Choose the right puppy on BBC 2 now

I need a change in career - how can I become a dog counsellor i.e. Preparing a household for a puppy :p

Also don't understand why they are focusing so much on purebreds & not looking at shelter dogs - I don't think the family that is looking a lab is going to show it!

Ets. I'm getting very cross with this "puppy advisor" - it's going to be 8-12 weeks old, it will adapt to wherever you are keeping it once moved, a puppy isn't a farm dog >:(
 
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I thought it was quite good actually, if it makes one person realise the costs before getting one or the reality of the commitment then it was a good program. Silly woman crying over a pup she'd not met though and even sillier for having it on her lap for an hours + drive home.
 
Apart from people wanting to buy a particular working or show dog, I can't fathom why anyone would buy a puppy as opposed to getting one from a shelter. I think it would have been a good balance to have shown a family getting one from a shelter.
 
paddi22 said:
Apart from people wanting to buy a particular working or show dog, I can't fathom why anyone would buy a puppy as opposed to getting one from a shelter. I think it would have been a good balance to have shown a family getting one from a shelter.
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if I had young kids I would want a pup from a socialisation POV but I know that friends who did that now struggle to fit the dog in now the kids are older and all over the place doing activities.Luckily they have active parents that can help.


An adult dog might be less demanding but having trawled the rescue sites today, very few adults are suitable for young kids or for first time dog owners.
 
Having watched it last night (with really non animal orientated husband), he remarked that I must wear our little Shih out :D Apparently she will be fine with 20 mins walking every day.....

So, on work days she gets half hour in morning at the yard of which 20 mins is trotting beside the barrow over a large acreage poo-picking, then an hour or so later a 10 min trot before we go into the office. 25-40 mins at lunchtime, then another 30 mins to an hour pootling with me in the evenings at the yard.
Non-work days its more!
Please, nobody give this cheery mutt the welfare report lines, she might just phone them :D
 
MotherOfChickens said:
I thought it was quite good actually, if it makes one person realise the costs before getting one or the reality of the commitment then it was a good program. Silly woman crying over a pup she'd not met though and even sillier for having it on her lap for an hours + drive home.
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I didn't see the programme, but wonder what the issue is with travelling pup on the lap for the first journey home. I have always brought pups home on someone's lap, and always recommended people did this when they bought a pup from me
 
MurphysMinder said:
I didn't see the programme, but wonder what the issue is with travelling pup on the lap for the first journey home. I have always brought pups home on someone's lap, and always recommended people did this when they bought a pup from me
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I thought it was illegal to not have a dog properly restrained in a car? This was a longish motorway trip. Pups can be wriggly, sometimes you need to brake hard-there's a reason we don't let kids do it anymore.

each to their own :) not something I would do. I usually put pups in a crate with something smelling of (their old) home, lots of bed and someone next to them for company.
 
Yeah, well now I know my two terriers cost in the region of £4000 a year to keep, I will be dumping them in the nearest layby ...
 
MotherOfChickens said:
I thought it was illegal to not have a dog properly restrained in a car? This was a longish motorway trip. Pups can be wriggly, sometimes you need to brake hard-there's a reason we don't let kids do it anymore.

each to their own :) not something I would do. I usually put pups in a crate with something smelling of (their old) home, lots of bed and someone next to them for company.
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Nope, not against the law amazingly. Highway code:

Rule 57

When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.

But it's an advisory, not a "you must". Silly really, I certainly wouldn't want my dog to be hurt if I had to brake sharply. He has a harness and seatbelt clip. Always thought it was a bit daft that the KC Good citizens test didn't include being restrained in the car, just tests behaviour.
 
You do have a point with regard to being restrained, but its not as if a puppy held on someones lap is going to interfere with the driver. I am just talking about the first journey here, from then on I agree a crate or similar is the way to go.
 
MurphysMinder said:
You do have a point with regard to being restrained, but its not as if a puppy held on someones lap is going to interfere with the driver. I am just talking about the first journey here, from then on I agree a crate or similar is the way to go.
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tbh its not about the driver, more about what happens in the event of an emergency stop-to me anyway. My dog has a harness and seat belt clip for short, back road journeys and a crate in the back of the van for faster/longer trips. my van doesn't have a bulkhead and I am sure my dog would bulldoze down any of the lesser dog guards! Its dogs on parcel shelves that really make me shudder but hey, plenty of dogs travel all ways with no problems.
 
MurphysMinder said:
I didn't see the programme, but wonder what the issue is with travelling pup on the lap for the first journey home. I have always brought pups home on someone's lap, and always recommended people did this when they bought a pup from me
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Agree with this 100%

I didn't see the programme as I don't watch TV, but why would anyone want a pup when there are so many deserving rescues out there? :p (yes its a joke!!!)
 
I really enjoyed the program. I thought she did make some good points, although she annoyed me with the older couple, who wanted two pups.
She gave them such a short time to separate the two pups, I thought it was so unfair! Also, did she not say they were 20 weeks old? My pup is 20 weeks old now and she listens when she's playing! Why were they not at least a little bit trained?! You can do an awful lot in 12 weeks! I think that was a mean and pointless task.
 
MurphysMinder said:
You do have a point with regard to being restrained, but its not as if a puppy held on someones lap is going to interfere with the driver. I am just talking about the first journey here, from then on I agree a crate or similar is the way to go.
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First journey home ours are on laps too. And first vets trips. Crates after that and for school runs and so on.
 
Chan said:
I really enjoyed the program. I thought she did make some good points, although she annoyed me with the older couple, who wanted two pups.
She gave them such a short time to separate the two pups, I thought it was so unfair! Also, did she not say they were 20 weeks old? My pup is 20 weeks old now and she listens when she's playing! Why were they not at least a little bit trained?! You can do an awful lot in 12 weeks! I think that was a mean and pointless task.
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I thought overall the woman "guide" was very mean - especially deterring woman off buying a lab puppy that was a "farm puppy" - I think an 8 week old puppy will adapt to where ever it's living!! Or agreeing with the couple who originally wanted 2 small dogs when they suddenly changed to a new foundland?!
 
I don't think she was being mean, don't forget this is dumbed down telly. Re the two pups, maybe they should have made it more obvious that getting litter mates wasn't a good idea.
As for the Newfie woman, that's ongoing going by the trailer. As for the farm puppy I agree but people do get puppies and dogs from unsuitable places and if it makes one person question their choices it can only be good. They were all on breakfast yesterday and their lab seemed very laid back and happy.
 
Not watched this however.

Out of the six puppies I've brought up, the three 'farm dogs' were the easiest. So much easier to toilet train than indoor dogs that have got used to going indoors!!

Oh and trips home, always on my lap!!
 
My first two were farm dogs, as was the dog we sourced for my bil. Utter bo!!ocks, IMO, that they wouldn't adapt. I like how the guide person told them about puppy farms etc, but I think an awful lot more emphasis should have been placed on health tests and hip scoring should have been mentioned for the lab puppy. Glad they were put off getting the chocolate one on the day they saw the ad! No wonder so many people don't realise they're buying from puppy farms.

Perhaps she should have mentioned that giant dogs have a shorter life span than smaller dogs?
 
I cannot believe how after the puppy farm program he bought that cavalierx poodle with no testing on the cav, a cav that has a litter every year... :mad3:

CT they did mention that last week when they were deciding whether to consider a newfie or not.

I think with the labs/goldies it was going to a really specific home, yes all pups will adapt but it was going to have to cope with quite a full on kid straight away so I am pleased they took their time and got a breeder on side over selection.
 
ester said:
I cannot believe how after the puppy farm program he bought that cavalierx poodle with no testing on the cav, a cav that has a litter every year... :mad3:

CT they did mention that last week when they were deciding whether to consider a newfie or not.

I think with the labs/goldies it was going to a really specific home, yes all pups will adapt but it was going to have to cope with quite a full on kid straight away so I am pleased they took their time and got a breeder on side over selection.
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You want someone to be professional but that cavapoo breeder looked a little too professional! He knew the mum should be tested but bought the puppy anyway because his girls were convinced he was buying them one. I personally would have walked away if the mother hadn't had necessary health checks.
 
I watched both the episodes, but am abit confused on the fact the puppies were allowed out at 8 weeks , I was under the impression they should be vacinated, as potential for diseases etc even from foxes being present in the area was a risk. Anyone got any better info on vacinations for puppies. :)
 
ldlp111 said:
I watched both the episodes, but am abit confused on the fact the puppies were allowed out at 8 weeks , I was under the impression they should be vacinated, as potential for diseases etc even from foxes being present in the area was a risk. Anyone got any better info on vacinations for puppies. :)
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From what I saw they were only in people's gardens until fully vaccinated which is always been given the OK from vets
 
Well we would only be letting out in garden but we get other peoples cats in and foxes in our garden, and I saw somewhere that there was a potential risk from foxes etc.
 
I always take puppies out straight away regardless of vaccinations(I do get these done straight away though) I just feel that early socialisation is paramount and I will take the risk, after all there is risk from your own back garden from foxes etc anyway. Puppies are literally out on a walk from the day I take them home, I find it helps with the settling with the older dogs too if puppy is on the pack walk, I do end up carrying them most of the way though as out walks are too long for a young pup to walk the whole way.
 
ldlp111 said:
Well we would only be letting out in garden but we get other peoples cats in and foxes in our garden, and I saw somewhere that there was a potential risk from foxes etc.
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There is a slight risk, v the risk of your puppy being terrified of the outdoors. Also you have to house train twice if you train them onto puppy mats, thena gain onto grass.
 
My pup was 9 weeks when I got her and I immediately booked her in for her jabs, which the vets did the following week. She was then due her second lot of jabs two weeks later, at 12 weeks where I was advised not her let her walk/mix with unknown dogs for a further week afterwards. I did take her out and about straight away when I first got her but carried her when in dog/public places.

However, did a bit of research to bring me up to speed with all things pup and vaccination related, (it's been quite a while since I've had a puppy) and decided her socialization was just as important so introduced her to lots of friend's dogs in their own homes, (which were all healthy and vaccinated) and at my home too. I did walk her in public places and with other unknown dogs, a few days after her last vaccination as she was going a little stir crazy and it was a small risk I was willing to take.
 
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