A cute puppy or kitten as gift will love your sweetheart unconditionally for the rest of their life so choose carefully. Click button to listen to Choosing a Pet for Valentines to download PET SOCIETY: Choosing a pet, A guide to getting a happy, healthy puppy or cat by Taling Chan Animal Hospital Veterinary Team For many, Valentine's Day is perfect time to surprise their sweetie with romantic gifts. One of the gift ideas is "giving him/her a new friend" like a cute puppy or kitten - an amazing way of expressing one's love and affection.In fact, the right pet can be a huge asset - a reliable, faithful companion who is always pleased to see you and offers unconditional love. It's a wonderful feeling to come home to a house that is never empty. On the other hand, getting a pet that does not fit your lifestyle or is simply badly bred can lead to heartache, health risks and financial disaster! With this in mind, there's a list of things to consider before owning a dog or cat. First, do your research. Before committing to anything, make sure that the breed you are buying is compatible with specific needs and lifestyles. Ask yourself if you can realistically afford to bring up a pup. Do you want to find a buddy or just a watchdog? Then think carefully about which breed will best suit you and learn as much as you can about your chosen breed. Next, be sure to buy from a reputable breeder rather than a "puppy dealer" or uncertified pet shop. This will ensure you are buying a healthy, happy pet.Places you can find the prospective pup can be Chatuchak Weekend Market, Sanam Luang 2, or other reliable outlets. When it comes to identifying a healthy animal, follow these simple guidelines.Spend some time examining the overall health of each dog (or cat) to detect possible health problems and physical abnormalities. A healthy pup should be energetic and not too passive. Its movement should be normal without a slight uncoordinated gait, or moving like it is drunk. Eyes and nose must be bright and clean without signs of teardrops, mucus or excessive excretions. The pet's ears should also be clean and have no excessive earwax. Don't ever take a pup that appears to be unwell - a small sniffle or cough now may become a much more serious health condition later Different breeds have different personalities, so research which breed would best suit you. Check with the breeder if any necessary tests have been carried out e.g. hip scoring for German Shepherds, straight and erect ears for Bangkaew or small, down-folding ears of Scottish Fold cats. Grope through the pet's body to find tumours or abnormal pimples and lumps. Its overall skin and hair must be consistently smooth without traces of ring worms.Examine the soles of its feet to ensure smoothness or unreasonably thickness and toughness. Flakes, if any, probably signal specific health problems. Check out areas around its buttock and reproductive organ. These should be clean without stains of faeces.Examine inside its mouth, teeth and gums. The edges of healthy gums fit tightly around the teeth. Also ask if the pup has been wormed, flea treated, inoculated, etc. Also, a skinny pet is not a good choice.Do choose a pup that has been weaned from its mother, generally at six to eight weeks of age. Do question your prospective breeder. Any responsible breeder should be open to your questions and be able to provide solid answers. If possible, ask to see the pedigree papers and ensure the breeder's name is on the certificate. Remember: Do take your new pup or kitten to the vets for a check-up as soon as possible after getting it home. Give it all essential vaccinations against diseases such as rabies at the age of two months, and do this again once every week for another two weeks.Dogs and cats also have needs and emotions. Pet ownership is a big responsibility requiring time, patience and money. They need your care every day, no matter how busy you are. So, don't get it until you're sure you have the resources and time to care for this creature for the rest of his or her life. In return, you will be rewarded with unconditional love.Happy Valentine's Day Taling Chan Animal Hospital Veterinary Team (Source: Bangkok Post, PET SOCIETY, Choosing a pet, A guide to getting a happy, healthy puppy or cat, 1/02/2012, Taling Chan Animal Hospital Veterinary Team, link)  Pet-Buying Vocabulary  breeds - different types of animals สายพันธุ์breed - 1. (noun) one kind of dog; 2. (verb) raise animals for the purpose of producing more animals เพาะเลี้ยงbred (verb, past tense) badly bred - not raised well (so bad habits, personality or characteristics) disaster - something very bad that happens and causes a lot of damage ความหายนะfinancial disaster - something bad that happens that makes you lose a lot of money on the other hand, getting a pet that does not fit your lifestyle or is simply badly bred can lead to heartache, health risks and financial disasterthink carefully about which breed will best suit you and learn as much as you can about your chosen breed. be sure to buy from a reputable breeder rather than a "puppy dealer" or uncertified pet shop. personalities -  บุคลิกลักษณะ, ลักษณะเฉพาะตัวresearch - การวิจัย suit - suitable  เหมาะสม, สมควร best suit you  different breeds have different personalities, so research which breed would best suit you. sweetie - girlfriend romantic (adjective) - เกี่ยวกับเรื่องรักใคร่และการผจญภัยgift - ของขวัญ romantic gifts Valentine's Day is the perfect time to surprise their sweetie with romantic gifts. puppy - a small baby dog  kitten - a small baby cat affection - a feeling of liking and caring about someone or something ความรักและห่วงใยexpressing one's love and affection - showing someone that you love them One of the gift ideas is "giving him/her a new friend" like a cute puppy or kitten - an amazing way of expressing one's love and affection.asset - something valuable that a person has or owns, particularly money and property ทรัพย์สินcan be a huge asset - something very valuable and useful that you have companion - a close friend (that you spend a lot of time with) companion animal - another word for pet (usually meaning dogs and cats) reliable - dependable, can be trusted to work well, that way you want it to work works and behaves the way you expect เชื่อถือได้, ไว้ใจได้ ที่น่าเชื่อถือ ที่เชื่อถือได้ faithful - will always be there for you, never leave you; loyal, steadfast เชื่อถือได้, เชื่อใจได้, ควรค่าแก่การไว้วางใจ, ไว้ใจได้a reliable, faithful companion - pleased to see you - happy to see you unconditional - without limits or requirements that something must be done อย่างไม่มีเงื่อนไขunconditional love - love without any limits or conditions In fact, the right pet can be a huge asset - a reliable, faithful companion who is always pleased to see you and offers unconditional love. empty - having nothing inside ว่างเปล่าIt's a wonderful feeling to come home to a house that is never empty. lifestyle - the living conditions and things people do everyday (fashion, home decoration, pets, cooking, music, tv, movies, garden, etc) รูปแบบการดำเนินชีวิตfit your lifestyle - matches the way you live with this in mind, ... - thinking in this way With this in mind, there's a list of things to consider before owning a dog or cat. committing - making a promise, making an agreementFirst, do your research. Before committing to anything, make sure that the breed you are buying is compatible with specific needs and lifestyles. afford - to have enough money to be able to pay for something มีเงินพอจับจ่าย ซื้อหาAsk yourself if you can realistically afford to bring up a pup. buddy - a close and good friendwatchdog - a dog trained to protect a place สุนัขเฝ้าบ้านDo you want to find a buddy or just a watchdog? ensure - to make certain that something happens or is done รับรอง ให้ความมั่นใจ ให้การยืนยัน This will ensure you are buying a healthy, happy pet.prospective - possible choice pup - puppy, baby dog outlets - stores, places to sell products ร้านค้าreliable outlets - stores that you know that you can trust (will not cheat you or sell you low quality products) Places you can find the prospective pup can be Chatuchak Weekend Market, Sanam Luang 2, or other reliable outlets. identifying - can name the person, know who the person is ระบุชื่อsimple - easy to understand; not complicated ง่าย,ไม่ยุ่งยาก, ไม่ซับซ้อนguidelines - rules to help guide action; directions and instructions on how to do something แนวทาง นโยบายwhen it comes to identifying a healthy animal, follow these simple guidelines.detect - to notice, to discover or find out พบได้, สังเกตphysical - real things that can be touched and seen (not just an idea or legal right)normal (adjective) -  ภาวะปกติ, ปกติ,  ธรรมดา, ประจำabnormal (adjective) - not normal abnormalities (noun) - things that are not normal about something spend some time examining the overall health of each dog (or cat) to detect possible health problems and physical abnormalities. energetic - having or involving a lot of energy กระตือรือร้น, กระฉับกระเฉงpassive -  not active, inactive อยู่เฉยๆ a healthy pup should be energetic and not too passive. movement - a group of people who share the same aim and work together to achieve it การเคลื่อนไหวเพื่อวัตถุประสงค์ทางการเมืองuncoordinated - not working together smoothly ไม่ประสานกันgait - the speed and way it walks ท่าเดิน uncoordinated gait - walking unsmoothly its movement should be normal without a slight uncoordinated gait, or moving like it is drunk. teardrops - water from tears from the eyes  mucus - a liquid produced in some parts of your body, for example, the inside of your nose เมือก น้ำมูกexcessive - much greater than is usual; too much of something มากเกินปริมาณที่พอดีexcretions - liquids passing from the body eyes and nose must be bright and clean without signs of teardrops, mucus or excessive excretions. earwax - ขี้ห the pet's ears should also be clean and have no excessive earwax. sniffle - the sound of a person's nose when they have cold and a stuffed nose เสียงสูดจมูกบ่อยๆcough - การไอ cough - to force air up through your throat with a sudden noise, especially when you have a cold การไอhealth condition - disease, sickness, health problem don't ever take a pup that appears to be unwell - a small sniffle or cough now may become a much more serious health condition later hip scoring for German Shepherds - a procedure used to determine the degree of hip dysplasia in dogs, a common problem with the legs of larger dogs (See Wikipedia)erect - stand up erect ears - ears that stand up check with the breeder if any necessary tests have been carried out e.g. hip scoring for German Shepherds, straight and erect ears for Bangkaew or small, down-folding ears of Scottish Fold cats. grope - grab and hold with your hand tumour - a solid object under the skin การบวมabnormal - not usual or typical ผิดปกติ ไม่ธรรมดาpimple - acne, a hair follicle blocked by oil and swollen สิว lump - a raised area under the skin  ก้อนgrope through the pet's body to find tumours or abnormal pimples and lumps. consistently - continuously; happening again and again in the same way อย่างต่อเนื่องconsistently smooth - smooth everywhere (without a break, without stopping) traces - very small amounts of a substance ร่องรอยringworm - tinea; a common fungal disease in animals and humans (See Wikipedia) ขี้กลากIts overall skin and hair must be consistently smooth without traces of ring worms.soles of its feet - the bottom of its feet smoothness  toughness  examine the soles of its feet to ensure smoothness or unreasonably thickness and toughness. flake - a small thin piece that has fallen off of something ชิ้นย่อยที่แตกออกมา,  ชิ้นเล็กๆflakes, if any, probably signal specific health problems. buttock - butt, the fatty backside that people sit on สะโพก,ก้น,ส่วนท้าย, บั้นท้าย,  ตะโพกreproductive organs - the penis (male) or vagina (female) used to make babies check out areas around its buttock and reproductive organ. stain - a dirty mark คราบ, รอยเปื้อน, รอยเลอะ faeces -  human waste (passed out the back side in the toilet) อุจจาระ, มูล stains of faeces clean without stains of faeces.gums - the pink skin that holds the teeth in place examine inside its mouth, teeth and gums. The edges of healthy gums fit tightly around the teeth. wormed - dewormed, given medicine to get rid of worms the dog might have (See Wikipedia)flea treated - given powder or some medicine to get rid of fleas in its coat or fur (See Wikipedia)inoculated - given vaccination or injections  vaccination - given medicine to prevent from getting a disease (See Wikipedia)ask if the pup has been wormed, flea treated, inoculated, etc. skinny - thin, underweight a skinny pet is not a good choice.weaned from its mother - no longer drinking its mother's milkDo choose a pup that has been weaned from its mother, generally at six to eight weeks of age. prospective - possible choice in the future prospective breeder - possible breeder that you might buy a dog from in the future Do question your prospective breeder? provide - to give someone something that they want or needAny responsible breeder should be open to your questions and be able to provide solid answers. certificate - an official document or record stating that particular facts are true ประกาศนียบัตร เกียรติบัตรpedigree papers - documents that show that your dog is of a certain breed If possible, ask to see the pedigree papers and ensure the breeder's name is on the certificate. vet - vweterinarian, an animal doctor (See Wikipedia)check-up - a health examination by the veterinarian Remember: Do take your new pup or kitten to the vets for a check-up as soon as possible after getting it home. essential - necessary and important ที่จำเป็น ที่สำคัญrabies - a neurological disease that leads to a dangerous...