|
Common Mistakes to
Avoid
Buying a puppy or a dog is a serious
decision that requires much thought and research BEFORE going out "puppy
shopping". After all, a puppy should be with you as a member of your
"pack" for at least 12-14 years.
A puppy should NEVER be purchased
as an impulse, or as a gift for someone, without first making absolutely
certain that the person receiving the gift actually WANTS a
dog.
You must REALISTICALLY evaluate your lifestyle and determine
first, if a dog is suitable. Do you work long hours and seldom home? Have
any possible allergies? Live in a house with a fenced yard or an
apartment? Do you have children and what are their ages? Are you aware of
the cost of upkeep on a dog, including food and veterinary
care?
If you have honestly addressed all these
questions, read all the information and are still
thinking a dog can add something wonderful to your life, your next task is
determining what dog is most suitable to your
lifestyle.
Check out Bonnie Dalzell's
Borzoi Faq
sheet for general information on the Borzoi.
Read
Corrine Miller's
So, You
Think You Want a Borzoi.
OK, you've done your homework
and have decided that a Borzoi is for you. How do you find the "perfect"
puppy for your family?
PET STORES:
Pet stores are
convenient, located in most large suburban shopping malls, and offer a
large variety of puppies of different breeds. Great place to buy a puppy,
right???
WRONG!!
Pet store puppies come from "puppy mills",
large commercial businesses who breed large nembers of puppies, then sell
those puppies to brokers, who in turn, sell those puppies to pet
stores.
The dogs being bred at the
puppy mills don't even have to be good examples of the breed; they don't
have to be healthy or free of genetic problems...they only have to have
AKC papers and produce puppies.
When the dogs can no longer produce
puppies, they are auctioned off to other breeders, sold to labs for
research, or killed.
BUYING A PUPPY
The official AKC statement on buying a
puppy
Storks Don't Bring
Puppies
An excellent site with lots of useful
information
Borzoi Club of
America on Ethics
Borzoi Club of
America's Breeder Guidelines
Good general info that'll aid you in
your quest.
Don't forget to
use your back button to return to this page
BREEDERS:
The ideal place to get your
Borzoi
puppy is
from a RESPONSIBLE breeder. Unfortunately, not all breeders are
responsible. The American Kennel CLub estimates that only 15% of ALL AKC
registered puppies come from "repeat" breeders, and even then, not all are
responsible.
So,
how does one tell if a breeder is responsible?
ASK QUESTIONS!!!
Remember, you have already done your research on the
breed.
One of the hallmarks of a responsible breeder is that
(s)he ONLY breeds with the intention of improving the breed. This person
is usually someone who actively exhibits their dogs in AKC events, usually
conformation shows, but can also include performance events such as
agility, obedience, and coursing.
A responsible breeder is not usually going to have two
or three litters at a time, so someone with several litters at once to
choose a puppy is one to be wary of. Ask questions, always remember to ASK
QUESTIONS.
Since you have done you research into the breed, you
should know what genetic health problems can affect shelties. A
responsible breeder tests their dogs for these problems BEFORE the dogs
are ever bred and should be able to show you the proof of testing.
These include CERF (Eyes), thyroid panel, and can include heart clearances
as well as OFA numbers.
Sadly, a breed club membership does not insure quality of breeder or
the dogs, so PLEASE, research!!
Questions to
ask your breeder
10 Rules of
Ethical Breeding
Recognizing an
Unethical breeder
Ethical Breeder VS
Unethical Breeder
Thoughts on Responsible
Breeding
Responsible Breeder
Checklist
Types of
Breeders
Responsible Breeders
Vs Backyard Breeders
What is a Responsible
Ethical Breeder?
Choosing a
Breeder
Finding A Responsible Breeder
What Makes a
Breeder Responsible?
Finding A
Responsible Breeder: Myths & Facts
Don't forget to
click your back button to return to this page.
Another option:
Different breeds of dogs have
different characteristics. If you aren't sure what breed you are looking
for, or breed doesn't matter (but remember, you will have to figure in
size, care required) PLEASE considered adopting a puppy or dog from your
local animal shelter. Some of the best dogs I have ever had the pleasure
of knowing have been mixed breeds that have been rescued from
pounds/shelters. Another option, if you would consider an older dog, is
purebred rescue. Most purebred dog clubs have a rescue program, where dogs
of that specific breed are rescued from shelters or from bad living
situations, and then, thru the work of volunteers, are rehomed with
families just like you. One of the benefits of getting a dog from rescue
is that, most often, the rescue dog is housed with a "foster home", who is
able to get a good idea about the temperament of that particular dog and
place him with the right family.
Why
adopt?
National Borzoi
Rescue Fund
National Breed Club
Rescues
When you
choose a dog from a shelter or rescue, remember, you are saving a
life!!
Thank you to Gael, of Galaken Shelties,
for the permission to use (with some changes to fit my breed) her tips on
finding a breeder!
|
