View source for Choosing the Perfect Puppy by Pippa Mattinson

{{infobox
|title=Choosing the Perfect Puppy
|author=Pippa Mattinson
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Pets
|summary=If you're even ''thinking'' about buying a puppy then this book is essential reading. It might even persuade you that you shouldn't get a puppy - and that could well be the right decision for you. Highly recommended.
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=224
|publisher=Ebury Press
|date=April 2017
|isbn=978-1785034374
|website=http://pippamattinson.com/
|video=
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1785034375</amazonuk>
}}

[[image:Mattinson_Puppy.jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1785034375?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1785034375]]
If you have ever, for even a fleeting moment, thought about getting a puppy, you really ought to read this book.  Too many people are carried away in the heat of the moment and ''must'' have a particular breed and go ahead without any thought about the consequences.  They then have to live with the problems which ''might'' have been avoided for a decade or more.  The puppy and the adult dog also has to live with an owner who might not be able to accommodate his needs.  [[:Category:Pippa Mattinson|Pippa Mattinson]] is my go-to author on matters dog related: she talks sense.  She doesn't try to talk you out of getting a particular breed or any puppy: she simply presents the facts and allows you to make your own decisions.

I thought the book would primarily be about the questions which you should ask the breeder and what you should look for when the squirming bundle is first put into your arms, but that's a long way down the line.  You've a lot of work to do before you get anywhere near a dog.  We start with an examination of what makes the perfect puppy - and quite a bit of this is about ''you'', the potential owner.  Is it the right time for you to be taking on the responsibility?  Do you have the time that will be required?  Are there children in the household?  There's information too about the effects of selective breeding and why you might decide to avoid dogs with, say, curly tails, very short legs or flat faces.  Some physical attributes which have been accentuated over the years can have a detrimental effect on the dog's health and possibly shorten his lifespan.  It's also extremely painful to watch an animal suffering. 

It would obviously be impossible to go through each individual breed, but Mattinson takes the twenty most popular breeds and looks at the origins of the breed, the breed characteristics, health and available screening tests including Kennel Club recommended tests, general care and then there's a helpful summary with some final thoughts.  In this way it's possible to narrow down the breeds which appeal to you and those which you're equipped to be able to look after as well as possible.  I've got my friend's West Highland White terrier sitting next to me at the moment and what Mattinson says is spot on.

There's advice on how to find the best breeder - and which types you should definitely avoid and why.  Then you get advice on finding a litter of puppies - so you'll have done a ''lot'' of work and it's essential that it's all done before you go and visit a litter and find that your heart has been snatched away from you.  You'll have had a lot to do, but reading the book will have been no problem: it's easy to read, clear and with just about as little jargon as it's possible to get away with.  The gorgeous pictures don't do the book any harm either.  The book is highly recommended and I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

Mattinson wouldn't leave you with your pup and no further help.  Before the pup arrives you should invest in [[The Happy Puppy Handbook: Your Definitive Guide to Puppy Care and Early Training by Pippa Mattinson|The Happy Puppy Handbook: Your Definitive Guide to Puppy Care and Early Training]].  If you're thinking of getting a labrador, then [[The Labrador Handbook: The definitive guide to training and caring for your Labrador by Pippa Mattinson|The Labrador Handbook: The definitive guide to training and caring for your Labrador]] is essential reading.

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[[Category:Home and Family]]