The hardest part of this blog, so far, has been where to start?
Rather than starting with a dog breed, or mix, I think I’ll start with sourcing a doggo.
So breeder or rescue? Adult or puppy? What breed? Stop. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves! Before we decide where to get a dog from, or what sort, we need to evaluate our circumstances and look at what we can provide – honestly – before we jump into the ownership thing.
Firstly, home circumstances. What sort of home environment do you have? Is it a free standing home, a townhouse or an apartment? Are you in the suburbs, city or on a property with acres? Some dogs will adapt to anything, while others will destroy your cosy abode without a second thought. Do you live in on a block with a major pedestrian thoroughfare from a school, or park? This can be very upsetting to territorial breeds and cause serious headaches for you and neighbours (and children can purposefully antagonise dogs that bark at them by kicking fences etc). If you live on a farm and have acres to roam freely, could you contain a sighthound that would run without a second thought, following a rabbit – potentially snapping a leg on some uneven ground?
While it’s not nice to imagine the worst case scenarios, but it is essential to consider them and weigh them up before jumping into a fifteen year commitment (give or take some years).
Secondly, financial circumstances. Buying the dog of your dreams is likely to be the cheapest part of the whole adventure (unless like me, you dream of importing from overseas). You also need to factor in feeding, vetting and providing a safe space for your dog for the rest of their lives. Granted, there are always going to be circumstances we can’t predict, but preparedness for everything else will set you up for the best life together. So, before you even choose a breed, think of what sort of food you’d like to feed (will you only feed kibble, or go fresh?), are you in an area where parasites are prevalent and prevention is essential? (East Coast of Australia has deadly paralysis ticks – tick prevention is necessary) and then containment – a yard needs to be fenced, or maybe a crate or playpen for containment inside the house at night.
Once you’ve gone over these two major considerations, you may have an idea of what sort of dog will fit into your life and what you can provide. But where do you get this dog? Both breeders (responsible, reputable, registered) and rescues have their pros and cons. Personally, as an adult, I prefer my dogs from breeders I’ve known, or know of through my dog world connections. I have specific requirements and I prefer to choose a breed that can meet these – but I wouldn’t rule out a dog from a breed specific rescue! (Yes these exist!) If you don’t mind so much about breed traits, and what you want to do with your dog other than have a good time and dote on a doggy companion, then choosing to save a dog from a shelter, or a rescue might be the way to go. They often have dogs of all ages from puppies to seniors and if you’re not quite ready to jump into the whole ownership thing, you can volunteer to be a foster carer to get a taste of it without 100% of the responsibility.
But how do you know if the breeder or rescue you’re set on getting a dog from, is the real deal and not a scam, puppy mill, or similar?
Breeders – The three R’s are a great place to start. Responsible – health testing their breeding stock. This involves hips, elbows, eyes, hearts and possibly more depending on the breed (a friend of mine gets her Dachshund’s spines scored). Getting an “OK” from their vet is NOT health testing. Responsible also means taking the dog back if your situation means that you can’t keep your dog. Even if they can’t house the dog personally, they may use their network to help you rehome the dog. Reputable – what sort of reputation do they have? For example, a breeder who puts the health of their breed above the opportunity to just breed and sell puppies. Registered – for most breeders this means registered with Dogs Australia (formally Australian National Kennel Council or ANKC). Breeders of mixes who are not recognised by DA can also choose to register themselves with groups such as the Master Dog Breeders Association (MDBA) or similar however when I speak of registered, I will be referring to Dogs Australia unless I specifically mention an alternative registry. Dogs Australia is the overarching group that hosts dog shows (conformation) as well as sports and trials like agility, obedience, tracking, noseworks, herding, lure coursing and more.
Rescues – The three R’s can be used here, although slightly differently! Responsible for a rescue would also mean that they require a dog be returned to them if your situation means you can no longer care for your dog. And rather than health testing, as they aren’t breeding, it may mean that they only adopt out desexed dogs and that these dogs are vetted and healthy before being rehomed. Lastly, registered. Most good rescues will be registered charities, Not for Profits etc, have Australian Business Numbers (ABN) and have policies in place to protect both parties (cooling off periods, return of animal to the rescue if you can’t keep the animal etc). While these aren’t essential for a good rescue, they are certainly a good sign.
In both cases, the people looking to place a dog with you should ask you lots of questions, as well as happily answering your questions. You both want to be confident that the fit is right and that you’re getting exactly what you want.
Nearly a thousand words, I think I need to wrap this up, although I’ve barely scraped the surface - I didn't even talk about red flags! But I hope this has provided some information on the first steps towards dog ownership!
S.
Comments