Before you get a dog!

After watching our film, you might want to have a dog too, maybe even a Scottie. Sharing life with a dog is wonderful and we couldn't imagine living without our dogs. BUT - before you buy a dog, there are important, fundamental questions to clarify. It's not fair to let an animal suffer afterwards because you haven't thought certain things through. Humans are in a position of power and dogs are completely dependent on us.

The following fundamental questions need to be considered. Only if you can answer them positivley you should considering to get a dog. Otherwise you can thinking of walking dogs from a shelter or take care of dogs during their owners are in holiday/working.

• Am I prepared to be responsible for a living being for the next 15 years? Am I prepared to adapt my lifestyle to the dog's needs (e.g. vacation planning)?
• Do I have enough time for a dog? Raising a puppy is almost a full-time job and even an adult dog needs 2-3 hours of attention a day and must not be left alone for more than four hours (after getting used to it).
• Do I have space for a dog? Are there enough green spaces and opportunities for a dog to run around in my area?
• Do I have enough money for a dog? The purchase is the least of the costs, there are costs for food, care, equipment, training, possibly care and vet. This can cost a good EUR 200 per month per dog and major veterinary treatment can quickly run into thousands of euros.
• Am I prepared to invest commitment, love and time in the care and training of the dog?
• Do all family members also want a dog and/or are there other pets whose needs must be taken into consideration.

When considering which dog to choose, the following aspects should be taken into account:

Size
Large dogs need a little more space and on average live less long than small dogs.You should be able to hold your dog with your

But otherwise a dog is a dog, no matter how small or large it is.

Age
Raising a puppy is a wonderful but very time-consuming and strenuous task. Below you will find information on how to recognise a good breeder below. Adopting a young or adult dog may mean that the dog may has had unpleasant experiences in its previous life and therefore has problems. Does not need to be, but can be.

Type of Dog/Breed
Even though every dog is an individual and there are great differences within the breeds, there are certain tendencies in which breeds differ (and therefore also the mixed breeds of these breeds). Certain breeds have been bred to co-operate with humans or to be independent. And there are genetic differences in reactivity, i.e. how quickly dogs react to stimuli in the environment (for example, getting excited and barking).
Breeds that are more reactive and independent are less easy to manage than breeds that co-operate very closely with people and are less likely to ‘fly off the handle’.
Scotties were originally bred to be independent and reactive (in the foxhole, they wanted a dog that would go forward and attack when it was afraid). Scotties are no longer bred for hunting, but these traits are still present, which is why they are not necessarily the easiest dogs for first-time dog owners. However, if someone is aware of this and works with a competent trainer, there is no reason not to get a Scottie. 
Certain breeds are so badly bred that you should not buy them, as there will be a lot of suffering for both humans and animals as well as very high vet costs. Dogs that are very, very tiny ("teacup") or with very flat faces in particular should not be bought.

NOT ONLINE! NOT IN THE PUPPYSTORE!

Very important - do not buy a dog over the Internet or in a puppy store (as they still exist in certain countries).
There are puppy mills that produce dogs under cruel conditions and separate them from their mothers far too early and usually ill and then sell them (often illegally to other countries). The puppies are injected with medication so that they only show their illnesses after they have been sold. Every person who buys a dog from such a source keeps this system going!
Instead, you should look for a responsible breeder, a reputable animal welfare organisation or buy the dog directly from a private person.

A good breeder takes over the responsiblity to breed healthy dogs with a stable and secure temperament. A responsible breeder does not breed with dogs that have known hereditary diseases and tests the dogs with all available tests.

The first 16 weeks of a dog's life are crucial, a sensitive phase of learning takes place then. For example, a demonstration of fireworks/shots/thunder before the seventh week of life can prevent the development of noise phobias. The puppies get to know humans and other friendly dogs during this time and should be able to make many good learning experiences with the world.

The Puppy Culture Programme is particularly recommended, both when choosing a breeder and for the first time at home. The Early Neurological Stimulation Programme applied in the right setting should help the dogs to develop well neurologically. This is still a young field of research and improvements are still being made for the benefit of the dogs.

The puppies should live together with the mother and al the other family members in the house and have controlled access to the garden/outdoors (no kennel). A visitor should be able to meet the mother, the other dogs and the puppies and should be encouraged to ask questions (and should expect a lot of questions from the breeder to ensure that the puppy is the right decision and fit).

Anyone planning to be active in sport, eg. agility with their future dog should check when the puppies are 8 weeks old, that there are no congenital attributes which, whilst not necessarily a problem for a pet dog, would be a problem for a sporting dog, for example jumping.

Photos: Christina Frank