Introduction
There are many things we need to consider when purchasing a puppy - breed, size, cost for example - but it is also important to consider where we go to purchase a puppy. Puppies are available for sale from breeders, private homes and dog rescue centres. The following essay addresses each of these environments, and discusses the information you could obtain at each through discovery and observation.
Breeder
If you are purchasing a puppy from a breeder, it is important to choose a reputable breeder who shows concern for her dogs. Top breeders conscientiously raise dogs with good genetic lines and will test each parent to ensure they are free from any genetic defects. In the UK, a responsible breeder can join the Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Scheme, which lays down a series of requirements that breeders must follow, and provides a framework to encourage the breeding of healthy, well-adjusted puppies. Therefore, it is useful to enquire if your intended breeder is a member.
As well as being able to answer any questions you might have about the positives and negatives of the breed, the breeder should be available to answer any questions you might have about the puppy’s mother and father. In addition, if they are serious about the placement of their puppies, they should be asking you about your situation and ability to responsibly take care of a puppy.
Regulations
Breeders must be licensed if they are carrying out a business of breeding dogs for sale. There are a number of regulations under the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999, that the breeder must adhere to which helps to ensure the welfare of both the mother and litter.(1) For example, dog breeder must:
- Not mate a bitch less than 12 months old
- Not whelp two litters within a 12 month period from the same bitch
- Keep accurate records
- Not sell a puppy until it is at least eight weeks of age
Parents
There are many questions you can ask about the temperament and health of both parents, as well as the nutrition and care of the mother.
Is the mother calm? Is she nervous? Is she fearful of humans? Has she had previous litters and if so, how did she cope? There is evidence to suggest that a ‘very nervous bitch is likely to produce very nervous puppies, and puppies born to an aggressive bitch are in turn likely to be aggressive.(2)
Although you can take a breeder’s word for it, there is no better way of assessing the temperament of the parents than by actually meeting, touching and interacting with them yourself. A good breeder will let you see the puppy’s mother and if possible, the father. I met both my dog Tabasco’s parents before making the decision to purchase him. His father was the most laid back dog I had ever met - he had an excellent temperament and was a show champion. Tabasco’s mother was very peaceful and confident and was happy to let me practise trimming her coat. She has been successful in the show ring and in the shooting field. Tabasco has definitely inherited his father’s ‘laidbackness’ and his mother’s confidence - their ‘champion gene’ however seems to gone missing in Tabasco’s case!
It is also important to establish the health of both parents, and general nutrition and care of the mother. ‘If she is not well fed, then the puppies are likely to be smaller in size.’(3) She should also receive good exercise and warmth during her pregnancy, and avoid unnecessary exposure to x-rays, drugs and other chemicals and to ensure that she had adequate protection against parasites and disease.(4)
Large dog breeds, such as Curly Coated Retrievers, can be prone to hip dysplasia. I enquired about this with regard to Tabasco’s parents to ensure they both had hip scores that were within the recommended limits.
Health
A reputable breeder will be able to give you details about the health of the puppy. They should provide you with a vaccination record with details of the puppy’s first inoculation. They should also be able to tell you how many times he had been wormed. Additionally, the breeder should have arranged for a vet to check the puppy’s general health.
I didn’t collect Tabasco until he was 11 weeks old, and his breeder organised his second inoculation before I picked him up. Although Tabasco was given the ‘all clear’ at this initial vet check, and this was confirmed by my vet, he did develop a heart problem which was detected at his next annual vaccination. I reported this to his breeder, in case she felt it necessary to contact the owner’s of his littermates and advise them.
It it also important to enquire into what type of food the puppy has been reared on. High quality, size appropriate, puppy food should be at the top of a good breeder’s shopping list. Tabasco was given Royal Canine Maxi Junior as a puppy while he was at his breeders, and I continued to give him this brand when he came to live with me.
Socialisation
We understand the importance of early socialisation for puppies. When viewing a litter, ensure you spend time with the puppies and observe their reactions to each other as well as how they react to you. The breeder should be able to tell you how much contact the puppies have had with humans. They should also have started the puppies’ early training by introducing them to various noises, such as traffic, washing machine, tumble dryer, television, etc. Tabasco was apparently introduced to his breeder’s cats and chickens whilst with his litter.
Other information
A reliable breeder should also supply the following:
- Kennel Club registration
- Microchip details
- Your puppy’s pedigree
- Contract of Sale
- Information pack/puppy guide
Private homes/home breeder
Puppies who are bred in someone’s home can be purebred or mixed. They are usually the mistaken product of bitches who have escaped and have mated with unknown males. However, there are some people who may want to breed purebred dogs they own as a way of generating additional income, or consider it a fun and educational thing to do with their family.
Parents
As per the case for breeders, it is necessary to find out as much as possible about the temperament, health and well-being of puppy’s parents prior to purchase. If the pregnancy was an accident, if may not be possible to know who the father is. Therefore, if the puppies are mixed breed you should ask whether the mix of breeds is known or has been speculated.
Try to find out if the parents have been tested for genetic defects known to the breed. Ask to see both parents if possible. If the father is unknown, ensure that you have an opportunity to meet the mother and ascertain her state of health and mind.
Ask the home breeder if they have ever bred dogs before. It is important they know what they are doing with regard to helping the bitch with her pregnancy, delivery and care of her puppies in a safe, clean and calm environment.
Ask how old the puppies will be when they are sold or given to a good home.
Health
The home breeder should ensure the puppies have had at least their first inoculations, and a general health check by a vet.
My brother has just purchased a Golden Retriever puppy from a home breeder. Although Sheila looked healthy when she was collected, when my brother took her to his local vets for an initial check-up, she was diagnosed as suffering from a mild skin infection which required a medicated shampoo for treatment. I wonder if the breeder had checked for this condition prior to releasing Sheila and her littermates to their new homes?
Socialisation
You will need to determine if the puppy has been sufficiently socialised while he has been at the breeder’s home. Furthermore, you should not adopt a puppy who is younger than eight weeks old, as you would be interrupting the important socialisation period the puppy has with his mother and littermates.
Dog rescue centre
It is unfortunate if a puppy starts his early life at a rescue centre. However, because puppies have great ‘bounce-back-ability’ they are more adaptable and will be easier to train than an adult rescue dog.
Be prepared to be scrutinised yourself if you intend to purchase a puppy from a rescue centre. Will you have the time to train a young puppy and make sure he grows into an even-tempered adult dog despite his bad start in life? The last thing the rescue centre would want is to see a puppy returned.
Parents
Most of the puppies found at a rescue centre are mixed breeds, and it is usually impossible to know anything about the breed of the parents and their temperament, etc. Try to find out as much information on the history of the puppies as possible from the rescue centre staff.
Health
You can rest assured that any rescue centre will do the best they can for any puppies in their care. This will include all required inoculations, worming treatment and health checks. The staff at a dog rescue centre all have one thing in common: they all love dogs. Only 100% healthy puppies will be released to new owners.
Socialisation
Staff will also ensure that the puppies are sufficiently socialised with humans and other dogs while at the rescue centre. They will also endeavour to start early puppy obedience training, including toilet training.
Puppy temperament testing
So how can we make an informed decision about which puppy to take home? After we have as much information as possible about their parents, their health and well-being and the amount of social interaction they have received, how else can we determine their temperament and be sure they are the puppy for us?
Of course it is important to view a litter (preferably when they are awake and active), to spend time with the puppies and observe their reactions to each other as well as how they react to you. However, as far as puppy temperament tests are concerned to reliably predict the future adult temperament of a puppy, both Bruce Fogel and Jean Donaldson are of the opinion that the jury is firmly ‘out’.
Puppy temperament tests are carried out on puppies of about eight weeks of age - out of sight and sound of the mother, littermates, other dogs and distractions. Each puppy is tested individually and the test usually comprises of the following components - social attraction, following, restraint, social dominance, elevation dominance. Bruce Fogel notes in his book ‘The Dog’s Mind’ that temperament tests on several hundred dogs which identified dominant or submissive behaviours did not ‘reliably predict later tendencies toward dominance or submissiveness.’(5) In ‘The Culture Clash’, Jean Donaldson states that ‘there is no compelling data yet correlating results from existing puppy temperament tests with measurable adult behaviour.’(6)
The evidence would suggest that puppies that grow up in a clean, healthy, well socialised and calm environment all have an equal chance to grow into well-balanced adult dogs. However, the initial levels of dominance, aggression, submissiveness or confidence seen in an individual puppy can vary with the onset of adolescence and adulthood.
Conclusion
So whether we buy our new puppy from a breeder, a private home or a rescue centre, it is important we find out as much as possible about his parents, his health and well-being, and the amount of socialisation he has had in his first ten weeks of life. We need to be mindful that his behaviour as a puppy may not mirror his behaviour as an adult. And whether he grows up into a lounge lizard or a mad ball-chaser, we accept him into our lives (as he has us), warts and all.
Works Cited
(1) The Kennel Club Handbook, p20 (The Kennel Club, 2007)
(2) Introduction to Canine Psychology Unit 3, Course Notes, p1
(3) Introduction to Canine Psychology Unit 3, Course Notes, p1
(4) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.70-71 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(5) The Dog’s Mind, ch.6, p.94 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
(6) The Culture Clash, ch.3, p.72 (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
Bibliography
Puppies For Dummies (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
Take The Lead (Watson, Heather 1998)
The Culture Clash (Donaldson, Jean 2005)
The Dog’s Mind (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
The Kennel Club Handbook (The Kennel Club, 2007)
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