# Looking to buy a puppy?



## s4sugar (10 June 2013)

Looking to buy a puppy this weekend -

In the first instance choose a breed or type to suit your lifestyle not just just because the advert has a cute photo. A dedicated breeder will be honest about their breed and tell you the pros & cons  those in it for the money will only stress the good points and everything they breed will be perfect for your family.
Always google the phone number before ringing, always say I'm ringing about the puppies........if they ask which ones it may be a red flag. Ask for the parents registered names and what health tests they have had  the breed clubs will have a list of recommended checks and you can look up specific dogs on the kennel club website http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/mateselect/test/Default.aspx Even if that dog has no health tests it will state the breed and confirm such a dog exists.

Always, always, see the puppy with it's mother at the place it was born. Don't accept any excuse, OH has just taken the mum out, she is at my Mothers, Sisters, great aunt Mathildas etc. The only reason for mum not to be present and with the puppies is if she has died in which case you need to ask for the name of the vet practise to confirm this.
You should see the puppies at a home, it may be at a hobby breeders home which also is a kennels, it should not be a multi breed puppies for sale establishment which all too often pass themselves off as breeders. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsnVaLH1DRw

A good breeder probably wont have the sire onsite as the best option is rarely owned by the owner of the dam. You should be able to see the sires details, photos and health test information and be given contact details for his owner. All paperwork should be available for you to see. 

If the pups are purebred and can be registered there is no good reason for them not being so nor for breeding from an adult without full registration. 
Avoid the scam registries. Dog lovers and Kennelreg are there to assist puppy farmers and dishonest breeders. Kennel club, ISDS, NGRC are no guarantee of quality but not having proper documents is proof of dodgyness. A common scam is parents are registered but we havent registered the puppies because we only want them to go as pets which is another way of saying we have bred from dogs we agreed not to breed from. It costs £15 for a breeder to register a puppy with the kennel club so anyone giving two different prices for registered and unregistered is best avoided.


Just because somewhere calls itself a rescue doesn't mean it isn't an outlet for a puppy farm.

Please don't buy a deliberate cross breed - ask yourself would you buy it if it ended up with all the bits you don't like in the parent breeds plus if someone has a quality health tested bitch they should be using it to promote that breed. 
Crossing two breeds does not produce a healthier dog as the puppy may get the worst of both parents.
Cross breeds are often to fool the books as a bitch is only allowed one registered litter a year and rescues are being flooded with dogs that do not do what the seller promised eg. poodle crosses that shed heavily.

Recently puppy farmed puppies have been shipped in by the van load from Eastern Europe. These are mass produced and often have false papers. They are advertised from private homes who may be selling on commission. 
If you dont specifically want a puppy try breed rescues  found via the kennel club or general rescues or your local pound.

If you see an advert and are not sure about anything you can ask on this forum and people will be able to read between the lines or find you contacts in the breeds you are interested in. 

Please either buy a puppy from a reputable caring breeder or rescue an older dog but please dont hand money to puppy farmers and scammers.


Finally- 
If you are in any doubt about the puppy, its health, its origins or the conditions where you see it please dont buy it, however hard it is to leave it behind, but do report the place to their local council.

This could save you a lot of heartbreak and if people stopped buying their product the puppy farming would be stopped.


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## MurphysMinder (10 June 2013)

This is great, definitely needs to be stickied.


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## FinnishLapphund (10 June 2013)

When I asked after having written the thread About crossbreeding and defining a backyard breeder, and getting replies about that it should be stickied, Forum Admin Team said that for anything new to be stickied, they need to remove something already stickied. 

But that was some months ago, fingers crossed S4sugar that you get a different answer, because it is a really good post, with some very good points.


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## Kaylum (11 June 2013)

To add a few things, a puppy is now as expensive as buying a horse so check it out properly.  Research the breed, ask questions about the breed on here and the potential purchase you have seen like the linage it belongs to. 

Then when you go see it pick it up look in its mouth is it parrot mouthed? check its legs, make sure they are straight and its eyes and that of its mother. 

Make sure you know it's exact age, puppies taken away from mum and siblings too young might end up with problems as they need a good few weeks to play and gain social skills.  

The breeder should be asking questions about you.  If they aren't interested be aware it could be just for money making.  

Lastly vaccinations, get them done or check out the certificate.  Take it to your own vet if you need to check.


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## MurphysMinder (11 June 2013)

I was sure that admin had said something about stickies recently but couldn't remember what.  Thanks for reminding me Finny, such a shame if your post and s4s can't be put at the top, they would both be very useful.


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## Dobiegirl (11 June 2013)

Great to see it stickied and hope it stops someone from the heartache of buying a puppy from a puppy farmer  or a backyard breeder.


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## s4sugar (20 June 2013)

This may make a few things clearer - http://www.naiaonline.org/articles/...eds-and-designer-breeds#.T3EKjLzwJa8.facebook

There is no good reason to breed crossbreed dogs and it is usually done purely for money.


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## Richie (25 September 2013)

very good advice


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## rummibailey (30 May 2014)

I would add that any dog lover should adopt a dog from a reputable rescue rather than buy a puppy. Don't breed and buy when thousands die! Thousands of dogs are pts sleep every year on uk due to lack of homes but still people breed!!!!  Many of the smaller rescues are more flexible if you work or have kids, such as Rescue Remedies Dog Rescue www.rescueremedies.co.uk


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## KaylinW (12 August 2014)

of course they can get a puppy, but not from a puppy farm.... not only adult dogs need to be saved


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## Winters100 (18 April 2015)

There are lots of lovely rescue puppies needing homes.  Personally I would try to find one where they have been in fostering with the Mother.  Observe the puppies behavior towards each other, if you are a new owner it may be best to go for neither the most lively or the weakest, choose one in the middle.  If you have trouble finding a reputable rescue organization feel free to let me know and I can help.  Good luck!


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## tony74 (20 May 2020)

i didnt realise but the breeding is so important and greatly affects how the dog behaves I was naive in thinking you can train any dog but we have ended up with an absolutely mental wire hair pointer !


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## CorvusCorax (20 May 2020)

tony74 said:



			i didnt realise but the breeding is so important and greatly affects how the dog behaves I was naive in thinking you can train any dog but we have ended up with an absolutely mental wire hair pointer !
		
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Great working dogs  check out their field trials in Germany!!


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## Moobli (20 May 2020)

Researching breed origins and specific traits is one of the first things that should be recommended to anyone looking to purchase a particular breed of dog for the first time.


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## Cinnamontoast (20 May 2020)

tony74 said:



			i didnt realise but the breeding is so important and greatly affects how the dog behaves I was naive in thinking you can train any dog but we have ended up with an absolutely mental wire hair pointer !
		
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But you can get calm pups in the litter and others might be bonkers. One of mine is calm and soppy, the other is always on the go and not great with other dogs and sometimes people!

Is your aim to work it?


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## horseman1985 (29 November 2020)

Thanks for the thread! Very helpful.


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## gallopingby (29 November 2020)

Very useful BUT most reputable breeders and rescues would not be letting anyone have a puppy if someone turned up on spec whatever day!


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## Johnjojo (3 December 2020)

Great advices, when was looking for a puppy also faced with this questions and had to read a lot articles


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## Crugeran Celt (4 November 2022)

rummibailey said:



			I would add that any dog lover should adopt a dog from a reputable rescue rather than buy a puppy. Don't breed and buy when thousands die! Thousands of dogs are pts sleep every year on uk due to lack of homes but still people breed!!!!  Many of the smaller rescues are more flexible if you work or have kids, such as Rescue Remedies Dog Rescue www.rescueremedies.co.uk

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I agree with this sentiment but when looking for a dog last year  the only breeds in local rescues were lurcher types which with two cats was a non starter and staffies which are an unsuitable breed for our lifestyle. I contacted specific breed rescues who had no animals needing homes on their book. Ended up buying from a local couple who had bred from their working spaniel.


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