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Step 1
*First of all, ask yourself these questions: Do you really want a BIG dog that needs to be a part of your family and will not be happy left in the yard all day?
*Do you have either the room (BIG yard)for your Swissy to run and get the exercise he needs to grow and thrive, and/or are you willing and able to walk him for at least a half an hour every single day? -
Step 2
*Are you ready to never go anywhere alone again -including to the bathroom? Swissys are like velcro - they want to attach themselves to you and never be apart.
*Do you have the time and commitment to take him to the necessary training classes -Puppy K and at least Basic Obedience classes-to make him an enjoyable, easy to live with pet and not a liability? -
Step 3
6 week old Swissy puppy*Read and familiarize yourself with the Breed Standard, and then go to lots of dog shows and see as many Swissys of different ages and types in person as you can. It's amazing that what looks adorable in a book as a little puppy, and what is sweet as a six month old puppy whose tail wags its entire body, RAPIDLY grows into an 120++ lb. adult male.
* Talk to as many breeders as you can while you are at the shows. Breeders who show their Swissys are the best ones to purchase your Swissy from: they are knowledgable of the breed standard, of health and temperament issues, have spent years dedicating themselves to improving the breed and are willing to put their dogs on public display to be judged against other Swissys according to the breed standard.
* Introduce yourself to the breeders and set up an appointment to visit them and see their other dogs and (hopefully) their puppies. Most breeders have busy personal lives as well as their dog involvement, so just dropping by unannounced is not generally a good idea. And if they ARE home and not busy but have a newborn litter in the house, most breeders will not allow you inside because of the risk of germs/diseases that you may unknowing be carrying on your shoes or clothes that could easily be transferred to the puppies. -
Step 4
* ASK QUESTIONS!! How long have they been involved in the breed? What can they tell you about the history of the breed? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the breed? What health and/or temperament issues do they have in their lines? What health testing do they do on their breeding stock? Are they members in good standing of the National and local Breed Clubs? Are any of their dogs Champions? Do any of their dogs have performance titles? What activities do they do with their Swissys? Are they signers of the Breeders Code of Ethics? How many litters do they have from each female? What are their health guarantees on their Swissys?
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Step 5
* Be prepared to answer LOTS of questions from the breeder, like: WHY do you want a Swissy? Do you have any friends who have Swissys? How long have you been researching the breed? Are you familiar with the health and temperament issues in the breed? Do you or anyone in your family have allergies? Do you have children and/or elderly persons in your home? Have you ever had a big dog? Have you ever trained a dog? Do you have a yard for your Swissy? Are you aware that Swissys NEED to be with their family and are not an "outside" dog?
* And once you finally get your Swissy, be prepared to be loved, protected and entertained by him every single day of his life.
Comments
matt123 said
on 4/24/2008 Thanks for the thought provoking "how to" -- gave me things to think about asking breeders that I hadn't thouught of before. The pictures are cool. Are you a breeder of these beautiful dogs?
HowToFIxIt said
on 4/23/2008 Great advice and a lot of good information and tips to think about.