Choosing the Right Puppy

I'll never forget the first time I saw pictures of our soon-to-be puppy. After about a year of thinking it over, my husband and I decided to adopt a puppy. Neither of us had ever had a dog, so we took our time to decide whether we could really commit, learn about different breeds and watch a ton of Cesar Millan.

Once you make the decision to get a puppy, you sort of think about nothing else until it's in your arms. We searched and searched and finally found this little guy - the last of his litter, 12 weeks old, and pretty much the most adorable little thing I'd ever seen.

I could hardly believe I was saying the words when I told the breeder on the phone that we wanted to adopt him! My husband and I didn't have dogs growing up, and, as I said, everything we knew was theory. We drove 2 hours from Atlanta to Alabama to pick him up that weekend. What may seem simple to some who have owned dogs was actually a giant leap for us into uncharted territory. It is one of the best things we've ever done! Turns out you can buy love.

You hear it often - a dog should never be an impulse buy. That's true and untrue. The impulse may come in the moment of choosing which puppy you'll adopt, but should never happen in the moment to adopt a puppy. If you do, there's a high statistical chance you won't make it through the first few weeks. A new puppy has to be supervised every single moment, and when that phase passes - your daily routine will never be the same again. So, with so much at stake, how do you choose the right puppy? Here's what worked well for us as first time dog owners:

1. Learn all about dogs:

Watch a million episodes of Cesar Millan. This is THE best thing we did to prepare!
Spend time around dogs. Head to the dog park to observe. Go by a pet store and look (but don't buy!). Visit a breeder or two.
Spend time enjoying Animal Planet Dogs 101. What dogs do you and your family members love? Brainstorm a list.

2. Settle on the types of dogs that are a match for your situation:

Asking the right questions is crucial in finding a dog that is a fit. Since adopting our puppy, several people have said to us - that's the kind of dog I should've gotten, and not just because Frenchtons are adorable. A dog is a 6-15 year commitment. Though you'll never be 100% sure on every detail, do what you need to to be settled on the type of dog you will adopt. If the dog you choose isn't a true match for your lifestyle, it will be really difficult to relax into a satisfying routine.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself and family:

Do humans in the home have allergies? If so, you may need to look for a hypoallergenic dog.
How big is your living space? Do you need an apartment dogs with little or no backyard? A big yard?
What level of shedding do you want to manage? You have 3 choices. Long-hair: don't fool yourself, your furniture and home will always be covered in some level of dog hair. Short-hair: Frenchtons are short-haired dogs. Some sites will say that means NO shedding. That's not the case. Short-haired dogs definitely leave hair that needs to be cleaned but not nearly as frequently as long-haired dogs. I think it's manageable. Dogs that don't shed: These dogs will need regular haircuts. You'll also have to work through knots in the hair, and possibly dirt clumps and other yuck that get stuck in their hair. There's no really easy way around it but most people find these issues manageable.
Do you want a dog that stays indoors, outdoors or both? Gone are the days when people buy a dog and leave it alone in the backyard for days and nights on end. Dogs are pack animals and can become seriously unstable without a pack to be with every day. If you are going to leave a dog outside often they need a companion dog so they have a little pack. No dog should be left to live outside alone.
Will you be away from home a lot? Do you travel a lot? Can you dog swap with a friend or will you need to use a dog kennel company like Rover.com? Will you be gone all day? What will you do with your dog at those times? Dogs need to drain their energy each day. Are you committed to helping them do so when you come home?
Will your dog have companionship and consistent discipline? Who's in your pack? Do you have children? Lots of family around the house? Is everyone involved onboard to follow the same rules? (Be sure to watch kids under 5 with dogs! They can be pretty rough on a dog without a bit of training.)
What's the climate like where you live? Do you live in a cold region? Hot region? It's just not right to put a Siberian Husky in Texas. May have to say 'no' to a dog we love because we don't live in a climate where that dog can be happy.
How much exercise can you offer? When we first started looking for a dog, I had a serious infatuation with German Shorthaired Pointers. It took me several months to come to grips with the fact that though I'm an active person, I could not meet the exercise needs of a GSP. I visited a breeder, talked to shelters, researched online, and finally gave up the idea (for now). I'm so glad I did! Our puppy sometimes is too much for me but overall he's a fit. I'm glad I found the right match so we could honor his nature. Every dog needs a minimum of a 30 minute walk each day. If that will be a step up in your exercise routine - stay far away from the breeds with high exercise needs like Dalmatians GSPs, and Viszlas. (Here is a list of breeds that don't need lots of exercise.)
Is the timing right? Can you focus on raising a puppy over the next year? Can you focus a large portion of your energy on housebreaking, the general training and training for the first 3-5 months? Keep in mind that dogs, especially puppies can't be kept in a kennel for more than a few hours without a potty break. They will need about a week of constant attention to be housebroken.
With those questions in mind, this is a fun quiz to take that will help you find a compatible breed.

3. Realistically consider the work and cost involved with owning a dog:

Before adopting a puppy, we didn't realize that it would change our daily schedule in such significant ways. We also didn't realize how much love and sweetness he would bring, so it worked out - but it is best to be realistic ahead of time.

Cost - Check out the cost of owning a dog. Our big expenses have included 1) the cost of the dog 2) several hundred dollars on initial supplies 3) health care and 4) monthly food and treats.
Two intense weeks - It's best to adopt a puppy when you have 1-2 weeks off. These will likely be some of the most trying weeks of dog ownership. You will literally have to either crate (and not for long since they can't hold their bladders) your puppy or supervise it every single moment of the day. It will be worth it!
Puppy play - Puppies need a lot of play time each day. Create a puppy schedule.
Daily walks - A daily 30 minute walk (less for growing puppies) is not optional. A walk isn't a treat - it's something every dog should get every single day. (This has the added benefit of getting you out of the house every day!)

4. Purebred vs Rescue:

Breeder - We decided to go with a dog that had been bred rather than a rescue due to our skill level. We needed some predictable qualities and felt most comfortable with the Frenchton breed. We love that this 'designer breed' is diversifying the gene pool and helping to minimize health issues, but is predictable within a range. Mutts coming from reliable homes (so you know more about their characteristics) can be a great choice for a new dog owner, as well. Good breeders can be found online, but only choose breeders who are close enough to visit. Don't pay money for a puppy until you visit and check out the conditions for yourself.

Rescue - If you're a first time dog owner and want to adopt a rescue, be very careful about which dog you choose. Unless you have spent a lot of time with dogs, trying to rehabilitate an insecure or aggressive dog could be a mistake that will land them right back in the shelter. Ask for guidance at the shelter and consider having a skilled dog owner help you identify a dog that you can manage. Getting a dog is a commitment and, though responsible people have certainly had to do it, it can't feel good to bring a dog back to shelter.

5. Avoiding Puppy Mills

We worked hard to avoid puppy mills when looking for a puppy, but we were undereducated. We bought our puppy online. When the lady dropped him off she mentioned they "several other litters" coming in the near future, which made me question our choice. It may have been ok, and we adore our dog, but we'll never really know if our puppy came from a great place. We asked lots of questions, but wish we'd seen this list from ASCAPA before looking for a puppy:

Always visit. Responsible breeders and rescue groups will be more than happy to offer you a tour.

*Always pick your puppy up at the kennel. Do not have the puppy shipped or meet at a random location.

Always check references, including others who have purchased pets from this breeder and the veterinarian the breeder works with.

Be sure to deal directly with a breeder, not a broker.

**Never send Western Union or money order payments.

If you are told that there will be no refunds for a sick puppy, you are most probably dealing with a puppy mill. A reputable breeder or rescue group will always take the puppy back, regardless of the reason.

Pet Stores - Very few pet stores buy puppies from responsible breeders. Many come from puppy mills. If you want a healthy puppy (physically and psychologically) and don't want to support best to steer clear of pet stores altogether.

*Do not have your puppy flown to you! Shipping can cause long term psychological damage. I'll do a post on this later, but let's just say there are serious reasons almost every airline has outlawed stowing short-faced breeds.

**Lots of scams out there asking customers to pay for puppies online!

If you aren't aware (or convinced) of the sad realities of puppy mills, check out this puppy mill video by Cesar Millan.

Frenchtons

Search This Blog