Dog Breeders - How to Choose The Right One

Good bloodlines: Healthy Puppy


All puppies should be bought from a responsible breeder. Such a person is not easy to locate. Besides, many people claim to be good breeders and will, if you go to them, make a terrific sales pitch for their puppies. First of all, avoid owners who try to catch you in a parking lot or who sell on the side of the road. You need to see the puppies, their parents and the conditions in which the puppy was raised.

When you enter the kennel or pet store to find which puppy you want to take home, you may be tempted on many occasions to take more than one puppy home with you. You’ll see all their adorable faces and may not be able to resist the temptation to go home with more than one of them.

So how do you recognize a good breeder?

Observe and Judge

You can learn a lot about a breeder by visiting their home or kennel. A dedicated Shar- Pei breeder will be passionate about the breed. He will have Shar-Pei objects/ornaments/pictures on view and will happily talk about his pets from dawn to dusk and beyond.

Kennel Conditions

The kennel may consist of outside runs and exercise areas or it may simply be their home, but it should be clean, warm and comfortable. Puppies should be clean and their area should be free of excrement.

Puppies

Sometimes, a good breeder may not allow you to choose from his litter. However, if you are allowed to choose from a litter, avoid any puppy that seems ill. Actually if only one puppy seems ill, avoid any pup from such a litter. There should be no discharge from eyes, nostrils or ears. They should be active, happy and outgoing. There should be no sign of fear. It's all right if, in the beginning, they approach you warily. They should be able to relax and play later. Pups that cringe in the corner with fear are either going to develop into fear biters or are going to need a very special home which can deal with their fearful temperament. On the other hand, the pup that rushes excitedly up to you, shoving his littermates aside in his eagerness to be the first one to greet you, who bites at your hands and jumps at your chin, occasionally giving you a few little nips, is going to be a true handful, needing strong discipline. Puppies with this type of temperament can become child biters, as they seem to view a child who is smaller than adults as one of their kind rather than a person to be obeyed.

In general, these are some of the signs you should watch out for:

1.An active pup. However, puppies sleep a lot and it takes them a while to wake up.
2. A pup that greets people and does not appear shy.
3. He should have no sign of discharge from the eyes, nose, or ears. He should have pink and firm gums.
4. He should not have a distended belly (not to be confused with a normally fat puppy)
5. He should move around easily, with no signs of lameness. Look for a puppy that naturally stands square with all four feet facing forward and sits squarely. This should be done over a period of time, as puppies lack coordination and muscle tone and will not sit or stand the same way consistently.
6. Look for a puppy that naturally follows you.
7. Watch the puppies' reactions to sounds. You want a dog that recovers easily and does not become hysterical over sudden sounds.
8. Look for puppies that have the confidence to explore new areas without fear.

Recommended Reading for more information on Dog Breeders:

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