You have made up your mind about the breed you'd like to own. Now, you need to decide what you plan to do with your future dog. Whether you plan to breed your dog, exhibit it, or just keep it as a pet, the process of choosing your puppy will be the same.

The internet is full of advice, articles on How to Choose a Puppy can be found on many websites, but there is a problem. The experts tell you to visit breeders, to look at litters, to talk to the breeders, to look at dam and sire of the litter, to judge a breeder with your newly acquired internet knowledge and pretend that you know how to go about it, and ask the questions you have learned from the internet.

Do you really believe that this process will give you the right puppy?

Let us start over again to do it the correct way:

Here is your first step to find a puppy. Stay put! The internet is providing you with information on breed lines. Pedigrees are an important source of information when choosing a puppy. Find the pedigree of the dam which you'd like to be the mother of your future puppy. Work backwards through each one of her ancestors. Then find the pedigree of the sire of your future puppy and work backwards through each one of his ancestors. Since you are starting about a couple of years before the actual birth of your puppy, the breeder may not yet have chosen the sire. Not to worry. A good breeder will choose the right sire. The dam is more important when choosing a litter.

Do not contact the breeder until you have done your home work on the breeding line of your future puppy!

Each five generation pedigree contains 62 dogs. If you cannot find the pedigree because the breeder only posts pretty pictures forget about the breeder and/or the future litter. If a breeder advertises his male stud dog as a proven stud when he has only sired a couple of litters, forget about this breeder. A proven stud must show a progeny record of all puppies from at least five litters or he is not a proven stud. If a breeder tells you he/she only breeds from health tested dam and sire, but the siblings of dam and sire have long ago disappeared into neutered and spayed pet homes, and no health testing was ever performed on the siblings, then the health tested dam and sire of a litter can never guarantee you a healthy puppy. All siblings of dam and sire must be tested in order for a breeder to state that he/she is breeding a litter of healthy puppies.

A five generation pedigree shows the names of 62 dogs. Use the internet to find each one of those 62 dogs. If you can locate the owners talk to them about the dog. Some of the dogs in the back of the pedigrees will be dead; however, you still need the details on those dogs. Owners will reveal more about their dogs which have passed away. Do your home work! If you need to discard the breedline half way through your research, and you may have to stop for various reasons, start over again with another breedline, and another dam. No dog is perfect, and no breedline is without faults. Knowing the ingredients of a breedline will give you a good picture of the puppy from a specific litter. Make sure you spent lots of time on researching the four grandparents of your puppy. When assessing a puppy or litter, the grand parents are more important than dam and sire. Although in tune with the breed line and breed characteristics, every puppy and adult dog will have a different personality. When you raise your puppy, always refer back to the ancestors. In other words, you look at your puppy and later on at your adult dog through the eyes of the pedigree. Do not stray off the genes that have been passed down from the ancestors. Always remember that you made your choice when you chose your puppy from this pedigree. Now you must raise your puppy in accordance with this pedigree. If you insist on molding your puppy/adult dog against the genes of the pedigree, you will run into conflicts. If you insist on molding your puppy to what you think a dog should be rather than learn from the specific behaviour of your dog and accept its characteristics, you should think twice about getting a puppy at all. Your dog will also adjust to your behaviour and life style, and will even tolerate some of your bad habits, by no means all of them. Don't try to play the master when you are being unfair. A good dog should not and will not tolerate your unfair behaviour. Do not start a conflict! Look at your own behaviour and your own mistakes first before correcting your dog.

Temperament:
If a breeder tells you that his/her dogs have a good temperament, then you must ask for the record of working titles. Temperament can only be assessed if the dog has a working title record - not a show title record! Interacting with human adults and children is known as Disposition. Although disposition is part of temperament, it is only a small part and must never be confused with temperament. Dogs who do not work in their line of work cannot be assessed for temperament. It is a common mistake by experts/breeders/trainers on the American continent to confuse disposition with temperament.

When you have completed your research and gathered all the information on one specific breedline, find a breeder who breeds from this line. You may only find one or two breeders and they will not be close to your location. Equipped with your knowledge contact your chosen breeder and make a presentation to this breeder. Now, you can ask for a puppy. Be prepared to wait, but try to get onto the reservation list. Anticipate waiting for a year or two. From your research on the ancestors of your new puppy you will know how to live and work with your puppy, and you will know what you can expect from your puppy and adult dog.

NO, it is not important to look at the premises of a breeder.
NO, it is not important to meet dam and sire of a litter.
NO, it is not important to see the whole litter when choosing a puppy.

Too much to expect from a future puppy owner? If dog owners in other countries can make the effort, why can future puppy owners on the American continent not do it?

Please read on:

If you haven't done your home work on the pedigree of your future puppy, you will be buying a puppy in a box. You will never know what you purchased. You will not know how to raise the puppy or maintain the adult dog. The misleading information on the internet developed from the wisdom of Canadian/American second hand "dog" agencies who deal with and often even breed mixed breed dogs, to rescue them later with attached soap opera stories! Contrary to the development in other countries of the world, only few real dogs reside on the American continent. It is safe to conclude that the average American/Canadian may not know what a dog is. Even amongst those who own a real dog, only few owners have the medical veterinary knowledge on their breed of dogs to check and control a diagnosis by a veterinarian. Only few owners know how to interview and choose a competent veterinarian. Excellent medical veterinary books are available on the American book market. Technical books are expensive and you will need to spend the time reading them. You don't have the time to read them? Then you have no time for a dog. Don't bother getting one! You have no money to buy a veterinary medical book? Don't bother getting a dog!

The American/Canadian society loves to be credited for nurturing. Prime activity on the American continent is to render all dogs into useless pets. False reports are welcome to catch the few real dogs that are still left on this continent! Humane mass hypnosis! Young animals are being operated on. The procedure is called neutering and spaying. A convenience operation for the fun of it! Why not purchase a stuffed animal from the toy store instead? It doesn't mind being sliced open and cut up the humane way. You can place it outside on the porch and it will not run away! You can even cuddle it. It will not jump up onto the furniture unless you put it there. A perfect family member! Ready and prepared for early euthanasia! The American/Canadian society loves to "prepare for euthanasia". Very few dogs need in deed to be euthanized at old age. But, if the AR vet slaps a disease on the animal, then owners can enjoy the early euthanasia of the "family member". The fads of the American continent, euthanasia and humane operations reflect the lack of respect for the dog. Beware of the CAN/AM breeders who pride themselves in pet puppy mutilation contracts!

If you own and breed valuable registered dogs, consider leaving Canada. For the protection and safety of your dogs apply pre-emption against the terrorism threatening the registered animals in Canada and USA!