Buying a puppy

I’d stick to a KC registered breeder. We got one of our Border Terriers from Pets4Homes. A couple of weeks before we’d missed out of getting one from a home in Orpington who’d seemed ideal. We then saw one advertised in Acton, the guy said he couldn’t look after it any longer because his Mum who looked after it during the day had got a job. So we went over to Acton to see the dog. It turned out it was the same dog sold in Orpington two weeks earlier. I was livid. The guy wanted more for the dog than he’d paid for it two weeks previously. I told him we’d have the dog but it wasn’t getting a penny more than he’d paid for it himself. The poor dog was only seven months old but had had three homes before us. Three odd years on he still has anxiety issues.

There are obviously good people on Pets4Homes but it’s hard to tell whom. How do you know how they are treating the dogs, is the dog even theirs? Stick to a KC Registered Breeder, preferably one in their Assured Breeder Scheme, and you can’t go much wrong.

I would suggest you look into rehoming a dog as I think @PaddyP17 is suggesting, my last two dogs both Border Collies were/are rescues.

The first from Battersea, turned out to be the best dog I've had in my life and I've had a few, just a totally incredible dog.

My present dog came from the Border Collie Trust in Staffordshire. He had been mistreated but I've had him 6 years and he's turned out to be a beauty, not without the occasional hiccup but having had dogs most of my life, it really didn't bother me.

T_C_E said:

All reputable rescues and trust me there some dodgy ones, are not rehoming at this time. 

Dogs trust and RSPCA are rehoming.

We bought a Miniature Schnauzer on Pets4Homes in November and he's been home with us for a few weeks now.

Lots of good advice above if going for a new pup from a breeder and not adoption/rescue. Doing proper diligence is a real must - make sure you get full medical paperwork including for both parents, good idea to stick to KC registered, make sure you can see the puppy's environment and the mother (likely to be on screen at the moment obviously). Ask lots of questions, scrutinise shallow answers and trust your instinct - if it doesn't feel right it's not worth taking a chance.

Edit: And do lots and lots of breed research. The variation is enormous. Think about your life circumstances and preferences and where your priorities would be - size, exercise needs, friendliness with children strangers or other animals, character, noisiness, independence, grooming needs, breed specific health issues, shedding, etc. I would make your breed choice definitively before actually deciding you want a dog.

Please do not hand over any deposits from adverts from P4H, my wife had any enquiry for a Westie puppy from a couple who answered an advert, they were sent videos of the litter and pictures of the puppy, the were asked for a deposit of £450 by bank transfer,  they were then advised of the address to pick the puppy up from they arranged a date, on arriving at they address they were informed that  they were 8th person that had turned up to collect puppies and that they had been conned, the people at the property did not breed dogs infact they did not even own a dog. By the way you will not find a KC registed Cockerpoo as they not a reconnised breed.  If you go for a Beagle contact one of the breed clubs a list of which you will find on the KC website.   

Andyessgee90 said:

From a veterinary perspective -we are also seeing a huge number of puppies (and kittens) being taken away from the mother by new owners way too young. 

Secondly due to the number of scammers and irresponsible breeders; legitimate breeders are now requesting you sign a contract stating you will have the puppy vet checked within 48 hours of collection and if there is something wrong they will apparently refund fully if you choose to return the pup. This is putting huge additional strain on veterinary practices as more often than not, people collect on a Saturday due to work/home schooling. That leaves only Monday for a vet check within 48 hours. Not many vets are offering routine appointments as it is. Let alone at that short notice. 

In short. I agree and would still suggest adoption if I did not work in the veterinary profession. 

All my dogs are under contracts for breed restrictions and export, when you say “now under contract” you seem to be suggesting it’s a new thing. I’m in contact with my dogs breeder at least once a week and she’s now a friend of mine for over 12 years. The last time I spoke to our rescue about our rescue girl was a week after we got her asking for proof of payment for the £250 she cost us so there are good and bad in rescues as there are in breeders,the rescue have no idea if she is dead, alive or churning out puppies three time a year. The German Shepherd welfare group currently has a nine month old puppy with appalling health issues and was believed to have been sedated when viewed when he got home with his new owner (who paid 2k) for the pup he was in so much pain he started trying to bite, the breeder who refused to acknowledge this or take him back, two charity rescues paying huge salaries to their executives suggested it would be being destroyed if collected them so it was intercepted by welfare and it’s now living with my pal up near Peterborough where it will live out it’s days with unpaid volunteers. 

If you are buying instead of adopting (largely comes down to what you're looking for, our pup is a long haired miniature dachshund and that's what we wanted and there was none up for adoption at the time) then yes KC accredited is the only way to go. Insist on meeting the mother of the puppy, who should be in good health, and be doting on the pup. Also try and see any litter mates, the conditions in which the pups are kept, feeding etc. Any breeder worth their salt will be open and forthright with all information you should need and should be happy to show off how well looked after their dogs are, anything that seems dodgy, any red flags at all, no matter how cute the dog is, don't feed the puppy farms etc. as even if you think you are helping the dogs out by getting them out of there, it keeps the money coming in and at the end of the day that's all they give a shit about.

A lot of people are getting dogs. A few breeders are making a lot of money as demand has driven prices up.  There will be a lot of dogs needing rehoming over the coming year or so. I'd wait 

I’m a Licensing Officer for a local authority and I’m completely snowed under with Animal Welfare Act issues, mainly illegal dog breeding and/or advertising puppies for sale.  That includes adverts on Pets4Home. 

We got a lab during the summer after our cat died. Didn't really think, as we saw a advert on gumtree. The bloke originally wanted to meet in a car park (should of rung alarm bells) eventually met at his house, but didn't meet the mother (really stupid looking back). When we got him home we got him a vet appointment the next day, turns out his chip wasn't the one on his card and he been brought over from Ireland so had a headache changing the registration to us, and on top of that had a stomach infection that took a month to heal up (weekly vet visits for like six weeks). Like wouldn't change him for the world but we were very lucky looking back when you hear stories of doggies not lasting the night from dodgy breeders.

He's nine months and much bigger than the photo below now.

alan dugdale said:

I’m a Licensing Officer for a local authority and I’m completely snowed under with Animal Welfare Act issues, mainly illegal dog breeding and/or advertising puppies for sale.  That includes adverts on Pets4Home. 

A dog breeder must be licensed by their local authority and puppies under 6 months must only be sold by the person who bred them. That was to stop 3rd party sales. The biological mother of the puppies must be present when puppies are shown to a prospective buyer.
If you do go to look at puppies, at least ask the sellers for proof that they are licensed and maybe have a quick peek at the Animal Welfare Regs 2018 and subsequent amendments. 

Really helpful for us, thanks