Tips For Choosing A Healthy Puppy

Video: how do i choose a puppy?
Video: how to choose a puppy from the litter
Making the right choice
Video: how to choose a healthy pet rabbit and grooming tips @ tampines 1
Your `healthy puppy checklist` (printable)
After you bring puppy home

Video: How Do I Choose A Puppy?

In all the excitement of picking out your new family member it can be oh so easy to immediately scoop up the first little furball who melts your heart......

....without stopping to be sure that he (or she) is healthy and strong and ready for her new home!

Video: How To Choose A Puppy From The Litter

But it`s important to pay attention to the condition of any pup you`re considering.

Because if you don`t take the time to look a little bit more closely you could be setting yourself (and your family) up for a lot of heartache, and quite possibly a lot of expense as well.

On this page you`ll find everything you need to help you pick a robust, healthy pup to add to your family - and avoid the costs of making a costly mistake....

Making The Right Choice

According to recent ASPCA research figures, the cost of keeping a dogis somewhere between $700 and $900 per year.

For a medium-size dog wholives around 15 years that works out at a total cost of approximately$12,000 over his/her lifetime (give or take$1500 or so!).

Now,that`s a lot of money in anyone`s books, but if you get a sickly pup whoneeds an above average amount of veterinary care those figures couldend up being significantly higher.

Video: How to Choose a Healthy Pet Rabbit and Grooming Tips @ Tampines 1

A puppy who isn`t well bred andproperly taken care of may cost less to begin with, but he (or she) willend up costing you a lot MORE in the long run!

And there`s moreto consider than just the financial cost. If the pup you choose isn`tstrong and healthy, the heartache of watching him suffer (or even die)is a high price to pay, especially when children are involved.

SO...to help you avoid these problems, I`ve put together a printablechecklist that will help you evaluate any puppy quickly, so that youstand the best chance of bringing home a pup who will spend many happy,HEALTHY years with you and your family.

Your `Healthy Puppy Checklist` (Printable)

Although there`s no way that I can guarantee that you will be choosing a healthy puppy, there are some basic things you can look for that will give you the best possible chance of picking a pup who is fit and well.......

A sturdy body
A healthy puppy should have a strong,sturdy, compact little body. Obviously small breed puppies will be moredainty, but he shouldn`t look thin/bony and his belly shouldn`t lookdistended and out-of-proportion with the rest of him (this can mean hehas a worm problem)

Clean, shiny coat
A puppys` coat should be clean, and shiny. With no bare spots or red irritated areas. These indicate skin problems/allergies/mangeetc. If he`s been outside playing and has a little mud on him, that`sokay, but a dirty, matted or coarse coat can mean worms - or impropercare.

Clear eyes and nose
A healthy puppy hasclear, bright eyes and there shouldn`t be any discharge from his nose. Ahealthy puppy shouldn`t cough either.

Clean ears
Yourpuppy`s ears should be clean inside, with no sign of redness ,irritation or discharge. A bad smell from his ears, or constantscratching at them or head-shaking are a red flag for ear mites,infection and so on.

Firm stools
Healthy puppies should pass firm, regular stools. Diarrhea can be an indication of one of several very serious puppy illnesses.When you`re choosing a healthy puppy, be sure your puppy`s little`bottom area` is clean, with no signs of loose stools. Also you want toavoid a puppy who constantly licks at his genital area, this could mean aurinary tract infection

Lively, energetic behavior
Obviouslyall puppies are different in this area, but you don`t want a puppy whoseems lethargic or listless. A pup who just seems a little more shy thanhis litter-mates is probably perfectly healthy, but one who isdisinterested in you and his surroundings could be sick.

These are the simplest and most basic things to look for and will help you notice some of the most common health problems that puppies are prone to.

BUT it`s also important to look at the parents of the puppies, and the environment that they are kept in.

If the home/kennel areacis clean and sanitary, the puppies are obviously used to being handled and played with, and the owner/breeder is knowledgeable, competent and has the best interests of the puppies at heart, for example:

Isn`t selling them before they`re 8 weeks old with an excuse that the `momma isn`t feeding them anymore` or something similar
Asks YOU questions and wants to be sure the pups are going to good homes
Has given the pups their first shots/deworming treatment and has vet papers to prove it
Is more interested in your home/family than your wallet (and so on)

... then chances are your pup has had a good start in life.

And finally - puppy paperwork:

Choosing a healthy puppy doesn`t end here. Before you jump in the carand head home with your precious bundle of joy, be sure you have all thenecessary paperwork in your hand.

All puppies should come with arecord of the veterinary care they`ve received, this should show thetype and date of their vaccinations and when they were wormed.

Ifyou`re buying a purebred puppy `with papers`, you should be given yourpuppy`s Registration Application at the time of sale. Don`t acceptpromises of `papers in the mail`, there`s no reason for a responsiblebreeder not to have the necessary forms at hand.

After You Bring Puppy Home

It`s so exciting when you first bring home that new puppy, but that excitement can turn to frustration and disappointment if you don`t know what to expect during those first few days, so make sure you`ve done your homework first!

Plus, no matter how careful you`ve been to make sure you`re choosing a healthypuppy, you need to have your veterinarian give your new furbaby athorough physical exam within 24 - 48 hours of bringing him home.

If this is your first pet, or you need help choosing a veterinarian for any reason, check out this page for all the tips and advice you need.

Ifyou`ve bought a purebred pup of show/work/breeding quality, you willprobably have signed a contract with the breeder. Part of this contractwill most likely have a clause that requires you to have him/her seenby your own vet within a certain period (usually 2-3 days) of receivinghim/her.

It`s in your best interests to do this, if you shouldfind that your pup is sick, or shows any signs of hereditary/geneticfaults or weaknesses most breeders will take the puppy back and give youa replacement pup, or even a refund. This will depend upon theindividual breeders contract though, so read the small print!

Choosinga healthy puppy is fairly straightforward when you have the litterunderfoot, but if you`re buying a puppy online it can be a bit trickier.

Althoughthe majority of breeders are honest and ethical, this method of saleobviously leaves room for unscrupulous people to exploit the system, so make sure you do LOTS of research before you buy.. AND the veterinary check-up recommended above is absolutelyvital to make that your little guy, or girl, is fit and strong.

Now it`s your responsibility to take care of your new puppy, and there are lots of pages on my website that can help you make sure he stays happy and healthy.

Here are some of the ones you might want to check out......