All the things I wish I knew before I got my first ever puppy!
There is a lot of debate about puppy's and where/who you should and shouldn't be buying from. I previously wrote an article on how I personally found Cooper, which obviously wasn't the most conventional way as the whole country was in lockdown! I actually asked for advice online before I got him and I just got abuse back- not a single helpful answer from anyone. But to save the ear ache from certain people (probably the same people who refused to give me advice in the first place), I thought it's only right to detail the more 'official' guidelines on how to go about finding your perfect puppy!
1. DON'T FALL VICTIM TO THE OVERLY INFLATED LOCKDOWN PRICES
This I totally agree with! I got Cooper at the very start of lockdown before the majority of breeders began upping their prices. Golden Retrievers pre lockdown averaged at around £1200-£1800 for a KC registered puppy with health tested parents, now the cheapest golden retriever puppy I could find on selling site was £2500- and they were neither KC reg or health checked!
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Do not believe the excuses, the cost of breeding puppies has not jumped up £1-2k over lockdown! It is pure greediness by the breeders, and people paying those prices will only keep the inflated prices going longer- or increase them further!
2. LUCY'S LAW
Lucy's Law was passed on the 6th April 2020 in an attempt to curb the number of puppy farms and to ban the third party selling of puppies.
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The law essentially means that you need to get a puppy directly from a breeder, not from a person/pet shop selling on a breeders behalf. It also means that if you can't look after the puppy and it is under 6 months old, the puppy has to either be returned to the breeder or to a rescue centre- You can NOT sell it on.
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The person you buy the puppy from 'the breeder' must be able to show you the puppy interacting with it's mother in their place of birth. If a person/business is selling puppies on behalf of someone else they are liable to an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to 6 months.
3. RESEARCH BREEDS
People buying dog's on a whim is not a problem solely linked to lockdown, it happens all year every year...and sometimes it's not the buying of the dog that's the problem, it's the lack of research before buying it that causes issues.
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Puppies are adorable, they're small and innocent and unsurprisingly, most people fall in love straight away. What people often don't consider is that in 6-12 months time, that adorable ball of fluff is going to turn into a fully grown dog. And as we all know, not all dogs are small!
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When you're looking for a dog, take your time researching breeds, learn about their needs and potential problems, it's not just about what a dog can do for you, it's about what you can do for your dog.
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For me, I love larger breeds. I would absolute love a St Bernard or an Old English Sheepdog! But practically speaking my top 2 dog breeds are Golden Retriever's and Border Collies, however as much as I like Border Collies, their working dog heritage means they need A LOT more exercise and stimulation than a retriever. I also had to take into account that my Mum is very nervous around dogs and as she looks after Cooper when I'm working, it wouldn't be fair on her or the dog if she wasn't comfortable around him. Also just common sense, if you live in a small apartment and can't exercise a dog a lot- don't buy a big breed that needs a lot of exercise!
4. RESEARCH BREEDERS
So you've decided on a breed, now it's time to find a breeder. Sites like Champdogs and the Kennel Club offer details of 'approved' breeders and were the 2 sites recommended to me. However, like any site, if an unscrupulous breeder is desperate enough, they'll find a way to bend the rules and get their listing up- so don't rely on the website as a guarantee.
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Have a look online at breed specific groups (e.g. on Facebook) and see which breeders other people got their puppies from. Bare in mind that the chances are you may have to go on a wait list for the puppies.
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Once you find a breeder that you are happy are okay from your research, it's time to move onto tip 5.
5. EXPECT TO BE ASKED LOTS OF QUESTIONS
Any decent breeder will want to know that their puppies are going to a good home. If they don't grill you several times over then the chances are they're purely in it for the money and don't care about the puppies- meaning they probably aren't looking after the puppies that well in the first place.
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Every breeder has their own set of 'rules and beliefs' when it comes to who their puppies go to, some are stricter than others. Personally some of the rules I've seen people get turned down on are in my opinion downright stupid- but each to their own!
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Expect to be asked about your work, the size of your home and garden, your finances, your family situation, whether you have kids, if so how old are they. Why do you want this breed, do you have the time to dedicate to it etc etc. Remember that no breeder is obliged to sell to you.
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I would say if you get turned down by a breeder, ask what the reason is, and before you get too downhearted, maybe seek the opinions of other owners. I've seen people get turned down for not currently owning a car, for not wanting to feed raw, for wanting to vaccinate their dogs, all sorts of reasons that have absolutely no correlation to you being a good responsible dog owner!
6. IF THING'S DON'T FEEL RIGHT WHEN YOU GET THERE, DON'T FEEL PRESSURED INTO BUYING
This happened to my friend just prior to lockdown. The first breeder she visited in her words she said something was just 'off', the woman selling was just interested in selling them. In the end she left without a puppy and found a different breeder.
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Things to look out for:
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The breeder should NOT be pressuring you to take one or to make a sale.
Don't agree to meet anywhere other than the breeders home. If they want to meet somewhere 'neutral' the chances are it's because they're trying to hide something at home.
Make sure you see the Mum there with the puppies. There is NO excuse for her not been there. Also be wary if the 'Mum' is not interested in the puppies, there is a chance that they are NOT the real Mum.
No Health problems are 'normal'- don't let them convince you otherwise.
Ask to see physical copies of the health tests and the scores for the parent's. Also to see proof of the puppies microchipping and vaccination records.
By law puppies can not be picked up before they are 8 weeks old. If the breeder is trying to give them away earlier it's a big red flag.
7. IF THE BREEDER TRIES TO CHANGE THE PRICE AFTER THE SALE, WALK AWAY
Another horrible thing to come out of lockdown. Breeders are turning dog buying into an auction, and families who having already reserved their puppy, are been told that if they don't pay a new increased price, they can't have the puppy. Not only is this incredibly unfair for the people who are excited to pick up their puppy, it's also in my opinion a very mild form of blackmail! Either way it shouldn't be tolerated!
8. IF YOU'RE OPEN TO IT, WHAT ABOUT RESCUING?
I have written another article about the pros and con of getting a rescue dog (see below), but in the UK there are so many dogs waiting for a loving home. This understandably is not a viable option for everything and I don't agree with people trying to guilt trip people into buying a rescue. But if you're in a situation to do so, go for it!
I have seen so many rescue dogs that are the soppiest, sweetest dogs going. There is a real stigma that all rescue dogs are problem dogs and it's not the case at all!
