is pts

Other rescues / pounds:

http://www.kerrycoco.ie/en/allservices/environment/dogpound/dogsforre-homing/

http://www.mayospca.com/index.php/homes-needed-for-animals

http://www.carrickboardingkennels.ie/dogs-available-for-adoption.html

http://www.meath.ie/LocalAuthorities/Environment/DogPound-Meath/

www.dogsindistress.org

http://www.sligococo.ie/Services/Environment/adopt a dog/

http://www.inistiogepuppyrescue.com/current_dogs.php

http://www.galway-spca.com/home.htm

http://cottagerescue.ie/dogs-needing-homes.html

http://www.dspca.ie/homes.php?category=Dog&number=22&sectionnumber=10&type=Home Needed

http://www.dogactionwelfaregroup.ie/adoption.html

http://www.clareanimalwelfare.net/html/adoption_-_dogs.html

http://www.westcorkanimals.com/dogs.htm

http://www.lcc.ie/DogImagesWeb/displayImage.aspx

http://www.dar.ie/index.php?page=dogs-needing-homes

http://www.kilkennyspca.ie/homesneeded.asp

http://www.limerickanimalwelfare.ie/

http://www.tipperaryfriendsofanimals.com/animals-for-adoption/

http://roscommonanimals.com/news/?page_id=9

http://www.aspca.ie/rehome_dogs.shtml

http://www.lasthope.ie/?page_id=11

All the best

andrewire

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

Certainly isn't the case with my Westie, if left outside with no people out there she'll entertain herself for half an hour then whines and cries to get back in and failing that tortures my older dog for attention. If she was left inside alone she tear the house to pieces

Oh no! My Westie is very independent and able to entertain himself. Of course he loves attention and likes to be around people but I have had no problems so far. But I think all dogs are different even if they are the same breed.

Cherry Blossom

andrewire wrote: »

Oh no! My Westie is very independent and able to entertain himself. Of course he loves attention and likes to be around people but I have had no problems so far. But I think all dogs are different even if they are the same breed.

Of course she is still very young, is never left alone because there is always someone there . . . and I am stupid enough to let her sleep in my bed :rolleyes: