Pets

The Spinone Italiano can do with a small yard as far as exercise is concerned. They appear to be a friendly dog that gets along well with other pets and other dogs. There are always exceptions to the rule. They generally love older children, especially if they have grown up with them. As a reminder, never leave a child unsupervised with a puppy or dog.

*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the Spinone Italiano is 24 to 26 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 71 to 82 pounds.

*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the

Spinone Italiano is no exception. Be on the look out for hormone problems, ear infections, shoulder Osteochondrosis and Canine Hip Dysplasia (genetic based looseness in the hip joint that can lead to arthritis pain and lameness). This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.

She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.

*Grooming. The Spinone Italiano has a thick coat not more than about two inches long. It is a single coat, slightly wiry and fits close. Some have this breed professionally groomed. Stripping an pulling of dead hair is necessary. She should also be brushed regularly. Brushing will help her maintain a clean and healthy coat, avoid mats, help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen your emotional bond with her.

Her ears should be checked once a week and be kept clean. If you have her professionally groomed, make sure ear cleaning and inspection is part of the package. No water or excess fluid should get in the dogs ears, and do not try to irrigate the ears. Ear cleaning is too complicated and critical to instruct here. Look for hair growing in the ear canal, excess wax, or moisture. If her ears have a discharge, foul odor or she seems to be in distress and you suspect an infection, or tumor, consult your veterinarian.

Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.

Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet.

*Life Span. The Spinone Italiano can live between 12 and 14 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.

*History. The Spinone Italiano come from Italy where they were used for hunting and retrieving. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 2000

Some Registries:

*Spinone Club of America

*UKC United Kennel Club

*NKC National Kennel Club

*CKC Continental Kennel Club

*APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc.

*AKC American Kennel Club

*FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale

*NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club

*KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain

*ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club

*ACR = American Canine Registry

Category: Gun Dog

Terms To Describe: Affectionate, docile, muscular, powerful, robust, sociable, patient, intelligent, enthusiastic, clownish

*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS

Makes a good watch dog.

Very intelligent.

Can be good with children.

Some keep themselves very clean.

*SPECIAL BAD POINTS

Makes a poor guard dog.

Can be stubborn.

Be ready for wet beard kisses.

*Every dog is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your dog. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.

The earliest “Lion Dog” in Tibet had long hair, were small in size and similar to the Maltese in type. As Tibet and China exchanged traditions and beliefs of culture and religion, the exchange of dogs became a two-way affair as well. The Chinese definitely interbred their small dogs, which were of many varieties, with the Tibetans with long hair, and the people of Tibet no doubt interbred their small dog with those from the Chinese people.

The outcome of this interbreeding eventually became the Shih Tzu. The Chinese called the Shih Tzu “Tibetan Lion Dog.” The Apso was also involved with the interbreeding practices. The Tibetans called the Apso, “ApsoSeng Kyi” or “Apso Lion Dog.”

The Chinese tried to retain the characteristics they admired, which was the unnaturally short face and broad head, the wide barrel-like chest and the low-to-the-ground look.

The Tibetans, however, could not hold these same characteristics because of the climate and environment of their land. Tibet is an area of high altitudes. The very short face with restricted nasal development (which incidentally gives many Shih Tzu lovers a great pain to deal with at times) and the heavy body and short legs of the Chinese Shih Tzu would be at a disadvantage in these conditions. They could not breathe and survive in the high altitudes of Tibet. The Lhasa Apso could survive in Tibet. The Tibetans produced a dog slightly modified from the Chinese dog of a similar ancestry which was the Lhasa Apso.

The Tibetan Terrier (also involved in the exchanges between Tibet and China) is probably closes to the basic canine with a long head, compact and natural in conformation. Then comes the Apso, which begins to show the influence of some of the Chinese type. This influence resulted in a smaller dog, shorter on leg than the terrier relative, shorter nose than the terrier, and the teeth and jaw formation revealed a shortening of the face. The eyes are more frontally placed.

The eyes of the Shih Tzu have always been one of its most valued signature characteristics. I have never met a Shih Tzu that did not have a warm expression that radiated through its eyes. Some Shih Tzu has this characteristic greater than others. They are almost human-like.

When comparing the Shih Tzu to the Apso, one can see the most distinct Chinese characteristics. I have had Shih Tzu that look as if you are absolutely looking right at a Chinese in person. I am amazed at how the Chinese accomplished this. It truly was a work of art, as they did not breed according to pedigree as we do. They bred according to a picture of their minds of what they wanted the Shih Tzu to look like. Most of the time, their goal was to create the Shih Tzu to resemble what they thought a Lion should look like, and they apparently also, created Shih Tzu to resemble themselves in the face.

Smallness must have been fashionable and something of a status symbol in both the Apso and the Shih Tzu as well as the Pekingese. The Pekingese were also involved in the interbreedings to reduce size.

It should be noted here, however, that this article addresses the history and development of the Shih Tzu breed. The American Shih Tzu Club’s Code of Ethics clearly states it is against their rules, ethics, standards to breed our present day Shih Tzu with any other breed. It must be understood that this article is not an endorsement of any kind of practice that is against the rules and regulations of The American Shih Tzu Club or the American Kennel Club. This is an article regarding the history and development of our Shih Tzu.

Goldfish are susceptible to disease and once infected can have a greatly shortened life span. The most common reasons goldfish get sick are if the fish tank is dirty, due to poor filtration, the water and oxygen levels are too low, the temperatures are either too warm or too cold and being improperly fed. Prevention and early detection is the key to help ensure healthy goldfish.

Ich (Ick, Ichtyopthirius, Freshwater White Spot Disease)

Symptoms: Body and/or fins are covered with tiny white dots and rapid gill movements may be noticed in later stages.

Ich is one of the more common diseases of goldfish, and if left untreated, it can be fatal to your fish. Treatment can take many days to cure, and it should be treated promptly since Ich is highly contageous.

The disease is easy to identify. The white dots are small and sometimes numerous, about a millimeter in size. They are easiest to see on the fish’s transparent fins. When on the fish, medications have no affect on Ich. As the parasite grows, however, it will eventually drop off the fish to reproduce. At the bottom of the tank, it will form a cyst (also resistant to medications) and soon hatch into hundreds of baby parasites which will seek a new host animal. This process weakens the fish and leaves holes in the fish’s body. A badly afflicted fish will likely display rapid gill movements.

Remedy: Contact your vet or pet store for further instruction. Several effective medications are available. It is wise to treat your main tank in order to ensure that you have successfully removed all traces of the parasite from it (although it may be beneficial to also move a badly afflicted fish to a quarantine tank). Leave the filter running, but remove any activated carbon because this substance takes medicine out of the water.

Tail or Fin Rot

Symptoms: Fin rot is a general term for necrotic loss of fin tissue, resulting in split or ragged fins. It is usually the edge of the fin that is attacked, although occasionally a hole may appear in the middle of the fin. The appearance of fin rot can vary between a distinct, semi-circular “bite” shape and a “shredded” effect.

Nearly all cases are caused by stress, fear or poor environmental conditions. Fin rot is often one of the first signs that a goldfish disease problem exists and all cases should be investigated to determine the underlying cause.

Remedy: You must first identify and address the cause of stress, this could be due to a fish disease such as parasites, overcrowding, low oxygen levels, bullying or poor water quality. If caught early, removing the stressor may be sufficient. Medications used to treat the symptoms include Melafix, Maracyn, salt, antibiotics as a last recourse (such as Tetracycline or Sulfa-based products), hydrogen peroxide bath, or applied to the area (be very careful that this does not touch the gills since this can be fatal).

Fungus

Symptoms: Grey, or grey-white tufts of cottony material covering areas of the fish’s body, sometimes covering almost all of the fish’s skin.

When fungus is suspected, there could be several possible causes. All are somewhat similar in appearance, and include common fungus, mouth fungus, and body fungus.

Fungus normally indicates there is another problem which has weakened the goldfish. Some possibilities include parasites or even an injury due to spawning or due to colliding with a tank decoration. Whatever the secondary reason, it should be found and taken into account when the fish is treated for fungus.

Remedy: Improve water conditions and treat promptly. Standard anti-fungal medications, such as methylene blue, are usually very effective, but may affect filtration and water quality. When the disease occurs on open wounds, aquarium salt at a dose of 1-3g/litre can help reduce salt loss.

Constipation

Symptom: Goldfish is having trouble passing faeces, or are constantly trailing behind the fish. This is often caused by a diet without enough variety, or by feeding too many starchy foods.

Remedy: This problem is easily solved by changing to a diet with more variety and roughage. Some suggestions are live foods, peas, spinach, and tubifex worms. Enticing fish to swallow one grain of Epsom salt is also said to be beneficial.

It is also advised that dry fish food be soaked in water until it is soft before feeding. This helps in digestion, and also reduces the likelihood of constipation.

Dropsy

Symptoms: Dropsy is a bacterial infection that infects the goldfish from the inside and causes the scales to stick out from the goldfish’s body. Dropsy can be caused by a bacterial infection which causes kidney failure in goldfish. The problem is, by the time you see the symptoms of dropsy on your goldfish, the damage to the kidneys has already been done.

Remedy: The main defence for dropsy is to keep your goldfish parasite free, which will reduce the chances of bacterial infections, which in turn will reduce the chances of a kidney failure. A broad spectrum anti-bacteria treatment is the best option in most cases.

Pop Eye

Symptoms: Fish’s eyes stick out unusually. It is important to realise that some varieties of goldfish have eyes which naturally protrude, like the Moor, the Celestial, and the Water Bubble Eye. With juveniles, it is possible their eyes are developing into their adult configuration. Sometimes a fish will not develop telescopic eyes until it is two years of age.

Pop eye, however, is a condition which causes a fish’s eyes to protrude away from the fish’s head in an unusual way. Pop eye is usually caused by septicemia or tuberculosis.

Swim Bladder Disorder

Symptoms: A goldfish with swim bladder disorder will periodically float on its side on the water’s surface or swim on its side a great deal. Usually it will only be periodically, with the fish sometimes able to swim normally. If a fish lies on its side on the water’s surface without moving at all even after touching it, it may indicate a fatal kidney problem which fancy goldfish are prone to.

Remedy: Discourage the goldfish to swim greedily to the surface to suck down food, by soaking flake food before feeding so that it will sink lower in the water so the goldfish will not intake as much air. Also, the food will be less dry and instead of taking on moisture in the digestive tract and swelling up, causing blockages, the food will be moister and easily digestible. An increase of vegetable content in the goldfish’s diet may also help, as well as the addition of aquarium salt to the water.

Are you thinking about getting a border collie? This dog makes a great pet as long as he has lots of work to do. The border collie was bred to herd animals and that is what it will want to do. It may even start herding your kids or your other pets!

The border collie originally comes from Northumberland which is on the English/Scottish border. It is a descendant of the old British droving breeds but also has some spaniel in it. This dog is an incredible herder; it can handle any type of herd. The border collie will crouch down on the ground and give the animals an intense stare. Herding isn’t all this dog is used for though. It is used for drug and bomb detection as well as search and rescue. Some are even used as seeing-eye dogs.

The border collie is one of the most trainable dogs out of all the breeds. They commonly perform in obedience, Frisbee, flyball and agility trials. If you get this dog, physical exercise will not be enough. They need something for their mind to do as well as their body. They want to work and carry out tasks. This is an extremely energetic dog.

This dog is also one of the most intelligent breeds. They are really easy to train and do the best if you give them lots of praise. When the dog is young it needs to be socialized a lot so that it doesn’t become shy. Most border collies will get along fine with children and other dogs. If you get this dog it will need almost constant attention, lots of daily exercise and a task for it to do. This dog lives for serving its owner and will not just lie around the house all day doing nothing. If this breed gets bored, they can become destructive while it looks for something to do.

If you live in an apartment you definitely should not get this dog. They need to have lots of room to run and play. Also, this dog should never be left alone for a long time or they can become neurotic. You can’t just ignore this breed; they need attention all the time.

Border collies are usually pretty healthy but some are prone to PRA, hip dysplasia, eye disease, allergies to fleas, epilepsy and deafness. Most live to be around twelve to fifteen years old.

The border collie needs to be brushed and combed regularly to keep its coat healthy. You have to be careful though when their undercoat sheds. They are considered to be an average shedder. Only give them baths when it is necessary.

The most important thing to remember with this dog is that it must have something to do. If you don’t provide activities for the dog, you will run into problems. If you give the dog a task, make sure it gets lots of exercise and give it plenty of attention, you will have a great pet. The border collie absolutely loves to make its owner happy.

If you are lucky enough to get a 7-week-old puppy, there is no excuse for any bad habits to develop over his lifetime. Puppies learn INSTANTLY when they are that young, and if you use the proper training methods, gentle but consistent, he will behave like an angel his whole life through.

The most important training, of course, is housebreaking. Boys are easier than girls because exploring outside is their favorite thing. They just cannot get enough of all the new smells out there!

The main key to housebreaking is watching. Watch your puppy AND the clock. Once every hour is not too often on a day he is active and the weather is good. The younger the pup, the more often he needs to go out, mostly because he is growing so fast. He must drink more water to fuel his metabolism than he does as an adult. Also, since he eats three or four times a day, you know what that means.

Watch him for subtle changes. If he is happily chewing his toy, and gets up suddenly with his nose to the floor, move quickly! He is ready to squat! If he has had a nice nap, get him out of his crate and outside right away. If he has just had a good grooming, it stimulates his circulation and guess what? Time to go out again. And of course after a meal, watch him extra close.

Things to remember:

—Do not punish him for mistakes. They are YOUR fault. Every time you take him out he will go, and praise praise and praise! Happy face, laughter, happy noises! He loves your happy face. When he makes a mistake, your frown and your face turned away from him is all the punishment he needs. He will get the point.

—He is learning English, you must use the same phrases over and over. “Good go potty!” “Hafta go potty?” “Wanna go potty?” He can learn in one afternoon that “go potty” means a jaunt outside and your happy face. Whatever phrase you choose, stick with it.

—I cannot recommend strongly enough getting a crate. They truly help with all phases of his training. They make him more secure, provide him with his very own private space and a place for him to hide his favorite toys and chewies. This is even more important if you have other adult dogs in the house.

—Be consistent, always be kind and gentle, and be patient as he learns your language, and your puppy will always look forward to his training sessions. Dogs love to work!

There are two types of dog shows licensed by the American Kennel Club. One is the all-breed show. The all-breed show includes classes for all the recognized breeds, and groups of breeds such as all terriers, all toys. The second dog show is the specialty show for one particular breed that also offers championship points.

A benched show is one where the dog show superintendent supplies benches (cages for toy dogs). Each bench is numbered and its corresponding number appears on your entry slip that is sent to you prior to the show. When you enter the show, take your Shih Tzu to the bench. Your Shih Tzu should remain on the bench until it is time to groom him before entering the ring to be judged. After judging, your Shih Tzu must return to the bench until the show is dismissed.

At an unbenched show the club makes no provision for your Shih Tzu other than an enormous tent if outdoors or an area in a show hall where all crates and grooming equipment must be kept if the show is inside.

When you enter the show grounds, whether it is a benched or unbenched show, you are expected to keep your Shih Tzu under complete control. You should use a short lead in crowded aisles or getting out of cars. At a bench show, a “bench chain” is needed. A bench chain should allow your Shih Tzu to move around, but not off the bench.

There is always at least one professional photographer who will take your Shih Tzu’s picture along with the judge and whatever is won, the ribbons, etc. These photos make excellent advertisements in the various dog magazines.

Some shows also offer Obedience Trials. Obedience Trials are always considered a separate event. There are three obedience titles. First, the Companion Dog or C.D. title; second, the Companion Dog Excellent or C.D.X.; and third, the Utility Dog or U.D. You can receive detailed information in a booklet entitled Official Obedience Regulations from the American Kennel Club.

There are many excellent training devices that can be used when training your Shih Tzu. The most basic piece of equipment that every Shih Tzu owner should own is a quality training collar. There are many different types of training collars, and these devices go by a variety of different names, including choke collar, choke chain, correction collar, slip collar and of course training collar. Training collars are favorite tools among both amateur and professional dog trainers.

When used properly, a training collar is a valuable, effective tool. However, like any tool it must be used properly in order to be effective. Despite its simple appearance and design, a training collar is a piece of precision equipment, and it must be treated with respect.

An improperly used training collar will do no good, and it can harm your training program by causing the Shih Tzu to become confused and frightened. There are several important things to consider when choosing and fitting a training collar.

The first consideration when choosing a training collar is how the collar fits the Shih Tzu. It is vital that the training collar be fitted properly to the Shih Tzu. Only a properly fitted training collar will be effective for the Shih Tzu.

The training collar must also be put on the Shih Tzu the right way. Unlike a normal buckle collar, there is a definite right way and wrong way to put on a training collar, and putting it on the wrong way can make the collar ineffective or even dangerous.

In addition to being fitted and sized properly, the training collar must be used properly as well. The training collar is designed to provide a reminder, not a punishment. It is very important to never use steady pressure with a training collar. A training collar works by providing a sharp pressure, followed by an immediate release of pressure.

The weight of the chain and the size of the links on the training collar are very important when choosing a training collar. The weight of the chain should be appropriate for the size and weight of the Shih Tzu. For instance, you would not use a heavy chain on a 10 pound Shih Tzu, just as you would not use a very light chain on a 100 pound dog.

When using a training collar, it is very important to place the collar on the Shih Tzu properly. The collar must be placed on the Shih Tzu properly in order to be effective.

It is relatively easy to determine the length of training collar your Shih Tzu needs. The appropriate size of the collar is the distance around the animal’s neck, plus 2-3 inches. Since training collars are usually made in even sizes, it may be necessary to round up to find the right size. When measuring, be sure to not make the tape measure too tight. The training collar will need to fit snugly, but not too tight. It is important that the pressure on the training collar be instantly relieved when the leash is slackened.

If the training collar is too tight, the pressure will not be relieved when you loosen the leash. If the collar is too loose, on the other hand, it could accidentally slip off the Shih Tzu when he lowers his head.

When putting the training collar on the Shih Tzu, it is important that the end of the chain that attaches to the leash is on the top of the Shih Tzu’s neck. This is important in order for the collar to function as intended. It is important that the training collar loosen properly when the leash is slackened, and that it tighten instantly to provide the sharp correction when needed.

If the connecting piece of the training collar is placed anywhere except on the top of the Shih Tzu’s head, the training collar will not loosen properly when the leash is slackened. This constant pressure on the training collar will be counterproductive, since the Shih Tzu will not understand what is being asked of it or why the pressure is not being relieved when it does as it is asked.

I’ve always been a cat lover and for some reason, cats always seem to gravitate to my home. I have five now and three of them aren’t technically mine but they certainly own me. I have four females and one male cat and the male, Fluffy, always looks very harrassed! The other four; Binks, Misty, Monty and Shreddy go through phases of either being sweet and loving or bossy and domineering. Binks is the neurotic one who needs a lot of cuddles, Misty has a split personality, Monty is very bossy and Shreddy is the calmest one of them all. She loves to sleep and eat.

If you like a challenge then living with five cats should test your patience, your nerves and your bank balance because within a few months, you will need new curtains, new sofas and quite possibly, a new house because cats love to climb, especially up net curtains and I now have thousands of tiny holes in my nets. I also have holes in my sofas and my wallpaper has very fetching shredded lines on it but that’s not the most stressful part. Feeding time is very challenging to say the least with paws lashing out and hisses filling the air and me tripping over a mass of furry bodies as they all race to their feeding bowls at the same time. For a few minutes all is quiet as their bellies are being filled but then its back to normal and I become a door opener as they all troop outside to go to the toilet.

It is hectic but they are an endless source of amusement and fun and noise and they know how to manipulate me to do what they want. They can race around the house knocking stuff off tables, tearing my rugs up and then roll over onto their backs, all four paws in the air when I go to tell them off or threaten them with taking them to a animal rescue centre. I must say though, that they are clean animals and have always used the litter tray, to the extent that then youngest cat always uses the tray and never goes outside. She will go and play out in the garden for ages then come in to use the tray which is very strange.

I wouldn’t be without them though and if the old saying, that if you stroke a cat, you live longer, is true then I’m looking forward to reaching a hundred!

Unlike you and me, dogs have their own unique ensemble that keeps them cool during hot summer nights and warm in the chill of winter. These furry creatures have their own house coat built right in. And conveniently so, as over half of their life is spent sleeping.

The history of the dog dates back 38,000,000 years. Which includes a large variety of dog like creatures; the most familiar are the wolves, coyotes, fox and dingoes. The wolves were domesticated through human contact in the wild, they would follow man, while observing and mimicking. No wonder we can’t get them off the couch!

Today this domesticated lovable creature has made its way into households all over the world, representing over 800 different breeds. Pet owners cannot do enough for their companions, giving them the best of health care, specialty foods, dog daycare, personal walkers, and pleasurable sleeping quarters. After all, we want the very best for our little friends, for all the joy they bring us in return.

Throughout the life span of your dog, every purchase that you make, will invest in their future. Imagine that one solid purchase in a quality pet bed would invest in half of your dogs life.

If dogs really do follow us, then a comfortable orthopedic dog bed is a requirement as their domain by your bedside.

The definition of orthopedic is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention or correction of injuries or disorders of the skeletal system and associated muscles, joints, and ligaments.

The pillow in the basket or the elevated frame actually does nothing for their comfort. You should also stay away from beds that do not give enough details in order for you to make a wise decision or ads that look to good to be true. Most likely you are getting an import that has been subjected to many issues such as foreign species of bugs, ticks, lice and deformities in manufacturing and shipping. Imported beds outside of North America are not made with the same quality materials, and usually break down prematurely.

When it comes to dog beds, domestic is better. Imports just don’t match up.

How do you know what you are buying? Ask, or purchase a good brand name. You need to purchase a bed that resembles the den. Most dogs will lay tucked in a ball and others stretched out. Finding the perfect fit to create a domain can be difficult. Memory foam or orthopedic foam is also appealing to dogs with chronic ailments and should be considered.

Mammoth Dog Beds have been studying sleeping behavior for over ten years. Here are a few words, Dogs like comfort as humans do. A soft supportive pillow with a bolster that can be washed will ensure an active dog to get a long and peaceful rest. , There you have it folks, next time your dog is laying on the hard floor, think of their longevity and splurge on a nice bed or dog furniture solely for them.

Copyright 2006

If you’re in the market for a purebred dog, you’ll need to find a breeder from which to purchase the animal. This can often be as easy as opening the classified advertising section of your local newspaper, but you’ll want to be sure that the breeder you’ve chosen is reputable. There are several ways to help ensure that the breeder you’ve found knows his stuff and is reliable, professional, and trustworthy.

Ask for References: Any good breeder will be able to provide you references of clients he has worked with in the past. These will be people who have purchased a puppy or utilized stud services and will be happy to share their experiences with you. Choosing a breeder that was used by someone you know is a good choice as well. If your friend or family member was happy with the service and treatment he or she received from the breeder, the odds are good that you will be as well.

Prepare to be Asked Questions: A good breeder will have as many questions for you as you have for him, perhaps more. Good breeders work to ensure that the dogs they breed are placed with the correct people. They may ask whether you have children, what size home or yard you have, and numerous other questions to help them let you know whether the dog you’re seeking is right for you and your family. A breeder that doesn’t ask these types of questions may be looking just for the money from the sale of the dog and is probably not the sort of breeder you want to do business with. A good breeder always has the best interest of both the dog and the clients in mind.

Guarantees: A good breeder will have had the puppies checked for potential health risks before ever selling the animal. Some problems, however, simply are not detectable until later in life. If you purchase a golden retriever pup, for example, and six months later discover that it has hip dysplasia (a genetic defect in the animals hip joints, it is often nearly undetectable until the animal is several months old), a good breeder will issue a refund to you, no questions asked. Genetic defects like this are avoided by the use of selective breeding (hip dysplasia in dogs has between a 25% and 85% chance that it is genetic in origin), but sometimes a pup will display the disorder even if there is no trace of it in either parent’s history.

Other Sources: Aside from looking in the newspaper of on the internet for a dog breeder, breeders can be found through veterinarian’s offices, pet supply stores, and at dog shows. Dog shows are a very good choice since the breeders that attend these events are often showing one of their dogs or are there to see the performance of one that they bred and sold in the past.