Before You Buy Your Dog…

The cliche says, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but it’s not really true. You can teach an old dog new things; it just may be not as easy. The older dog can be set in his ways; he’s not the malleable material the puppy was. But old dogs can be taught basic things like heel, come, and stay, commands that will make for a much better companion. Do not let the fact that the dog is mature dissuade you from taking him home.

Consider getting a puppy after he’s completely weaned from his mother and used to frolicking around on his own. Pups that are 8 to 12 weeks old usually work out quite well. Of course, most puppies will be weaned from their moms by six weeks of age, but the extra time with her is important because it lets them interact with their littermates and engage in puppy fights and other behaviors that gradually shape their own particular personalities.

On the other hand, you don’t want to get a puppy that has had no socialization in his early life, say three months of age or older, because bonding is key in raising a happy pet. After this age, bonding becomes difficult. Also, by this time, the dog may have developed undesirable traits.

If you are just getting a dog for companionship, an older dog can be ideal, particularly if you don’t have the physical ability or time to train a puppy.

Life Span

I do not want to be morbid, but a dog’s life span may be a factor for you when considering which breed to select. In a sense, the longer the dog lives, the longer you put off the inevitable moment. To put that another way, you can love a dog that only lives 8 years just as much as you can love one that lives 20 years. You can put off that painful moment until later rather than sooner with certain breeds; yet, length of life may not matter to you at all.

What is the life span of various dogs? In general, vets will tell you that the larger the dog, the shorter his life span, even when the dog gets good, regular medical care. For example, a St. Bernard can begin to slow down at just 4 years of age and have a life expectancy of just 7 to 11 years. On the other hand, a Chihuahua, the smallest breed of dog, can live 18 years or more. In general, mixed breeds live longer than purebred dogs, and mixed breeds whose    genes are predominantly those of the smaller breeds will live longer. Also, certain breeds can carry genetic diseases that will impact their life expectancies.

Health Check

Unless you are lucky enough to know a veterinarian who will accompany you while you search for a pet, you should do a basic health check on any dog you plan to buy. If you are buying a purebred dog, it’s a good idea to contact one of the breed clubs and get some tips from members on what to check for in the breed before you buy. Make sure that you ask the breeder if she has experienced any health problems in her line. If she claims to know nothing about any health problems in the breed, go elsewhere.

Before you buy a dog, you should make arrangement with the seller for a “grace period”-a few days-during which you are allowed to return the dog. It’s during this time that you can get the dog fully examined by a vet to make sure he does not have any serious medical problems.

Tips on Spotting a Healthy Dog:

• Check the eyes. They should be clear, and there should be no evidence of discharge.

• Check the ears. The inside of the ears should also be clear, not red or swollen. They should have no offensive odor and should not be sensitive when touched.

• Check the mouth. Pull back the lips of the puppy and take a look at the teeth. They should be even and white, and the gums should be healthy looking. The breath should not have a foul odor.

• Check the dog’s coat. It should be healthy looking and have no bare spots. Run your hand through the coat from the tail end of the dog to the front and look for tiny black specks on the skin, which may be the fecal deposits of fleas.

• Check the skin. The skin itself should be firm, nonscaly, and free of any redness.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 11:52 am and is filed under Before, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.