Do you need help in choosing the right breed of dog to suit you and your family? Do you need advice on how to pick the right pup. Post your questions here and we will be only too happy to help.

So you've decided to bring a new puppy into the family but need some advice on how to go about choosing the right pup. Here you will find some practical advice to help you with your choice.
Firstly you need to consider the breed of dog that you want. A lot of people buy a breed that they like without considering whether or not that particular breed is suitable for their lifestyle. Do some research about breeds of dogs. Some of the things you should be considering are:
Do you have children or planning on having children in the next ten years?
If so is the breed of dog you are considering known to be children friendly?
Is there any aggression in the breed?
Are there any laws that determine the keeping of the breed?
How easy are they to train?
How much exercise do they require?
Do they need regular grooming/clipping?
Are there any health issues with the breed?
Once you have considered these questions and you have decided on a breed of dog, then the next step is to find a reputable breeder.
So how do you determine what is a reputable breeder?
A reputable breeder should be someone who not only cares about their dogs and the homes they go to but someone who is dedicated to breeding dogs for soundness and excellent temperament. A good breeder should be willing to answer any questions that you have about their dogs and should do so happily.
Finding a reputable breeder in your area can be a difficult task, so to make things easier you should drop into a few dog training schools and have a chat to people who own the same breed that your interested in. They can be a very good source when it comes to finding a good breeder.
Something else for you to consider is whether or not your dog is going to be an indoor or outdoor dog. If you have decided that you would like to have your dog inside for company then you should find a breeder who raises their pups inside. This will make the settling in and toilet training a lot easier. Likewise if you want your dog to be an outside only dog then don't by from a breeder who raises their dogs inside as this will only create problems when you take puppy home. He will more than likely howl and whine the whole time until you give in and let him inside.
Now that you have chosen a breeder and it is time to go and look at the puppies the really hard part starts. Which puppy do I choose?
Be prepared to spend at least an hour at the breeders so that you can get a good feel for the puppies available. Make sure that you can view both parents, even if it means travelling to see the male.
Things to look for in a pup.
Does he appear healthy? Eyes should be bright and clean and coat shiny.
Is he active and friendly? Should be willing to play and follow you around.
Is he sound sensitive? Clap your hands loudly if the pup runs away and hides then pick another pup.
Is the pup housed in clean conditions?
Is the breeder willing to answer your questions?
Can you ring the breeder with any questions or concerns after you have purchased the pup? The answer to this should always be yes.
While all these things will help you choose the right pup, once you have taken the pup home it is then up to you to make sure that the pup is educated and raised properly.
One last piece of advise. NEVER BUY A PUP BECAUSE YOU FEEL SORRY FOR IT. In my experience these pups usually are problematic all their lives. Breeders who neglect or mistreat their animals have no right breeding and when people buy their pups they are encouraged to keep on breeding. If you feel there is good cause for concern then contact the RSPCA and put these people out of business once and for all.
Good Luck and best wishes.

Recently I have noticed that there appears to be a lot of puppies being sold at 5 and 6 weeks of age. It is illegal for ANYONE to sell a pup under the age of 8 weeks and there are some very good reasons for this. Your pup by law should have been vaccinated at 6 weeks of age by the breeder, it then takes 2 weeks for that vaccination to kick in, so the pup is in danger of getting ill if he leaves his mother before this time. All dogs in most states of Australia are also required by law to be microchipped when sold unless being sold by a registered breeder. Another good reason for not buying a pup until it is 8 weeks old is a social issue. Pups learn an awful lot in the first 8 weeks of their life and from 6 to 8 weeks they learn a lot about the social interaction with their litter mates and mother. This is a very important part of a dogs learning and to miss out on this can have long lasting effects. Most people who sell their pups at 5 and 6 weeks are generally trying to avoid the most expensive part of raising pups I know from my own experiences with breeding Goldies that those last 2 weeks can cost in excess of $600 in feeding and vaccinations and so on, not to mention the fact that it is like hell on wheels with 8 raucous pups running around the house. But this is a part of the joy of raising puppies and anyone who is not willing to do the whole job correctly should not be doing it at all. I hope this helps all of you who are thinking about buying a pup in the near future. Remember that you are going to have your dog for a long time so it is important that you start of with all the advantages that you can possibly have.

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I was recently with a private client in a regional area and was stunned to see someone selling puppies at a local park. This is so dangerous for the puppies who have not been fully vaccinated and are certainly no where near covered enough to be in such a public area without running the risk of becoming very ill. These pups where free to run around sniffing the ground and having a good romp. It never ceases to amaze me that people who are selling puppies arrange to meet you somewhere rather than have you come to their home where you can see the pups in a familiar environment and you can view the mother if not the father as well.

I would love to hear from people who have experienced this and what excuses the puppy sellers gave for meeting you somewhere other than their home.

Please think twice about buying a puppy this way, not only is it dangerous for the pup but you have to wonder why they are doing it. Are they lying about the actual parentage and breed of the pups? Are the parents aggressive? Are the parents bad examples of the breed or cross breed? Are the pups kept in poor conditions?

A good breeder whether they are breeding pure bred or cross bred dogs will always invite you into their home so that you can see how well the pups are raised and that the parents are lovely dogs.

The perfect pup is out there for you somewhere, you may just have to look a little longer to find the perfect one. And remember if you have young children then you want the BEST pup that you can possibly find and those first 8 weeks go a long way to helping.