So it’s coming up to Christmas time, and obviously the perfect present for a loved one is a puppy, right? The idea of welcoming a little ball of fluff for you and your family to love every day seems absolutely wonderful. However, deciding on buying a puppy as a Christmas present can mean making hasty decisions on where your new puppy has come from. Here is a little more information on what sort of research you need to be doing before collecting a new little pet.
As a Nurse in the Veterinary industry, my advice to someone thinking about getting a puppy is to firstly, check out any local rescue shelters first as there are so many puppies and dogs out there that need loving homes. You never know you may just meet your furry soulmate. Make sure you have done plenty of research into the breed you are looking for, as of course they may have a cute little face, but that cute little face could also have an extremely tying personality and they may need plenty of time for training and exercising. But the more important factor to consider, is that if you are going to a private breeder for your puppy, make sure you have all the information possible from the breeder, and that you have seen at least the mother, ideally the father too. To read more about things to look for when buying from a private breeder, here’s a link to the RSPCA’s guide to buying a puppy:
https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
Another thing to consider is that puppy farming is becoming one of the biggest trade markets for third party breeders. A puppy farmer often has little or no regard for a young pup’s welfare. They often forget about Biohazard security, meaning puppies are extremely prone to fatal diseases like Parvovirus, a disease which can have a devastating outcome within hours. These puppies are cruelly being bought in bulk from farms across Europe very cheaply, and then illegally smuggled into the UK and sold on. There are farms now all over the UK supporting puppy farming, and taking part in this inhumane act. According to the RSPCA, over 87 percent of puppy trade calls they receive are regarding puppies bought over the internet.
So please, if you are really wanting a little puppy for Christmas, make sure you know 100% what you are walking into. A puppy will always look after you, so make sure you return the favour.