So, you've weighed up all the pros and cons and have decided that you definately want a dog. You have found a suitable place with adult dogs or puppies available. So, how do you go about picking the right dog for you?
It is important to choose a puppy that you feel happy with. If you get the chance, watch the puppies interacting with one another and with humans and pick out the one that seems the friendliest for a closer look.
When you have a puppy in mind, do a brief health check. The eyes should be clear and bright with no discharge or tears. The nose should be clean, again with no discharge. The coat should be smooth and shiny. The ears should be clean and odourless. There should be no broken teeth in the mouth and the gums should be nice and pink. The puppy's bottom should be clean and dry.
Watch how the puppy moves. It should not be limping at all and should be eager to play. You should not be able to hear it breathing. Test the puppy's hearing by clapping behind its ears.
Do not feel tempted to buy the sickly puppy that is the runt of the litter. It will only bring you heart-ache and a big hole in your wallet!
If you are intending rehoming a dog from a rescue centre, you need to choose one who will fit in with your lifestyle. Some rescue centres will allow you to walk around the available dogs and read more information about them by yourselves. Others will want to make sure that you are a suitable person to rehome one of their dogs first and may then make suggestions as to suitable ones.
Talk to the rescue centre staff about what you are hoping for. They know the dogs well and will be able to pick out a suitable one for you to have a closer look at. Spend some time with the dog to make sure that you get along. As with puppies, you can do your own brief health check, but any reputable rescue centre will have their animals regularly checked by a vet anyway.
Make sure that you are able to introduce your new dog to any existing dogs in the household before rehoming it. The rescue centre will be able to advise you on the best way to do this. It often involves taking both dogs for a walk and gradually bringing them closer together to see how they get on.
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