By Jane Johnson
One of the difficult decisions you need to make is where to buy your dog from. There are a variety of different places you can get a puppy or older dog from, and this page hopes to help give some suggestions on what you may expect:
Decisions, decisions, decisions! |
| Who and What |
Good Breeders |
Other Breeders |
Pet Stores |
| Have puppies |
Sometimes |
Sometimes |
Usually always |
| Have waiting lists |
Usually always |
Sometimes |
Probably not |
| Vaccinate puppies |
Yes |
Perhaps |
Perhaps |
| Health Information |
Yes - comprehensive |
Perhaps |
Rarely |
| Health Stats |
Yes - will be honest with the problems in their breed |
Perhaps - many will tell you their dogs have no health problems, because they either don't know, don't care, or want to hide the truth from you |
No - they do not collect this information, many preferring to let you think that there are no health problems (when you know that every breed has health issues and that you should know the statistics) |
| Have health tested the parents |
Yes of course, and will provide you with copies of the health certificates |
Probably not. More likely to tell you that their dogs have no health problems (and of course, you know that all dogs are at risk of problems) |
They wouldn't know. Some will tell you "yes" even though they don't know. Others will tell you health testing is not necessary |
| Will have health tested puppies |
Yes, of course, and then tell you what health testing needs to be done over the course of the puppy's life |
Usually no. Many will tell you that the pups are "vet checked", but at best, if this is actually true, it usually indicates that no really apparent health problems are present at that moment, on that day |
Usually no. Many will tell you that the pups are "vet checked", but at best, if this is actually true, it usually indicates that no really apparent health problems are present at that moment, on that day |
| Will tell you what health testing needs to happen |
Of course! - many will insist that you get the health testing done |
Probably not |
No - would have absolutely no idea why this would be important |
| Will give you info on diet |
Will have comprehensive information available for you. Some will even require that you agree to feed a specific diet before you even get on the waiting list
(Hint: this is usually a very good sign that this breeder really cares about the health of their dogs |
Probably not |
Perhaps will try and sell you something from the store, but will not have an individual plan for your dog |
| Price |
Will be a reasonable price. Breeder lucky if they break even |
Usually charge more than registered breeders |
Usually charge significantly more than registered breeders |
| Understand temperament |
Yes - comprehensive, and will carefully select which pup goes to which home |
Perhaps |
Rarely - more interested in the pup as a "commodity" rather than a special being that needs to go to the right home |
| Advertise |
Sometimes - best way to hear is by word of mouth, so you need to do some research usually to find these guys |
Usually |
Usually |
| Will provide a health guarantee |
Yes 1-2 years |
Probably not |
Will probably offer 1-14 day guarantee |
| Will provide on-going support |
Yes - usually comprehensive |
Usually not |
No - well unless you are buying more products from their store. |
| Will take back your puppy or dog if you cannot keep it |
Yes. Some breeders will demand that you can only return the puppy/dog to them.
(Hint: this is a sign of a good breeder) |
No |
No |
| Will require you spay/neuter your pup |
Usually. Those pups left "intact" are those that present the absolute best of the breed, that are worth producing more pups from. The breeder stays in very close contact with these. |
No |
No |
| Has registered puppies |
Yes - all their puppies will be registered with the American Kennel Club (*Note: there are some exceptions. See exceptions.) |
Usually not |
No |
| Will provide training advice |
Yes - and provide on-going support |
Perhaps, may also suggest unsuitable training methods |
Rarely |
| Can prove the "worth" of their dogs |
Yes - will be able to show you full pedigrees, comprehensive health reports, and show ribbons and trophies |
No - at best perhaps one distant relative may be a champion; unlikely to have any health testing |
No |
| Will tell you about the faults in their dogs. All dogs have good points and bad points. A good breeder knows this. |
Yes - will be open and honest about the faults in their dogs |
More than likely would not have a clue |
No - some will tell you the dogs are "perfect" |
So after reading all this, have you finally decided where you are going to get your puppy from? The decision to get a puppy should not be taken lightly, and you should work to find the right breeder for you. Remember, a puppy is not a commodity. |
