friend NEW

Thinking of bringing a new puppy into your home?

If you are set on a specific breed of dog and can’t adopt from a shelter, make sure you find ethical breeders and be aware of how puppy scams work. Here’s timely advice from the experts at PD Pet Insurance:

BREEDER

• When researching a breeder, check they’re undertaking all the important health tests, like for certain hereditary and congenital conditions and to assess eyes, ears, hips, thyroid, heart and more. Otherwise you could be stuck with a pup who’s often at the vet.

• Ask to see the puppy and the parents’ living conditions in person (avoid breeder if they refuse), and ensure that they’re being treated well.

• If buying a purebred or pedigree pup, view its papers beforehand and take them on purchase.

• A great resource to find a professional breeder locally is www.dogsnz.org.nz

SCAMMERS

• Scammers often prey on individuals looking for small, popular, and expensive breeds such as English and French Bulldogs, and hybrid breeds like the www.pd.co.nz

Spoodle. However, puppy scams can occur with any breed.

• Try to avoid buying online but if you do, meet the pup (and, if possible, parents) in person before purchase. When bringing a new pup into your life, it’s also important to think about potential vet bills and other pet care costs.

Consider PD Pet Insurance, which is o ering two months’ free insurance for dogs aged under a year old and one month free for older dogs.

Many youngsters start out with a pet goldfish in a bowl, and some progress through to having their own home aquariums.

Creating your own aquarium is relatively easy, depending on what type of fish, and how many you want to keep. Guppies, zebrafish, goldfish, loaches, mollies, neon tetras, and suckerfish are some of the easiest fish to take care of in a community aquarium. Talk to an expert at your local pet shop for advice. Here are Metropol’s suggestions for setting up a tropical fish aquarium:

1. DECIDE WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO PUT IT, AND HOW BIG IT WILL BE. Some fish tanks come with a stand, others are freestanding. Choose a place where it is out of direct sunlight, near a power supply, and in a draught-free, relatively consistent temperature area.

2. RINSE GRAVEL, FILTER (if using one), rocks, plants, and ornaments in cold tap water, then add to tank, creating an underwater garden for the fish to play in.

3. FILL WITH WATER, THEN ADD HEATER NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE AQUARIUM. Make sure it is not touching the gravel or anything else in the aquarium.

4. SET UP EXTERNAL FILTRATION AND LIGHTING as per the instructions in the product manual.

5. ADD A WATER CONDITIONER AND BACTERIAL AGENT and wait for a couple of days so it settles, and the water comes up to temperature, before adding your fish.