The Crate
The Crate is the first step on your journey towards a potential puppy. Here you’ll find brilliant resources, information and answers to commonly asked questions.
What is a responsible dog owner?
Owning a dog is a joy, privilege, and responsibility.
Being a responsible dog owner goes beyond the basic needs of food water & shelter. Whether you’re looking at purchasing or adopting, you’ll need to make sure you’re capable of providing a safe and appropriate environment for your new family member.
Before deciding that a dog is right for you, make an honest assessment: are you ready for the financial, emotional, and time commitment owning a dog requires? If you’re not sure, volunteering as a foster for your local shelter can be a good place to start to give you an idea of what dog ownership looks like, and how it would fit in with your life.
Once you’ve taken into consideration the requirements and you’re willing to commit to being a responsible dog owner, the real fun begins!
Which breed is right for me?
Knowing what breeds of dog will fit in to your lifestyle is vital. Every single dog was bred for a purpose, so it’s important to consider which breeds will work best for what you want in a dog.
”Understanding the propensity of certain behaviours in breeds and mixes will help owners understand where the behaviour is coming from. It doesn't mean the dog gets a free pass for the behaviour, but someone looking for an agility dog may not want to go with a bloodhound "because I just love their ears" or a herding breed "because I want a dog to lay around all weekend with."
- Michelle Steigmeyer, Indiana K9 Learning Center ”
Take this quick quiz by the American Kennel Club to help narrow down what breeds might suit you!
So, What should I look for when purchasing a puppy?
Regardless of what breed you are after, purchasing a puppy from someone whose priority is the health and welfare of the the dogs that they breed is vital. A good breeder not only breeds for healthy dogs free from genetic diseases, but also for sound temperaments of their dogs and betterment of the breed itself. They will give a quality, supportive and informative service both before and after you take your puppy home and will often be willing to take the dog back should things not work out.
Once you have found yourself a breeder, be mindful that you may be looking at a long wait depending on the breed of dog you’re after. As a good breeder will have put so much time, money and work into their dogs, they won’t be sold on a first-in first-served basis, and there will often be a waiting list. Be prepared to answer a lot of questions, they want to ensure their pups are going to a home that will be best suited to them and may even wait to match you with the pup they believe will be the best fit for you. DogsNZ has a fantastic page dedicated to canine health & welfare including information regarding the accredited breeders scheme.
Genetic diseases and disorders are a major factor to consider when purchasing a pup. UFAW has started a website to help reduce the severity and incidence of breed-related welfare problems. The idea is that if you are thinking of buying a dog of a particular strain or breed, you will be able to find information on what inherited welfare problems may occur, and what checks you may need to make with breeders or suppliers in order to avoid buying affected or carrier animals and, in so doing, unintentionally perpetuating the problem.
Adopt vs Shop?
This can be a controversial subject among dog lovers.
Due to the amount of dogs filling rescues and shelters, it is important to consider adoption when looking at welcoming a new canine companion into your life. However, in many cases adoption may not be a viable option.
It is most important that you make decisions regarding what type of dog will suit your lifestyle, and ensuring you can offer this dog a suitable, loving, lifelong home.
Ultimately, It’s your decision, Adopt or shop, but either way make sure you do so responsibly by doing your research about breeds, breeders and responsible ownership requirements.
Click here to read a thought-provoking article by Jennifer Grommes regarding the “adopt don’t shop” mentality.
There are no breeders for my favourite breed in NZ currently, how can I go about importing one?
Importing dogs into NZ is an expensive and time consuming process, hence why it is usually left to breeders.
There are many variations depending on where you are importing from. For example, puppies from Australia can be imported into NZ from 8 weeks of age, versus a minimum of 9 months of age from countries where rabies is present.
Costs of doing so also vary greatly depending on where you are importing from. Sometimes import costs from Australia can come in as low as $3000, whereas from the USA can cost upwards of $20,000. These prices would exclude the purchase price of the dog itself.
Hybrids and certain prohibited breeds are not eligible for import.
If you are serious about importing, we highly recommend using the services of a professional pet exporter in your pups country to help arrange tests, treatments, flights, permits to import, shipping crates, and other requirements.
For the most up-to-date information visit the MPI website.
How do I best train my dog?
We recommend all dog owners attend a beginners training class, it’s a brilliant way to bond with your new dog and the mental stimulation and structure is fantastic for forming positive neurological pathways.
A common misconception is that dog training is only about teaching dogs obedience commands. This is far from the truth.
Training classes not only give you the tools to train your new family member, they give you an understanding on how dogs communicate, think and what their behaviour actually means. They provide a unique and invaluable opportunity, to train with real-life distractions in a controlled environment.
Regardless of your dogs breed or age, training is a vital part of dog ownership and is an ongoing process.
At A Pawfect Match we recommend all Christchurch-based owners attend the Level 1 foundation training classes at Elite Canine Collective or Rolly Canine.
Help! I still can’t find the answer to my question!?
No worries - simply contact us and we’ll do our best to find out for you!