Congratulations.
Before I touch on all the basics of food, toys, crate training, selecting a veterinarian (which I will likely get to in future posts) I am going to venture the question:
Where are you getting said puppy?
Now, before I climb up on the proverbial soap box, let me tell you how I came to own my first 2 dogs.
My first dog was a wedding present that my amazing husband and I decided to get for each other. I told myself that I wanted to make and informed decision, research every breed out there and find the dog that would suit our lifestyle the best! I wanted a dog from a reputable breeder, and I wanted to ensure its health and wellness. I wasn't going to support a backyard breeder!
This all sounded good.
So I decided we were going to buy a puppy from a Kennel in Howell, MI.
We were going to be the proud new owners of a Neapolitan Mastiff.
Cool, huh?
I decided we would fork over the extra $400 for a puppy from the "Show Quality Litter".
I applied for a puppy - they had an application process they MUST have been good responsible breeders, right? - and I was immediately approved.
Of course, I was approved! We lived in a 2 bedroom apartment, had no previous animal experience, I was 22 years old and worked full time.
I was a shoe-in!
When they were born I was sent photos of the litter.
We chose a Mahogany female with gray green eyes.
She was to be called "Bug".
I was sent photos of "Bug" every week until we were allowed to make the drive out to her Kennel and bring her home. I was in LOVE. This wrinkled mass of cuteness and slobber was mine (for the low, low price of $2000).
When we got there, Mom and Dad were chained in the front yard. A shed with an adjoining run was packed to the gills with masses of barking Neos. In the yard a playpen was stuffed with a litter of older puppies.
"Bug" was waiting for us inside.
We were directed to our puppy, given some quick instructions and we handed over the rest of our payment // A small price for this lovely puppy.
We trucked home with our new puppy, beaming at each other...
This was going to be fun.
Let me cut to the end of this story by saying:
Within 10 days we were on our way back to Howell, MI.
Our "Show Quality Puppy" was going to need at least two, if not 3, $1000 surgeries on her eyes was a dead shoe-in for hip failure by the age of 2, was playing host to at least 3 different kinds of internal parasites and had a nasty disposition.
I was lightly chided by my vet for supporting a backyard breeder, and to my utter embarrassment, I had to admit that we had been swindled.
A few months later, we decided we were over our heartbreak and we were ready again to bring home a puppy. So, I searched petfinder.com, I scoured the rescue ads in newspapers and I kept my eyes peeled for any puppy in need. But one fateful Thanksgiving Weekend, we decided to kill some time and go visit the puppies at the Pet Store.
While we were there they were putting a few new puppies in their window boxes. Among them was a fawn Boxer with gangly legs and big cone head. My husband, Jake, was in love.
Lets play with him, he said!
I refused and spouted off moral reasons why we should not buy from a pet store.
I thought I made my point.
But he's so cute!
We took him out.
We loved him.
Let's put him back, I said.
Before I could call over the salesperson to put the puppy away, a manager came up to us to ask how we liked the puppy.
Jake was starry eyed and love struck.
I told her that he was great but that we would not support a puppy mill.
Oh, we don't get our puppies from a puppy mill. They come from GREAT breeders in Missouri. Don't worry, we only have the finest dogs available and they come from a wonderful family raised environment.
I walked out of the store.
I walked out of that store two times, and somehow we came home with a little fawn Boxer with gangly legs and a cone head.
We named him Hank.
Hank is the love of my life.
But, do I regret buying him?
In a word, yes.
I regret that I supported an operation that treats dogs like produce. I regret that Hank's mother was bred repeatedly until she was unable to breed any more. I regret that when her body gave birth to the last litter she was shot, drowned, left to starve or killed in whichever manner would save her owner the most money. I regret that we gave even one cent ($1200) to a place that churns out puppies for profit. Puppies that are sold to whoever will pay the amount on the pricetag. Puppies that are horridly defective and poorly bred.
Yes, I regret it.
Do I love him, regardless?
Of course.
But I know now, that by bringing him home, by abandoning my Petfinder.com search I supported an evil operation and simultaneously doomed a puppy in need of rescue to euthanasia.
I am going to close this excessively long anecdotal blog with a commercial I saw a while back. I encourage anyone thinking of getting a puppy from a breeder or a pet store to watch it and really think about what they are doing.
Lets face it, when you pay someone to give you a puppy, you perpetuate the grim cycle of pet over-population, poor breeding and resign a rescue dog to certain death.
"Please don't breed or buy while shelter pets die."
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