CHOOSING A PUPPY

Before choosing a puppy it is advisable to see both parents; be prepared however for the dam to look anything but her best as at the time you see her she has probably been feeding, cleaning and generally looking after her litter for several weeks, but even then she should still be in good physical condition. The stud dog may, of course, live some distance away but even if a visit is not practicable most stud dogs tend to be successful show dogs so the breeder may be able to show you a video or photo of him. Don't be put off by being told you cannot see the "mother" for a variety of reasons. The same applies to the "Stud Dogs" there is always someone who knows the dog, either from living in its area, or seeing it at shows, who can give you a "character reference" for him, if you are unable to make a long journey to his home.

Decide beforehand whether you want a dog or a bitch. Dogs are usually larger than bitches when fully grown and tend to need firmer handling during the adolescent period of their lives while bitches are usually more benign but can become very possessive, and, of course, there is the problem of dealing with the likelihood of her coming into season twice a year.

If you are certain you never want to show or breed from your Pyrenean it may be possible to find a "pet only" puppy which has an imperfection (e.g. lacking pigmentation, missing dew-claw, poor dentition, etc.) that would make it unsuitable for showing or breeding but not detract in any way from its ability to be a faithful family pet. In these circumstances, however, the puppy may not come with registration documents or the registration, if provided, could be endorsed "Not for Breeding". Puppies should appear happy and healthy. They should be a little reserved if this is their first contact with strangers but this should soon be overcome and a well reared puppy will move around with its tail curled over its back showing a keen interest in all that is going on around it.

In some circumstances you may be offered a bitch on "Breeding Terms". In its most straightforward form this would mean you pay much less for the puppy, and in exchange, when it is old enough you have a litter with her and give a puppy (or two) back to the original owner and your bitch is then transferred into your name. These arrangements can have many pitfalls, and it is essential that both parties write down and sign what has been agreed in case of dispute in the future, for instance, who decides what stud dog will be used? Who has first choice of the puppies? What if only one puppy is born? etc. There is an official form "Loan of bitch for breeding Agreement" available from the Kennel Club.

Many newcomers to the breed are surprised by how much colour there is on very young puppies. Only one quarter of the breed are all white, the rest exhibit coloured markings more usually on the head and the root of the tail but there may also be patches on the body and it is purely a matter of personal taste which to buy bearing in mind that most, but not all, coloured markings will fade considerably as the pup grows, sometimes to the extent that they seem to disappear altogether.

When you take your puppy home the breeder should furnish you with the following documents:

A DIET SHEET - This will detail the feeding regime of the puppy up to the time you collect him and as far as possible it is advisable to follow this, only introducing any changes gradually as a sudden change in diet could result in diarrhoea and other tummy upsets which can be very serious in puppies.

A PEDIGREE - This will give you details of your puppy's parents, grandparents etc. usually any Champions will be written or underlined in red. If you are interested in seeing your dog's ancestors then it is possible to obtain, from the PMDC of GB, copies of videos that will show most of the dogs that have been exhibited since 1988 (an index of these is available to all members). Videos of dogs from years previous to this date are available to members only through the Video Library.

A REGISTRATION DOCUMENT - This will show the name of your dog as registered at the Kennel club and also its parents' names and its registration number. The reverse of this form is used to transfer the ownership of the pup to your own name at the Kennel Club and you should make sure the relevant portion is filled in by your puppy's breeder. The Kennel Club is sometimes rather slow at processing registrations so it is possible the breeder may not have received them at the time that you collect your puppy.

MEDICAL DETAILS - If your puppy is older than 10 weeks it may have had one or more of its inoculations so you will need the certificate detailing this to show to your vet together with details of when and how often the puppy has been wormed.

MICROCHIP CERTIFICATE - If your puppy has been microchipped you will be given a certificate that will enable its details to be transferred to your name and address.

INSURANCE COVER NOTE - Currently the Kennel Club offer free insurance for six weeks when a puppy is initially transferred to a new owner and you may then continue with this or may prefer to arrange cover with one of the firms that specialises in this type of insurance; some breeders can arrange this for you.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP - The newcomer to a breed can receive lots of useful help and advice by becoming a member of a breed club. The Pyrenean Mountain Dog Club of Great Britain is the longest established and largest club in the country and offers many facilities to members that are described elsewhere on the site. You dog's breeder should be able to supply a membership application form but failing this they are available from the Club Secretary.