Buying a New Puppy How To Avoid the Pitfalls
Many books and articles have been written regarding the art of choosing a puppy (i.e. performing puppy tests, looking for parental OFA certifications, and so on…), but few, if any, discuss the contractual end of purchasing a puppy. I can tell you through personal experience that purchasing a quality show puppy from a famous breeder can be quite a stressful experience because no breeder would give up the pick of the litter to a competitor (for obvious reasons) or to a novice without co-ownership of the puppy. Co-ownership of a puppy entitles the breeder to many rights to the detriment of the buyer. To begin with, the breeder might also be an experienced handler and might contractually require the purchaser to use the breeder as the puppies’ trainer and handler. Agreeing to this could be a monumental mistake because the purchaser might be required to pay (even though they might be co-owners) for the breeders time to train and handle the puppy. Agreeing to this can COST you THOUSANDS of dollars.
In the contract, the breeder might require your bitch/dog to whelp/stud puppies. And, of course, they would contractually want the picks of the litter (they may choose either male or a female puppies as they please). Furthermore, you as the purchaser, might be required to pay the costs of breeding and whelping the puppies (i.e. food, vet-bills, housing, AKC registrations, stud fees, breeder’s time) even though you may not be allowed to get the picks of the litter. What’s more, you may not be able to see nor be with your dog for the duration of gestation and delivery. Some breeders have been known to switch animals when they are sent away for whelping or stud service. Therefore, I would recommend that you microchip you puppy and that you get an AKC DNA ID as soon as possible after you purchase your puppy. This way, you will get back your beloved animal without concern as to the nature of its identity.
When you purchase your puppy, most reputable breeders will guarantee that your puppy will be free of various ailments for the duration of two years. What they may fail to mention, however, is that if your puppy becomes incurably ill, the replacement puppy may be one of their own choosing and not yours; which translates to the fact that you may end up with a new puppy that has a lousy temperament.
So, remember. The devil is in the fine print. Read your contract carefully, otherwise you may become the victim of your own ignorance.
Armen T. Ghazarians offers advice, information, and articles regarding many aspects of professional dog training for all those who are not professional dog trainers themselves. For more articles like this one, visit his website at http://www.newdogtrainingsecrets.com.
Tags: Dog Obedience Training, dog training, dogs, Professional Dog TrainingThe Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier was a breed which was developed in the early days by crossing the bulldog with the terriers of the day. This produced a dog with a tenacious bite and seemingly limitless endurance for punishment. As early as the 1500s bull baiting and bear baiting was a “sport” in the British Isles. In modern times this has been abolished, but unscrupulous persons still participate in “pit fights” where dogs are pitted against each other and bets are placed. This is still going on in many parts of the world, even though the participants in most places are subject to heavy fines and jail terms.
Unfortunately because of the reputation of the pitbull types of dogs, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier has joined the ranks of those dogs which are outlawed in many communities. The truly bred Staffordshire Bull Terrier is less common, however, than the Pitbull Terrier and is bred by responsible breeders as a show dog. This has protected its existence somewhat, as many breeders will sell only to other breeders or on contracts that the dogs be spayed or neutered.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is one of the breeds which was originally bred to be a fighting dog. It has become more refined from the earlier specimens which were generally a mixed lot in appearance. The appearance of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is blocky. The dog has the easy care short smooth coat common to these breeds and minimal care is needed to keep him clean. Colors can be red, fawn, white, black or blue, or any of these colors with white, or any shade of brindle or any shade of brindle with white. The skull is short and deep with pronounced cheek muscles making the head appear quite chunky. Ears are rose ears or half prick and small. The tail is not docked and of medium length. The front is broad with a deep chest and legs should be straight and not bowed as those of the Bulldog . The dog should be of medium size, standing 14-16 inches at the shoulder and weighing 28-30 pounds. If kept in good condition, this s a dog that can run for hours and makes a perfect joggers companion.
There are few genetic conditions. One of the benefits of the dogs’ genetic inheritance is that its skin is tough and the dog is tough. Any wounds heal quickly and there are usually very few reasons for a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to visit the vet. Today the Staffordshire Bull has a uniform appearance and is being bred by true fanciers of the breed as a show dog and household companion. This particular breed generally has none of the qualities of aggression towards people that is sometimes exhibited by many of the other breeds of the “pitbull” origin. If brought up responsibly and socialized with people at a young age this breed is considered a wonderful companion for children. With its tail always wagging and its face always “smiling” the Staffordshire Bull will allow any amount of mauling from the children in the household and is an easygoing and friendly pet. He is generous in nature and forgiving, easy to train and willing to please.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Dogs
TheTibetan Mastiff, the Original Molosser
The Tibetan Mastiff is considered to be the original dog from which most of the “Molosser breeds” of today have descended. The high and forbidding mountains of Tibet is the environment which produced this fierce and protective guarding dog. The unforgiving climate and mountainous terrain demanded an animal with endurance, a coat that possessed natural protection against the elements and courage and fearlessness to fight off predator animals. The Tibetan Mastiff was used by the wandering shepherds and nomadic tribes and later by the Monks of Tibet as a protective dog which would effectively give warning of strangers and would guard the sheep. Mention of the large black dog with a fearsome bark can be found in Chinese documents as early as 1100 B.C.
The Tibetan Mastiff of today has changed very little from that original dog. The breed today is actually not as large as some of its descendants. It should stand about 25-26 inches at the shoulder with a weight of 100 to 130 pounds. The chest is deep and as mentioned the neck is heavily ruffed with loose folds of skin. Legs are straight and heavy boned. The face has the typical pendulous flews with a soft expression and fold over ears lying close to the skull. The head has a typical bear like appearance with the lips of the upper jaw lying over the lower jaw. The tail is plumed and curls over the back like that of the Spitz breeds. He is usually black or black and tan but can be red or gold.
The temperament has become more stable through selective breeding. The Tibetan Mastiff has a strong will to protect its family and will be wary of strangers and yet gentle of nature and affectionate to its family. It is a dog that one can easily train but because of its large size needs to be trained early since it has a great deal of strength. The neck of the Mastiff is heavily coated and is somewhat impervious to pain, this is common with Mastiff breeds. The natural reason for this is that predators would of course bite in this vulnerable location. Because of this, the “survival of the fittest” produced a dog with loose skin and heavy coat which would protect the neck area. Therefore when one is training the Mastsiff and most of the dogs with this genetic inheritance it is important to realize that the typical “jerk and pull” training is not going to influence the dog very much. Training is more easily accomplished with the use of the prong collar placed high on the neck behind the ears, or with “clicker training” . The Tibetan Mastiff is a highly intelligent breed that can be quite independent but is willing to please and tireless in its loyalty. He is a dignified member of the household when grown, making a calm and gentle pet for the children and a brave and fearless watchdog and guardian of his family.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Dogs