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Adopting: What Are Your Options?
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Adopting: What Are Your Options?
http://www.pedigree.com/pedigreecenter/puppies/adopting.asp
All Puppies rule. But finding one that’s
right for you can take weeks. In dog years that’s
a long time! Don’t worry. Simply read on
to find the dog who was made for you (or were
you made for him?) sooner, rather than later.
Where to begin
Before you visit a breeder or shelter to adopt,
try seeing your world through the eyes of a dog:
If you were a big dog, how would you feel about
living in a small apartment? And if you were a
small fluffy dog, how would you feel if you caused
sneezing in friends and family?
What does this all mean? Basically, there’s
a lot to consider before bringing a puppy home,
including:
· Your living space
· Your lifestyle
· Your budget
· Any medical conditions you have (like
allergies)
These are all areas of your life to consider before
deciding to adopt. We suggest you try the following
tools to help figure out if adopting a puppy or
an adult dog makes the most sense for you. You
can also complete our SELECT-A-DOG® questionnaire
for a more comprehensive assessment.
Once you’re prepared and know which dog
suits your living situation – it’s
time to start looking.
Animal shelters
Another adoption option is the animal
shelter, where you’ll find lots of dogs
in need of a good home. There are other benefits,
as well. If you do adopt a dog from a shelter,
you’re saving more than one life –
you’re making room for another dog, or allowing
another dog to be kept at a shelter for a longer
period of time, giving them a better chance of
being adopted, too. (Talk about a loving option!)
Another rewarding aspect of shelter adoption is
the special bond many owners develop with their
rescued dog. Opening up your heart and home to
an “orphan” usually results in an
extremely strong relationship. That can mean a
loyal, affectionate and attentive dog for life.
There are literally hundreds of links to local
organizations all over the country. Here are several
to help you on your way to finding an adorable,
adoptable dog near you.
Homeward Bound
A PEDIGREE® supported animal shelter program
that places homeless pets in responsible, caring
homes.
Petfinder.com
Find one of thousands of adoptable dogs in petfinder.com’s
searchable database.
Pets911.com
Another comprehensive site where you can find
an adoptable dog in your part of the country.
Doginfomat
A regional and fairly comprehensive listing of
animal shelters across the United States.
American Kennel Club
A national dog resource.
American Humane
SPCALA
Based in Los Angeles, this Society is on the leading
edge of animal protection and placement.
Breeders
If your heart is set on a specific purebred, then
you’re ahead of the game. But you’ve
still got to find a breeder or breed rescue club
and find one you can trust. The best place to
get a purebred dog is from a recognized, reputable
and ethical breeder or rescue organization who
understands the character, temperament and challenges
of their breed as well as what kind of home will
make their dogs the happiest.
To find a breeder or breed rescue group in your
area, you can:
• Check the National Breed Club website
for the breeder referral contact in your area
• Ask other dog owners
• Ask your veterinarian
• Check advertisements in newspapers and
dog magazines
• Visit a dog show, or
• Search the Internet – many breeders
and rescue groups have websites to review
If you’re ready to get your online breeder
search started right now, visit our Breeder Resources
homepage. You’ll find some useful resources,
including links to a Breed Club near you.
Have a breeder in mind?
We recommend asking lots of questions
about their facility, the bloodlines of their
dogs and the warranties/guarantees offered; if
they’re a caring and responsible professional
they’ll be happy to answer – and should
screen you with plenty of questions, too. Some
even make potential dog owners fill out full questionnaires!
Once you’ve decided on a breeder, here are
some general questions you can ask:
· What height and weight range is appropriate
for this breed?
· What are the grooming requirements for
this breed?
· What are the exercise requirements for
this breed?
· Are there genetic diseases common to
this breed?
· Have the appropriate tests been taken
to identify diseases, and avoid them as much as
possible?
You can then ask a few questions about the individual
puppies:
· Have the puppies been socialized? (Responsible
breeders start this process by spending time with
the pups, introducing them to toys, children and
other animals.)
· Can you see the mother? (You should be
allowed to observe her with the pups, depending
on the puppies’ ages, to give you an idea
about the eventual physical and behavioral characteristics
of the puppy you are considering.)
And don’t forget to obtain or complete the
following before taking your puppy home with you:
· Health and Vaccination Records. The breeder
should provide you with a health record, including
information on diet and parasite control, and
a record of vaccinations. These records should
be available for the pup and the pup’s mother.
· Basic care information. A reputable breeder
will want to ensure that you have the basic exercise
and grooming information to begin caring for your
pup properly from the start.
· Bill of Sale. This should include the
purchase price, date of purchase and any refund
policies or guarantees.
· Register your puppy. To register your
purebred dog online with the American Kennel Club
(AKC), click here.
Breed rescues
Love to adopt a purebred dog from a trustworthy
source but find breeders too expensive? You can
always try a breed rescue club. These clubs are
typically run by dedicated and knowledgeable volunteers
who often foot the bill of housing homeless purebred
dogs and pups.
As always, you should find out as much as possible
about the organization you have in mind. If it’s
reputable, there’s a good chance that your
new dog has been well looked after. You should
also expect that the volunteers will try their
very best to match the right dog for you.
Advertisements
Breeders and private individuals regularly place
classified ads in newspapers or pet magazines.
You can also check your local yellow pages or
use an Internet search engine. These can all be
effective tools in helping you find your potential
dog, but be cautious, make sure you know why the
owner is giving away or selling their dog.
As you would with any other adoption, ask as many
questions as you can about the background of the
dog, including:
• Breed-specific questions regarding height
and weight range, grooming and exercise requirements
and common genetic diseases
• Puppy-specific questions about bloodlines,
socialization, health and vaccination and basic
care information
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