Thinking about a new dog or puppy tips from Brenda at Lancing Canine Obedience

 Here are Brenda dogs Lily, Zeta and Cody

 Tyto -   diary of a puppy

When deciding on buying a new puppy buy from a reputable breeder that has experience with the breed that you intend to buy. If you don't know what breed will suit you then buy a book that explains how big a breed will get and what sort of coat it has. If you have an allergy, then go for a breed that doesn't shed its coat or buy one with a short coat. There are breeds that are better for allergy sufferers and these will be mentioned in a good breed book that can be easily bought from a good book shop or borrowed from the library. Also decide on how much exercise you would be able to give it and how much it will cost to feed etc.

To find a breeder go onto the internet and look under the breeds name and see if they have any puppies to buy. If when out walking you see a breed that you like ask the owner where they got it from and see if they can help in supplying a name of a breeder. Don't buy from the first litter that you go to see. Be selective. Only buy if you see the dam and possibly the sire. Don't buy if the pups look sickly or are in dirty conditions.

Ideally if the pup is for a homelife then only buy if the pups have been born inside the    house and have been used to the comings and goings of household life. Be sure that if children are present that they have not played with the pups thinking they are toys. And that they have not been dropped.

Don't buy from someone that says they can deliver and don't buy from a person that breeds lots of different breeds and never buy from a pet shop. You can always go to a local rescue kennels and see what they have in their care. Be aware that they may not be able to give you all the pups background.

Before getting your pup go to a reputable pet shop and buy a smallish bowl for food and water. When deciding on food don't buy something that is high in protein. This can cause problem behaviour. Ask your breeder what they have been feeding or take advice from a good dog trainer. Buy a suitable bed but at this stage of a pups life a cardboard box will do with a blanket for warmth. If you have space then a crate/wire kennel can be a life saver for you and your pups peace of mind. It gives the pup a place of its own away from the hustle and bustle of a busy home and somewhere safe for it to go when you are out of the house. This needs to be introduced carefully and helpful hints can be found by speaking to a local dog trainer that runs puppy classes as they will have had experience with this problem and many others. The best place to have the pups bed is probably in your bedroom at night so that you can soothe it for the first couple of nights, but if this doesn't suit then the kitchen or other suitable place that the pup can see you and hear you when it is at rest. When you go to bed at night leave a radio on playing quietly so that it doesn't go quiet suddenly. The pup will find this disturbing as it has been used to noise all day and slept through it. Make sure that it has been to the toilet last thing and if necessary for the first couple of nights get up and let it out for another chance to go to the toilet a few hours later. Don't over fuss the pup if you do this, just pop him outside and make sure that he goes and then put him straight back to bed before the bedding gets cold. If this isn't possible then just clean up in the morning without making a fuss and the pup will soon get clean. Each time you take the pup out into the garden to be clean use a word that tells it that it is being good when it is going. i.e.: hurry up or be clean.

Also speak to your local vet and see if you like the way they do things. Some vets do things differently to others.