As a young girl I grew up with a Cocker and an Irish Setter, Now I have my own family, in the form of my husband and 7 month old son, when would be the best age to introduce a puppy to them both! and, as I have my heart set on a Cocker as I had so much fun with mine when young, can anyone give me some advice and a contact for a good breeder who doesn't mind their puppy going to a loving pet home.

many thanks

Annabelle

Email annabelle.gray@ntlworld.com

Hi Annabelle

I think you'll find loving pet homes are exactly what good breeders want for their puppies :-)

As to when is the right age to get a puppy, opinions vary. You will find quite a few breeders prefer their pups not to go to homes where there are children under 5, particularly not if the would-be owners are first-time dog owners. I know you grew up with dogs but I'm guessing this would be the first time you would be responsible for training & rearing a puppy. The reluctance to sell to homes with very young children is partly due to the fact that puppies are extremely demanding (in terms of time & energy) & maybe a young Mum with a baby/toddler might find the additional workload of training a puppy a bit too much & partly because very young children may not be able to understand how to behave with a puppy, may get upset when puppy teeth accidentally "nip" fingers etc. However, many owners successfully combine puppy ownership with v young children so there are no hard & fast rules.

If you would like advice on how to find reputable breeders, email me (just click on my name to get my email address) & I'll gladly give you some contact numbers.

Jane