Selecting and Bringing Home A Puppy

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Choosing a male or female depends upon your plans for the puppy and your personal preference. If you do not plan to enter into a responsible breeding program, keep in mind that a female will come "in season" for about 21 days twice each year, during which time she will attract male dogs. A male may damage shrubbery by frequent urination and will stay away from home for several days if he finds a nearby female in season. Neutering or spaying will ensure that your dog will not contribute to the serious pet over- population problem and will be a more contented companion. You should discuss the best time for neutering or spaying with your veterinarian.

If you buy a purebred puppy, you should be given a pedigree for the puppy and a registration slip which names the parents of the puppy and their registration numbers. If you wish to register your puppy, fill in the registration slip with your name, address and the puppy’s name and send it, along with your fee, to the appropriate registry. The dog registries and their addresses are:

American Kennel Club, 51 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010

American Field Stud Book^*, 222 W. Adams Street, Chicago, IL. 60606

United Kennel Club, 100 E. Kilgore Road Kalamazoo, MI 49001

^* A registry for some gun dogs

Planning the Homecoming
If possible, make arrangements with the person from whom you are getting the puppy as to the time you will pick it up and ask that the puppy not be fed prior to pick-up time. This arrangement will help avoid the puppy’s becoming car sick on his way to his new home. Bringing the puppy home at the beginning of a weekend or, even better, a week-long vacation, is recommended. This provides time to introduce the puppy to its new environment and family members.

Go shopping before bringing the puppy home so you will have everything ready when the puppy arrives. Here’s what you should have on hand:

brush or hand mitt for grooming (depending upon whether your puppy is long or short-haired);

collar and leash;

food and water bowls that are heavy, non-tippable and easy to clean;

crate or bed for the puppy who is housed indoors;

well-insulated doghouse large enough to house the pup at its full-grown size if it is to be housed outdoors;

toys designed for dogs;

high quality nutritionally complete and balanced food to meet the special requirements of growing puppies such as Purina@ Puppy Chow@ brand puppy food.

information about housebreaking and basic obedience.

Choosing Your Veterinarian
If you do not have a veterinarian, it’s important to select one for your new puppy as soon as possible. You may wish to ask pet owning friends and neighbors for recommendations of veterinarians in your area. The Yellow Pages of the telephone directory is another source. It’s a good idea to choose a veterinarian who is conveniently located. A nearby location also saves time if an emergency should occur. Once you have selected a veterinarian, take your new puppy it is time for a checkup as soon as possible. At this time, a schedule can be worked out for needed vaccinations to protect him from a number of viral and infectious diseases. The puppy should also be examined and treated, if necessary, for internal and external parasites. Bring any papers you may have received when you adopted your puppy to your veterinarian so he can start a case history for future reference. Always keep the telephone number of your veterinarian handy together with the telephone number and address of the nearest emergency animal clinic for quick reference in case of an emergency.

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