Where to get a dog or puppy

Where to Get a Dog or Puppy

Purebred and even mixed-breed dogs can be purchased or adopted from a variety of sources, including rescues, foster homes, newspaper ads, the internet, animal shelters, pet shops, and breeders.  Some breeders are reputable, others less so.   Beware that there is such a thing as a “puppy mill.”  It is best not to buy a pup from a pet shop, because the odds are high that the puppy came from a mill.  Puppy mills are businesses that care about profits instead of the good of the dog or the breed.  They breed the mother dogs as frequently as they can, with devastating consequences to her health.  They keep the mother and litters in cramped, filthy conditions.  Mom and puppies get no exercise or socialization, and they usually have health and temperament problems.  Buying from a puppy mill, whether directly or through a pet shop, encourages the puppy-millers to continue their abhorrent practices. 

Newspaper ads are sometimes placed by puppy millers trying to sell directly to the public or by amateur breeders who are selling a less desirable-quality pup.  Puppy millers are also increasingly advertising online.  A fancy website is no guarantee of a quality dog.  Therefore do not purchase your puppy from a newspaper ad, and do your research first before dealing with anyone who advertises on the internet.

Getting a Dog from a Breeder

When looking for a breeder, try to find one that has a good reputation and references.   Local training clubs, veterinarians, groomers, and kennel clubs can be a good source of information on area breeders.  If you have a friend who knows the breed well enough to show the breed, ask that person to read your prospective dog’s pedigree and give you an informed opinion.  Look for at least four titled dogs in events such as conformation, tracking, obedience, etc., within the past three generations. Your puppy’s breeder should accept lifetime responsibility for any puppies he produces and should take back any puppies that do not work out in their new homes for whatever reason for their entire lives.  You probably feel you will never need this warranty, but it shows how much faith the breeder has in the quality of his dogs and how much concern he feels for their welfare.  Your breeder will probably give the puppy his first set of shots, worming, some form of permanent identification, and have you sign a spay/neuter contract (unless you are purchasing a dog you intend to show).  He will refuse to sell puppies before they are ready, usually not before 8 weeks age.  Good breeders will make sure their puppies have been socialized to people and places beyond the kennel before you even take him home.  

When looking for a breeder, beware of anyone who tries to sell a mixed-breed dog or a “custom” breed for high prices.  Some unscrupulous folks have been popularizing crosses such as Labradoodles (Lab-Poodles) and Goldendoodles (Golden Retriever-Poodles) as non-shedding and non-allergenic family pets.  First of all, no dog can be guaranteed hypo-allergenic.  People tend to react to an animal’s saliva or dander, not to the hair.  Some breeds do tend to shed dander more quickly than others, but nobody can predict how an allergy sufferer will react to a particular animal or breed.  Second, no breeder can reliably predict or guarantee what combination of genes will wind up in a mixed-breed dog.  The Lab-Poodle cross could wind up with the Poodle’s intelligence and the Labrador’s coat and retrieving instincts, for example, and shed his oily coat all over the house.  You may like this particular dog, or this particular mix, but you should not be paying the kinds of prices the breeder of a registered purebred of good lineage can demand.  You are basically purchasing a (hopefully) nice mutt, not a “designer dog.”  Also, not everyone offering “rare breeds” on the internet or elsewhere is ethical.  Let the buyer beware.

Breeders who follows my general guidelines for breeding purebred dogs would never sell their puppies through a pet store, because they plan to screen the buyers carefully to be sure of a good home for their dogs.  Be prepared to answer many questions before you receive your pup.  The breeder may want to know whether you have a fenced-in yard, plan to participate in dog sports such as Agility or Flyball, have children, etc.  These questions are part of their efforts to decide whether your family and a particular puppy are the right match.

When you locate a breeder, ask for and check references from people who have purchased puppies from prior litters.   If these are satisfactory, ask to visit the property.  Do not visit the puppies during the initial visit.  They are so cute and fuzzy it will be difficult to go home without one!  The premises should be clean.  Ask to meet the puppies’ mother and father, assuming the sire is on the property.  They should both be friendly with no signs of shyness or aggression at all (no excuses!)  If you are not completely satisfied with the parents’ temperaments, leave and find another breeder. 

Since you have taken the time to read up on your breed, you will probably have questions about typical genetic problems.  Regarding the dogs’ hips, ask for the OFA ratings on both parents, not only the OFA number. Ratings can be excellent, good, or fair. Chances of good hips in the offspring are better when parents are rated good or excellent; obviously an excellent rating in both parents is most desirable.  The breeder may even want to show you the parents’ X-Rays. 

Once you are satisfied with the pedigree, the breeder’s premises, and the temperament and health of the parents, only then is it time to visit with the puppies.  Spend time with them, observe them carefully, and listen to the breeder’s advice about what would make the best match for you.  You probably want to avoid any puppies that seem overly timid or pushy.  Remember to pick one that seems lively, bright-eyed, friendly, and healthy.  Plan to take it to the veterinarian for a checkup shortly after you bring it home. The same is true if you get a dog from a rescue or animal shelter, as detailed in my next post.