Puppies should be raised in a safer, clean, stimulating
domestic environment

The environment in which puppies are raised is fundamental to their health and their social and physical development. Puppies should be raised with their mother in a clean, safe, physically stimulating and socially inclusive environment where they can enjoy interaction with caring humans and good natured adult canines. The breeder of the litter should be knowledgeable, experienced, well qualified to give help and advice and breeding first and foremost to perpetuate lines and breeding which improve and do credit to the breed as a whole.

Puppies raised purely in a kennel environment will need to be in their new homes sooner rather than later (usually by 7-8 weeks of age) if they are to develop good social skills and integrate well in to human society, raising puppies in a kennel environment is not ideal - but at least such puppies will have had little chance to acquire bad social habits and develop anxieties.

Early stimulation and learning is essential to optimise development

One of worst habitats in which to raise a litter is in an unsuitable and ill-equipped indoor environment, especially if the mother of the litter is uncomfortable and anxious about her physical surroundings. An anxious bitch raising a litter in, for example, a busy kitchen with constant comings and goings, noise, intrusion and interference may pass on all her anxieties and even aggression to her pups before they are 8 weeks of age.

Puppies need to exercise their natural instincts

Your puppy may have learned to bark at the telephone, growl at visitors, "play" bite children and be dirty in the house all before you even bring her home. Be particularly cautious of puppies bred from "pet" bitches by inexperienced and uninformed owners who have little understanding of the social and physical developement needs of young puppies and few facilities to allow puppies room and stimulation to enjoy life both indoors and outside.

Puppies need a stimulating outdoor environment

Never buy a puppy from a pet shop, dealer or puppy farm. Don't fool yourself that you are "rescuing" the puppy, you are simply fuelling and supporting an evil and brutal trade. No reputable pet shop will take orders for puppies or buy in "stock" for onward sale, this awful trade will only be stopped when prospective owners cease to buy puppies raised and sold under these terrible conditions.