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If you don’t mind chew marks on your furniture or accidents on your area rugs, having a puppy is a fun experience. Puppies are cute but they are a lot of work. You should only commit to a puppy if you have the time and space for them. Puppies are a 13+ year commitment. They will still be your responsibility after the pandemic is over and after you go back to the office and are no longer working from home. If this is a good time for you and you are looking into buying a puppy, these tips will help to make sure that you buy a puppy that is a good fit for your family without being scammed. Puppy scammers are real and are growing in numbers so do your research and make wise decisions when looking to buy a puppy.
Tips For Buying A Puppy During A Pandemic (Or Anytime)
With the pandemic came an increase in people wanting puppies. And of course there are lots of scammers out there who are just waiting to take advantage of people who are eager to purchase a puppy. Most breeders and rescues have wait lists and it’s hard for them to keep up with the demand. To avoid getting caught up in a scam, check the seller out very carefully before giving them any money to reserve a puppy. Here are a few tips to avoid being scammed.
1. Make Sure The Puppy Is Healthy
A clean bill of health should be the first thing you should look for in a potential puppy. Some telltale clues that the puppy has or does not have any physical problems are:
Nose and eyes – These should be clean and clear of any debris that is associated with sickness such as mucus.
Coat – The coat should have a polished, thick look. It should also have no patches of skin or thin fur.
Abdomen – Puppies are often potbellied when their tummies are full. A puppy that has a swollen belly is a good indication that he is harboring worms.
Chronic sickness – Be warned with puppies that have chronic sickness. Often, no amount of medical attention can help if the puppy is chronically sick. Also, a sick puppy often grows with major health problems into adulthood.
Health testing– ask to see copies of the parents’ health testing. These should be things such as official hip and elbow evaluations to determine that the parents do not have hip or elbow dyplasia. Eye exam results and DNA testing is often included in health testing for most breeds. Research the breed that you are interested in to see what health testing is required. Only buy your puppy from a breeder that does this testing.
Health Certificate– make sure that the puppy was seen by a vet before you buy him. Ask for proof. Veterinarians can give the breeder or shelter a health certificate. This certificate should state that the puppy has been examined and is healthy.
Pandemic Tip
Ask for lots of pictures and videos if you are not able to visit the puppy in person. Ask for pictures or videos that show the puppy from all angles.
2. Make Sure The Puppy Has A Good Temperament
Most puppies are energetic and take pleasure in playing around with their owners and other dogs. Although you can’t test the true behavior of puppies around people in confined, stressed environments like animal shelters or familiar environments to the puppy like the breeder’s home, you can test their behaviors by handling them for a while. A socialized puppy should be comfortable with human touch. If he shies away, shows his teeth or seems overly insecure and you don’t have experience dealing with these types of behaviors, you should keep looking.
Pandemic Tip
Of course with the pandemic, you may not be able to visit the puppies yourself. Ask for lots of videos of the puppies doing various activities to see how they respond to new situations.
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3. Research The Puppy’s Breed
The puppy’s breed should determine his general traits when he’s fully grown. What you want is a breed that matches your personality and lifestyle. If you are the type of person who loves to go out, you should get a breed that is good for outdoor activities. If you just want a dog for long-term companionship, you should look for mid-sized companion dogs. Toy and lap dogs are the best choices if you are looking for a small dog that you can bring with you to most places.
You should also check whether the puppy is purebred or mixed bred. It is often hard to identify a purebred or mix bred puppy, but try to use the source as an indicator. There are rescue groups that are breed specific, there are those that aren’t. Most animal shelters foster mixed breeds and purebred alike. Be sure to ask for information about the puppy’s breed before you give him a new home. If you are buying your puppy from a breeder, instead of from a shelter, the breeder should provide you with registration papers to prove that the puppy is purebred. In the US, that registry would be the American Kennel Club, in Canada it is the Canadian Kennel Club. Each country has a main registry that registers purebred dogs.
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4. Ask For Lots Of Pictures And Videos
Scammers are known to steal pictures and videos from breeders and rescues. Ask for lots of pictures and videos and look at the things in the background to see if they are similar in each photo. You can also ask for a picture with a copy of a newspaper dated for the day you received the pictures. Or ask for something specific to be in the picture with the puppy. This is a way to ensure that the person you are buying the puppy from actually has the puppies and isn’t just stealing photos to sell puppies that they don’t even have and never will.
5. Ask For Lots Of References
Reputable breeders and rescues will have no problem with supplying you with as many references as you’d like to have. When you get the references contact information, ask them any questions you may have about the person or rescue you are getting the puppy from. I always like to ask for references who have been to the home of the breeder or who have been to the rescue. This allows you to ask questions about the living conditions of the dogs. This is great in case you aren’t able to visit the home or rescue yourself due to covid restrictions.
When buying a puppy, it is important to do lots of research. You should not only research the breed of the puppy to make sure that he is a good fit for your lifestyle, but you should also carefully research where you are buying your puppy from.
