If you are planning on purchasing a puppy, we strongly recommend you buy directly from a breeder. Choose a breeder who can answer your questions confidently; showing you they know the breed. If you are buying a registered puppy, be sure the information you are given matches what is stated on the registration – date of birth, gender, parents, etc.
Most breeders do a good job of breeding and raising the pups, contrary to popular media opinion. However, there are those who will gouge your wallet without blinking, so be careful. Asks a lot of questions. If the breeder gets defensive, it’s time to move on.
You’ll want to buy from a breeder that has clean facilities, who has spent a ton of time with the pups in socialization, who can show you definite vaccination records, and who has taken steps towards housetraining the puppies. Please note that puppies who are raised on tile floors and newspaper training will typically be hard to housetrain, as a general rule.
A breeder who will sell you a puppy before it is eight weeks old is a sure sign of an ignorant breeder. Go elsewhere to make your purchase. Most states have laws stating that puppies cannot be sold until they are at least 7 or 8 weeks old. But even if it is legal to sell pups before 8 weeks, they are not developed enough socially to leave their mother and/or littermates yet. Behavioral issues will abound…and you’ll be stuck dealing with it.
Pet stores are usually a bad idea when it comes to purchasing puppies. As a general rule, the pups do not get sufficient exercise, usually end up being housetraining disasters, and do not get enough interaction with other dogs/puppies to develop socially, thereby creating problems around other dogs.
Do your homework about your breed and your breeder and make a purchase with both eyes open. This will make your buying experience smoother and will also facilitate a satisfied relationship with your puppy for years to come.
