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Questions right after the "Puppy" plea letter and "I Am Your Dog Letter".
Brown and white Piebald Parti Standard Poodle puppy.
I am your Puppy
I am your Puppy, and I will love you until the end of the Earth, but please know a few things about me.
I am a Puppy; this means that my intelligence and capacity for learning are the same as an 8-month-old child.
I am a Puppy; I will chew EVERYTHING I can get my teeth on. This is how I explore and learn about the world.
Even HUMAN children put things in their mouths.
It's up to you to guide me to what is mine to chew and what is not.
I am a Puppy; I cannot hold my bladder for longer than 1 - 2 hours. I cannot "feel" that I need to poop until it is actually beginning to come out.
I cannot vocalize nor tell you that I need to go, and I cannot have "bladder and bowel control" until 6 - 9 months.
Do not punish me if you have not let me out for 3 hours and I tinkle. It is your fault.
As a Puppy, it is wise to remember that I NEED to go potty after: Eating, Sleeping, Playing, Drinking and around every 2
- 3 hours in addition.
If you want me to sleep through the night, then do not give me water after 7 or 8 p.m.
A crate will help me learn to housebreak easier, and will avoid you being mad at me.
I am a Puppy, accidents WILL happen, please be patient with
me! In time I will learn.
I am a Puppy, I like to play. I will run around, and chase imaginary monsters, and chase your feet and your toes and 'attack' you, and chase fuzz balls, other pets, and small kids. It is play; it's what I do.
Do not be mad at me or expect me to be sedate, mellow and sleep all day. If my high energy level is too much for you, maybe you could consider an older rescue from a
shelter or Rescue group.
My play is beneficial, use your wisdom to guide me in my play with appropriate toys, and activities like chasing a rolling ball, or gentle tug games, or plenty of chew toys for me.
If I nip you too hard, talk to me in "dog talk", by giving
a loud YELP, I will usually get the message, as this
is how dogs communicate with one another.
If I get too rough, simply ignore me for a few moments, or put me in my crate with an appropriate chew toy.
I am a Puppy; hopefully you would not yell, hit,
strike, kick or beat a 6-month-old human infant, so please do not do the same to me.
I am delicate, and also very impressionable. If you treat me harshly now, I will grow up learning to fear being hit, spanked, kicked or beat.
Instead, please guide me with encouragement and wisdom.
For instance, if I am chewing something wrong, say, "No chew!" and hand me a toy I CAN chew.
Better yet, pick up ANYTHING that you do not want me to get into.
I can't tell the difference between your old sock and your new sock, or an old sneaker and your $200 Nikes.
I am a Puppy, and I am a creature with feelings and
drives much like your own, but yet also very
different.
Although I am NOT a human in a dog suit, neither am I an unfeeling robot who can instantly obey your every whim.
I truly DO want to please you, and be a part of your family, and your life.
You got me (I hope) because you want a loving partner and companion, so do not relegate me to the backyard when I get
bigger, do not judge me harshly but instead mould me
with gentleness and guidelines and training into the
kind of family member you want me to be.
I am a Puppy and I am not perfect, and I know you are not perfect either.
I love you anyway. So please,learn all you can about training, and puppy behaviours and caring for me from your Veterinarian, books on dog care and even researching on the
computer!
Learn about my particular breed and it's "characteristics", it will give you understanding and insight into WHY I do all the things I do.
Please teach me with love, patience, the right way to behave and socialize me with training in a puppy class or obedience class, we will BOTH have a lot of fun together.
I am a Puppy and I want more than anything to love you, to be with you, and to please you.
Won't you please take time to understand how I work?
We are the same you and I, in that we both feel hunger, pain, thirst, discomfort, fear, but yet we are also very different and must work to understand one another's language, body signals, wants and needs.
Some day I will be a handsome dog, hopefully one you can be proud of and one that you will love as much as I love you.
Love,
Your Puppy
This is Archie, he is a silver and white miniture parti poodle.
His human, Bernard, gave permission for his picture to be displayed here.
I AM YOUR DOG
I am your dog, and I have a little something I'd like to whisper in your ear. I know that you humans lead busy lives. Some have to work, some have children to raise. It always seems like you are running here and there, often much too fast, often never noticing the truly grand things in life. Look down at me now, while you sit there at your computer. See the way my dark brown eyes look at yours? They are slightly cloudy now. That comes with age. The gray hairs are beginning to ring my soft muzzle.
You smile at me; I see love in your eyes. What do you see in mine? Do you see a spirit? A soul inside, who loves you as no other could in the world? A spirit that would forgive all trespasses of prior wrong doing for just a simple moment of your time? That is all I ask. To slow down, if even for a few minutes to be with me. So many times you have been saddened by the words you read on that screen, of other of my kind, passing. Sometimes we die young and oh so quickly, sometimes so suddenly it wrenches your heart out of your throat. Sometimes, we age so slowly before your eyes that you may not even seem to know until the very end, when we look at you with grizzled muzzles and cataract clouded eyes. Still the love is always there, even when we must take that long sleep, to run free in a distant land.
I may not be here tomorrow; I may not be here next week. Someday you will shed the water from your eyes, that humans have when deep grief fills their souls, and you will be angry at yourself that you did not have just "One more day" with me. Because I love you so, your sorrow touches my spirit and grieves me. We have NOW, together. So come, sit down here next to me on the floor, and look deep into my eyes. What do you see? If you look hard and deep enough we will talk, you and I, heart to heart. Come to me not as "alpha" or as "trainer" or even "Mom or Dad," come to me as a living soul and stroke my fur and let us look deep into one another's eyes, and talk.
I may tell you something about the fun of chasing a tennis ball, or I may tell you something profound about myself, or even life in general. You decided to have me in your life because you wanted a soul to share such things with. Someone very different from you, and here I am. I am a dog, but I am alive. I feel emotion, I feel physical senses, and I can revel in the differences of our spirits and souls. I do not think of you as a "Dog on two feet" -- I know what you are. You are human, in all your quirkiness, and I love you still.
Now, come sit with me, on the floor. Enter my world, and let time slow down if only for 15 minutes. Look deep into my eyes, and whisper to my ears. Speak with your heart, with your joy and I will know your true self. We may not have tomorrow, and life is oh so very short.
My very own Dekias at 6 weeks old. He is a piebald partipoodle.
Twenty four questions to ask the breeder.
Questions to ask the breeder...
Keep this checklist by the phone when you make your calls and Good Luck!
____1) Where did you find out about this breeder? Responsible breeders will breed only when they have a waiting list of puppy buyers. They usually don't find it necessary to advertise in newspapers or with a sign out in the front yard.
____2) Do both parents (the sire and dam) have a hip clearance from the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) or PennHip? Ask to see the certificates. "My vet okayed the x-ray" is not a valid clearance.
____3) Do both parents have current eye clearances from CERF (Canine Eye Registry)? This must be re-done every year. Ask to see the certificates.
____4) Are both parents at least 2 years old? Final hip clearances cannot be obtained before that age.
____5) How often is the dam bred? If it is every heat cycle, THIS IS TOO OFTEN, and may indicate that profit is the primary motive for the breeding.
____6) Do all four grandparents, siblings of the parents and any other puppies that they may have produced have these clearances? A responsible breeder will keep track of these statistics and honestly discuss any problems that have occurred in the lines and what has been done to prevent them from reoccurring.
____7) Is the breeder willing to provide you with references and telephone numbers of other people who have purchased puppies from them?
____8) Will the puppy have a limited registration with a mandatory spay/neuter contract? A breeder who cares enough about the breed to insist on these is likely to be a responsible breeder.
____9) On what basis was the sire chosen? If the answer is "because he lives right down the street" or "because he is really sweet", it may be that sufficient thought was not put into the breeding.
____10) WILL THE BREEDER TAKE THE DOG BACK AT ANY TIME, FOR ANY REASON, IF YOU CANNOT KEEP IT?! This is the hallmark of responsible breeding (and the quickest way to make rescue obsolete).
____11) Is there a written guarantee against congenital health or temperament problems. Promising another puppy or your money back. Not require you to return your puppy or euthanize it? Many unscrupulous breeders will honor a guarantee only after you have destroyed the original puppy, this insures that they will never have to replace sick puppies.
____12) Will the breeder be available to answer any questions you might have for the life of the dog? Is this someone you would feel comfortable asking any type of question?
____13) Is the breeder knowledgeable about the breed? Is he or she involved in competition with their dogs (field, obedience, or confirmation)?
____14) Are there a majority of titled dogs (the initials: CH, OTCH, CD, JH, WC... before or after the names) in the first two generations? The term champion lines means nothing if those titles are back three or more generations or there is only one or two in the whole pedigree.
____15) Are the puppy's sire and dam available for you to meet? If the sire is unavailable can you call his owners or people who have his puppies to ask about temperament or health problems? You should also be provided with pictures or videos.
____16) Have the puppies been raised in the home - not in a barn or the back yard?
____17) Is the breeder knowledgeable about raising puppies, critical neonatal periods, proper socialization techniques? Puppies that are raised without high exposure to gentle handling, human contact and a wide variety of noises and experiences OR are removed from their dam or litter mates before at least 7 weeks, may exhibit a wide variety of behavioral problems!
____18) Does the breeder provide you with a 3-5 generation pedigree, a contract to sign, copies of all clearances and guarantee, health records and material to help you with feeding, training and housebreaking?
____19) Have the puppies temperaments been evaluated and can the breeder guide you to the puppy that will best suite your lifestyle? A very shy puppy will not do well in a noisy household with small children, just as a very dominant puppy won't flourish in a sedate, senior citizen household. A caring breeder will know the puppies and be able to show you how to test them so that good matches can be made.
____20) Do the puppies seem healthy, with no discharge from eyes or nose, no loose stools, no foul smelling ears? Are their coats soft, full and clean? Do they have plenty of energy when awake?
____21) Do the puppies have their first shots and have they been wormed - vet checked?
____22) Does the breeder have only 1 or at most 2 breeds of dogs and only 1 litter at a time? If there are several breeds of dogs chances are the breeder cannot devote the time it takes to become really knowledgeable about the breed and if there is more than one litter at a time it is very difficult to give the puppies the attention they need and may indicate that the primary purpose for breeding is profit, rather than a sincere desire to improve the breed.
____23) Does the breeder belong to the specific Breed Club of America and/or a local Breed specific club?
____24) Do you feel comfortable with this person, after all you are entering into a decade long relationship? Are you feeling intimidated or pressured? If so, keep looking!
Parti Poodle puppies.
Permission granted by Pioneer Poodles, PA.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF....
ARE YOU PREPARED TO...
____1) Take full responsibility for this dog and all its needs for the next 8 - 12 years? This is NOT a task that can be left to children!
____2) Invest the considerable time, money and patience it takes to train the dog to be a good companion? (This does not happen by itself!!!!)
____3) Always keep the dog safe; no running loose, riding in the back of an open pick up truck or being chained outside?
____4) Make sure the dog gets enough attention and exercise? (Poodles need several hours of both, every day!!)
____5) Live with a high activity dog for the next 10-15 years.
____6) Spend the money it takes to provide proper veterinary care including but certainly not limited to: vaccines, heartworm testing and preventative, spaying or neutering and annual check ups?
____7) Become educated about the proper care of the breed, correct training methods and how to groom? (There are many good books available, invest the time to read a few.)
____8) Keep the breeder informed and up to date on the dogs accomplishments and problems?
____9) Take your questions to the breeder or other appropriate professional before they become problems that are out of hand?
____10) Have the patience to accept (and enjoy) the trials of puppy hood, which can last for five years, and each stage afterward?
____11) Continue to accept responsibility for the dog despite inevitable life changes such as new babies, kids going off to school, moving or returning to work?
____12) Can you resist impulse buying, instead have the patience to make a responsible choice?
____13) If you answered yes to ALL of the above you are ready to start contacting breeders. Start early because most responsible breeders have a waiting list ranging from a few months to a couple of years. Remember, the right puppy or adult dog IS worth waiting for!!
Here's some "RED FLAGS" that should make you RUN AWAY FAST from anyone that uses these excuses or phrases when offering their dogs up for sale!
The Backyard Breeders' and Puppy Millers' Big Book of Old Excuses
Written by Denna Pace.
1. When called on bad breeding practices, ALWAYS claim that you are merely an innocent posting as a favor to a friend or family member.
2. Point out that everybody you know breeds this way, therefore it must be okay.
3. Claim that "snobby show breeders" are only criticizing you because they want to corner the market on puppy profit.
4. Claim that a Champion in the pedigree is just as good as 56 Champions in the pedigree. Not that it matters, because you doubt that there is such a thing as a dog with 56 champions in the pedigree.
5. Claim that you are just trying to produce good pets, therefore good pets are all you need for breeding.
6. When asked about health testing, enthusiastically point out that your bitch had a health checkup before breeding.
7. Be sure to mention that you do not need to run such health tests as OFA, CERF, thyroid, cardiac, patellae, etc., because your dogs look healthy and had no visible problems at their last vet checkup.
8. Point out that these tests cost too much and would cut into your profit margin. Be sure to champion the right of poor people to breed dogs.
9. Confidently assure worried rescuers that no puppy you produce, or any of their puppies or grand puppies or great-grandpuppies will end up in shelters because you have a bunch of friends who have told you that they'd like a pup from your bitch.
10. Point out that you don't need Championships or working titles on your dogs because you are breeding for temperament and your dog is really sweet.
11. Silence those annoying people who ask about your health guarantee by assuring them that buyers can return any sick puppies and you will replace it with another pup as long as it got sick within a certain amount of time of sale and as long as you don't think the buyer did something to make the puppy sick.
12. If your breed or line is rare (or you have a "rare" color, or believe your breed or color is rare), be sure to remind everyone that you do not need to show, temperament test, or health test your breeding stock because you are doing the world a service by continuing this "rare" breed/color/line.
13. No matter what anyone else says, claim that you obviously know what you are doing because you've been breeding for a long time. Point to the hundreds of puppies you've pumped out over the years as proof.
14. If this is your first attempt at breeding, make sure to remind everyone that you HAVE to breed your dog because how else are you going to learn how to breed?
15. Assure everyone that your dog does not need to be shown because you were assured by someone at Petsmart/the park/the vet's office/a friend that your dog is a perfect example of the breed.
16. Always remember that "rare" colors, oversized or undersized dogs, and mixes of popular breeds are great selling points. Anyone who doesn't think so is obviously not in tune with their customers' wishes.
17. Claim that your dogs are better because they are not inbred, as inbreeding obviously produces sick/stupid/deformed dogs. If breeding poo [as in "Cock-a-Poo," "Peek-a-Poo," etc.] dogs or other mutts, always point to "hybrid vigor" as proof of your dogs' superiority.
18. Remind everyone that you do not need a waiting list because your puppies are cute.
19. Assure everyone that your puppies will not end up in shelters because they are cute.
20. Claim that YOUR breed never ends up in shelters in your area, therefore your puppies will never end up in shelters.
21. If asked why you think your dogs are breeding quality, point out that they "have papers." Extra points awarded for using the phrase "AKC Certified." Double points if those papers come from the Continental Kennel Club.
22. If you sell a sick puppy, always blame the owners for making it sick. If the owners are clearly not responsible, blame their vet. (see #11)
23. If presented with irrefutable evidence proving you wrong on any excuses you have used, pretend your server did not receive the post/e-mail.
24. Claim that none of the rules of ethical breeding apply to you because you only intend to have one litter and therefore aren't a "real" breeder.
25. If all else fails, tell everyone who criticizes you to "get a life."
Written by Denna Pace . It was compiled by reading the horrible BYB ads on rec.pets.dogs.breed. Please credit when quoting.
