dog for sale

Before heading to the “Dog for Sale” classified ad in the Sunday paper, make sure you’re willing or willing to add another family member, especially if you’re considering taking a puppy home “just for the kids.”

Carefully evaluating the lifestyle of your entire family before committing to this lifelong responsibility has proven helpful in ensuring that this is the right decision for all parties involved—namely, your family and the pup.

Is your house big enough for the puppy to have his own space to play without disturbing any of your family members? Are you home enough to take care of the odds and finish at the early stage? Do you have time to take the puppy for a walk every day? And most important of all, do you have the patience to care for the puppy after he has joined you as a family member?

If most of your answers are yes, congratulations! Now you are ready to welcome this cute little puppy home and have fun.

However, if you rely on the “Dog for Sale” ad to help you find the perfect puppy, there are a few important things to keep in mind:

1. The health of the puppies is the most important thing. Honest dog breeders will be happy to answer any questions you may have about your puppies. It is important to speak with several different breeders before making a purchasing decision so that you can make the most informed and educated decision. Some “Dogs For Sale” ads are actually run by highly reputable dog breeders who are so professional and know what they’re doing that they would have covered a lot of bases for you if you ended up buying from them.

2. Deworming your puppy is a critical part of puppy care, after you’ve made the right choice for the lucky candidate. More than 98% of all puppies are born with worms that they contracted from their mothers. Another major problem is with ticks and fleas. All that biting, scratching and jumping all day because of ticks and fleas is sure to drive anyone crazy just looking at it. Making sure you take your pup for regular vet visits will make life so much easier, especially in the initial “coming home” stage.

3. Puppies need a consistent schedule with plenty of chance to eliminate. Their bladders and intestines are small and can’t “hold” until you get home. A very young puppy is like a pee and poop machine. Puppies may also mark and urinate when submissive or fearful. House training your new puppy should begin as soon as you get home. Puppies learn very quickly and will soon realize the need for them to go potty. So make sure you have a crate set up enough area in which your pup can learn to perform normal functions.

4. As a puppy gets older and can be held longer, the crate becomes less necessary. Just make sure that if you allow your pup freedom, it is still limited in a safe environment. Use a crate properly and set restrictions for your dog when you’re not home to monitor his behavior. A crate can also define a safe area for your puppy to be in if you have company and have a “less obedient” puppy.

So let’s not respond too quickly to the “Dog for Sale” ad and be mentally and physically prepared before committing to such a responsibility, which is often belittled by many pet owners who will then simply abandon their pets anyway, and this is not a very good way to show our love and affection to the best human friends.