Part 1: Choosing your dog
Remember NEVER impulse buy a dog.
Which breed?
Pure breed or cross?
- Â It’s ancestry is known an recorded
- Â It breeds true (If you mate a dog and a bitch of one breed the puppies will be replicas of their parents)
With a pedigree dog you will know how large it will grow as well as the temperament it’s likely to develop. Buying a mongrel however can sometimes lead to surprises. The best resource for finding pedigree dogs is The Kennel club.
The Kennel Club is the oldest recognised kennel club in the world Its role is to act as governing body for various canine activities including dog shows, dog agility and working trials. It also operates the national register of pedigree dogs in the United Kingdom and acts as a lobby group on issues involving dogs in the UK. Its headquarters are located on Clarges Street in Mayfair, London, with business offices in Aylesbury.
WARNING
Not every breeder, dealer or retailer cares as much about the animals as you might think. Avoid puppy farms as little to no care is given to the pup to ensure a long healthy life and will end up costing you in the long run. Always be careful when buying an animal, normally if it sounds to good to be true – it probably is!
Now we have an idea of what breed and history we want in our dog, our next article will look at choosing the RIGHT dog. Puppy vs rescue dogs, differences in gender and important checks you should make as a buyer to ensure you get s healthy animal.