Sunset Kennels

Buguya Jack Russells

Your family

Before embarking on the task of buying a Puppy please consider the following Points.

1.    Is your whole family going to except the pup?  If one member is not keen it could mean the pup is in for a traumatic life.

2.    Are your children old enough to have a puppy about the home?  Remember a small child can easily damage a pup if they fall on it.  A pup will retaliate the only way it knows how and that will be to bite the child.  Your child must be able to understand the puppy is a living breathing individual.  Children should be supervised when playing with puppy and adult dogs.

3.    Have you other pets in the house that may attack the pup?  One lady I interviewed wanted another pup to replace one that had been killed by her older bull cross.  She also believed the older dog would not repeat the attack.  She didn't get a pup.  Adult cats can inflict a bad wound and even blind a small pup.

4.    Is your house suitable for a dog?  Some of our pups live in town houses, while others live in the burbs, and others still, live on farms.  They all get there exercise in some way, to ensure they are fit and healthy.  

5.    Have you got adequate fencing, with self closing gates?   It can be expensive if your JRT gets out all the time.  Most councils have a fine system if they catch your dog outside its yard.   It can be very expensive.

6.    Is your garden safe.  Look for hidden dangers in your home and garden.  Poisons including snail and rat bait will kill your small puppy before it can be transported to the vet.  Unsealed areas under your house could mean your JRT goes investigating, gets lost and can't get out.  Have you got an unfenced pool?  Puppy can get through most pool fencing.   Each year more dogs drown that humans in garden pools.

7.    Home alone?  Your new pup should be confined to a safe area, if you go out for extended periods of time, to keep him from harm.  Fresh food and especially fresh clean water should be made available.  Perhaps several bowls of water if the pup is prone to tipping up his water bowls.  Avoid getting a dog if you and the family can't spend time with him.  Remember a dog needs shade in the summer, and shelter in the winter.

8.    A Jack pup is not a very expensive animal to buy and their upkeep is not over the top, but some people may not be able to afford the upkeep of quality feed, maintaining proper parasite controls, and vaccinations.  You should discuss the costs with your Vet and Breeder.

9.    Training starts as soon as you take your pup home, and involves the whole family.  Puppy preschool and obedience schools are the way to go.  Get expert help on how to train your dog and he will be an asset to the family.  No training usually means an unruly dog that eventually gets dumped or worse.