Jack russle terrier puppy~follow up questions~

Question
Hello again, I have put together a list of what I'm going to need for the puppy, to be sure I'm not missing anything here it is.......

Collar
Harrness
Leash
Kong, Nyla bone & squeaky toys
Nutro natural choice ~puppy
Milk bones ~puppy
Food bowl(already have a water bowl)
(already have a crate)

Have I missed anything? is there anything else I should add? also everyone now seems to be saying it doesnt matter if I get a male or female..... whats your option? I definitly perfer females but a male will be fine if a female wouldnt get along with the others..... do you knowq how to tell domant pups form submisive ones? because I rally want to take teh time to pick throgh the litter and get the best one.

Thank you for any help in advance.


Answer
You've pretty much got everything covered, I think. Let me just elaborate a little, though:

Collar - For now, just a plain flat collar made of nylon, cotton, or leather is fine. He/she will probably grow out of it before you'll need to worry about a correction collar anyway. It doesn't really matter whether it has an actual buckle or a plastic snap-type closure. The snap-type ones have infinite adjustment levels though, so you may consider them since they are capable of "growing with" your puppy.

Harness - I personally do not see the need in this, but if you want to get one, that's up to you.

Leash - The leash you choose should be a 4 or 6 foot nylon or leather leash. Do not get a retractable leash. They are useless for training and will do you absolutely no good. Until he/she is housebroken and knows a few basic commands, just stick to the basic 4-6 foot leash.

Food/Water Bowls - Plastic bowls should not be used. They are difficult to keep clean, are a breeding ground for bacteria, and have been proven to cause allergic reactions in both dogs and cats. Stainless steel or ceramic bowls should be used instead. They clean easily (can be put in the dishwasher), are more difficult for bacteria and germs to live on, and do not cause allergic reactions. They also cannot be chewed, so they last longer.


As for which sex to get, it's really completely up to you. I've had both, but I prefer females as well, for many reasons. In my experience, females are easier to housebreak because they do not tend to want to 'mark' as much as males do. You can also use doggie diapers on female dogs to help with housebreaking and also if they develop an incontinence problem or something similar as they age. The doggie diapers *say* they can also be used on male dogs, but they are wrong. I don't care what size you get, the peepee always ends up sticking out and therefore the diaper does absolutely no good (unless the dog has a poo problem). Also, male dogs (like males of our species) like to 'play' with themselves. Even a neutered male may lick/chew on himself (essentially masturbation), can get an erection when he gets excited, and can even have a favorite toy that he likes to hump. Females do not [usually] exhibit these embarassing behaviors. Again, it's completely up to you as to which sex you get. Either way, the puppy should be fixed before or around 6 months of age. I've given you the reasons *I* prefer females, but the choice is yours in the end.

As for picking out the right puppy, here are a few guidelines:

1) It goes without saying, but do not pick the runt. Runts tend to have medical issues as they get older and that can equate to lots of expensive vet bills.

2) Do not pick the puppy that is more withdrawn and not interested in you (or its littermates). This dog could develop into a nervous, skittish adult and could even become a fear biter.

3) On the other hand, do not pick the most exhuberant, pushy puppy either. If a puppy is knocking others down to get to you, he could develop into a dominant adult that may be difficult to live with because he will not respect you as the leader.

The best way to pick a puppy is to visit them at least three or four times before making a decision. The breeder should have different colored collars on each puppy for easy identification. The perfect puppy will actually choose you. He/she will be the one that comes to you each time you visit; is interested in playing with you, as well as his/her littermates; is not overly exhuberant (extremely mouthy or pushy); and is generally stable. Now, you may have your eye on a different puppy because maybe you like its looks, but that puppy may not be the one for you. Just sit back and let your puppy choose you.


The absolute MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember when buying a puppy is to choose a reputable breeder. Do not go through the classifieds. Do not buy from a pet store. Do not buy from someone who does not have at least the first round of puppy shots already done, depending on the age of the pups (again, they should be done at 8-9 weeks, 12-14 weeks, and again at 16-19 weeks). Do not buy from someone who is trying to sell the pups at less than 8 weeks of age. Do not buy from someone who will not let you see and interact with both parents. Do not buy from someone who has a lot of animals on the premesis. This website explains how to choose a reputable breeder: http://www.australianshepherds.org/reput.html

Even though they are talking about aussies, the same applies to all breeds. You may want to see if there is a Jack Russell Terrier breed club in your area and ask them about reputable breeders. You may also want to do a search for reputable jack russell breeder on www.yahoo.com or www.google.com and see what you get. You may also consider contacting a Jack Russell Terrier rescue in your area to see if they know of any responsible breeders or if they have any puppies. And remember, just because the dog has papers doesn't mean squat unless you plan on showing the dog. AKC papers do not mean the dog or the dog's parents were healthy. AKC papers do not mean the dog or the dog's parents even conformed to the breed standard (which can be read at http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/jrt.cfm). All AKC papers are good for is 'proving' that the dog is not a mixed breed; papers simply mean that the dog is registered with the AKC as a purebred jack russell terrier. That's it. Do not let whether a dog has papers or not influence your decision.


Kristen