How to choose a puppy: recommendations at what age to get a puppy, whether to get a boy or a girl, and how to determine whether the animal is healthy?

So, the choice is made! A dog of this particular breed - the smartest and most understanding, the most beautiful and obedient - will become a member of your family, will live in your house, jump for a frisbee, enthusiastically catch a ball and amuse all the children in the area. I wonder which dog will be closer due to character and behavior - a boy or a girl, that is, a male or a female? Thoughts jump around in your head, collide, desires are not defined, but the question is actually complex and there is no way to answer it unambiguously. What gender the puppy will be will be decided, of course, by the owner, and it’s not just a matter of external differences in appearance; in most breeds, sexual dimorphism is expressed quite clearly and clearly, males are usually larger than females and always have more masculine “faces.” We must talk about the distinctive behavioral characteristics associated with the sex of the animal, its advantages and disadvantages. Let us dwell on the main points, the understanding of which will help the future owner decide which dog he will be comfortable living with for at least a dozen years.

Which one?

All purebred dogs are divided into three types:

The first type is the pet class. These are simple pets that do not have any special external characteristics and will not attend exhibitions or engage in breeding work. Such dogs are loyal friends and companions. Their price is low, however, it often depends on the breeder.
The second type is the breeding class of dogs with high exterior characteristics. They take part in exhibitions, and if you approach them competently, it will not be difficult to obtain a high-quality headboard. Many representatives of this type are breeding animals, so they will cost more than the pet class.
The third variety is exhibition or show class . There are not many such dogs; they can be called close to the ideal standard. Animals of this type are representatives of blue blood. Experts know them by name. Buying such a dog is not easy - you have to wait for months and years. At exhibitions they always take prizes, but in breeding they do not live up to expectations. Their prices are very high.

Appearance

A dog's appearance also depends on its gender. Males are more collected, beautiful and correspond to the characteristics of the breed, while the appearance of females is more “undefined”. Moreover, physiological processes will not have the most positive effect on the appearance of the bitch: estrus, pregnancy, feeding puppies, etc.

Therefore, it is important to determine why you are getting a dog: “for home” or “for exhibition”. Males create a stronger impression of themselves, and they most often take prizes in competitions and exhibitions. And as you know, dogs judge their owner by their appearance.

Who is better to get: a boy dog or a girl dog?

Often, choosing the sex of a pet is a very difficult question. They are asked by everyone who has already decided on the breed. Its emotional state and qualities depend on the gender of the pet. And it doesn’t matter who you decide to choose: a boy or a girl, the main thing is that this decision is conscious. You should not adopt a dog based on the residual principle - take a puppy that is left with the breeder. In this case, the risk of being disappointed in him is very high.

Before making a choice, it is worth taking into account a lot of nuances:

In appearance, males look courageous, and they are larger than females.
Males are active and inquisitive, but emotionally they are more restrained. If you decide to get a male, you should be prepared for the fact that he will require long walks. On the street, he needs to sniff everything, leave his marks to mark his territory. Often they are attracted to the female sex, so they run away to bitches in heat while the owner is distracted for a minute.

Of course, in practice there are still a lot of difficulties in raising a male dog, but the main task will be to indicate leadership . If the upbringing is carried out correctly, in the future the male will be docile and obedient, which means that problems with walking and behavior in the house should not arise.

As for bitches , the opposite is true. Females are not as demanding as males. In an emotional sense, they are soft, quickly become attached to the owner and are easy to train. A female puppy learns faster than a male puppy and there are no problems with her until a certain point.
During heat (which happens 1-2 times a year, lasts 3 weeks), they can become capricious and disobedient, and begin to pick at food. On walks, they will attract males by all means. So here too you will have to be prepared to show strength of character!
Another aspect that is worth paying attention to is sexual desire . It manifests itself to a greater extent in males. You must decide how it will be easier for you - re-educate the female every time after estrus or learn to control the male when he is in dire need of mating. Here a lot depends on the character of the owner himself.
When choosing the gender of a puppy, it is important to take into account the personality traits that you have as an owner . Your lifestyle and preferences also play a big role.

You need to understand the purpose of getting a dog - as a pet or as a future champion of international exhibitions. You should not pay attention to the standard formulations - females are obedient, and males are stubborn. In life, of course, this is not always the case. A big role is played by the breed of the dog, its character, temperament, as well as how the owner will raise it.

After the first heat, the dog's behavior may change , so it is very important to learn more about the psychology of dogs and learn to find a common language.

General information

Basically, what people are attracted to about males is their dedication, endurance and courage. The downside is that they want to be more independent, and sometimes even stubborn. Therefore, raising male dogs should be done by people with a strong character. Males always try to take a leading position in the family into which they were adopted. This is very important for them.

Females, in turn, are more friendly and calm. It is much easier for them to get used to living in new conditions. All this is possibly due to a higher level of emotional and intellectual perception, compared to males of the same breed. Their disadvantages include their not as distinctive appearance as that of males, and sometimes laziness.

At what age is it better to take?

It is impossible to give a definite answer to this question - it all depends on the circumstances. It is worth considering clearly the pros and cons of a particular age:

1 month One of the main advantages is such an animal will cost less, since the breeder has not yet spent money on feeding. You will also have the opportunity to choose a suitable candidate from the entire litter.
As for the rest, then there are many disadvantages here – you need to protect such a pet from diseases until he receives the necessary vaccinations, the immunity of such a puppy is weak, since he ate his mother’s milk, and now he has to switch to food. You will have to create a veterinary passport for him yourself.
The character of a puppy at this age is also very difficult to determine, so you can be very disappointed. It is worth playing with the animals from the litter to understand who behaves and how, if you want to choose a puppy for work and training in some activity.
45 days The breeder receives permission to sell and prepares documents for each puppy. At this moment, the bitches run out of milk, and the babies become stronger - their immunity is healthy. When buying such a pet, you do not need to be vaccinated , which means that the risk that he may get sick is minimal.
The only negative is the difficulty in determining the dog’s character. In appearance, it may seem that the puppy is lethargic and motionless, but in reality he can be quite active. At this age, the animal’s potential is not fully revealed. As for the price, the cost will be higher , since the breeder will spend money on vaccinations and obtaining a veterinary passport.
4-6 months This decision will be good from all sides.
The puppy is already quite old, and you can immediately see his character and habits. But there is one thing - many buyers are sure that the puppy has serious problems, since he remained with the breeder until such an age. But you shouldn’t think that this makes it of poor quality and not worth buying. If you like his appearance and character, have a beautiful color and look completely healthy, you can safely buy such a dog. The price will be higher , since the breeder has already spent money on food, vaccinations and documents for the animal.

Age 45 days is considered ideal.

At what age can I take it?

1. if this is a dog for the soul , then the best decision is to take it at the age of 1.5-3 months 2. But, if this is a dog for work and service , then it is worth taking an older puppy, whose age is from 3 months . It will immediately show whether the puppy can cope with the task assigned to him.

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Comparison

Males - advantages:

Possibility of visiting exhibitions and competitions at any time. After all, there is no need to cancel your attendance at these events due to pregnancy or heat. That is why at all events there are always more males than females.

Males - disadvantages:

The duration of walks with males is 40-45 minutes, which is quite a long time for busy people. Due to their physiology, they cannot immediately empty their bladder, because they need to mark their territory.

REFERENCE! If you have no desire to mate your pet, it is best to castrate him. In this case, he is less likely to develop diseases such as cancer and prostatitis.

Females - advantages:

Determining the healthiest and best of the litter

You can determine the physical condition of a puppy using the following criteria:

His movements should be confident and free. The puppy should stand well on its hind legs. If there are problems with the limbs, then they are noticeable immediately - just watch the dog’s behavior.
The coat color must be the same as the breed standards. It should be shiny and free of seals and bald spots.
There should be no pus in the eyes - they are dry and shiny.
The surface of the ear is always pink, it has no discharge or unpleasant odor.
The nose is cool and wet, also without any discharge. It is undesirable for there to be pigmentation on its surface.
The oral cavity is pale pink and there is no plaque on the tongue. You need to ask the owner if the puppy's mother has all her teeth. There should be 42 of them. You can check if necessary.
The baby's abdomen should be smooth, but not bloated.

What questions should you ask a breeder when buying a puppy?

It is important to ask the breeder about how healthy the puppy is. Also be sure to look at the animal's passport to make sure there are no problems. The following are a number of questions:

When were the vaccinations given? They are recorded in the veterinary passport. The first vaccination is given 8 weeks after birth, and the second - 21 days later .
What vaccine is the puppy vaccinated with? He must receive comprehensive vaccinations.
When should you get your next vaccination?
Have you been vaccinated against rabies? Vaccinations are given according to different schedules - often the injection is given at 3 months, when the teeth change.
How often should a puppy be treated for worms?
When is the next deworming? Puppies undergo this procedure a month after birth, and also 10 days after the second vaccination.
What drug is used for deworming? (meaning anthelmintic)
What are the health characteristics of a puppy?
What does he eat and what is the best thing to feed him? On what schedule? Your eating pattern changes with age, as does the number of servings.
How many teeth does he have?
Completeness of testes (in males)
What are the characteristics of the animal’s psyche?

What documents must the breeder provide?

When buying a puppy, the breeder or owner must draw up a Sales and Purchase Agreement and attach all the necessary documents to it. After signing such a document, the seller hands over the puppy to the buyer.

Make sure that you are given the following along with the puppy:

Veterinary passport, which indicates the number of vaccinations and treatments against parasites, the number when the manipulations were carried out.
Puppy metric or “puppy card”.
Evidence of the presence of a chip (if any).

Information about the puppy and the seller must be the same as in the passport, and the pet must match the description! If the puppy has a chip, be sure to compare its number with what is listed on the documents.

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Purpose of purchase: for breeding or “soul”

Boys . If you decide to become the owner of a stud dog, then you need to remember that only 5% of dogs with a pedigree and good conformation are used for breeding. In addition to an excellent exterior and a considerable number of exhibition titles, high-quality rearing with specialized feed, appropriate physical activity and sports training, the stud dog must have good health and psyche, the absence of defects not only in his own, but also in the closest related offspring, etc.

Girls . The requirements for choosing a female stud are not as stringent as for males; it is possible to purchase a puppy with insignificant deviations from the standard, these may be minor flaws and must be without defects. But, again, it should be remembered that if the purchase of a bitch is planned to create a nursery, then when choosing, in addition to the pedigree, it is necessary to take into account the exterior, and high-quality rearing and care, as well as the requirements for health and psyche should be as high as and from a stud dog.

Adviсe

So, for your purchase to bring you pleasure in all its forms:

Make sure your home is suitable for each breed of dog . If the dog is large, there should be plenty of room for it to move. If the house is small or you live in an apartment, then the barking of a big dog will drive not only you, but also your neighbors crazy. Having a backyard will create a place for your dog to play actively. After all, they love fresh air and games so much.
Make sure you have enough money . This is not about money to buy a puppy. You must have money for food, visits to the veterinarian, and a hairdresser (if it is a long-haired dog). Also an important condition is the availability of free time. You need to not only walk with the dog, but also play. If you don’t devote time to her, she will get bored, and may even begin to damage furniture and things.
Find a friend for your puppy . If you work a lot and spend little time at home, be sure to find a dog sitter. She will feed her, play with her and take her outside on demand. This way your dog will be happy and his character will be flexible.
The dog can be naughty. In puppyhood, they all seem obedient and flexible. But some individuals can literally turn your house upside down. Be sure to think about what you can do with your dog at home to redirect his attention - buy special toys .
If you already have other pets, think about how introductions will take place and whether your pet will accept the new family member . This should be done very carefully so as not to traumatize the animals’ psyche. Give them the opportunity to sniff each other and get used to it.
Prepare your home for the arrival of the puppy and create a comfortable environment . Buy a small house or bed for your puppy. While on it, he will be able to relax and feel safe.

Choice taking into account the characteristics of future owners

A male is undoubtedly better suited as an active working, sporting or hunting dog. To get along with a large, serious “guy,” the owner must have a strong temperament and perseverance, and if this succeeds, the male will be obedient, calm and controllable no worse than the “girls,” who are reputed to be soft and homely. However, it is not recommended to own a large dominant dog for a person who is unsure of himself or is not familiar with the world of cynology, since lack of education, physical strength and rebellious testosterone can become a dangerous mixture for those around him.

For a family resident of a city apartment, it is recommended to opt for a “girl” dog, since females are more tolerant, affectionate and sociable. They recognize the authority of all members of the pack family and treat favorably even the “weak links” of the hierarchical chain: children and the elderly. Having received a good upbringing, the “girls” are easily manageable during walks, and the owner’s child can be replaced as a watchman and nanny. It is not at all necessary to breed a bitch if impending motherhood confuses the owner.

In any case, when purchasing this or that animal, a person is responsible for its fate, and a loving owner will find pleasure in communicating with a dog, regardless of its gender.

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