Welcome

When we first went looking for our puppies, we tried to ensure we were happy with the breeders and their background before we set foot in their homes to view the puppies. I knew all too well that ALL puppies look really cute, and as soon as you see one you will want it, so the concept of visiting a few different litters and making our choice of puppies from a big selection was just not going to happen. So long as the breeders were nice, the puppies healthy and puppies’ parents were friendly, I knew neither myself nor Emma would be able to say no to the first puppy we saw!

Decision number 1 was the breeds. As a lover of border collies, there was only one choice for me. As someone who has always wanted a chocolate labrador, Emma’s mind was also made up. Hence we went for one of each!

Decision 2 was the sexes – again this was easy. I have always had bitches, Emma always dogs.

Decision number 3 was a lot harder – a puppy from a breeder or a rescue dog. This was a tough one and a decision that we changed our minds on a number of times before getting them. Rescue dogs is certainly the ‘better’ choice – there are too many dogs out there in rescue shelter to not give it serious consideration. For a number of reasons (I may cover in a future post) we decided to go for breeder-dogs this time around, and to commit to getting rescue dogs in the future. It is a personal decision for all, and I would not (and obviously cannot!) criticize anyone for opting to go for a dog from a breeder rather than from a rescue centre, but everyone should at least consider a rescue dog as an option.

Decision 4 was where to get the puppies from. We decided the breeders had to be kennel club registered – not because we wanted perfect examples of the breed from a long line of champions, with posh sounding kennel names, but simply because we did not want to get a puppy from an unregistered breeder. So, with a lot of help from Emma’s mum, Janet, while we were away, we found the breeders in our area, did some ‘vetting’, narrowed down to those with litters ready soon after we got back from travelling, and visited them.

My first impressions of Charlie was a fat, miserable looking dog, who still managed to look cute. Emma loved him. Well in fact, Emma loved the whole litter and couldn’t decide which one to go for, so I helped out and picked the one who looked awake, but not too over-eager.

Emma’s first impressions of Champa was an over-excitable psycho who seemed covered in poo. Despite the fact that we do both love both puppies, we still maintain these views to some degree, but they do seem to be just typical of their breeds – he is lazy and stubborn, she is excitable and easily bored.

But we loved them and couldn’t wait to get them home.