THE DOG BUYER’S GUIDE The Society for Canine Genetic Health and Ethics www.koiranjalostus.fi Foreword The main purpose of the A dog is a living creature We hope you will find this guidebook is to provide and no one can guarantee that guide useful in purchasing help for anyone planning your dog will be healthy and your dog! the purchase of his or her flawless. Still, it pays to choose first dog. However, it can be a breeder who does his best useful for anyone planning to guarantee it. We hope this to get a dog. Our aim is to guide will help you to actively help you and your family to and critically find and process choose a dog that best suits information about the health, your needs and purposes. characteristics and behaviour of the breed or litter of your Several breeds seem to be choice. plagued with health and character problems. The This guide has been created, Finnish Society for Canine written and constructed by Genetic Health and Ethics the members of the HETI (HETI) aims to influence society: Hanna Bragge, Päivi dog breeding by means of Jokinen, Anitta Kainulainen, information education. Our Inkeri Kangasvuo, Susanna aim is to see more puppies Kangasvuo, Tiina Karlström, born to this world free of Pertti Kellomäki, Sara genetic disorders that would Kolehmainen, Saija Lampinen, deteriorate their quality of life Virpi Leinonen, Helena or life-long stress caused by, Leppäkoski, Anna-Elisa for example, defects in the Liinamo, Mirve Liius, Eira nervous system. Malmstén, Erkki Mäkelä, Katariina Mäki, Anna Niiranen, The demand of puppies is Tiina Notko, Riitta Pesonen, one of the most important Meri Pisto koski, Maija factors that guides the dog Päivärinta, Johanna Rissanen, breeding. You can have your Katariina Roiha, Tiia Rönnberg, say in how things are done Mia Salmi, Paula Similä, Jenni by buying your dog from a Toivoniemi and Minna Virta. responsible breeder who will We would also like to have the dogs’ physical health express our gratitude to all the and character inspected before persons who have given their using them for breeding and photographs for our use! will have a proof of it to show you in writing. About to get a dog? For what purpose are you planning to get a dog? What have you got to offer to your dog? Stop and think. Talk it purpose. Even individual dogs How important is it through with your family. of the same breed can have that a dog is easy to care? Ask your children. very different characteristics. Some dogs are a dream come true to a handyman or Not every dog can get along How important is woman. On the other hand, in the city or built-up suburb. the dog’s health? if you want to stay as far And no dog likes being alone. Dogs can carry various as possible from washing, Every dog needs proper qualities created by breeding trimming and grooming, it is attention and medical care. concerning their appearance wiser to get a dog that needs All dogs need some exercise or conformation that can just an occasional combing and stimulation; some dogs increase the possibility and a wash every now an need a lot of that. Dogs always of various health-related then, as well as regular nail cause trouble and cost money. problems. Also, each breed cutting, to stay neat and clean. They cause wear and tear to has certain inherited health home and garden. All dogs problems that they are How important is extract hair and scurf that can vulnerable to. the dog’s appearance? cause allergic reactions. Some We live in a world that is breeds drool significantly. How important is obsessed with looks. Children Almost all dogs bark, some the dog’s long lifetime? often choose a dog by looking bark a lot. Some breeds have very high at pictures in a book. Think average lifetime, while others carefully how much are you Dog is a very social animal can be surprisingly short-lived. really willing to compromise that likes to live in packs, its with other qualities for a dog pack being us humans. You How important are that looks just like the one have to take your dog into certain working qualities? you want. account in every activity you Certain breeds are created for plan for yourselves. hunting or other specific tasks Remember that as a grown-up for which they have been bred you are always responsible Choosing a dog is choosing for decades. If you do not for the family dog. Even a a companion for life. You want to be actively involved teenager is not capable of have to decide what you in any activities typical for this being really committed to want from your dog. kind of breed, it is easier to caring the dog, walking it get a dog with no such needs regularly etc. Also, a child How important to you and inclinations. It is also must not be responsible for is the dog’s character? fair towards the dog itself. choosing the dog, other What kind of partner are you An active-craving dog is not than as a member of the looking for: happy, intelligent, necessarily a happy with an family. Because parents are calm, active, restrained or in-town dog park. responsible for the proper care bold? Different breeds have of the dog they must also be different characteristics responsible for choosing it. depending on their original The cost of owning a dog The most expensive pup vendors offering all kinds of Depending on the breed, is not necessarily the items your dog really does there can also be various healthiest one. But the not need. Some of these recurring costs, like trimming. purchase price should not items can be downright Consult the dog’s breeder or be the major issue when harmful to your dog. Dogs seller for these. choosing a pup. The price do not need design clothes Also, leaving the dog to a of the puppy is just a or jewellery, nail polish or boarding kennel for holidays fraction of the owner’s total chewing products with peppy can be expensive. You cannot cost of dog keeping. colours created using artificial always count on having friends colouring agents. However, or relatives care for the dog. A dog needs bowls for food some breeds do need clothes The prices can vary but it is and water, collar and / or for the wintertime if you live not uncommon to have to harness and a leash as well in a cold climate. In that case, pay several hundreds of euros as nail cutters and coat care appropriate clothing is always per dog. For example, for a equipment according to the worth every penny. two-week holiday you should needs of the breed. The first A dog can also wreak havoc add a boarding kennel bill for sleeping place can be for that may cause unexpected 15 to 16 days, which can raise example a lined cardboard box expenses. It can chew off a the cost of the journey by two because the puppy will most purse with all its contents, or three hundred euros. There probably chew it up anyway. destroy library books, puncture can be different needs like this You can make toys yourself or a hole in a waterbed, dig a up to several time each year, buy them. When purchasing tunnel in the neighbour’s back which means this is another toys, the most important thing yard or do something even expense you must take into is that the dog cannot chew more spectacular. The owner account beforehand. off any dangerous small parts must pay for any damage A dog will also cause and possibly swallow them. the dog causes. It really pays certain recurring costs such That’s why the cheapest plastic to have a good insurance as vaccination, deworming, toys are not a good choice. coverage. possibly taxes and, of For car transportation, the Insurance companies might course, feeding. Depending dog will need a safety harness sell various dog-related on the size of the dog, or transportation booth. You insurances, which should feeding and deworming can also make the luggage be calculated into the fixed can be a significant cost. compartment of the car safe expenses of dog ownership. There are several ways to for dogs by sealing it off with It is good to have at least some feed a dog, each having a net. kind of basic coverage for the their own supporters. The dog in case of damages or most promoted one is not When buying all these accidents. Before purchasing necessarily the best: learn necessary items, keep in mind the insurance, compare how to read the product that creating artificial needs and consider carefully the descriptions and choose for dogs is a big business various offerings by different products that have meat as nowadays. There are countless companies. main ingredient and that do not include pigments or amount of food that is right food additives. Get as much for your dog. However, it’s information as possible about good to be critical. Remember, the different possibilities of the breeder is just one dog feeding. Currently there source of information and is a considerable collection not every breeder is aware of literature available on the of all the latest information. subject. Therefore, you must pay If all goes well you’ll only attention to choosing a need a veterinarian for breeder. A well-educated vaccination and identification breeder does not consider tagging.