Buying a puppy? Read this before you buy…

This week I’ve been back at work and, unusually, I’ve had two pre-arrival visits with families who are getting a puppy very soon.  It’s always nice to talk to new owners about what to expect, what to get for their puppy’s homecoming and how to cope during those first few days and nights!  I have a worksheet called New Arrivals and it gives details of starting house training, teaching your pup it’s name and settling them down for the night.

On my visit I can help owners with the reality of getting a new pup.  I never soft soap the fact that it will be hard for a few weeks and that you will - usually after a couple of sleepless nights - think you’ve done the wrong thing.  That’s all very normal.  Every owner, even me has thought that.  But armed with some advice and wanting to do the best for your pup will get you through.  

What I’d like to write about this week is BEFORE you buy your puppy.  Since the start of the pandemic puppy ownership has boomed.  Breeders have seen prices increase by more than 100% in some cases.  And with a shortage of puppies, I’ve seen lots of pups who are badly bred with physical and psychological problems by people who don’t care about the dogs just the money.  I’ve had clients who have bought a Cavapoo only to discover it’s a Cava-Labradoodle.  Or people who thought they had seen the mum only to find out that it wasn’t the mum. So I’m going to offer you some advice about getting a puppy for your family.

Getting a dog from rescue

Unfortunately, rescues are going to be overflowing with pups as people go back to work and realise that a dog isn’t ideal for their lifestyle.   Each rescue has different criteria for adopters.  Some want people at home all day, some insist on no children or children over a certain age.  Best thing is to sign up with lots of rescues and take your time.  I’m only talking about UK rescues in this article as dogs from outside the UK are completely different.  I’ll come back to that in a few weeks time.

Visit lots of centres like Battersea Dogs & Cats Home (they have three branches) or the Dog’s Trust.  Sign up on Facebook with rescues local to you as well.  And be prepared to wait.  Especially if you want a young puppy.  But don’t be afraid to pick a dog that’s a little bit older.  A dog can still be a pup at six months, a year or even 18 months old.  

If you do decide to go for a rescue dog you should get full back up from the rescue and you know that if things go wrong, you can as a last resort return the dog to the rescue.  No one will judge you or think you’re a bad owner.  It just didn’t work out for you or the dog and that sometimes happens.  It happened to me when I brought a lovely rescue Bedlington X Lurcher home to the suburbs from rural Wales.  Six weeks in he hadn’t settled and I was struggling to keep him entertained and exercised.  My circumstances changed and I didn’t want him to be unhappy.  So I took him back to the rescue and as we crossed the Severn bridge in to Wales he gave a deep sigh.  He lives on a farm now with plenty of room to run.

Ask lots of questions about the dog you plan to adopt, visit and see how he gets on with you and the family.  Go home and think about it before returning for another visit.  If the rescue think you are right for the dog, they will hold it for you.  I do a lot of home checks for rescues and for many of the smaller rescues, they will arrange a home check to see what your garden is like, how high the fences are and if you have experience.  I love doing home checks as I get to meet lots of excited families who want to give a dog a home for all the right reasons.  I’m not looking to see how tidy your home is!  I send my report back to the rescue based on the conversation and it’s up to the rescue if you get to adopt.  I don’t often hear if anyone has been successful.

Getting a rescue dog - no matter what age - is a challenge but worthwhile.  Until I got Rupert ALL my dogs had been rescues.  All with different characters and quirks. They made me the trainer I am today and I loved them all because they were rescues.  I needed them in my life as much as they needed me in theirs.  Edie was a rescue pup and she has turned out to be the best dog I’ve ever owned.  Just don’t mention it to Rupert!

Buying a puppy

If your heart is set on buying a puppy do lots of research before you part with a deposit or any money.  If you have decided on a particular breed, make sure it has the right characteristics to fit in with your lifestyle.  Don’t go buying a Border Collie if you just want a dog to mooch around with.  Likewise, if you want a dog to run with don’t buy a Bulldog.  Visit local dog shows and talk to other owners.  Each breed should have a breed club which often have a rescue side too.  The Kennel Club website has all the details of the breeds.

If you decide to get a cross breed you will also find a club that concentrates on Cockerpoos or Cavapoos.  For families who have allergies, there is a belief that some of these dogs are hypoallergenic.  It’s not always the case, so meet up with lots of different dogs to find out which are the best for your family.

So… you’ve made the decision and decided on the right type of dog for you. You’ve done your homework on what you want, what will be right for the dog and for you as well. You’ve made the commitment to change parts of your life to make dog ownership work.  You have understood and recognised that to start with the puppy cannot be left on its own for too long and that you will have to teach them right from the start.  Having a puppy is a blank canvas and you can mould the dog to your lifestyle easier than an older dog.  If you have children or cats, it is also easier to integrate a puppy.  

Where to buy a puppy?

In the old days most people heard about litters of pups via the local pet shop or dog walkers.  Now things have changed quite a bit.  Breeders should be regulated by a local council especially if they have a lot of breeding dogs.  There has been a huge campaign for “Lucy’s Law” to ban third parties from selling pups.  This means that pups should only be bought from homes where you can see the mum.

Some breeders are registered with the Kennel Club Assured Breeders scheme which gives you a little bit more confidence.  Other breeders can be found through the breed clubs.  And then there is the internet…!  The most popular site is Pets4Homes.  And there are some people on there who are genuinely selling nice pups.  But there are also a lot of people on there who are selling badly bred, sick pups for exorbitant prices.  In the end it comes down to what or who you feel comfortable with when you are discussing buying a pup from them.

There are some red flags for me that would stop me buying from someone.  Easy to say when you are at home but not easy when you are in front of the puppies and think you might be saving them from a fate worse than death or from a bad home.

See the pups at home with their mum.  Make sure that it is their mum and not just any female dog.  Watch how the mum interacts with the pups.  Does she actually look like them?  Seeing them on pre-recorded video is not always ideal and I know that with the long distances involved it may seem acceptable.  If you must do a long distance viewing either before you get the pup or during the time before you bring the pup home, try and make it a live video call.

Pictures of the parents and copies of their health paperwork (if they have any) are not good enough and can be falsified.  Some breeds have more health issues than others but if you have done your homework you will know what to look for.

Talk to the owners of both mum and dad and find out more about their temperament.  No point buying a pup from an anxious mum or dad and then expecting it to be less anxious.  Any sign of aggression from either parent to people or dogs is a big no from me.

Ask to see the relevant paperwork for first vaccinations and microchips.  You can always ask to speak to their vet if you have any concerns.  And the breeder must microchip the pup before it leaves to come to home with you.  This gives traceability to the breeder should anything go wrong.

NEVER EVER meet in a car park or a service station to pick up your pup.  And if the breeder offers to deliver the pup to you, please think carefully before agreeing.  But make sure that you have met the mum and the pup beforehand.

Don’t pay cash for the pup.  At least if you pay by bank transfer or card payment you will have a trail back to the breeder.

When you do visit the pups and the mum, spend some time with them.  Check the pups for fleas and ear mites.  Worms are harder to spot but the breeder have started the treatments before they leave.  Check their teeth as well to see that they are starting to come through and are okay.  Also have a look at their eyes - are they bright and clean?

Leave the children at home on the first visit.  They should be able to visit another time but if they go with you it will be tougher to be objective.

Are the pups clean and healthy?  Have they been house trained?  Have they been washed or bathed at all?  A clean puppy is not always a healthy puppy.

What about the environment?  Is it clean (I’m not talking show house here) and tidy?  Do the pups have their own space?  Do they live inside?  If they are living in an area outside of the house, eg kennels, have they had the chance to come inside and been socialised around families, children and older people etc.  Don’t be afraid to check the breeders ID.  Is it actually their home?

What are the pups eating?  A good quality diet?  Ask to see what they are fed on.  A good breeder will send you home with some food or will advise you what to buy in advance.  The breeder should also send you home with a blanket or toy that smells of the mum for those first few nights on their own.

Remember if you are at all concerned about the pup’s health or welfare walk away and report the breeder to the local council or the Kennel Club.  Don’t buy the pup just to rescue it.  You aren’t rescuing it.  There are lots more buyers out there and lots more pups to fill the demand.  You need to feel comfortable with the person you are buying from.  If something doesn’t sound right or doesn’t add up then go with your gut feeling.

I know it is hard when you have the pup there in front of you but, to some people, it’s no different from selling a car.  My best advice is do your research and never be afraid to say no.  Lucy’s Law was born out of a puppy Cavalier King Charles Spaniel called Lucy who was bought from a puppy farmer and suffered terribly.  For more information about the campaign and the law that was passed in 2020, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lucys-law-spells-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-puppy-farming

Finally, I am here to help you from the beginning of your journey with your new family member even if that’s before you bring the puppy home or discuss if you’re ready to get a puppy!