PETS : Try Conejo Club When Searching for That Perfect Pooch : The Thousand Oaks group can put you in touch with reputable breeders. Information is also available on raising your new dog.

Christmas is the time when a lot of people are out puppy shopping. And so are you. Something lovable (but not too kissy), something energetic (but not bouncing off the walls), something well-mannered (but not boring), something with breeding (but still able to relate to your in-laws).

You could search shelters and pet stores for the perfect pooch or check out puppy classified ads and notes pinned to supermarket bulletin boards offering “free dog to a good home.”

But if you want to lessen the chances of acquiring a problem pet, the Conejo Kennel Club in Thousand Oaks can get you in touch with reputable breeders who sell purebreds and provide free advice.

“There’s a good group of conscientious dog (breeders) we refer callers to who love to educate pet lovers about the dogs they raise,” club Director Linda Mattson said.

Conejo’s breeders test the puppies and their parents for genetic problems before offering the puppies for sale. Members of national breed organizations, they usually know their dogs’ ancestors four or five generations back. They also give the new owner training and health tips as the puppy matures.

Buying a dog from anyone other than a reputable breeder can sometimes be costly and emotional.

“Sure, you can find a Rottweiler for $100 from a person who advertises in the paper and calls (himself) a breeder,” club member Michael Grossman said. “The reality is, the buyer could end up spending $10,000 in vet bills when the dog goes lame because the seller didn’t know or want to X-ray the parents’ hips” to check for genetic risks.

According to Gini Addamo of Thousand Oaks, a past president of the club, retail pet stores and back-yard breeders don’t give new puppies the attention they need when they are very young. Later, these dogs can develop such problems as shyness, aggression, excessive barking or overly destructive behavior.

Owners who don’t know what to do with a problem pet sometimes just get rid of it, Addamo says.

Last year, 4,634 dogs were abandoned and destroyed in Ventura County, says Kathy Jenks, director of the Ventura County Animal Regulation Department.

Unique in the county, the Conejo breeder service gets about 25 calls a week from people who see the club’s ad in their local paper. Addamo has operated the service from her home for the past four years.

“I spend a lot of time on the phone listening to people tell me they want to find a special dog just like the one they had as a child,” said Addamo, who has owned and trained Samoyeds and Doberman Pinschers for 20 years.

Addamo takes time with potential owners. “Adding a four-legged bundle of energy to the household is a big commitment, emotionally, physically and monetarily,” Addamo said. “I want people to find the right one for them and to keep it happily ever after.”

Leslie and Bob Adams of Thousand Oaks dreamed of getting a dog, but weren’t quite sure what they wanted. They called the Conejo number.

“We just wanted a pet--a large one and nothing fancy we could name ‘Fred,’ ” Adams said. “We thought four different breeds were kinda neat--golden retrievers, German shepherd, old English sheep dogs and collies. Gini strongly recommended we call breeders to learn as much as we could before taking on a big dog.”

The advice paid off. The couple soon realized that a 75-pound-plus animal would need a lot more grooming, training and space than they could manage. So they chose a small, short-haired terrier.

While some people buy dogs at the pound to save an animal’s life, cost is also often the reason--the county Animal Regulation Department charges $61. But purebreds aren’t as expensive as people think, “especially if you count all the years of joy that dog will (bring),” Addamo said. Most quality breeders charge at least $400 for a puppy, with rare breeds costing at least $1,000.

But bargains are available to the right person. “Normally, we sell our Doberman puppies for around $500,” Mattson said, “but there have been times we’ve given dogs away if someone can’t pay that price and we feel (they will provide) a great home.”

Details

* CALL: The Conejo Kennel Club’s breeder referral service number is 499-1251.