Before adopting : Choosing the place and the puppy

To simplify, I shall start from the usual questions we ask ourselves when we think about adopting a dog (in our case, of course, we have decided that the shetland is THE dog that we want.)

•  Where can we find a 'pedigree' shetland?

At first sight there are effectively several possible places. The pet shop often comes to mind. We go to a shop for a pullover, why not go to one for an animal after all? The last thing I want to do is to denigrate such places, but, unfortunately, most of the time, it's far from the ideal solution... imagine, I'm a baby, hardly capable of walking, in a showcase window with lots of other babies whom I don't really know, there are strange people (just imagine, they don't even have fur and walk on two legs...) who are watching me and making noises (Oooooh and Ahhh!).

 It's stressful, and it is not the best experience I could have of the human race... far from it. In addition this stress makes me more vulnerable to disease, and in spite of all the possible measures of hygene , many different sorts of animals pass through this place...The last reason which makes me say that this is not the right choice of place, is that we don't know where the puppy came from. For a leash or a packet of dog biscuits, it isn't really important (whatsoever...), but for our companion of the next fifteen years? It's essential...

The dog breeder is therefore a much better solution. This being a person who has from two litters per year, not a difficult number to meet, even if we still prefer to be called 'private' or 'family breeder', for the simple reason that the word 'breeder' bears the heavy burdon of the collective image people have made of it. Of course, as in all domains, there are the 'good' and 'bad' breeders, so here are a few pointers in order to make a good choice.

•  How do we choose the breeder?

A breeder is a 'specialist', in principle he knows what he's doing and knows the dogs that are born at his place well. It's the first criteria which allows us to choose a good breeder: He knows shetlands well, the characteristics of the breed (morphology and character), the names of their colours, the ideal living conditions... Someone who wants to sell you a 'variegated blue' as a couch dog... or a 'sable shetland with blue eyes' (besides which is unconfirmable) will arouse immediate suspicion as to his competence about the subject. Someone who wants to know if the dog will get enough daily exercise, and who would like you to go and choose the dog on site rather than by taste in colour... that's a real progress. He is concerned by the future well-being of his 'babies', it's a very good sign.

Once at the breeder's, again, it's essential to keep one's eyes wide open. The facilities must of course be clean and well maintained, there must also be enough room for the dogs' well-being … but it must not be cold and impersonal either. After all, kennels can be clean and spacious, but it's not my idea of the ideal environment in which to breed dogs. Dogs, and in particular shetlands, can live outside, they can even stand the cold quite well (the French climate has nothing in common with that of the Shetland Islands, I'm sure you'll agree), but man must be part of the surroundings.

A conscientious breeder, who loves his dogs and whose work is his passion, spends a lot of time with his animals, even more when there are pups. The socialization of his puppies depends on this, it's inevitable. Without this, when confronted with people, the young dogs could be afraid, or develop behavioural problems which would be impossible to solve later on (I do know from personal experience...). The puppies should have the possibility to experience their future habitat (the home) and above all, they must seek human contact.

If they run away when you arrive, or even worse, if you're not allowed to see the parents or if they are afraid, it's sometimes normal (it doesn't necessarily mean that the dogs are ill-treated), but it's not a good sign, especially if the breeder doesn't let you meet the adults. The puppies will often reproduce their mother's behaviour, and if their mother is afraid of you, it could be the same for her puppies. It's not particularly pleasant when our own dog is afraid of us... especially as the behaviourist, as gifted as he may be, will not be able to solve the problem (even if it may be improved upon): what happens in the dog's first eight weeks conditions his whole future.

Of course, it is also important to check that the parents are effectively 'LOF' (have their pedigrees) and if they have been examined and certified by a qualified vet before reproduction (especially concerning 'AOC', the 'Colley Eye Defect', the pups may also have been examined between six and eight weeks old).

•  How do we choose our puppy?

Obviously, everyone has his own opinion on the subject, but frankly, there is really no set answer to the problem. Or rather, there is one , but I think it's much more vague than we would think... Breeders will say that you can not choose a dog simply from a photo or a colour, some will even choose your puppy for you, going from the information you may have given them … and they are probably right, but I'd like to point out a slight flaw in these methods which have nevertheless been tested and proved to be basically justifiable...

 It's true that the morphology and colour of the dog should not be the first things to look for... however, they are the first things we see, surely? We fall for a cute face, a little tan coloured spot that we find funny, 'oh, he looks like the dog I saw in that photo!' … and this first impulse will be the start of a relationship with your future companion. On arriving at the breeder's to confirm your choice, you will look at this puppy more than the others because you will be attracted to him and you will probably feel the beginnings of affection... something that the puppy, a very sensitive animal, will feel immediately. It may be small at first, but this link that you wish to create with your dog already exists and can only grow. So, of course, temperament is important, and the breeder will already have pointed out the best puppy to suit your way of life and expectations, but without this little spark at first, you will probably feel that the choice was forced upon you... and that is not a good start to a fifteen year relationship.

Once your choice has been made, a brand new adventure may begin...

Christine COL

Translation by Helen COL