Introduction Warning Signs Questions
Recommendations Conclusions

Don't get ripped off! I know their dirty tricks!

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IV. Recommendations For A Great Buying Decision

a. Never buy from a Pet Shop.

If you buy a puppy from a Pet Store, you have missed the entire point of this report. You don't get to see the parents, you learn nothing about the conditions of the kennels, and you don't get to question the breeders. In short, you are supporting the Puppy Mill industry. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!

b. See both parents of the puppy.

If the breeders make any excuse for why you can't see both parents, walk away. One of the parents died, ran away, is sick, or is visiting his cousins in Albuquerque…..whatever excuse they make. There are way too many wonderful breeders out there for every breed. You don't have to deal with one where you can't see the parents. See the parents, hold the parents, and play with the parents. If you don't like the parents, you won't like your puppy when he grows up. The appearance of the parents, the alignment of their teeth, their fur consistency, how much they shed, how playful they are, and their energy level are all important things to notice in the parents.

c. When you visit a breeder, ask a lot of questions.

Ask question, after question, after question. If you don't ask questions well, take someone along who does. The questions should educate you about the breed of dog, this breeder's experience and knowledge, and important health issues concerning this breeder's dogs. In addition to learning about breeding and health issues, many questions improve your chances of catching a dishonest breeder in a lie. He wants your money, he will answer questions as long as your continue to ask. If he's uncomfortable, he may be hiding something.

d. Attend or watch a dog show.

It's easy to find a dog show to watch. Cable, PBS, and even a video store will have a show you can watch. You could also attend a local show in person. A dog show will help you understand, before you get a dog, how dogs are judged. You will see how breed standards are considered, how important attitude is. It will also give you a great exposure to many different groups and breeds. You will make a better decision about what dog is right for you after you see all the breeds and listen to the discussions concerning those breeds. Even if you are sure of the breed you want, a look at different groups and breeds may change your mind or convince you that you're right.

e. Get and read a book about your chosen breed before you buy a puppy.

After you are reasonably certain about the breed you want, you need to read a guidebook specifically about that breed. Almost any pet store, large bookstore or library will have a book about most popular breeds. You will live with dog for the next ten years or so, invest an hour or so now to help choose a better dog. Most of the book will be relatively generic, discussing puppy care, grooming, general health issues and such things. Two important chapters will discuss breed standards and health issues for the particular breed. These are important for you when you go shopping for a puppy. You will judge the parents based on the standards and question the breeder concerning his experience with the health issues. Take the book with you. The breeder's attitude will change when he know you can't be fooled.

f. Learn the breed standards for the breed you have chosen.

You may not be looking for a champion show dog, but you want it to look like what it is supposed to look like. This means you need to know the breed standards. Have a copy of them when you go shopping for a puppy. Compare the parents to this standard. You will be an educated shopper if you know what you are looking for. Your decision will come out much better.

g. Consider other breeds in the same group.

You will increase you opportunity of finding a dog that's perfect for you if you expand your search to other similar breeds. Even though a particular dog may seem perfect for you, a different breed in the same group will have some different characteristics that may match you even better. If you are interested in a Pekingese, you may also want to consider a Maltese, a Lhasa Apso or a Shih Tzu. If you are interested in a Irish Setter, you may also consider other Setter, Pointers or Retrievers. They will be similar, will give you more choices of puppies to buy and may also save you some money.

h. Don't buy around Christmas or Easter.

Many people buy puppies for their spouses or children for Christmas or Easter. More people will chase the supply of puppies and less good puppies from reputable breeders will be available. Demand varies over the year, while supply is basically constant. Buying when demand is low will give you the best opportunity to find the right puppy. Spring and Fall are great times to buy. Who needs a new puppy when the kids are busy in school?

i. Get a vet checkup for the puppy immediately after you buy it.

Most breeders don't get vet checkups for their puppies. If they did, you would end up getting your own vet check immediately after you buy it, and you would end up paying for one visit in the price of the puppy and another one after. You want your vet to check for any kennel diseases or congenital defects. You also want to get the final shots and you want your vet to get familiar with your puppy. The sooner you get your vet check after you get the puppy, the better the chance you have to work out any health issues with the breeder. If you keep the puppy for a month or so, then find out it has pulmonary or respiratory defects, you will be in a much worse negotiating position with the breeder. Find out right away, within a day or two, and work out any issues right away. If you haven't become very attached to the puppy, yet, you can make a more rational decision.

j. Get a contract with a refund for health issues.

This is a tough one. Most breeders want to give you a health guarantee with no refund. They will only give you a puppy from a future litter. You will not want to wait for six months to a year, and be subject to his choosing the replacement puppy for you. Your negotiating power evaporates when you hand over the cash. Get a contract that states how health problems will be handled. You will want the option of getting a refund if he doesn't have another puppy you want. Write a contract by hand if necessary.

k. Get your papers before you leave with the puppy.

You can avoid the hassle of trying to get the papers from the breeder by insisting on getting the papers up front. Ask the breeder when you call if they have the papers ready. If they don't, find someone else. It's an added headache you don't need. When the breeder doesn't have the papers and it's time to sell the puppies, it can mean either the breeder is disorganized or that they are having difficulties with the registration organization. If they don't have the papers yet, they may never get them. Good luck getting your money back!

l. Take someone emotionally uninvolved with you to see the puppy.

Take someone who has no stake in the decision with you to see the puppy. Take a sibling, a parent or a friend. Give them veto power. If they say no to your buying that puppy, back away from the purchase. Take them aside and listen to why they are uncomfortable. Making a good decision to buy a puppy means putting aside emotions and looking at facts. Someone uninvolved can be a great help in doing just that.

m. Don't buy from the first one or two breeders whose puppies you go see.

A good decision means getting as much information as possible. Making a decision not to buy from the first one or two breeders you visit makes sure that you have the opportunity to see more puppies and gives you the opportunity to see different breeders and kennels. You may miss out on the greatest puppy in the world by going not buying on the first visit, but chances are that seeing several other breeders will help you find a better breeder and a better puppy.

n. Don't buy a puppy without planning.

Planning the purchase of a puppy is very important. Way too many people go from deciding to buy a puppy to the classified ads. This is the way to disaster. Go from the decision to buy a puppy, to the library. Find out about your breed and see a dog show to find out about other breeds and groups. Visit as many breeders as possible. Decide whether you will be able to keep the dog indoors, whether you will have a fence and how much room the dog will have to live. These affect the breed that is appropriate for you. You can increase the radius from where you live by advanced planning. Increasing from a radius of a one-hour drive to a four-hour drive will greatly increase the number of breeders and puppies you have to choose from. Advanced planning will let you schedule a visit with a breeder combined with other travel such as a vacation.

o. Buy from a breeder who has only one breed.

Breeders who are devoted to the betterment of their breed almost always have only one breed of dog. Those who are in it for the money usually have several breeds. When a breeder has multiple breeds, he must keep the caged or penned separately all of the time to prevent cross breeding. There is no need to deal with these breeders. Find someone else.

p. Decide beforehand whether you want full or limited breeding rights.

There are generally two ways to register a dog, full or limited registration. Full registration means that the dog can be bred and its puppies can also be registered. Limited registration means that the dog is registered, but it's offspring cannot be registered. Breeders of champion lines of dogs use limited registration to keep the number of competing lines to a minimum. Limited registration is also used to protect breeds from inferior lines of dogs. Breeders can decide which of their lines of dogs can be continued and which cannot. If you are intending to get your dog spayed or neutered, you can accept a limited registration, if you are planning to breed your dog and register the puppies, you must have full registration rights.

q. Visit a breeder before he has puppies ready to sell.

If you plan in advance to buy a puppy, it gives you an opportunity to visit breeders whether they currently have puppies or not. If you find a breeder with the quality of dogs that you like, with breeding standards that you are comfortable with and a clean and healthy kennel, you can leave him your name and number. He will put you on a list to be called when he next has some puppies. This gives you a great advantage over people shopping the classifieds and needing to buy a puppy now. You will get to choose your puppy before the ads are even run.