UK Portrait Artist John Payne

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Old English Sheepdog

Buying a Puppy

Some dogs need more time than others do, but every dog requires time for daily interaction beyond just meeting its basic needs. Consider your lifestyle and personality when deciding if a dog would fit into the picture.

• Why do you want a dog?

• How active and busy are you?

• What do you do with the dog when you travel

• or are on vacation?

• Do you have young children?

• Do you have a fenced garden?

• How big is it?

• How long at a time will the dog be alone in the home?

• Does anyone have allergies? (Easier to find this out visiting someone else's dog first)

• Would you have the time to start with an untrained puppy/would you be willing to re-train an older dog?

• What kind of fur and how much grooming/shedding are involved?

• What size would fit in?

• Purebred? Mixed? Male? Female? Large? Small?

Dogs needs

Puppies and adult dogs have daily needs. The basics are shelter, food and water, grooming, health care, training, exercise and social interaction. The earlier in life you start teaching a pup what is expected of it the better, but the more it has to learn. With an older dog, there may be some bad habits they'll have to 'unlearn'. Early social experiences set the tone for a dog's development into a dependable companion or a destructive nuisance.

Old English Sheepdog

Dog Rescue  Dog Rescue Resources

Finding a rescue centre

'All-breed' dog-rescue centres throughout the UK and Ireland can be found here grouped by area at Dog Pages with breed-rescues listed separately according to breed. Nearly one thousand contacts areincluded so thereshould be one near you.

While the larger charities are well known, there are many smaller rescue organisations,  operating on small budgets but still doing a fantastic job. Not all these organisations have websites but these have been included where available. The larger charities, the Dogs Trust (formerly NCDL - National Canine Defence League), Battersea Dogs Home, the RSPCA and the Scottish SPCA, all have new online sites.

Old English Sheepdog

Dog Breed Books

Breed Rescue: How to Start and Run a Successful Breed Rescue Program 

Explains the business of forming and operating a dog breed rescue program.

Avoid legal problems, deal with the paperwork, train and manage volunteers, raise funds, and get valuable publicity by following Boneham's advice.

Sample forms, important contacts, guidelines for health, sanitation and more.

PUBLISHER’S COMMENTS A first of its kind! Now you have all the information you need to start a breed rescue program. Learn how to: get organized; find, train and manage volunteers; gain financial support; network with shelters and other rescue groups; find the dogs; screen dogs for medical problems; determine the dog’s temperament and behavior; place rescued dogs; and publicize your program. Plus, important contacts and addresses, and sample documents that will help your organization and keep you organized.

Old English Sheepdog

Old English Sheepdog