We all know the words “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas”. Many people become completely enchanted by an adorable puppy without giving thought to the ensuing years.

So before you decide about bringing a puppy into your home, there are several things you should take into consideration.

• How much space do you have in your home?
• Are you out to work all day?
• Do you have young children?
• If you only have a small garden, are there fields or parks nearby for exercise?
• Can you afford vaccination bills, vets bills generally?
• Can you afford to feed it properly?
• Will you have time to train your puppy ?

These are just some of the things you must think about before embarking on what will become many years of taking care of your dog.

If you decide to go for a pedigree dog then you’ll have the advantage of knowing the basic nature of the breed. However, if it’s kennel bred it’s temperament may differ from one that’s been bred in a private home. It’s always a good idea to see the mother dog if possible as you can often get some idea of what your puppy is likely to be like when fully grown.

If you go for a mongrel then of course you may not know what size the puppy will grow to. There are some pointers, but a vet is best qualified to give you advice in this respect. The eventual size of the dog is all important if your living quarters are small and you only have a small garden area where it can exercise.

Don’t be misled into thinking if you have a small dog it wont need so much exercise. The fact is that small dogs can end up needing as much, if not more, exercise than a large dog.

Caring for pets can be an expensive business. Vaccination is essential and of course there are always times when they become unwell and need veterinary attention. It’s a good idea to take out insurance as soon as you buy your puppy so that you’re covered for any unforeseen accidents or emergencies.

In order to keep your puppy healthy he requires lots of exercise and a healthy diet. Most of their dietary needs are catered for in the form of vitamin packed biscuits and dried or tinned food. It’s always tempting to give them lots of titbits but if you want a healthy, lively puppy it’s best to keep these to a minimum. There are lots of fat dogs around now whose lives are not particularly happy ones because they don’t have the energy to scamper around and do all the natural things dogs should be able to do.

If you take all these points into consideration before you choose your puppy you’ll enjoy the fruits of your efforts many times over. 

Once you’ve taken the decision to choose a puppy, it’s absolutely essential to give a great deal of thought as to what sort of dog would fit best into both your home environment, and your lifestyle.

We all know the words “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas”. Many people become completely enchanted by an adorable puppy without giving thought to the ensuing years.

So before you decide about bringing a puppy into your home, there are several things you should take into consideration.

·        How much space do you have in your home?

·        Are you out to work all day?

·        Do you have young children?

·        If you only have a small garden, are there fields or parks nearby for exercise?

·        Can you afford vaccination bills, vets bills generally?

·        Can you afford to feed it properly?

·        Will you have time to train your puppy ?

These are just some of the things you must think about before embarking on what will become many years of taking care of your dog.

If you decide to go for a pedigree dog then you’ll have the advantage of knowing the basic nature of the breed. However, if it’s kennel bred it’s temperament may differ from one that’s been bred in a private home. It’s always a good idea to see the mother dog if possible as you can often get some idea of what your puppy is likely to be like when fully grown.

If you go for a mongrel then of course you may not know what size the puppy will grow to. There are some pointers, but a vet is best qualified to give you advice in this respect. The eventual size of the dog is all important if your living quarters are small and you only have a small garden area where it can exercise.

Don’t be misled into thinking if you have a small dog it wont need so much exercise. The fact is that small dogs can end up needing as much, if not more, exercise than a large dog.

Caring for pets can be an expensive business. Vaccination is essential and of course there are always times when they become unwell and need veterinary attention. It’s a good idea to take out insurance as soon as you buy your puppy so that you’re covered for any unforeseen accidents or emergencies.

In order to keep your puppy healthy he requires lots of exercise and a healthy diet. Most of their dietary needs are catered for in the form of vitamin packed biscuits and dried or tinned food. It’s always tempting to give them lots of titbits but if you want a healthy, lively puppy it’s best to keep these to a minimum. There are lots of fat dogs around now whose lives are not particularly happy ones because they don’t have the energy to scamper around and do all the natural things dogs should be able to do.

If you take all these points into consideration before you choose your puppy you’ll enjoy the fruits of your efforts many times over.