So, you decided that you would like to have a new puppy/kitten. First off, personality is where it's at. Do alittle research to match a breed of pet to your family. Also, after you decide what kind of pet and breed, look around. Just take your time and look through different newspapers, humane sociites, the internet, etc. If you are getting an adult dog from a rescue organization, try to get as much info from the foster parent as possible and also you want to see a clean bill of health from a local vet.

Now for puppies and kittens be very careful. When going to pick out a puppy or kitten from someone that breeds, ask to see the parents. Hopefully you will get to see where the parents are kept. That's a little hint of whether to buy or run! If the breeder won't let you see the area where the animals are kept, that tells me it's not clean or they are just not well taken care of. Also, you want to see the babies teeth. Try to pick a baby that has a nice bite, in the future this will pay off in less vet bills most of the time. If the animal is supposed to be white and it has a tint of yellow, don't buy from that breeder. Chances are, they just washed the animal because it was in a cage with pee in the bottom of it. Examine the new baby to see if it's alert, bright eyed, and breathing well. And one last tip...it's not expensive at all to have the front and back dew claws removed. Those are the little claws that don't hit the ground when the animal walks. But they can cause potentional pain and infection and even get hooked into your carpet if not removed within days of being born. Make sure a responsible breeder has had these removed. That tells me the breeder cares and does go that little extra mile for the puppies.