Decide on the Type of Puppy Thats Best for You
So your family has decided to raise a puppy. Now it is time to pick the perfect little furry ball of energy. Stop, don’t run out and get the first puppy you lay your eyes on. Too many people pick the wrong puppy. Not a bad puppy, just the wrong one for their family. You should do some research before choosing. To begin with, should you adopt a purebred or the all American mixed breed dog? There are pros and cons to both.
Purebred Puppies
By choosing a purebred dog you can search more easily for the best temperament match for your family. You can answer some important questions to narrow down your choice to several specific breeds. Is your family active? Can you take your puppy with you? If the answer is yes then you can look at active breeds like dogs from the sporting groups and working groups. Do you live in a house or an apartment? This will help you know whether to get a small, medium, or large sized dog. Do you have time or money for regular grooming? This will tell you whether to get a short, long, or curly haired dog. Do you get irritated by dogs that bark? Well all dogs bark, but some bark less than others.
Once you have narrowed down the couple of breeds that would fit into your lifestyle you can start searching the internet for breeders and breed rescues. You can even find pure bred dogs at your local shelters. Pure bred dogs purchased from a reputable breeder will come with a health guarantee. This protects you from expensive health problems which can be hereditary in some breeds.
Mutt Puppies (All American Mixed Breed)
If you choose to adopt an all American mixed breed (mutt) puppy, getting the right puppy can prove to be a bit trickier. You need to consider what breeds have created this particular puppy. Sometimes you can make a good guess at the breeding, but remember that unless someone actually witnessed the breeding of the two parents, you really don’t know exactly what you’re getting. I have seen puppies that don’t look anything like the parent dogs. Also, a female dog in heat can mate with multiple male dogs and actually have puppies in one litter from different fathers.
Hybrid Puppies
Mixed breed puppies can make excellent pets. Many times you can get the best qualities from the different breeds. Of course, you will likely get a few negative qualities too. Mixed breed dogs tend to have less medical problems and skin allergies. Some even cause less problems for people with pet allergies. Hybrids are puppies with two purebred parents of two different breeds. For example, a Labrador crossed with a poodle, commonly called a “labroodle”. The benefit of hybrids is they have less health problems and are more hypo allergenic. They are costly if purchased through a breeder, but you can probably find one at your local shelter or through a rescue such as bark.com. Hybrids purchased through a reputable breeder will also come with a health guarantee.
Sit down, make a list of the characteristics you want and need in your puppy. Search for possible breeds in breed books or on akc.com. Purchase all your supplies, set up your house and, finally, go get the right puppy for your home.