RESPONSIBLE ADOPTION

 

Bringing a new pet into your home can be one of the most rewarding or heartbreaking events in your life. We've all heard horror stories about a family adopting an older dog from a shelter that has awful behavioral problems, or a pet store puppy that nearly dies of Parvovirus. We’ve heard of backyard breeders and puppy mills where irresponsible breeding results in congenital diseases, severe parasite infestations, and persistent pneumonias. Considering a few important factors before acquiring a new pet can help ensure that you find the perfect pet.

 

 

KNOW YOURSELF

 

The first way to avoid an adoption nightmare is to know yourself. What kind of lifestyle do you live? How much time can you commit to training and exercising your dog? Are you active and outdoorsy, or is a 10 minute walk twice a week the most your dog will see of the outdoors? Do you have other pets with personality or medical issues that need to be considered? Have you ever trained or worked with dogs? Are you confident with conflict, or do you like to make people happy? It may sound silly, but your personality determines the success of your dog's training. .

 

Be honest with yourself. Getting a dog because you like the way the breed looks or because the breed is popular is selfish. You may end up with a dog who's personality traits or exercise requirements do not fit your lifestyle, expectations, or financial limitations. This sets your puppy up to fail, and your family up for lots of heartache.

 

 

CHOOSE YOUR BREED

 

Once you know what personality type and energy level best fits your lifestyle, match your needs to what you can reasonably expect from a particular breed.

 

If your pet will be alone for more than 8 hours a day, don't get a puppy. A consistent routine is necessary for successful housebreaking and training. Also, puppies between 6 and 18 months have the largest exercise requirements and the shortest attention spans. These dogs are teenagers! They need exercise and training with a set routine and clear expectations for what is acceptable behavior in your home. Without adequate exercise and training puppies are likely to develop behavioral problems.

 

If you don't have a very active lifestyle, terriers and working breeds are not for you. Since these dogs are highly intelligent and energetic, they need someone committed to tiring them out BOTH mentally and physically. Without appropriate care, they can become destructive, anxious, and fear aggressive.

 

If you are uncomfortable with conflict don't adopt a small or guard dog breed. They have a greater potential to be territorial, dog aggressive, or resource guarders and require an experienced leader. We have all seen the chihuahua that won't let anyone sit on his couch. This is a learned behavior and NOT the way the dog was born. The chihuahua trained his people not to sit on his couch.

 

If you want an easy dog to train, sporting breeds are eager to please, rarely have dominance issues, and are quite intelligent and food oriented. They are sporting breeds so the energy level is VERY high. If you don't get them enough exercise, your couch or shoes may pay the price!

 

A quick word on the new designer breeds. While many of these dogs are registered, they are not registered with the AKC and are, in fact, mutts.Some of these mixes have multiple generations of breeding stock, however, a generation may only be 6 months. Long-term health issues in these dogs are unknown. Also, many designer breeds from pet stores are by products of puppy mill accidents. Since they can't be registered with the AKC, they don't have to be inspected. There is little to no regulation of how the breeding animals are cared for, or whether they are in-bred.

 

 

KNOW YOUR LIMITS

 

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FREE PET. Even at a shelter, expect some sort of adoption fee. Food is expensive, especially for large breed dogs. Certain breeds require monthly grooming to prevent chronic skin, ear or toe nail infections. Veterinary care is required.

 

If you are finding it difficult to pay for your pet's purchase, you will not be able to afford vet care. The first year of veterinary care for puppies or kittens will average between $400 and $800 dollars. After that, routine care and parasite prevention averages $200 - $400 a year depending on the size of your pet. If your pet becomes ill, vet bills can range from $150 to $300 for outpatient care up to $2000 for a hospital stay. Pet insurance is available, and you can learn more about it at www.petinsurancereview.com.

 

 

CONSIDER THE BREED:

 

Each breed has a list of congenital diseases to which they are predisposed. For example, flat-faced dogs and cats have respiratory and ocular issues. The flatter the face, the more likely you’ll be making frequent visits to your vet. Dogs with long backs like dachshunds and bassets are prone to paralysis. Teacup breeds are prone to liver shunts, hypoglycemia, and orthopedic abnormalities. Dome headed dogs and cats are prone to hydrocephalus and seizures. If it is less than 5 pounds or bigger than 100 pounds as an adult, it’s likely you’ll know your vet by their first name. If the head or body have a bizarre shape, your voice will likely be recognized by the entire clinic staff before your pet is 2. Before purchasing any specific breed, do your research and talk to your veterinarian. Research the health issues of the breed you’re interested in to ensure you can meet their health needs.

 

CONSIDER THE SOURCE:

 

Once you know what type of pet you’re looking for, you need to know how to find it.

 

If adopting from a shelter, make sure the kennels are clean and the staff can answer questions about the pet’s personality, health, and why it was surrendered. Shelters should provide distemper, parvovirus, and rabies vaccines and deworming medication to dogs and cats. Some may even test for heartworm disease in dogs and leukemia in cats. They should let you take a dog for a walk or play in a fenced area, allowing you time to get to know the pet. Expect an adoption fee of at least $100 to cover food and veterinary care.

 

Many puredbred dogs have breed specific rescue organizations. They will screen your family and help match you with the right dog. They may ask for a vet reference and proof of home ownership or written permission from your landlord. Most groups will have screened for health issues and will provide long term support for training, chronic illness information or assistance.

 

If you want to purchase a purebred puppy or kitten you should visit the breeder. The mother should be on-site with the litter, and you want to see where they are housed to be sure it’s clean. There should be only 1 breed present. The litter should stay with mom for 8 weeks to ensure proper social skills. Puppies and kittens should have their first distemper vaccine and dewormer by 7 weeks of age. A really good breeder will help match you to a puppy. A good breeder is protective of their puppies and wants to see them go to good homes. The breeder should have screened for common medical conditions and have information regarding both parent’s personalities. Be sure to ask if the pet comes with a health guarantee, and get the specifics of any guarantee. Ask for references from the breeder’s vet and previous customers.

 

If you purchase a pet from a store be sure to avoid retailers who obtain their puppies from puppy mills. While some stores do buy their puppies from reputable breeders, most puppy stores with more than 20 pups or that are part of a chain get their puppies from large scale mills. DON’T MAKE AN IMPULSE BUY. Just like a good breeder, a good pet store can provide records of breed specific medical screening for the parents, parasite and infectious disease prevention measures taken by the breeder and pet store, medical records if the pet has been ill, and know specifically where the animal came from. Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and the midwest have the most puppy mills, be wary of any puppies coming from these areas. Ask about a health guarantee. Do they pay for vet bills if the puppy becomes ill, or require you to exchange it for a new one.?  Does it cover against congenital disease, and how long does it last? Ask for veterinary references, and be sure to have your new pet checked out by your vet before the health guarantee expires.

 

A WORD ON PUPPY MILLS

 

Pet stores are a multi-billion dollar industry because most people instantly fall for a cute puppy or kitten in the window. Unfortunately, behind almost every cute puppy is an adult dog suffering at a puppy mill. Dogs from puppy mills are more likely to have health issues related to filthy living conditions, poor nutritional status of the parents, inadequate ventilation, and exposure to the elements. Adults are kept in wire cages with 5-10 other dogs. Inbreeding is common and results in more and worse congenital disease. The puppies are lucky enough to get out, but the adults remain in deplorable conditions never knowing human compassion or care. Please do your research and be sure not to support this inhumane business.

 

 

Picking the right pet is a big task, and there are many important factors to consider. Your veterinarian should be willing to set up a consultation with you to discuss these issues and help you make an informed decision. Expect to pay for the consultation, but the information you get may save you in veterinary bills and replacement couches down the line!