Buying a Puppy
The Belgian Shepherd Dog Club of Ireland advises anyone interested in buying a puppy to contact either the Irish Kennel Club (Tel: 01- 4533300) or the Club Secretary for information on breeders. While the Club can provide a list of club members who may have puppies due or available, it does not endorse any breeder or guarantee puppies. The Club recommends all our members to register puppies with the IRISH KENNEL CLUB and to abide by the Code of Ethics of the IRISH KENNEL CLUB and to health test before breeding
Preparing for a Pup Unfortunately, when a puppy is bought by someone who does not take into consideration the time and attention that dog ownership requires, it is the puppy who suffers when he is either abandoned or placed in a shelter by a frustrated owner. So all of the 'homework' you do in preparation for your pup's arrival will benefit you both. The more informed you are the more you will know what to expect and the better equipped you will be to handle the ups and downs of raising a puppy. Hopefully, everyone in the household is willing to do his/her part in raising and caring for the pup. The anticipation of owning a dog often brings a lot of promises from excited family members: "I will walk him every day" "I will feed him" "I will housebreak him", etc., but these things take time and effort, and promises can easily be forgotten once the novelty of the new pet has worn off. All puppies are adorable and all attract children's love and attention….for a short time. Bringing any dog into your home requires a great deal of soul-searching. Are you ready for the expense in terms of time and money? If the breeder from whom you are buying a puppy asks you a lot of personal questions, do not be insulted. Such a breeder wants to be sure that you will be a fit provider for their puppy.
Boy or Girl? An important consideration to be discussed is the sex of your puppy. For a family companion, a bitch may be the better choice, considering the female's inbred concern for all young creatures and her accompanying tolerance and patience. It is always advisable to spay a pet, which may guarantee her a longer life.
Puppy Selection Your selection of a good puppy can be determined by your needs. A show potential or a good pet?? It is your choice. Every puppy, however, should be of good temperament. Although show-quality puppies are bred and raised with emphasis on physical conformation, responsible breeders strive for equally good temperament. If at all possible, ask to view the parent(s) of your potential puppy. Keep in mind that the dam may look a tad under the weather, given her strenuous weeks of labour and puppy rearing.
Insurance Many good breeders will offer you insurance with your new puppy, which is an excellent idea. The first few weeks of insurance will probably be covered free of charge or with only minimal cost, allowing you to take up the policy when it expires. If you own a pet dog it is sensible to take out such a policy as veterinary fees can be high, although routine vaccinations and boosters are not covered. Look carefully at the many options open to you before deciding which suits you best.
Documentation Two important documents you will get from the breeder are the puppy's pedigree and Registration Certificate. The breeder should register the litter and each puppy with the Irish Kennel Club, and it is necessary for you to have the paperwork if you plan on showing or breeding in the future.
Make sure you know the breeder's intentions on which type of registration they will obtain for the pup. There are limited registrations which may prohibit the dog from being bred, if the breeder feels that the pup is not of sufficient quality to do so. On the reverse side of the registration certificate, the new owner can find the transfer section which must be signed by the breeder.
Puppy Personality When a litter becomes available to you, choosing a pup out of all those adorable faces will not be an easy task! Sound temperament is of utmost importance, but each pup has it's own personality and some may be better suited to you than others. A feisty, independent pup will do well in a home with older children and adults, while quiet, shy puppies will thrive in a home with minimum noise and distractions. Your breeder should be able to guide you in the right direction.
It will take at least two week's for your puppy to become accustomed to his new surroundings. Give him lots of love, attention, handling, frequent opportunities to relieve himself, a diet he likes to eat and a place he can call his own. Some experts in canine health advise that stress during a dog's early years of development can compromise and weaken his immune system and may trigger the potential for a shortened life expectancy. They emphasise the need for happy and stress-free growing-up years
Feeding You will probably start feeding your pup the same food that he has been getting from the breeder, the breeder should give you a few days' supply to start you off. Although you should not give your pup too many treats, you will want to have puppy treats on hand for coaxing, training, rewards, etc. Be careful though as small pup's calorie requirements are relatively low and a few treats can add up to almost a full day's worth of calories without the required nutrients. All dogs need a good quality food with an adequate supply of protein to develop their bones and muscles properly. Most dogs are not picky eaters but unless fed properly they can quickly succumb to skin problems.
Vaccinations If you've bought a puppy you surely know the importance of having your pup vaccinated, but do you understand how vaccines work? Vaccines contain the same bacteria or viruses that cause the disease you want to prevent, but they have been chemically modified so that they don't cause any harm. Instead, the vaccine causes your dog to produce antibodies that fight the harmful bacteria. Thus, if your puppy is exposed to the disease in the future, the antibodies will destroy the viruses or bacteria.
De-Worming Ridding your puppy of worms is VERY IMPORTANT because certain worms that puppies carry, such as tapeworms and roundworms, can infect humans. Breeders usually initiate a de-worming programme at or about four weeks of age. The routine is repeated every two or three weeks until the puppy is three months old. Your Veterinary Surgeon can prescribe and monitor the programme of de-worming for you. The usual programme is treating the puppy every 15--20 days until the puppy is positively worm free.
Flea Control Two types of products should be used when treating fleas--a product to treat the pet and a product to treat the home. Adult fleas represent less than 1% of the flea population. The pre-adult fleas (eggs, larvae and pupae) represent more than 99% of the flea population and are found in the environment; it is in the case of pre-adult fleas that products containing an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) should be used in the home.
So now you have your puppy....... DO socialise your puppy from the moment you get it. It's very important to do this in order to have a well adjusted confident dog. Before it has had its final injections it can be carried around with you in your arms to places such as Shopping Centres, Schools, Playgrounds, Markets, etc., so that it gets accustomed to people and noises. A Guide to Responsible Dog Ownership Being a responsible owner means looking after your dog properly in feeding, training, exercise and grooming. You must always ensure that you pet never causes trouble to any member of the community--remember not everybody likes dog. You must also make sure that children in the family are taught from an early age to care for and respect their canine friend. In building up a good relationship both you and your pet can enjoy many years of companionship.
DO take your puppy to the vet at the first sign of ill-health. You may be doing so unnecessarily, but it is always wiser to be safe than sorry and, should something be amiss, then most illnesses are quickly overcome with prompt treatment.
DO have a quiet place in your home which the puppy will quickly identify as its own. A place where it can retire and sleep undisturbed. At some time it will be necessary to leave it on its own and, if already accustomed to spending periods of the day away from you it will make no fuss or objection when these occasions arise. The dog that refuses to be left alone can be a nightmare!
DO make sure from the moment your puppy enters its new home that when you say 'no' it understands that that is exactly what you mean……. 'NO' Discipline is important, but should be administered fairly at all times. Belgians are sensitive animals, very trainable and eager to please. Never hit your puppy. The tone of your voice is enough to get a message across.
DON'T allow your puppy to climb stairs unaided. It may do so willingly, but puppies like all small creatures, have a tendency to be over-exuberant and in moments of excitement may jump or fall and thus cause what may be permanent damage to growing limbs.
DON'T over-exercise your puppy. For the first 5/6 months of its life, free play in your garden is the only strenuous exercise it requires and, for the purpose of lead-training, getting accustomed to traffic, etc. short walks are sufficient.
DON'T allow your Belgian to develop any habit as a puppy which you would find undesirable once it is fully grown. By that time, it may be extremely difficult, perhaps even impossible, to rectify the mistake.
DON'T allow your Belgian to make a nuisance of itself by wandering around your area loose.
A dog needs a licence, should wear a collar and identity disc and be under effective control at all times, preferably on a lead in public places. (It is advisable to be aware of the Control of Dogs Act (1986 & 1991), a copy of which may be obtained from Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2)
AN OWNER'S BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR DOG
Always praise your puppy when he comes to you; crouch down when you call him as standing upright looks threatening. Keep him on a lead until he is reliable. Practise this at home first, then outside in distraction-free areas and then where there are distractions.
Teaching the sit and (lie) down is easy, as the dog can already do these. To teach him to sit, hold a titbit a little in front of him, slightly higher than eye level. Move your hand towards you and say sit. If he does not, press gently on the hindquarters, repeating the command.
To teach him to lie down, have him sitting by you side. Hold his collar with your left hand, show him the titbit, then lower it to the floor in front of him, pressing gently downwards on his collar, while giving the command 'drop' or 'flat'.
To teach him to stay in one spot have the puppy sitting or lying. Give the command 'stay' remaining by is side, keeping him in the desired position, releasing him after about one minute initially. Do not be tempted to keep him long in that position; build up the duration gradually. Nor should you leave him beyond a few steps until he is completely reliable.
Start training him to give up objects on demand as soon as you get your puppy. Give the command 'leave', take the object gently from his mouth and give praise and a titbit when he does. If he growls, take him by the scruff of the neck and scold 'arrgh' or 'no'.
Food - never allow anyone to tease him about food. Have him sit momentarily before giving his food dish. Then say 'ok' to go ahead and eat. Drop extra morsels in from time to time so that he regards human proximity as non-threatening. Never allow him to beg for food from the table while you are having your meal.
Lead training - walk him on your left-hand side in circles (he is always on your left). Then gradually make the circles larger until you are walking in a straight line. If he pulls ahead, stand still; encourage him to come back to your left side; praise him, then walk on again. Introduce sharp turns gradually.