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The Right Pup For You             So you think selecting a puppy is easy.... call up a dog breeder, slap down some
            cash and take the dog home. Right? Wrong!! Choosing a purebred puppy requires
            more than that.

Beware!

If you're seeking to purchase a purebred puppy, beware. There's a condition that may befall you, if you don't take proper precautions. The malady affects men and women alike, as well those from all social, economic and ethnic backgrounds.

Signs of the condition are a strong desire to purchase a puppy and a willingness to research the breed. However, upon seeing a litter of pups - any litter- all critical thinking is suspended and a pup is purchased regardless of prior knowledge of the breed, warnings or precautions.

Susan Sarracino, M.D., is familiar with this condition, but you won't find it in her medical books. Sarracino, an Irish Water Spaniel and Border Terrier breeder, shares how she has counseled friends or coworkers on how to look for a puppy, such as what questions to ask the breeder, especially about health or what breed might be a good choice. She reports her amazement when, after spending hours talking with an individual, the person buys the first pup in sight without asking about potential health problems.

"I ask people, " she says, "would you go out and buy a car without test driving it?"
What causes this condition? Sarracino isn't sure, but she attributes it to the absence of critical thinking upon seeing a cute litter of puppies, which causes the individual to become gullible and exclaim, "Oh, I'll take it!"

Take heed, puppy buyers. Don't let this happen to you. Yes, puppies are adorable, but just because they are cute doesn't mean a particular breed or pup is the right choice for you. Keep a cool head when viewing litters (it is tough) and remember to "just say no" if necessary.

                                                                                                                               ---by Virginia Parker Guidry
                                                                                                                                         DogFancy Magazine

10 Commandments for Puppy Buyers                     1. Don't hurry. If getting a dog, any dog, right now, is your goal, then you are
                        not serious, and you will get what you ask for: just any dog.
                    2. Read more than one book. Do not base your whole understanding on
                        generic descriptions.
                    3. Narrow your breed choice to only one or two. If neither one works out,
                        beginning research on a third will be easier.
                    4. Contact the national breed club. Basic information on the breed is
                        usually free, and in-depth resources are available for moderate sums.
                        A local club representative can often handle specific questions.
                   5. Request names of club members you may visit, talk to and from whom
                       you can learn.
                   6. Attend dog shows or performance events in which the breed participates.
                   7. Be honest when you contact a breeder about who you are and your level
                       of knowledge.
                   8. Inform the breeder if you are ready to buy, have changed your mind or are
                       still researching.
                   9. Do not ask to be on the active list or expect special consideration unless
                       you are ready to put down a deposit.
                  10. If you are no longer interested, or have purchased a dog from someone
                        else, contact the breeder and remove your name from the waiting list.

----by Martha J. Galuska
DogFancy Magazine

Things a new puppy will do, no matter what you think!                                                          1. Unroll the toilet tissue for you.
                                                         2. Untie your shoelaces when you're
                                                              not looking.
                                                         3. Steal that last bite of ham sandwich
                                                             from your plate while you're talking to
                                                             the kids.
                                                         4. Hide your favorite slipper in their bed.
                                                         5. Make your pillow their bed, after you've
                                                             spent $30.00 on a lambskin bed for them.
                                                         6. Depending on their height, drink from the
                                                             toilet. (shorter dogs should be watched
                                                             for this activity, noting: if you see something
                                                             blue swimming around in the bowl, it's not
                                                             the Little Blue-Tidy-Bowlman, it's your
                                                             Chihuahua! Help him out of there!!
                                                         7. Chase the neighbor's cat into your freshly
                                                             planted flower bed.
                                                         8. The neighbor's cat chases the pup into your
                                                              freshly planted flower bed. (noting: If you have
                                                              animals around your home, flower bed garden
                                                              is pretty much a hit and miss activity.)
                                                         9. Chew the baby's pacifier to smithereens. (only
                                                             about 20 times though)
                                                        10. Unravel half the crocheted afghan you've
                                                               almost finished.
                                                         11. Chew and shred the Sunday paper before
                                                                you get to read it.
                                                         12. Tinkle on the Sunday paper before you get
                                                                to read it. (note: sometimes paper training isn't
                                                                a good idea!)

Bury that bone at Home