buying a puppy?

Question

i am buying a puppy for my first time im getting it for my sons birthday.i was just wondering if some sensible people can tell me some things to ask and inquire about before taking the dog home as far as shots go and things that are important i dont want to take a sick dog home or anything or anything else that will help me let me know thanks!

http://adopt.animalleague.org/dogs/index.php?primary_breed=&gender=M&age=&size=Medium&submit=submit

thats the website to the petshop im going to i was thinking one of the last 3 maybe....

my son is going to be 4 for any one whos wondering if that can help someone give me better advice!

Answer 1

one of the first questions you should ask is if this is the right breed for you? you never said what breed of dog you are looking at so it's hard to tell you what type of genetic conditions you need to ask about. but no matter you should research this breed, find out about their genetic problems, behavior and best training methods for this type of dog. as for the shots, some breeders give the first set. you will need to immediatly take the dog to your vet and your vet can check the dog over and set you up with a vaccine schedule that they reccomend. you need to see where the pup has been raised and at least one parent, or you do not buy this dog, period. no excuses. puppy mill people have very convincing reasons as to why you can't do these things, so if they are hesitant at all to let you see the location or one parent. find another puppy. the pup should have been checked by a vet already and dewormed, but again your vet will also probably want to check a stool sample. so bring in a fresh one when you take the pup in. you need to get a crate, this is the best way to housebreak your pup. find a trainer in your area and take the pup there when they are old enough. this will help you and your son bond with the pup and give the puppy confidence and see you as the leader. ask the trainer before you bring puppy home, what tricks and tips they have for you to start using with the puppy before you begin class. make sure you find out what kind of food the breeder is feeding, and buy a bag of it. you can either keep the pup on this brand or use it to slowly switch over to whatever brand you choose to feed. sudden food changes can cause gastric upset. also feed a growing puppy a premium brand of puppy food. make sure you sit down with your son and go over all of this also. have him help you come up with a schedule for feedings, playtime, and walks and time when the puppy can rest. let your son know he needs to leave the puppy alone when resting. i know you would like to probably surprise your son, but this is a life and the more prepared he is for the responsibilities of taking care of this pup the better everything will be from the very start. you don't have to tell him what kind of dog it is, but letting him help in the planning will not ruin the surprise and excitment. you knew about your son for a while before he was born and i'm sure it didn't ruin anything for you. you were able to have time to plan as much as you could. and again which breed of dog are you planning on getting? good luck. and happy birthday to your son.

Answer 2

If the pup is older than six months, you will want to know if it has been tested for heartworms, lyme disease, and erichlyosis. He she should be vaccinated for Bordatella (kennel cough), which is a one-time only vaccine that is sprayed up thier nostrils. Puppies also need a series of puppy shots--three shots, each shot three weeks apart. This defends them from parvo, distemper, and other life-threatening diseases. They should also have already been de-wormed. Instead of buying from a pet shop or breeder, I would reccomend shopping around at animal shelters such as the Humane Society or SPCA. Try typing in Petfinder.com in your computer. You will be surprised at what you may find there. Also, animal shelters are much cheaper in the long run than getting a pet anywhere else, as many times they already have all their shots and are spayed or nuetered before they leave the shelter, or you will get a certificate to have them fixed later, which will save you alot of money at the vet.

Answer 3

Well, I just wanted to say that it is WONDERFUL you are adopting and the shelter looks as if they test for health problems and they are all given vet care as well as spayed/neutered. They should do all shots there and maybe even let you come back for another round if needed. Don't hesitate to ask the workers any question that you have, they'll apprciate it more because they'll know that you are adopting with good intentions and care. Just make sure that you do ask about worming (if he;ll have to be wormed at all again after he leaves the shelter, if you should take him to a vet as well after you adopt him (ask them everything they checked for), if not find out when he should have an appointment in the future, and ask what puppy food he is being fed so you could switch him over gradually to what you would like to feed him. Good luck with your adoption it's a wonderful way to go!!!

Answer 4

Get a kennel for it so it can sleep in it. a food bowl, a water bowl, a lead, a collar, flea powder/bath, get the shots for immunisation,[not sure of what they are].
A blanket for cold nights-coat for winter if a small dog.

Toys, tennis ball, rope...

Bones; only get certified bones from the pet store. Chicken bones are too brittle and will splinter in the dog's mouth.
Good fence. you might also need an I.D. put onto the dog that can be located fi dog goes missing.

When you bring the dog home, make sure that the house is quiet and slowly introduce the pup one by one so you don't scare it.
It might yap a little on the first few nights and unless you want it to sleep with you either let it cry itself to sleep or give it a soft chew toy to sleep with.
[make sure you don't lose it.]

Answer 5

congrats on getting a new puppy. I just got a shitzu about 5 months ago. Make sure that they have had there first set of shots and dewormed. Most people that sell dogs do this before they sell them. Make sure that they give you papers with the new puppy. Ask about the type of dog food to give the puppy. All puppy food is different depending on the type of puppy. Good luck and have fun with your new member of your family. They are the greatest pet you can have!!!

Answer 6

first thing to ask is if you can see the parents this determins if the puppies are going to good if the parents seem timid and shy that means the puppies will be to not a good choice for kids as they may snap and harm your child you want the puppies parents to be happy and care free.make sure vaccinaions and worming is up to date make sure that the puppy has bright eyes and not much pink in the whites of its eyes. open the puppies mouth and make sure the inside is pink and free from black spots as this could mean heart problem. make sure that the puppie is eating solids as weaning can b hard to do away from its parents hope all works out for you and ur son good luck and b sure to buy a dog that suits your life style happy hunting

Answer 7

Congrats! What an adorable gift for your son.
If you are not looking at purebred dogs, look for playful pups whose eyes are clear and bright. The runt of the little is usually the smallest pup and many runts are shipped to pet shops and pounds. Puppies need to be wormed (you can do this with the wormer cream yourself. One to three doses does it) depending on their age, may have their first set of shots.
If a purebred dog, you will want registration papers also on the mother and father of the dog so you know the blood line etc.
Please tell us what type of pup you plan on getting and we can tell you much more!

Answer 8

you must be a great father! but wait are your sons going to be able to take care of a dog if you don't have time. Go to puppy training class i will help you a lot. Get a puppy that will play with your sons like a golden retriver. Also you can save a mute from a shelter not all of them are adult dogs. I got my dog from a shelter she loves kids!

Answer 9

u could ask if the pup is AKC registered and ask for documentation on his shots and stuff.....