Evaluating a pet

For pets in general

If this is your first pet, or the first time you will be adopting a pet of a certain kind, ask a friend or relative who already has a similar pet to come along with you. He or she will know what questions to ask and how to look for diseases or defects in the animal. He or she will remind you to ask for a guarantee and can help you to resist any pressure sales tactics.

When you are considering to adopt a specific animal, try to touch it and watch how the animal reacts to you. The moment that you first hold a new pet may be a little tensed for both of you and you are the one who should be able to relax. A pet that starts, bites or cowers has probably not been socialized and he will need lots of extra attention to relax, to get used to you and trust you.

For cats

Make sure the kitten you are thinking of adopting weigh at least three to four pounds. Do not worry if they are heavier or bigger than that. But you should worry if the kittens are too small. Extreme smallness in a cat may be a sign of inbreeding. When you breed relatives to relatives, you get small bones and weak muscles. A healthy kitten will gain one pound per month, so by the time you see a three-month-old kitten, he should weigh at least three pounds.

If you see a kitten that is too small than he should be, he might be too young to be separated from his mother. A kitten should be twelve weeks old before being sent into a new home. If kittens are separated from their mothers before that time, they will have trouble all their lives. According to the experts, kittens just do not know that they are cats yet and they simply are not ready to leave home.

Look for kittens that are alert and playful. So visit a litter in the morning or early evening. That is usually when kittens are on the prowl. If a kitten seems sluggish with dull, sleepy eyes even at these times, he may be unhealthy. Try to see the skin. It should be clean and show no sign of fleas. Be sure the kitten has no flaky skin or patches where hair is missing. These are signs of ringworm, which is very hard to get rid of. Look for a kitten who has a bright, clear expression and a full, shiny coat.

With cats, the mother's and father's personalities are not really good indicators of how the kitten will be as adults. But you have to ask the breeder about the parents'health histories. Try to talk to the veterinarian who treats them. Animals with chronic health problems will give birth to kittens with the same problems and you might end up with high veterinary bills.

Before you adopt from a pet store or shelter, ask whether the kitten you are considering to adopt has been held and touched. It might seem unbelievable that these fuzzy, cute little pets could spend time around people without having been hugged, but it does exist. Many kittens are being raised entirely in cages. You will have to spend months and have a lot of patience to win them over. If you are prepared to socialize them, just do it then and show them that all humans are not the same and that we can give affection too.

For dogs

If you are buying from a breeder, call your vet and ask what health concerns are common in the breed you are considering to have. Ask the vet whether there are specific questions you should ask the breeder about the particular animal you are looking at. Most of the purebreds have hereditary health problems. For example:

• Great Danes often have stomach problems
• Bulldogs have respiratory problems
• Most large breeds suffer from hip dysplasia and heart trouble
• Dalmatians are well-known for urinary tract disorders and deafness.

The breeder should know about these problems and he should be able to reassure you that these particular puppies are at low risk.

If size matters to you, look at the parents of a litter before you buy any of the puppies. Dogs within a breed can vary greatly in size, but the parents offer a pretty good idea of how big their puppies will be as adults.

When you choose a puppy out of a litter, pick one that seems particularly alert, active and playful. The puppy should have a good coat and no scaly skin or mange. His eyes should be bright, clear and not watery or irritated.

If you would like to adopt an adult dog, ask whether the dog has been spayed or neutered. Be sure that his shots are up-to-date and ask to have a copy of her rabies certificate. The current owner should have taken care of these things.

Since a good breeder will have spent time around the litter to identify some of the characteristics of each puppy, ask him to help you match you with the best dog for your family. Some breeders and animal shelters do personality tests on each puppy in the litter. They look for:

• alertness
• intelligence
• agressiveness
• dogs who startle easily
• dogs who are prone to bark
• dogs who are easygoing

If you can tell the breeder something about your family, he should be able to point out the dog who will be the best companion for you.

Ask whether the Greyhound you have set your eyes on has already been in foster care. Racing dogs have strictly regulated schedules and very little contact with humans. Although they are housed with dozens of other dogs and are used to kennel life, they are rarely allowed to play and they might not even know how to play. A few weeks in a loving foster home will give these former racers a chance to slow down and get used to a pampered life. A Greyhound will be more willing to socialize with a new family if he has spent time in a foster home.

Before you even look at a litter of dalmatians, ask the breeder whether the puppies have had their hearing test. If he says yes do not take his word for it. Ask to see a copy of the Brain Auditory Electronic Response (BAER). The test shows in an easy-to-interpret manner whether the dog is totally deaf or unilateral.

Deafness in a pyppy might seem an invisible disease, but you can screen your potential puppy for hearing problems by watching his behaviour. Deaf dogs:

• startle easily
• bite often
• are frightened by sudden gestures
• growl all the time
• sleep on the top of the pile so that any stirring will warn them that it is time to get up.

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