digitalnirvana 646 Report post Posted January 19, 2013 Hi all, I am thinking of getting a dog as a pet. It is in very preliminary stages yet and lot of convincing to be done at home first. I was thinking of getting a golden retriever. I am completely new with pets so have lots of queries. Would request advice on Before getting the pet finding a good KCI certified kennel how to decide what is a good price to pay how to check that it is healthy and fit any other points After getting the petmust-do things - including visit to vet etc. food, medicines etc. training and activities with the pet Looking for people with pets (DK ji am looking at you!) to give advice. Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sougatadc 358 Report post Posted January 19, 2013 Hi Dipan, I've a friend who is a pro in this field along with a true love to animals. He has chosen this profession just because of his love to animals. He sells high pedigree puppies with proper certifications. He also maintains a good number of dogs of various breeds. If you want, I can provide his number. He lives in my city. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SumitVerma 187 Report post Posted January 19, 2013 golden retriever is good but they get hell fat if feeded wrong. moreover, choose size of the pet according to the open space available at home... I have had retrievers, german shephards, mastiffs... Currently have french mastiffs and chihuahua... generally people prefer infants in India which is wrong, what i feel is, pet should be adopted atleast till it has crossed 2 months so you know what exactly the development is like and it has been feeded with mother's milk well.. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thilak.kmb 19 Report post Posted January 20, 2013 Selecting a breed is secondary. First you should have sufficient space in wherever you require the dog to be brought up. And the foremost is you should have sincere and uncompromising love for the animal. We are having dogs from time remembered thats over 50yrs. All my brothers sisters, our children and even grand children have the liking for animals. We all have real affection for the animals and we treat them like a member of our family. What I am trying say is taking care of the pet(whether it is a dog or cat or parrot or a goat or even a squirrel - yes my brother is having one) is more important than selecting the breed. That should come from within you. I can give you important practical clues on dogs if you are interested really. All the best. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dkaile 1,051 Report post Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) A Labrador is the best suited breed for 1st time dog keepers as it is the most sociable and family dog. Golden Retrievers have long hair and require lots of constant maintenance to keep it healthy. - Scourge the local newspapers for KCI registered pups for sale. Lots are available in Delhi though I have seen more and more people getting reluctant to get their dogs KCI registered. - There is no price for a good dog but by large a pure bred Labrador should be available in the price range of 6-10K. Same for a Golden Retriever (upto 15k) - The nose of a healthy dog should be cold and moist. This is the 1st sign of a healthy dog. Also check its playfulness and activity of the pup and its parents too. You can judge character of the pup by seeing how its parents behave. - Ask for KCI registration certificate at the time of purchase. - The pup should not be less than 6 weeks at the time of purchase. Till then it requires it's mother's milk. - Lift to see all its (small) teeth and genitals. Also check its paws and tail. - Get them vaccinated for Rabies and also a 7 in 1 vaccine for various diseases as per schedule after purchase. Contact any local vet in your area for these or best any ex-army vet if available. They are the best. - Feed small pups with cooked Daliya mixed with raw egg and warm milk every day till it grows to digest solid food. Then normal food that you eat can be give to the dog too. Do not rely on costly supplements alone. These are all marketing gimmicks by these companies. Avoid salt, potatoes and raw starch with dogs. Also dont feed them raw vegetables and green vegetables. Milk, Eggs, Roti, Dal, Minced Meat, Bony Meat and similar is the best diet for them. - Deworm your dog with Albendazole 400mg tablet every 3 months. - Training can be done in-house if you have time or through professionals. - Potty and Susu training is must in beginning and dog must be scolded if it does that in the house initially. It must be trained to do in proper area designated in your house like I have trained all my dogs. I don't take them out of the house for this purpose but you can if someone is living in a small house/flat without proper area for its daily urges. Once a dog lover, always a dog keeper. I have now been keeping dogs constantly in my house for 40 years and I always keep them in a pair for their long life. Sterilize them to avoid regular breeding, if necessary. My current pair - Edited January 20, 2013 by dkaile 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
digitalnirvana 646 Report post Posted January 20, 2013 Amazing people, amazing advices as always. DK ji I have a soft spot for golden retrievers as they are so cute I will keep all your advices in mind. Sent while mobile. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
