So you want a car to get your family from A to B. You shop around to see what is available. You look at the specs, you talk to a few mechanics and read the reviews. Eventually, you settle for a make and model and go about buying one. You need to find a dealer or agent you can trust and has good after-sale services, and you need to find one that is in good nick and won't start complaining when going up a hill. There is that other possibility of the impulse buy which is later regretted.Likewise, when you want to get a puppy, you should put thought into it. You should research the different breeds available and narrow it down to the breeds that are comfortable in your climate, have the right size, stamina and energy to keep up with you without exhausting you, and enjoy similar activities as you. Here is where vets and behaviourists can help you. A professional who has contact with several of them can narrow it down to what they are like in Malta, better than any book can.Having chosen a breed, you set about buying one. Say you just happen to want a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Having done your research, you would know that they should be easy to socialise and have great temperaments, but they can have a tendency to have hereditary diseases that cause serious suffering. Heart problems can be reduced by health testing the parents. Chances of chiari malformation or syrengomyelia can be reduced by doing MRI scans of breeding stock and making sure to only breed healthy dogs. Episodic falling syndrome, muscular dystrophy, thrombocytopenia, degenerative myelopathy and PFK deficiency can all be tested for genetically, and prevented in puppies by not breeding carriers to carriers. Carriers will look healthy and have no symptoms so genetic testing is a must to prevent unnecessarily suffering. Is it easy to find a breeder that does all these tests? The short answer is "No!" Last but not least, a puppy's socialisation period begins almost as soon as they open their eyes and starts declining after 8 weeks, so your breeder should make every effort to use this time to ensure you get the best out of the puppy. Don't forget to insist on A Puppy Plan Graduate. The public has not learnt to ask for these things, so most breeders don't bother with it. You need to find a breeder you can trust that has good after-sale service, not a "greeder" who is just after your money and cares very little (if at all) about the welfare of their animals or you. You wouldn't take chances when buying a car, so why risk it with a new potential family member?Alternatively you can give a "second hand" dog a chance. Visit a local shelter to find one that will steal your heart. S/He might not come with a pedigree certificate but they don't need one to know that you love them.
This article is provided by Dog's Trust Malta