Before You Purchase Your Pet...

There are lots of things to consider before buying a pet. The most important thing is to be sure you find a good breeder, and get the healthiest pet possible, and then to consider the expenses of keeping your dog healthy after you own it.

Here is some valuable information:


 There are many ways to purchase your new best friend, and I would like to share my thoughts on some of these. You can get a dog from a pet store, from the newspaper, and even on the internet! The best way to get a new doggie is from a reputable ((ETHICAL)) breeder. Your dog should not be “bred-for-profit”. By this I mean a dog brought into this world so that its owner might make some quick cash. Please do plenty of research, and look at the links listed below to help guide you to a nearby ethical  breeder.  Also, please keep in mind all of the dogs who are abandoned daily.  Perhaps a rescue dog might fit into your lifestyle. They are usually past the puppy stage, and although they may have their own unique set of problems (abandonment issues, being ignored by previous owner, housebreaking issues, and medical problems) they are the most loyal and loving pets of all, as they seem to know they were spared a horrible end, and were given a second chance at life!                    

You should always be able to visit the actual home of a breeder who is selling you a puppy. You want to see the environment that the pups or the stud came from. I know of a very "reputable" show breeder, but if you ever saw the inside of her house, you would want to turn around and run out screaming. Feces and urine all over the place, the overpowering stench of this waste, dogs and pups running loose everywhere, show bitches "accidentally" getting pregnant at every heat (she laughs it off, and claims it is an accident, and it very well could be, but a good breeder will separate the bitch in heat from her stud if she is smart). How do people live like this?? But they do. I have seen this place with my own eyes!
She NEVER allows potential buyers to see her home, but rather she prefers to bring the pups to their home, or some other place, just any place other that where she and the dogs live...tricky...but not the true picture of how the pups and parents are brought up. She does have rather nice show dogs, and she does very well with them, but her home is a sty!
Buyers need to be a little more aware. You really want to see the home. Some people are actually small time puppy millers, with the dogs stacked in crates in back bedrooms and basements. You sure would want to avoid buying a pup from them.

Don't buy the first puppy you see. Try to visit many breeders and see their puppies. Ask lots of questions. Be prepared to answer a lot of questions. An ethical breeder may want personal and vet references, and may want to visit your home to be sure the pup will have a “forever” home. Make an informed decision. Most people are in a big hurry once they make up their minds to get a dog, SLOW DOWN…this is a major life altering decision. Too many people make this snap decision without thinking it through, then the dog and the owner are not a “good fit” and it is often a dog that lands in a shelter or rescue situation. Don’t be surprised if your breeder leads you to a certain dog in her litter, she is trying to make a nice “forever” fit.

Toy breeds  should be at least 12 weeks old before going to a new home. Some would say they can go younger, and some breeds probably can; but for toy breeds,12 weeks puts you past the fragile period, past the fear/imprint period, and seems to be about as young as they should go.  Be wary of anyone who will sell you a yorkie puppy under 12 weeks of age. They are just looking to make some quick cash, and do not want to deal with the messy and bothersome puppy at this age. Many pups turn into fear biters and have other anti-social behaviors because it was taken from its mama and other siblings before the proper socialization took place. Many breeders hang on to their pups up to 6 months or more because they are looking for a new dog to show, taking good time to choose the right pup that might become the next champion! Only then will they release the rest to pet homes.

When you decide on a new puppy, plan to pick the puppy up on a day when you can take it right to your vet for a health exam before taking it home. Make the vets appointment before you bring the puppy home. Proper advance planning will make the pups adjustment to the new family a smooth transition, and smooth for you too! That way, if something is wrong you can return the puppy right away before you get attached. An ethical breeder provides for this type of problem in his/her contract. Make arrangements with your vet to have your pet spayed or neutered as soon as possible. I recommend before the 8th month. By spaying or neutering you are increasing the length of your pet's life by eliminating the risk of cancer. It is just an old wives tale that a female should have one heat or even one litter of pups before being spayed. Today, most vets agree that this is unnecessary. The younger a male dog is neutered the more likely that he will not lift his leg and mark his territory. Housebreaking accidents can be very messy, but can also be prevented by neutering at a young age. Be sure that the vet you choose will use only isoflourine as an anesthetic agent. Any other type of anesthetic may cause death in toy dogs. I feel so strongly about this, it is in my contract!

Be sure that you purchase your puppy from the actual breeder - not someone selling puppies for someone else. This is called a broker, and many times puppies from a broker come from puppy mills.  Pet stores that sell dogs or cats fall under the category of brokers. Pet stores are one of the main reasons puppy mills are able to remain in business. By purchasing anything at a pet store that sells dogs or cats, even if you just buy a toy, you are helping prolong the time that puppy mills will remain in business. Please do not shop at a pet store that sells dogs or cats.

An ethical breeder will be willing to stand behind their dogs 100%. They will guarantee their health and be willing to replace the puppy if something goes wrong. I prefer to just pay any incurred vet expenses to fix the problem, if it is hereditary. That way the pet & family get to stay together. I leave the choice up to the buyer though. I have this in my contracts. See my sample contract on this web site for a good example. An ethical breeder does want to be called when there are problems, will be there for you, and will give advice when necessary and guide you in the right direction. An ethical breeder puts the life of the dog he/she has created above any monetary gains. Ethical breeders are very concerned about the long term happiness of the pets they sell. They will tell you that if your lifestyle changes, you have to move . . . or for ANY reason you are no longer able to care for the dog, the dog must be returned to the breeder. If you find a breeder like this, you have most likely found a good one that truly cares about the dogs they are breeding.

1. The American Kennel Club     http://www.akc.org/index.cfm

2. A local All Breed Kennel Club in your area  LOOK TO THE AKC WEBSITE TO DIRECT YOU TO A LOCAL CLUB.

Veterinary costs to consider before you buy your puppy:

Most people do not think ahead as to what it will cost to keep their new dog healthy after they bring it home. They get "sticker shock" at the vets office, and cannot imagine why it is so expensive to care for a pet and get the first few vaccines and such for a new puppy or kitten. Then there are the potential emergency situations. The costs listed below are estimates of what you can expect to pay for average veterinary care for your dog. If you cannot afford a pet at this time in your life, please put it off until you can.

An average exam will run you about $40...any vaccine will run you around $20...puppies need upwards of 6 vaccines to build their immunity (a distemper every 2-3 weeks until 16 weeks of age, a rabies, and a bordetella ) De-worming and a fecal exam will run you around $35. Then you can add on about $150 for a spay/neuter. So, if you aren't capable of spending around $400-$500 just to get the pup up to date and healthy...don't get one. Don't act surprised when your bill averages $60 a visit.

*For that $60 (exam and vaccine) you took up the time and resources of a veterinarian, an assistant or technician, and front desk staff.
*You were charged for the cost of the vaccine and shipping rates.
*Someone had to take the time to inventory the vaccines (and syringes and alcohol and whatnot) to make sure it was available and hadn't expired prior to you coming...
someone called the company to order them, someone inventoried them when they were delivered, some one stocked them.

-Think about everything else that goes into the care you are receiving...because you aren't just paying for the simple vaccine

You should educate yourself by contacting a veterinarian prior to purchasing a pet if you are concerned about the possible financial issues. They will tell you all of this up front to prepare you. Also, no, vets don't usually just hand out written prescriptions...but they will if you ask. They aren't trying to rip you off, they are trying to stay in business just like everyone else.

Think about all the people working in that hospital....caring for YOUR pet...that need to be paid.

The Licensed Vet Techs that fought through school and state boards and do the jobs of a human...
Anesthesiologist, Radiology Tech, Surgical Assistant, Dental Assistant, Dental Hygienist, Medical Assistant, Medical Lab Technician, Plebotomist, Parasitologist, and more...get paid on average $12/hr...which is about 1/2 to 1/10 of what a human form of any of these jobs brings home.

Vet hospitals aren't out to over charge anyone...they need to pay their staff and for the building, electricity, phones, lab equipment, and other resources that are there to take care of your pet. A lot more work goes into caring for your pet than you know.