So, the time has come to add a puppy or kitten to your family. You’ve decided you’ve got the time involved in settling in and training a new pet and you’ve got the money to buy and look after it during its lifetime.

Congratulations!

In order that to make sure that your pet is a good match for your family and is healthy and happy from the word go, just spend a little time thinking about the points below.

Please note the term ‘breeder’ is used for the person who has bred the puppies or kittens,  and does not in this context mean a professional breeder who makes their living wholly or partially from dog or cat breeding.

• Do you want a pedigree or a crossbred?

 While most kittens are crossbreds – know as Domestic Shorthair or Longhair, a large number of dogs are pedigree. ‘Pedigree’ simply means that for at least 5 generations, the family tree has been registered with the Kennel Club or other registering body such as the International Sheepdog Society. Being pedigree does not guarantee health – some would say quite the opposite, though that is not strictly true – or behaviour. The only thing it pretty much guarantees is what the puppy will end up looking like -  although even then, it is not unknown for the bitch to have had her own ideas who she was going to mate with and the pups to end up not actually looking like purebreds! This should be obvious at a young age, but not always, and not necessarily to the inexperienced purchaser. The other thing that should be more predictable in a pedigree pup is breed behaviour characteristics – eg Labradors are generally happy and loyal and need lots of exercise; greyhounds are couch potatoes which enjoy a good sprint every so often; staffies are full of energy and always on the go.

First crosses are very popular at the moment, and often make excellent pets. For instance there’s the Labradoodle, the Cockapoo, the Springador, and the Jack Russell/Shih Tzu cross whose combined name cannot possibly be mentioned here!

Of course, Dogs Trust and other rescue organisations are always looking for homes for their rescue animals and this can be an ideal answer. They will do their best to match you to your ideal pet and give lots of advice both before and after the adoption.

• What breed are you interested in?

For cats you will probably know that you want a ‘moggy’ or which pedigree breed is your favourite. For dogs the choice can be a lot more tricky. Magazines will often advise going to dog shows or talking to breeders. This can form part of the decision process, but bear in mind that to a breeder, ‘their breed’ will always be the best, and an element of bias may creep in!

When choosing a breed, bear in mind that most  were developed to do a job; eg German Shepherds as guards, bull terriers for fighting, otterhounds to hunt guess what, labradors to work all day picking up game, huskies to pull sledges and sleep on pack ice.  It can be surprising to many people how close to the surface these instinct still are, and many behaviours which are a problem in a pet home are actually the ones selectively bred for a purpose; eg herding behaviour in collies.

It is very tempting simply to go for the dog that most appeals in terms of looks; but this can be a very poor way to decide. The most important thing when buying a pet is the temperament, which has a large genetic component; bad behaviour can cause a huge amount of heartache, or even be dangerous to family members. It is not true that there is ‘No  such thing as bad dogs, only bad owners’ and my heart bleeds when I hear about people who have simply been unfortunate enough to give a home to the wrong dog, and have been to hell and back trying to sort out a problem that could have been avoided by picking the right breed and the right individual in the first place.

• Where are you going to get your new arrival?

If you have ruled out a rescue pet, then you are likely to be looking in the local paper or on the internet. Do not be tempted into an impulse buy when you are in a pet shop, visitor attraction or the pub! Although these situations can work out all right, the odds are stacked against.

• What to look for in an advert

Ideally, a picture of the litter with their mother; date of birth and date when ready to leave – this should be around 8 weeks of age, beware breeders who are keen for the pups to go before this – and some mention of worming. A landline number is best, be cautious if they only give a mobile.

• Questions to ask the breeder before considering seeing the pups

1. Ask why they decided to breed from their bitch. If they are primarily breeding for the show-ring then temperament may be lower down the list of priorities. If they say she has a lovely temperament and they just wanted to have a litter then that can be good. If they say the pups are specifically bred for temperament then that is excellent.
2. What are they being fed and how often (at 7-8 weeks this should be a good-quality puppy food 3-4 times a day, with the odd suckle from Mum).
3. Have they been wormed, if so what with and how often? (They should have been wormed every 2-3 weeks from 3-4 weeks of age, with Panacur, Drontal puppy or similar).
4. Have they been Frontlined? (This is the only effective flea treatment licensed for young puppies) This is not always essential but indicates an informed breeder.
5. Have they been socialised at all, ie are they in the house with family around, or out in a kennel or barn on their own? (There is nothing wrong with being kennelled, as long as they have frequent visitors and are allowed in the house for periods of time)
6. If it is a breed with a health-scoring scheme, eg the BVA Hip dysplasia scheme, then ask if the parents have been scored. Many have not been, as the schemes are voluntary, but if they have then that is an excellent recommendation – however, do find out the scores or results and ask one of us what they mean.
7. Will I be able to see the mother with the pups?  It is amazing how many dealers there are around still, and some will pretend they have bred the pups. Dealers buy whole litters of puppies from the breeder and sell them on. I do not mean to imply that they are all dishonest, as it is frequently quite clear that the pups have not been bred on the premises. It is obviously a less than ideal scenario as young pups are being moved around at a very vulnerable age, often mixed, and always stressed, so it is not surprising they are far more prone to disease than pups bought direct from the breeder.

If the seller has no idea what you are talking about, or starts getting shirty or evasive, you can take it that these pups are not what you are looking for, and try someone else.

• On going to see the pups:

1. Make sure you see the pups with their mother as requested on the phone. If the seller is a dealer pretending they bred the pups, the giveaway is that they bring the pup out to you – and they usually have a plausible reason for this, such as the mother being out at exercise. Or they will show you another bitch and pretend it is the mother – so make sure you see them together.The other requirement when meeting the mother, is to see what her temperament is like – as it will give a good idea what the pups will end up like.You won’t often see the sire (father) as usually the bitch will have gone away to be mated, but if you do then that is a big bonus as you can assess both temperatments.
2. How do the pups and their mother react to you and their owner? Are they happy and bouncy, or timid and cowering? You don’t necessarily want the one that bounces up to you and jumps up, as he may be overly energetic and maybe a bit bossy, but you don’t want a general air of fear either.
3. Do they look well-covered (not fat) with a shiny coat, or a bit dull?
4. Ask to see the paperwork eg Kennel Club or other registration certificate if the pup is described as pedigree; vaccination certificate if it has been vaccinated (the majority of puppies and kittens have not been vaccinated before they leave the breeder, which is not generally a problem) worming and feeding information.
5. Docking of tails – docking is now effectively banned, as it is illegal for laypeople to dock tails and vets can only do it for gundog breeds where the seller has certified that the puppies will be going to working homes. Pups with docked tails are obliged by law to be microchipped, and to have a certificate of docking signed by a vet. So if your pup is docked but no certificate is available and you are not going to be working it, walk away, because you would be  breaking the law by buying it, and perpetuating an unnecessary amputation.

If the breeder has answered all your questions satisfactorily, (and asked you some of their own), and your pup or kitten looks healthy and bright, and the chemistry is there....go for it! The next step is a healthcheck at the vets and arranging vaccination.....but you will have taken all the right steps to ensure your puppy’s welfare and that you have a good relationship with it over the next 12 to 15 years!