Mr VK Joshi

Know your pooch Help me select a pooch Time is ripe to go for a pup for all dog lovers. Often people ask me which breed they should go for and how to ascertain if the puppy they are going to buy is the right kind! I think let me repeat something, which I wrote in my articles. A dog remains a dog irrespective of the breed. The basic behavior of a dog, i.e. living in a lair and in a pack is inbuilt in them. In addition, the natural qualities of allegiance to the master (read leader) and learning by good and bad experiences too are genetically imprinted in dogs. Before deciding to buy/acquire a pup you must answer a few questions: Do you have the time to look after the puppy? Because a pup requires attention, at least every two hours, apart from the frequent bouts of playing and feeding. Do you have enough space in your house, exclusively for the dog? As per the thumb rule a Pomeranian puppy (not a Spitz) needs at least 40 square feet of space. You can proportionately imagine the space required for an Alsatian or any other large breed. Are you prepared to feed the dog the type of food he needs? A dog is not a vegetarian animal. He has those large fangs to tear meat and not lauki ki sabzi. Now a days dog foods are available hence there is not much hassle in that. But you should be prepared to meet the expenses. Dog is a living being and is likely to fall sick in his life, plus he will need the periodic vaccinations etc. Thus you should also be prepared to spend money on these counts too. You need a dog for what purpose? Just as a pet dog or a guard dog or a show dog or you intend to start breeding dogs professionally? Once the answers to all above questions are clear we will talk about the dog for you. If you have children less than five years old in your home, then please do not think of going for a Spitz or a Lhasa Apso or a Miniature Pincher or a Chihuahua. All are small sized breeds. Such breeds are temperamental. You may ask why so? Go to a busy footpath or a Mall and try to lie down on the floor at the height of one of those breeds. In a moment you will get the answer-because all the time you will be scared of being crushed under the feet of the crowd. Larger breeds like Alsatian, Labrador Retriever etc. are safer for houses with small children. The wagging tail of dogs attract infants to tug at that and the fast moving legs and feet of infants make puppies curious. There, the accidents take place. That is why I strongly repeat that those who have infants should avoid adding a dog, till the baby is five years old. If you are a first timer then you have to be more careful. For example, considering the space in your house, you bring a dachshund puppy home. They are cute, loveable, playful, and loud mouthed. But they hate to be left alone for a moment. Moreover, they are the toughest breed to housetrain. If you have a chronic allergy, then you better avoid a dog. But if situation demands you may go for a dog which sheds less-say a Lhasa Apso or and Afghan Hound. Mind you both these breeds will beat the hell out of you in grooming. You will have to carry a comb and brush in the house, all the time you are awake. Their hair form mats very fast, hence the grooming is vital. If you are physically not robust, yet want a large breed, then I think a Doberman or an Alsatian is not the breed for you. They pull a lot and you might end up with fractured wrists. If you are a voracious reader and want calm and peace then none of the terriers are meant for you. They are a noisy breed. You should go for a Labrador retriever. If you love long walks or cycle down in the countryside and you have a farmhouse, then a Great Dane is perhaps the best for you. But if you are living in a high rise apartment then please do not even dream of owning a large breed. It will be a cruelty on the poor dog and you as well. As I said earlier, a dog remains a dog irrespective of his breed. The street dog though has no breed as such, but it is a dog too. It has all the qualities of a dog one looks for. Only the problem with a puppy born on the street is that you cannot predict its size. Secondly, a street dog has to fend for itself, hunt for food and often fight for food. Their puppies do inherit these traits too. If you ask me all dogs irrespective of their pedigree have these qualities. But in the street dogs, they are more pronounced. There is yet another issue with street dogs. A well-bred dog is protected against infections and viruses. Therefore, if you decide to pick a puppy from the street, please make sure that it is free from infections. You will naturally ask me, ‘How to ascertain that the puppy is not sick?’ Of course a Vet will tell you the answer better. But if a puppy has a natural shine on his coat, its nose is slightly moist, eyes are clear, without any discharge, he is not constantly scratching itself and is eating well, is safe enough to be taken as a healthy puppy. Here lies the catch. A puppy may be physically healthy, but what about his mental health? Different breeds were created for different purpose. For example an Alsatian is meant to keep the flock of sheep together and guard them; likewise a Labrador retriever was created to help in retrieving a water bird etc. Therefore their behavior is accordingly different. A terrier meant to terrify the small game hidden in shrubs, will try to terrify all the visitors in your house. An Alsatian will always be chary against strangers and a Labrador will try to retrieve whenever and wherever he can. A street dog may have none of these qualities, yet he has the intrinsic qualities of a dog. However, there is much more to it. A dog whether from a pedigreed stock or from the street has his own personality. He may be a normal dog or a shy dog or an aggressive dog or a vicious biter. Thus, while selecting from an eight week old puppy the thumb rule is that a puppy that slinks behind others or shies away is to be shunned. A puppy which comes to you playfully and as you cuddle him he licks your cheek is the dog for you. If you have answers to all the questions I had suggested for you in the beginning then go ahead and get a pooch of your choice and enjoy. Mind you he is a living being and not your cell phone. Please do not go for a puppy if you intend to discard him after some time and go for a better one with more ‘features!”