So you have decided what breed of dog you want, you have found a breeder (see yesterday's post), you are thinking about whether you want a boy or a girl, and if there is a particular colour you are looking for.
And now you are on your way to see the pups for the first time.
REMEMBER - pups give off pheromones like babies. It’s a special scent that says ‘love me’ ‘take me home’ ‘you can’t leave without me’. I’m not kidding, they really do. So you must prepare yourself to say no if it's a no.
Be aware of the surroundings
is it reasonably clean?
are the dogs in a safe space?
is there a dirty smell?
Be aware of the mum
is she stressed that you are there?
is she dirty and smelly?
is she calm and friendly?
do the breeders tell you about how mum has been; are they gentle with her?
Be aware of the pups
are they clean?
do they smell dirty?
how are the mum and pups together?
are the pups lethargic or playful? Pups sleep lots but when they have a visit they should be excited to see new visitors and be awake
can you see fleas?
Don’t be tempted to take the smallest, most scared and timid pup. That is unless you want a lot of hard work, many sleepless nights, and never being able to leave the house again.
Same goes for the most energetic, gregarious pup, unless you are looking for a high energy needy pup who wants attention 24/7.
I personally would choose the pup who wants to greet you but is also relaxed and watches, and isn’t exactly putting on a show. I like the one that shows a little independence.
There are times where the breeder may match you to the dog. This is ok; an experienced one will know their pups and recognise which human matches which pup. But! If you don’t feel comfortable, you can say no.
What would you add to this list? What have you been aware of if you have bought a pup, or met a litter and decided not take a puppy home?
Comments