Are you interested in buying a puppy?

 

So you want to buy a puppy and don't know where to begin? Should you buy one from the person down the block who breeds their pet for fun/money? Should you buy one from a pet store? Should you buy one from a "show" breeder? Should you adopt one from the shelter? Wondering what the differences is between breeders? Well look no further.

The first thing you want to do is make sure you're ready for a puppy. A lot of people don't realize that a puppy is a lot of work. It's similiar to having a baby. Puppies chew and destroy things if they aren't properly supervised, puppies need to be housebroken or crate trained and they have to be obedience trained so they know how to behave properly. If you decide that you can deal with that then you have to decide if you'd like a purebreed or a mixed breed. The advantages of a purebreed dog is that you will have a general idea as to how the dog will look and what traits it will have. Keep in mind that a lot of breeds were bred for different purposes and will act different. The best thing to do is research different breeds to find out which one would be suitable for you. A good place to research is the American Kennel Club website. Some people like mixed breed dogs because they're unique. After doing your research, you still may not be sure where to get a puppy.

There are a few different places to get puppies. You can get one from a responsible breeder, an irresponsible breeder, a pet store or a shelter or rescue. *I* highly suggest getting a puppy from a responsible breeder or a shelter or rescue and I'll explain why. When it comes to looking for a responsible breeder, one of the best places to start is by visiting a dog show. The best dog shows to go to are "benched" shows which means that the dogs are still on the premises when they are done showing. This is a great way to speak to owners, breeders, handlers and fanciers of the breeds. If you like a certain breed, you can check out breed clubs. Breed clubs are a great place to find out information about a certain breed and you can often find breeder referrals on there. You can also go the rescue route. A great place to check out is Pet Finder. If you are interested in a certain breed, there are breed specific rescues out there.

This guide is directed at buying a dog from a responsible breeder and gives some insight as to why you should stay away from irresponsible breeders. When I am looking to buy a dog, I look for these things in a breeder....

Click here for Part II