Possibly buying a puppy.... Advice?

[tastyacres]

There are a lot of people against me getting a puppy from a perfectly responsible friend, so maybe I'll just stop asking puppy questions on here. I already bought it, so I can't stop now. Thanks for your opinion.

I'm sorry things went this way, I know I personally never said anything about getting this pup or not, but anyway I wish you the best!

 

[BYCforlife]

I'm sorry things went this way, I know I personally never said anything about getting this pup or not, but anyway I wish you the best!

Thank you! I did appreciate your advice.

 

[JaeG]

It's not about the breeds in the pup but all about how much effort and training you put into your dog. You'll have to play around and see what works for you and your pup as I know some techniques I saw online did not work for my puppy. Like dropping a treat on the ground beside you to keep them in the heel position - you drop the treat, puppy eats it then looks back at you, following you until you drop the next treat. Well, I dropped the first treat and from that moment my puppy's nose did NOT leave the ground because if there was one treat there, there MUST BE MORE! I found a front control harness a much better tool for keeping her where she needed to be.

But training really is the key to a good dog. YouTube has lots of training videos and also this is a very interesting philosophy to look at and his pages are well worth a read:
http://www.naturaldogblog.com/learn-the-basics-of-natural-dog-training/

 

[PeepersMama]

that is where they get you. What they should actually be charging for these pups is a token amount to make sure that they aren't being purchased by someone looking for bait dogs or to sell to a medical lab. PERIOD. The value of these dogs equals whatever your local shelter charges for adoptions. Most shelters that will be less than $100 and includes all vaccinations and spay/neuter. So, in breeder terms, they would be charging less than $50 because you aren't going to be bringing home an altered dog and will be paying that fee yourself later.

They haven't done anything that make these puppies any different than any other mixed breed at the shelter. There is no guarantee that the pups are healthy. No proof that the parents are healthy. No proof that the parents have a good temperament.

I hate to see people breeding mutts on purpose and saying "I'll give you a deal" They are not responsibly breeders, no different than puppy mills and pet stores. They're making a huge profit and not doing any of the work and don't have the best interest of the dogs at heart. That may be from ignorance of responsible practices but ignorance is no excuse when you are talking about the pain and suffering of living beings.

Did you miss the "from a friend" part....?

 

[venymae]

Make sure you are willing to keep up with the energy needs of a large dog. The average lab breed need a least an hour of brisk activity a day to be healthy. That means power walking, running, swimming, etc. Just letting them out into your back yard will not be enough (unless 'back yard' means a several acres!). Dogs that are bored or have pent up energy tend to develop behavioral issues no matter how well you train them.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Make sure you are willing to keep up with the energy needs of a large dog. The average lab breed need a least an hour of brisk activity a day to be healthy. That means power walking, running, swimming, etc. Just letting them out into your back yard will not be enough (unless 'back yard' means a several acres!). Dogs that are bored or have pent up energy tend to develop behavioral issues no matter how well you train them.

Definitely! We throw a frisbee to ours. She can do that for hours. She also gets long walks that tire her out. I think when you train them - it mentally stimulates them too so they are always challenged. Training never stops.

@BYCforlife The front harness mentioned is considered a no pull harness and works wonders. Of course you still need to train the dog on it. What @JaeG said is spot on. You have to find what works for you. I tried lots of things as well and realized “oh that was dumb”. I knew my Gracie had a lot in store for me, so when she was about 6 months old, we went to training class. It was the best decision for me. It worked wonders for her. She is able to sit beside the chicken coop while I mess around and wait on me. I just got the chickens a month ago. I don’t think she would be the same dog without the training. But, I didn’t jump right in and do the puppy classes. I waited to see what her personality was.

Anyway, whenever you ask questions about animals, I think you are always going to get responses that aren’t what you are looking for. At least that’s my experience. I read a lot on dog forums and read a lot elsewhere - I can see a lot of similarities between dog forums and chicken forums.

I am an advocate of adopting shelter or rescue dogs but it’s not for everyone or every situation. I’ve had dogs from shelters and rescue dogs and they are not “free”. They came with their own little problems due to whatever situation they were originally in. So, you have to be committed to working through their past experiences. As well, just remember when that puppy is being a literal turd, don’t give up on it. Seek out alternatives so that your puppy can be a successful member of your family.

I hope to hear more about the puppy! Oh and the best advice I was ever given: “Puppies are cute for a reason and a season.”

 

[dainerra]

you had asked about possibly getting the puppy. it's part of the things you have to think about - was the breeder responsible and doing all possible to produce a dog that will live a long and happy life with your family. In this case, no. Just cashing in on some easy money. Which is ok if that is what you want to support but leaves you with a lot of things to watch out for health, temperament and behavior wise.

 

[PeepersMama]

you had asked about possibly getting the puppy. it's part of the things you have to think about - was the breeder responsible and doing all possible to produce a dog that will live a long and happy life with your family. In this case, no. Just cashing in on some easy money. Which is ok if that is what you want to support but leaves you with a lot of things to watch out for health, temperament and behavior wise.

Dude, chill. God provided them with a puppy from people they know and trust, so they know that the puppy hasn't had a bad past. Not everyone just breeds the dogs to make money - if they did I bet they would have invested in a couple purebreds.

 

[Kusanar]

Dude, chill. God provided them with a puppy from people they know and trust, so they know that the puppy hasn't had a bad past. Not everyone just breeds the dogs to make money - if they did I bet they would have invested in a couple purebreds.

I might believe that if not for this quote that kind of says that they do breed the dogs for money....

I know, but the people are my friends, and they breed their mixed dogs to sell puppies.

 

[PeepersMama]

I might believe that if not for this quote that kind of says that they do breed the dogs for money....

Ohhh, I missed that. My bad.