Читать книгу The Practical Dog Listener: The 30-Day Path to a Lifelong Understanding of Your Dog - Jan Fennell - Страница 13

To my mind, there are only two sources from which we should buy dogs: respectable, responsible breeders and registered rescue centres or dogs’ homes. There is, I know, a wide range of alternative sources, from pet shops to so-called licensed kennels. Yet I would not recommend that a dog be taken from any of these, for the following two reasons.

Firstly, it is my firm belief that, if at all possible, an owner should be able to see the dog’s mother and gain knowledge of the history of both parents before taking the dog away. This is something I will explain in more detail in a moment. Secondly, it is only through the first two sources that an owner will have any comeback.

As an illustration of this latter point, I often use the example of a close friend of mine, Wendy Broughton. Wendy is a keen horsewoman. It was Wendy who introduced me to Monty Roberts, the Horse Whisperer, from whom I learnt so much. At a horse fair one day, Wendy saw a batch of dogs for sale for £15 each. There were no clues as to where these dogs had come from. Their owners that day had only one interest: making money. Wendy is a soft touch and took pity on one dog in particular. In the two years since then, she has spent more than £2500 on vet’s bills. It turned out the dog was riddled with worms and suffered from a variety of stomach problems.

The crucial point here is that Wendy had no comeback on the people who sold her that dog; she didn’t even get a contact name. This type of trade is sadly on the increase. The growth of ‘puppy farms’ is something I abhor. Often, owners will be allowed no more than seventy-two hours in which to return their dogs.

In contrast, no reputable breeder or rescue centre would sell a dog without guaranteeing that you could return the animal to them if there were a medical problem or if you were, for whatever reason, unhappy with it. Indeed, a good breeder would insist on being on hand to provide advice throughout the dog’s days. The dog cannot lose under this arrangement: if it fits into a happy home, it will enjoy a long and hopefully rewarding life there. If not, it will return to a place where its best interests are safeguarded. Owners who leave themselves with no comeback, are left with no obvious place to return an unwanted dog. Many will, of course, ensure they are given good homes. Sadly, many more will not.