From time to time, certain circumstances come up and pet owners may have to temporary place their pet in the care of someone else. Some have family members who are able to take care of pets, but others aren't so fortunate and have to use a boarding facility.

Choosing which boarding facility to leave your pet at is not an easy decision. This decision should not be solely based on their location; a better facility may be worth a few extra minutes of drive time.

Before you leave your pet at any boarding facility, do your homework. Visit the boarding kennel, and try to do this without an appointment.  If they require you to have an appointment, one must wonder if they simply prettied things up just for your visit.  

Look at the dogs who are currently being boarded. Make sure they have bedding and clean water, and there are no feces present in the area. Also look at the quality of the area the dog is in. Make sure there is no rust present and no sharp edges, and if it is chain link on parts of the kennel area, look it over and make sure it's in good condition. 

Make sure the dogs are taken outside several times a day for exercise. If your dog is going to be completely indoors, your dog will not be happy.  Some kennel facilities have indoor/outdoor kennels which gives the dog access to fresh air and more chances to go out to potty, but also ask if they get human interaction as well. 

Make sure that the kennel requires vaccinations on animals boarded, and also ask if they require vaccinations on dogs who are coming into the facility for other reasons, such as grooming or training. If they only require vaccines on boarding dogs, this is not a good sign. Even a dog who is only there for a few hours for grooming can bring in kennel cough, and spread it to every animal in the facility since it's an airborne illness.  Even if your dog is vaccinated against kennel cough, there are numerous strains and mutations which the vaccine does not cover. If your dog is vaccinated, your dog will most likely have a less severe case of kennel cough than what an unvaccinated dog will have.

Some people feel that having playtime with other dogs is a good thing. Keep in mind that even though your dog may love other dogs, the other dogs may not love your dog. You are exposing your dog to potential injury from fights, as well as the possibility of getting parasites from the other dogs. 

Be sure to ask what their human to dog ratio is. Many kennel facilities are very understaffed and the workers have to take on more dogs than they can actually handle. One person can properly care for about 15 dogs. Anything over that amount will cause dogs to get less quality care. 

Make sure you are permitted to bring your own food. Switching dog food can cause your dog to become ill, and in some cases can even cause Gastroenteritis. Don't just bring in a large bag of food, separate it into baggies for each feeding, and make sure  you have enough for one or two extra feedings just in case you're delayed getting back to pick up your dog.  When you do pick up your dog, ask to have the extra food back and count how many bags you are returned to make sure your pet was fed properly. If your pet is on medication, count the amount of pills that are in the bottle before you drop off your pet and count them when you get your pet home. If your pet missed feedings and medication, do not board with that facility again. 

If you feel uncomfortable at all with the staff or any part of the facility, do not leave your pet in their care. Listen to your instinct and if anything seems odd, look for another facility.

There are some kennels that have web cams so you can watch your pet from a computer while you are away. It usually costs a bit more to board at these facilities, but the peace of mind you will have from being able to keep an eye on your dog may be worth the extra money. 

The American Pit Bull Terrier is the most known dog in the United States. Even those who have not actually met a Pit Bull have heard about their reputation, however their bad reputation does not give any insight into the breed itself, simply the acts of a few poorly trained animals.

It is a fact that the Pit Bulls original purpose was to fight other dogs, and many still train them for fighting regardless of legality. They are the most used breed for this since they are extremely muscular, have a very high pain tolerance and strive to please their owner. None of this makes a bad breed, it merely shows that there are still bad people who train good dogs for illegal purposes.

There are many who claim that Pit Bulls have locking jaws and cannot be trusted. In truth, no breed of dog has any sort of locking mechanism in their jaws, Pit Bulls simply have very strong muscles. 

A Pit Bull who was not trained to fight, but trained in the same manner that you would train your Labrador Retriever, is a very good pet and trusted companion. They adore children, welcome friendly strangers, and always seek the approval of their owners.  

If you want a good Pit Bull, you must be a good owner first. You must understand a Pit Bull and care for their needs. They love their family and want to be with them, so keeping your Pit Bull outside all the time will not make a happy dog. You should take your Pit Bull to obedience training so you and the dog can learn basic skills and he will be more well mannered and obedient. 

Introducing your Pit Bull to a variety of people, animals and places when young will help him be a better dog. Many Pit Bulls can be dog aggressive, but proper socialization with other dogs while young will help him to not be dog aggressive.  Also keep in mind that dog aggression has absolutely nothing to do with human aggression. Just because a dog does not like other dogs, that does not mean he will ever bite a person. Every breed has dogs who are dog aggressive, this is not an issue the Pit Bull carries alone.

Pit Bull puppies love to chew, so make sure you have plenty of toys that he can chew on or he may end up chewing on your sofa. If you do find him chewing on things he shouldn't, simply give a firm "No", and then give him something acceptable to chew on. 

Housebreaking is usually fairly easy with Pit Bulls. If there are accidents, under no circumstances should you rub your Pit Bulls nose in it. All this will accomplish is a stinky dog, not a step in training. If you don't catch him in the act, simply clean it up and watch him closer.  If you catch him in the act, give a firm "No" and get him outside.  When he does potty outside, praise him! Make sure your puppy is taken outside often, crated when you cannot be right there to supervise, and your puppy should be housebroken in no time.

 As the night time temperatures plummet into the single digits and daytime rarely sees numbers above freezing, there are many pets living outdoors that are struggling just to keep warm.

Regardless of the breed, no dog can handle living outdoors without human assistance. Even those with very thick coats can still suffer frostbite on the pads of their feet and on their noses. Short coated breeds should not be left outdoors when the temperature drops below freezing. Heavily coated breeds such as the Chow, Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Great Pyrenees and Samoyed will be able to withstand temperatures that are below freezing, however if the dog does not have the proper coat or the body fat to insulate themselves, they cannot tolerate these temperatures.

An outdoor dog will need a weatherproof shelter that is raised at least 1 to 2 inches off the ground. The indoor dimensions of this doghouse should be 1 ½ times the height of your dog when measured at the shoulders, and 1 ½ times the body length. Having a doghouse that is too large will be more difficult for your dog to stay warm.

Inside the doghouse, there should be plenty of straw or hay. Putting blankets in an outdoor dog house is never a good idea since they will harbor moisture and freeze. Make sure the opening to the shelter is facing away from the wind, and if possible have a doggy door that will block even more wind.

Dogs burn more energy in the winter since they are using their energy to keep warm, so he will require more food than in the summer months. Water freezes, so your dog will need a heated water bowl made of durable plastic. This will keep the water in the bowl from freezing, however you will need to check on the water bowl often to make sure there is still plenty of water available in the bowl.

Outdoor dogs should be monitored closely through the winter to assure they are warm enough. Keep in mind that very young dogs and aging dogs are not as able to keep warm as a dog in their prime. If at any time you find your dog to be shivering, it needs to get indoors quickly. 

As I write this, most people are out enjoying an evening on the town in celebration of the new year. In a matter of three hours, 2010 will be here. Obviously, I'm not one of those out on the town, I'm home with my 5 dogs. 

For many pet owners like myself, holiday times are rarely full of joy. Independence day and New Years are in fact, times we dread. As the skies light up with fireworks, our pets are quivering in fear, and we have to be there to comfort them. We run around the house turning on every television and radio to help drown out the chaos happening outdoors, hoping that our pets will not hear what is happening. 

Some of our pets react so badly to fireworks and thunderstorms that we even have prescriptions for sedatives for our animals. The sedatives will help take the edge off their fear, and make them a tad more comfortable.

Two years ago was my first Independence Day with my Miniature Schnauzer, "Joey". He was 7 years old, however I had only had him for a few months. His previous owner had cancer and could no longer care for him, so I took him in. Joey is one of the many dogs who is terrified of fireworks. Joey had become so upset over the battlefield-like noises outside, he became very ill. He was vomiting and had very loose stool The morning of July 4th, he began having blood in his vomit and I had to rush him into the emergency clinic. Joey was diagnosed with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, due to being upset over fireworks. I was given numerous medications for him, to be given every few hours for several days.

Thankfully, Joey came through. Many dogs die from hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. The following Independence Day I was prepared to comfort Joey more, and stayed up the entire night with him. He could not go outside to potty due to the fireworks, so he and the other dogs were carried to the basement to potty on the concrete floor. This is not something I enjoy having them do, but it was better than risking them becoming more terrified by the horrible noises outside.

So this evening, I declined all invitations to New Years parties. I am sitting on the couch with my dogs sound asleep next to me. They're happy, I'm happy, and it will hopefully be a decent night. Typically the neighborhood chaos begins at exactly midnight, and settles down around 1:00 am. This I can live with. 

In many films, the Doberman Pinscher is depicted as a very fierce guard dog who is curling their lips up and ready to attack. It's true that the Doberman was created to be an formidable dog by a German tax collector named Louis Dobermann. Louis collected taxes door to door, and many were unwilling to pay their taxes, therefore he created a breed that would show force, and ease his duties. 

Over the years, the breed has been tamed down. Granted there are still many Dobermans who are trained in protection work as well as used in police work, the majority of the breed are pets. The Doberman makes an exceptional pet, and can fit into nearly any lifestyle. They're very short coated, which makes grooming them a simple chore. There is some shedding involved with the breed, but brushing them weekly will lessen this problem. 

Dobermans are usually remembered as black and rust colored dogs, however there are other markings that are present in the breed. They can also be red and rust, blue and rust, and fawn and rust. There isn't a miniature version of the breed, Miniature Pinschers are a separate breed entirely. Their coats are very short and sleek, and do require brushing at least once a week in order to cut down on shedding.

They tend to get excited easily, and will bark and race around when they get excited. They adore their family and will always want to be with them. A Doberman will not thrive if kept as an outside dog, and is not at all built for dealing with the weather. When unhappy or bored, they become very destructive. They will chew furniture, dig at carpeting, even claw at walls. Be certain that your Doberman has plenty of durable toys, mental stimulation and physical exercise and he will be a very happy dog. 

The tails of Dobermans are usually docked when they're just a few days old. This surgery is safe, and doesn't even require that the puppy be put under anesthetic. Ears can be natural or cropped; cropping done around 7-9 weeks old, and the puppy is required to be under anesthetic, so there is more risk involved to do this procedure. There is no actual purpose for cropping the ears, it's simply a matter of owner preference. These days, many vets will not even do the procedure since it's simply for cosmetic reasons and they don't want to put the puppy through it.

 Like all breeds, the Doberman has a great deal of health problems that are associated with them. Bleeding disorders, thyroid problems, hip/elbow dysplasia, cancer, and heart problems are concerns. Reputable breeders will test their dogs for all known issues prior to breeding, and will not breed dogs who carry defects. This helps to assure that you will be getting a puppy who is much less likely of having these problems. 

So, you're supposed to take a trip to see your family next week. You've cancelled your newspaper, alerted a handful of trusted neighbors about your absence so they can watch over things, and even had the mail stopped while you're away. As you sit down to have your glass of wine, you realize that there are a pair of big brown eyes looking back at  you; what do you do about "Butch"?

Everyone that you really trust to take care of him is going with you out of town, your neighbors are allergic to dogs, so they're not an option either. Well, I suppose you need to find a professional to take care of  him, after all they're trained to take care of all dogs right?

You call a few kennels and get information on their rates, vaccinations required, what is required of you to bring for your dog, etc.  Some of them even allow you to tour their kennel by making an appointment, and you feel you should do so.  You arrive at the kennel and everything is neat and clean, the few dogs that are in the kennel appear to have clean surroundings, and you're satisfied, and you book the appointment.

The big day comes to drop off Butch at the kennel. When you arrive, things seem a bit chaotic. The teenage girl at the front desk informs you that it's a busy day for them and that things usually aren't 'this bad', or they tell you that they had an employee call in sick, so they are understaffed today.  You understand and fill out the paperwork on Butch and then leave your pet in their care for the week.

But, what happens to Butch when you walk away? Is he going to be in that big kennel area that you were showed when you toured the facility? Is he going to be kept clean, fed, watered, happy? Is he going to be allowed to run around freely with other dogs who may not like him and may fight with him? What really happens?

Speaking from the other side of the check in counter, I can tell you that I would never leave my pet in any kennel, for any reason. The fact that the majority of boarding kennels is understaffed is an understatement.  I've talked with kennels who state that they have one kennel person for every 12 dogs, and after speaking to a former employee, the truth is that one person is responsible for over 30 dogs, and must also work the check-in counter, answer phones, take care of laundry, cleaning, feeding, watering, walking and medication. How much can one person do? 

So, you think your dog is going to be kept in the beautiful environment that you were showed when you toured the facility?  Many kennels use the old bait & switch tactic.  I know of several kennels who have various areas that they keep dogs. One area is absolutely wonderful looking- feels like home.  This is simply the area that new clients are showed when thinking of boarding their dog, and when you're walking away from your pet, they're taking your dog into that area...until you leave. Once you're gone, the dog is put somewhere else for the duration of his visit. Sometimes it's a fairly large kennel area but not nearly as plush as you imagined, other times, it's in a crate lined with newspapers and old towels.  The bait and switch tends to happen much more over holiday times, and especially spring break. If you have a small dog, your dog will most likely not be kept in that big kennel area you think- he's going to be crammed into a crate because he can fit in there, and that will open another spot up for a big dog, which usually are charged more. 

Now, you think you're leaving your pet with trained professionals? This is the biggest misconception around. The majority of kennel staff have little to no training. Many are high school age, some are older- but very few even know the first thing about dogs. They simply applied for the job because they thought they were going to be paid to sit around and play with dogs all day, when you actually never have a moment of time when you can actually show the dog that kind of attention; due to the massive under-staffing. These same untrained people are in charge of giving out medication to those who are required to have it, and many either don't give it, or don't give it correctly.  If there are pills left over on the day the dog is supposed to leave, the kennel staff simply takes pills out because they knew they weren't given to the dog, but they don't want the owner to know.  If the kennel staff knows what the medication is for, they will keep it in case they need it for one of their own dogs sometime.  Keep in mind that some of these dogs who require medication are receiving it for pain, epilepsy, thyroid problems, and even diabetes. Insulin left out on the counter all night? Ooops, put it in the refrigerator the next morning and it'll be ok... WRONG. The insulin will become useless, but you don't know that, right? 

So you brought in a bunch of dog food, and a whole lot of treats for your dog so he'll enjoy your stay- good for you!  You really think YOUR dog is going to get that?  Excess food is usually dumped into a 'house food bin' where the boarding dogs who did not bring their own food are dished out food from, and charged a few dollars a day each for this- and it's YOUR food! The kennel is charging other boarding customers for food that YOU brought in for YOUR dog!  The typical ratio each feeding is one bowl for your dog, one scoop for the kennel bin. The treats? Those are either picked over by kennel staff/owners and taken home to their own pets, or given to dogs who are loud- in order to occupy them so they're quiet. Your dog may see one or two, but the rest are give out to others, and you're left thinking your dog was eating well and having treats all the time. 

So, you brought in a bunch of bedding for your dog, and all his favorite stuff. He's most likely not going to see any of it while he's there, and if he does, it'll be only for the last day because the kennel does not want to have to wash it all the time. 

Now here's where it gets really bad. If  your dog is really wild or barking too much, many kennels will hand out Benadryl like it's candy- to make your dog drowsy and quiet. If you brought sedatives for your dog just in case he gets upset, they'll get given to him to keep him quiet, and maybe even passed out to some other dogs to keep them quiet.  A lot of dogs tend to get loose stools when they're boarding due to being upset from being away from home or even being fed the wrong food, well to get rid of this problem, many kennels will have medications to 'stop them up', such as high dosed antibiotics that work in the bowel.  Now, the kennel staff has no idea if your dog is sensitive to certain medications or allergic to medications, but it's given out anyway without you ever knowing. They wont tell you that your dog had problems unless it's something that they cannot hide from you. 

Did your dog come home with cuts on his face? They'll most likely tell you it's from your dog being excited and he was chewing on the kennel area and cut himself. Sometimes this may be true, but other times a dog gets away from the kennel staff and runs to the front of another dogs kennel and tries to attack through the fencing, causing cuts on your dog. 

With all that said, if you have to leave your dog, it's best to leave him with a family member or try to take your pet with you. A great deal of the time, trusting strangers with your pet isn't the best option.  There may be some good kennels out there, but there are so many bad ones to worry about.  If you can find a kennel with webcams built into their facility and you can watch your dog at any time on the internet, it may be your best choice if you must board your dog. At least then you can keep an eye on him and know what he's doing, and the kennel staff knows you may be watching, so they're more prone to take better care of  your pet. You may pay a bit more for a kennel with those cameras, but knowing your pet is safe, clean and well cared for is worth the extra money.

Pet owners are often left in a bind when finances get tight. You barely have enough money for yourself and your family, and then you have pets to take care of too. So how do  you cut down on costs, without your pets suffering from it?

First off, GROOMING.  If you routinely take your pet for grooming, you can ask your groomer what you can do at home in order to reduce the grooming fee. Many groomers will give you a better deal if your pet comes in without tangles. Tangles are a big pet peeve to groomers since it makes their job much tougher. They may also cut you a break if you bring your own shampoo for your dog.  With some breeds, you can have them cut shorter so that you can go longer in between groomings, and then there is always the 'do it yourself' method. With doing it yourself, most of the time you're not going to have a pretty pet since most home groomers are inexperienced. It's best to have a professional groomer coach  you on how to do it, if possible. 

Secondly, FOOD.  In these times, I'm not buying the type of food for myself that I bought a year ago, and cannot afford to do so for my dogs either. I don't recommend getting the cheapest stuff at the supermarket, but go online and evaluate the various food types and prices, and see what you can manage.  Most of the time, the more you buy, the better the cost overall. For instance, if you simply go and buy a 4# bag to get you through the week, your losing money. Buy a 20# or even 40# bag and it's cheaper in the long run. 

Third, VET CARE.  Those of us with multiple pets can usually save on the office call charge simply by taking in our pets at the same time- 2 pets, one office call fee.  If the dog simply needs vaccinations, get the 3 year rabies shot and you can do the distemper vaccine yourself and save money- if your familiar with how to do vaccinations. Some vets will show you how to do the vaccines, however some of the vets who are 'money hungry' will not help you with this at all, so be prepared for that too.  

Keep in good standing with your vet- just in case you get into financial trouble. If you are well known at your vet (long time client) they are more likely to allow you to make payments, which is very helpful with money is tight.  Some may even totally waive the office call fee (usually $30-45) if you're just going in for vaccinations.

Now, if your dog is ill, DO NOT TRY TO TREAT AT HOME. Call the vet, explain the problem, and also discuss finances. They may tell you something you CAN do at home, or may offer a payment plan right then and there. 

It's always best to be very upfront with your groomer and vet about finances- they aren't working for free, however they may be willing to cut you a break on things. No matter what, it doesn't hurt to ask.  

Several times a week I get emails regarding Labradoodles & Goldendoodles. According to the people sending the mails, these dogs have absolutely no health problems, are extremely easy to train, do not shed at all, and are the perfect, mellow, non barking pet. Apparently if I write anything different, they feel that I don't know what I'm talking about. I suppose that I'm the only person in this world who has met a Doodle that is crazy and sheds? I highly doubt that!   I'm convinced that the people who are sending these emails are Doodle breeders who want to keep pushing their Doodles on the world as the 'perfect dog'.

I'm sure that there are some Doodles who are very mellow, low shedding, easy to train, etc., however the vast majority that I have met, are the complete opposite of that.  I've personally never met one who was shed-free. We have dozens who come into where I work for grooming, and the owners want them totally shaved because of the shedding issue.  On more than one occasion the customer stated that they should have just gotten a Labrador Retriever since they were putting up with so much hair all over the house.

As for being hyper, I've personally only seen one who has mellowed out, and she is now four years old and her owner admitted that he was very heavy-handed with her. Others are very badly mannered, which I attribute part of that to the owners neglect to train. However when I mentioned that I recommended obedience training for the Doodles, I still got hammered with emails because these people felt that I was singling out the Doodles.  There are many breeds that I highly recommend obedience training for- all breeds can benefit from it, but some of the bigger, stronger breeds it's pretty much a 'must' for the average pet owner. 

I also stated on the Doodle profile page that they may innocently knock over small children or elderly just by brushing by them- this is for many large breeds, especially when young, since they can be a bit clumsy. Again, these people felt that I was singling out the Doodles for this. Why can't people get a grip?  

No, I don't agree with breeding Doodles. I don't feel there is a purpose for the breed.  I know they were originally created to assist blind people who had dog allergies, but why couldn't a Standard Poodle do this job?  Why create this new breed, slap a high price tag on them, and market them to pet owners?  I personally don't understand any motive other than greed.  Now, if Doodle owners would show proof of health clearances on the parents of these dogs, I may be a bit more supportive of the quest, however nearly all of the breeders I've found of these dogs do not show any health testing. 

I've also gotten slammed because I don't allow Doodle breeders to be listed on the website. Again, show some health clearances and maybe I'll change my mind, until then, go away.

Nine days before Christmas was going to be my first day 'smoke free'. I've been a smoker for 18 years, over half my life. I went and bought a box of nicotine patches and my final pack of cigarettes. That night, I smoked like a chimney and at midnight, had my final cigarette. 

The following morning, I woke up, and put on my patch. I was going to be smoke-free. Then my oldest Miniature Schnauzer, Sammy was very sick. I got him to the vet and they told me that his outlook wasn't good. Sam was born with a heart murmur, which I knew about- that's actually the reason I took him. I work for the breeder, and when it was found that he had this problem, my boss could not sell him since she didn't want to sell any puppy with a defect, so I got him for free. At that time, my vet, who is the heart specialist in the city, told me that I would be very lucky to have Sam for 18 months due to his heart problem.  I told my vet that Sam may have a short life, but he's going to have a good life, and I took him home.

Well, due to Sams heart problem, any surgery was extremely risky.  When Sam became ill, there were options on testing and everything, however they figured that he was going to end up needing surgery of some sort, and he would not survive it, so I made the decision to put him to sleep. Sam would have been 12 in May 2010. He greatly outlived the vets expectations, and never once had any problems with his heart. 

Sam was always the peaceful one. He would never start any conflict with the other dogs, wouldn't even play with toys because he felt they were 'beneath him'- he just wanted to be adored at all times, which he was. Sam always had a habit of letting you know he was there- whether it be sitting in a doorway and doing his trademark "burrrrr" sound, or walking behind you and smacking you in the back of your leg with his front paw- almost like he was 'cattle-prodding' you, so to speak. 

Sam was also my dining buddy.  He knew that I'm clumsy and tend to drop things when I eat, so Sam would always sit under me in the 'drop zone' to eat everything that I dropped. I'll admit, I tended to drop things more frequently than I normally would just for his benefit. When he saw me getting food, he'd always rush to where I eat and get under the table and wait for his fortune to drop on him.  I remember vividly when I was holding him while he was being put to sleep- I was looking down at him and on his collar was a bit of cheese from the mac & cheese I'd recently eaten, and had been dropped on him. 

Needless to say, I'm no longer a non smoker. Losing my boy was very rough, and though I did go two days totally smoke free, as the days go by without him I am constantly reminded of him not being here, and it's killing me. Things just aren't the same without the 'godfather' of Schnauzers being here.  

Even though I have 5 other dogs here, Christmas just wasn't the same without him clinging to me in order to get away from all the chaos that is always here with all the relatives in the house. He would always run to me for comforting, and though it seemed to be a major pain to deal with every Christmas, I really missed that this year. 

This morning, the vets office called to tell me that they had Sammy's ashes ready for me to pick up.  The weather was bad, had gotten quite a bit of snow overnight, but I couldn't let my Sammy be away from home one minute longer than needed. I brought him home today, and even though it's not the same as having him walking around prodding me, I do feel a bit more at ease just knowing that he's back home, to the only home he's ever known. 

We've all walked into a pet store and looked at the huge wall of puppies encased in glass cages. The puppies are sitting the staring back at you, pawing at the glass just begging you to take them home. You ask the clerk if you can hold the puppy, and they gladly allow it. They take the puppy out, put him in your arms, and the puppy is just quivering with happiness. The next thing you know, you're getting out your credit card and purchasing the puppy because you just can't stand the thought of putting him back inside that glass cage and making him lonely once again. You know where he came from, he's the product of one of those horrible puppymills you see on tv, so you MUST save him, you absolutely must.

So you take him home and you feel all warm inside thinking of the great thing you've just done. Sure, it set you back $1,000, but it was for good- or was it?  Just as your looking in your kitchen cabinets for a bowl to put some puppy chow in, the clerk at the pet shop is bringing up yet another puppy to fill that glass cage. Yes, there are more puppies there, and each cage you empty simply leaves room for another puppy, and another call to the supplier to produce more puppies. The cycle simply continues because you freed up a space in that glass wall of cages.

But this puppy, this is the one YOU saved. He's yours, all yours.  You have papers on him, so he must be a good dog. You even have a pedigree!  The sad truth is, the majority of pedigrees and papers you get when you purchase a dog are worthless. Are they even accurate? Are they even for YOUR dog?  With names on the pedigree such as "Fluffy" or "Butch", do you really know who Fluffy and Butch are? NO.

There is a huge difference between a pet shop pedigree and a pedigree you get when you get a dog from a reputable breeder. A reputable breeders pedigree with contain their kennel name, the dogs title(s), and usually registration numbers of the parents- so then you can go online and check out their show records and even health clearances on the parents.  A great majority of reputable breeder dogs are even DNA profiled too!

But, you now have this puppy from the pet shop. He's yours, and will most likely make a wonderful pet. Hopefully he's healthy- many pet shop dogs aren't, but maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones.  Get your new puppy to the vet right away to start his vaccinations, and as soon as he's old enough, get him neutered (or spayed, if you bought a female). Don't think you're going to breed the dog and make some of your money back- if you even attempt this, you are no better than the scum who run the puppymills.  Reputable breeders make very little (if any) money on their dogs due to all the testing that goes into the parents of the dogs prior to the breeding, and then is the puppy care, vet checks, etc.   Breeding dogs correctly takes more than just letting Fluffy and Butch go on a date. The only reason to breed a dog is to Better The Breed. What does that mean?  It means that reputable breeders will select a dog that will highlight desired traits, and rid undesired traits. It's much more than just have a male and female!

With all that said, the next time you decide to go 'window shopping' with dogs, do it at your local shelter or find a breed rescue group or reputable breeder. Keep in mind that pet shop prices and reputable breeder prices aren't much different (many times pet shops charge MORE), and with a reputable breeder you'll have a health warranty, lifetime breeder support, information on the parents of your puppy, health test results and so much more.