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November 21, 2006

When picking a pet puppy, choose wisely

By Evan Belanger

With the holiday season almost here, pets — particularly puppies — are increasingly becoming Christmas gifts.

But according to one local dog expert, picking the right puppy for your loved one takes more than an eye for cuteness and wet noses.

Sheri Davis is a professional dog trainer and owner of Dog Gone Resort, a pet boarding and grooming business in Vinemont. In an interview with The Times last week she gave a number of tips for picking the best four-legged friend for would-be owners:

‰ Step 1: Does the puppy come to you?

When picking your pet, get on the puppy’s level. Even if you have to lie down on the floor, let the puppy come to you, Davis says. The one that comes to you and is playful is usually a good fit for your personality.

“The puppy picks you,” Davis said. “You don’t pick the puppy, and you don’t want a puppy that runs away from you.”

If the puppy avoids you, it could be a sign the puppy will not have as friendly a personality as an adult.

‰ Step 2: Does the puppy have bad breath?

Smell the puppy’s breath. A healthy puppy will have slightly sweet-smelling breath. Bad breath can be a sign of underlying health problems.

‰ Step 3: Is the nose wet, dry or runny?

Make sure the puppy has a wet not nose.

“You don’t want it to be runny, but you don’t want it be dry either,” Davis said. “Either one can mean the puppy is sick.”

‰ Step 4: What do the eyes look like?

Check the eyes for mucus. Like a dry nose, mucus in the dog’s eyes can be a sign of infection or some other health problem.

‰ Step 5: Can you pull the puppy’s skin away from its body?

Check for loose skin. According to Davis, loose skin on a puppy is a sign that the animal has worms.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t buy that puppy, but it does mean you will have to worm it,” she said.

‰ Step 6: Where is the puppy coming from and how was it treated before you got it?

According to Davis, would-be pet owners should avoid puppy mills or farms. In general, that means don’t buy a dog from someone who sells several breeds of dogs from the same location.

Puppies from mills are exposed to more diseases and tend to receive poorer care. A good sign that the puppy has been well cared for is cleanliness. A clean puppy tends to be a healthy puppy, according to Davis.

In addition, make sure the puppy has been wormed and has all its shots.

“If you’re going to pay $300 or $400 for a dog, you want to know it doesn’t have Parvo or Distemper.”

‰ Step 7: What breed of dog do you want?

Consider what the puppy’s adult size and temperament will be when picking a breed. According to Davis, a few excellent family dogs are labs, Great Pyrenees, collies, Golden Retrievers and Shelties — all of which are medium- to large-sized dogs.

Some good small dogs are Boston Terriers, Pekingese, Pomeranians and Cairn Terriers.

“Even if you don’t have kids, you want to keep in mind that people will be coming over and some of them will have kids,” Davis said.



The puppy at home

Once you get your puppy home, it’s a good idea to make sure any poisonous plants are out of reach — particularly poinsettias, which are extremely toxic to both animals and humans.

It’s also a good idea to keep the puppy on the same food it was eating before you purchased it. Switching food suddenly can be a shock to the puppy’s system and can cause short-term digestive problems.

If you want to change the puppy’s food, do so gradually by mixing the two types of food together, slowly increasing the amount of the new food.

For more information on puppies and how to care for them, call 734-4256. Davis also offers a six-week puppy training course for new dog owners. At a cost of $50, the course helps socialize the dogs and teaches them simple commands like sit, stay, lie down and come.

For those who have older dogs, Davis said not worry. Classes are also available for adult dogs.

“You can teach an old dog new tricks,” she said.

All proceeds from dog-training classes go to support the Cullman Area Animal Welfare Association.

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