| UNDERSTANDING
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
Who will feed, walk and pick up
after your new
puppy?
Will you take the time to socialize
and train
your new puppy?
Have you budgeted for the cost of
good quality
nutritious food?
Have you found your veterinarian and
discussed
your new puppy’s medical care requirements?
Can your home and lifestyle
accommodate a dog?
Remember, puppies grow up’
A dog is a lifetime commitment. Think
in terms
of sharing your life with this dog for at least the next 10 years,
hopefully
longer.
WHY INVEST IN A PUREBRED PUPPY?
The advantage of purebred dogs is
that they are
bred to meet specific standards of size and temperament.
You need to know what your dog will
be like when
he/she is fully grown. How big will it be; what type of coat will it
have;
how much exercise will your new dog require every day and most
importantly
will your dog have a good temperament?
How can you be certain that your
puppy is purebred?
It is illegal to sell a dog in Canada as purebred without supplying
registration
papers at no extra cost. The Canadian Kennel Club is renowned
world-wide
for the accuracy of its registry. Records have been maintained
diligently
for decades to help verify the integrity of the pedigree (lineage) of
the
puppy you are buying. It is the responsibility of the seller to
register
or transfer the ownership of the dog. It is not the responsibility of
the
buyer. This right is protected by Canadian federal legislation known as
the Animal Pedigree Act.
FINDING A GOOD FAMILY COMPANION
DOG
In all litters of purebred dogs
there may be show
stock and companion stock. Unless you intend to get actively in the
sport
of dogs, a top quality, healthy companion dog is what you want to find.
(Note: it is an objective of breeders in the Irish Setter Club of
Canada
to breed dogs that are of consistently good temperament, first and
foremost)
Think about size-fully grown! Be
sure that the
dog will fit comfortably in your home.
Think about coat- long hair, short
hair. Be certain
members of your family are not allergic to animal fur. Ask your breeder
to recommend less allergenic breeds.
Think about temperament. Meet both of
the puppy’s
parents if possible. Always see the mother(dam). If you like the
parents
chances are you will like the puppy.
Talk to breeders about socialization
and early
training.
Select a breeder who raises puppies
on his/her
premises.
Avoid shy or aggressive pups.
Follow the guidelines included in
these notes
to avoid health and genetic problems
? Look for a breeder who is
proud of his
or her dogs.
CHOOSING A BREEDER
Once you have selected the breed
of dog or dogs
you are interested in seeing, you need to select a breeder very
carefully.
Do Not buy on impulse. The shelters are full of unwanted dogs put
there by owners who did not take their time in the selection process.
Visit
several kennels. The condition of the kennels and dogs should be the
first
thing that you notice. Are the facilities clean? Do the dogs appear
clean
and healthy? IF NOT-LEAVE!
A good breeder will:
Have a copy of the breed standard
on hand and
should know and tell you the problems to look for in the breed.
Know the pedigree of the
puppy-parents, grandparents
and great grandparents.
Want to know all about you, your
family, your
lifestyle and where the dog will be living.
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AVOIDING
HEALTH AND
GENETIC PROBLEMS
Avoiding unnecessary and expensive
health and
genetic problems is made easier if you follow these guidelines:
Deal only with breeders who test
their dogs and
ask for copies of the test results.(The Irish Setter Club of Canada
encourages breeders to test for Hip Dysplasia, and Progressive Retinal
Atrophy (eyes) but you should also ask the breeder about seizures
(epilepsy
etc)) .
Ask the breeder if the parents
of the puppy
you are considering are tested and are clear of problems (you might
ask the breeder to confirm that no dog to their knowledge on the
pedigree
has suffered from these problems)
Be certain to get a record of
inoculations when
you pick up your puppy.
Arrange to take your puppy to a
veterinarian
of your choice. This allows you to have the health of the puppy checked
before there is any emotional attachment.
NO TEST
RESULTS-NO SALE!
IDENTIFICATION OF YOUR PUPPY
The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC)
requires that each
puppy be uniquely identified prior to leaving the the owner at birth to
be eligible for registration. The CKC provides your breeder with a
choice
of two identification methods to meet this requirement:
MICROCHIP A passive
microchip (the size
of a grain of rice) is issued by the CKC to the breeder. The chip is
placed
just under the skin between the puppy’s shoulder blades.
TATTOO A series of letters
and numbers
are issued by the CKC to the breeder. These numbers and letters are
then
tattooed on the underside of the ear, the belly, or either side of the
flank.
Microchip and tattoo codes are
registered in
the CKC database. Owners of purebred dogs are encouraged to keep their
emergency contact information current should their dog need assistance.
THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Get everything in writing and
signed. A sales
contract should indicated the breed of the dog, that it is purebred and
eligible for registration by the CKC. Under the Animal Pedigree Act the
person who sells the dog is responsible to register the dog-not you!
Ask about the return policy. Get a
guarantee
against genetic fault health problems. A good breeder will not hesitate
to deal with any problems after the fact.
Look for a non-breeding agreement
and/or a spay/neuter
condition-both are good signs. A non-breeding agreement must be signed
before you leave with your puppy and can be lifted if your puppy grows
up to be acceptable breeding quality (good health and temperament).
Do business with someone with whom
you are comfortable.
MAKING YOUR PUPPY A GOOD
NEIGHBOUR
Prior to buying your puppy you
should look into
by-laws where you live, such as:
- Leash laws;
-Stoop and scoop;
- Noise;
- Limits on the number of dogs
allowed and in
some
instances, on the breed;
- Limitations on running at large.
Training Classes It
is recommended
that you take your puppy to training classes. You can start with Puppy
Kindergarten, if available, or if not, Beginners or Novice Class.
A number of good books that deal with
puppy training
are available. The CKC recommends that you obtain a copy of Dogs
in Canada (a CKC affiliate publication) and check the list of books
available.
You might also try the public library, although we suggest you purchase
a book so that you will have it available when you need it.( Please
note
the Irish Setter Club of Canada bibliography found here. There are now
many websites available to glean information about your breed.)
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