Is it safe to buy a puppy online? Would u recommend it?

Question

My bf & i just moved into a house with lots o' room (frontyard & backyard) & we want to get a puppy. Ive been looking to see what kind of puppy would be good, we're looking into a german shepherd or laborador. I've checked on the internet on the website nextdaypets.com but is it a good idea to buy it on-line? or is a petshop a better choice? I've been told not to buy it from a pet store. What are ur puppy experiences, purchase wise? Should I just look at my local paper & trust the locals? Any help or advise would be appreciated, thanks!!!!

or are there puppies @ the animal shelters & what are the chances it wont be sick? (meaning it already has an infection)

Answer 1

There are many reputable breeders who list with pets4you.com.. If Pets4you receives any complaint from a customer, it will delete the breeder's account...Otherwise, be sure to check references from former buyers..any reputable breeder with a site will be able to give several references..
However, I was amazed the other night when browsing GSDs on petfinder...Many wonderful ! dogs...Check out this one! >http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=5944756
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=4554547

and here> http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6961064
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6565178

7,000 to choose from, just put in your own zip code> http://search.petfinder.com/search/search.cgi?action=1&pet.Breed=German+Shepherd+Dog&pet.Animal=Dog&exact=1&preview=1

Answer 2

I don't think it's a good idea to buy a puppy online unless you are able to visit and handle it before purchasing because it's not a guarentee that you get the puppy in the picture or that the puppy is as great as it sounds. It's like that commercial for carfax (or something) where the guy is writing the ad and starts with 'water damage' then ends up putting 'NEW INTERIORS'.

With pet stores, they aren't as bad as people make them sound. If you look, there are stores that screen the people who give them the puppies to sell. I know someone who owns a pet shop that will only accept one litter from a person and they don't pay for the puppies. The puppies are in a way donated. Most of the dogs in the stores where accidents. After asking them about the dog I wanted, they said that it was an accidental litter. The operation was set and then the mother got out. At the better pet stores that screen or only allow one litter, this is usually the case. I have gotten a few dogs from pet stores. Each one is extremely healthy and trainable. One was that ugly mutt puppy that no one wanted until we got her and she already was potty trained and knew sit and stay.

I personally think getting a puppy from someone you know (or, even better, a friend) is the best route. You probably have already met the mother and possibly also the father so you know a possible temperment. You have an idea of the size and grooming requirements. You know how the puppy was treated before it came into your possesion.

A shelter puppy is also a good idea but keep in mind that you don't always know what you're getting. A breed rescue usually has formerly abused dogs that may or may not have aggression issues or won't get along with a new baby if you decide to have a child. A dog from the shelter is just a roll of the dice. Don't get me wrong. There are very healthy, trainable, loveable dogs in the shelter. There's usually no way to tell exactly what you're getting from a shelter. There can be hereditary health problems unknown untill your puppy's later years. Most shelters have very nice employees that will help you choose the perfect puppy. Just know that there are no guarentees on the health, size or grooming requirements when the dog is full grown.

Have fun! Look everywhere for your new puppy until you fall in love. Sometimes, the best dogs are found in the leats expected places. My favorite dog and best friend came from someone I didn't even like. She bred her dog (which was very unwise because it was a mix to begin with but she treats that dog like a princess so I knew the puppies where well taken care of) and then just gave me the puppy when I asked her to see them. I knew I loved that puppy when it just walked right up to me and sat down, waiting to be picked up.

Answer 3

good question. The answer depends on how much you are willing to spend. Most owners, those who have never wanted more than a pet, are unaware at how much dogs actually cost. From pet stores, depending where they are, you can get a dog from somewhere around 300-800 dollars. However, you do not now the background of the dog nor how the dog was born, nor if there are any genetic defects in the family line that may show up in the pup. Also, you will never get a clear answer from the petshops about its background. One day they will say something, the next somethign different. Online STORES are practically the same. Biggest thing to look for when you go to a petshop or a online store like nextdaypets is for a series of letters or words.
1)NO Breeders. If you see this, that means that the people selling the pup do not want the critizism that can arise from the way the pup looks to how it is growing to how it is socialized. Any person that says No Breeders is bad news because they know they didn't do everythign right and don't want to look bad.
However, at teh same time, they could mean they do not want to see the dog to anyone that would want to breed them. This in theory is good because it means the person cares about the dog.

2) where are they registered under. From my experience, the most qualified and true breeders come from an AKC acknowledgement. Meaning, their litters, and the parents, and grandparents, and so on were registered with AKC and are of sound background. They can also be researched when they are registered with AKC and most have pictures and titles. UKC, NKC and some others are known for just issuing out registrations without ever seeing the dog. So, if you say it looks like a German Shepherd Dog than they will say okay here you go. No proof is required.

Also, when you talk to the people at the shop. If they say it is called a German Shepherd then they are wrong and know little about the breed. The true name for hte breed is the German Shepherd Dog and most true and good breeders will refer to the breed as so.

If you have the money for it, i suggest you go to a kennel or specialzied breeder. the dogs are more expenisive but you have various forms of paperwork to ensure you are getting a good dog as well as a health guarentee in case something happens with the dog for the first year or so. GSDs are a breed that need supervision their first year of life. There are a lot of things that can go wrong in the first 6-10 months. If you insist on getting an online dog, look for kennels such as Katzenblut, Kraftwerksk9, etc. Go to www.dogbreedinfo.com and look under the breed and then click on the breeder search link. These are all reputable breeders accepted not only by AKC but also by international standards.

Answer 4

NO NO NO!!!!!!! PLEASE DO NOT DO THAT!!! Dont buy from a puppy mill either!!!! These are HORRIBLE places that throw 2 dogs in a cage and make them breed every heat cycle until they can no longer reproduce. Then they dispose of them, usually in a cruel way(putting them in a barrel of water and closing the lid until they drown). These dogs receive no love and no health care. They live in HORRIBLE conditions, like cages stacked on top of one another with wire bottoms so the feces and urine can fall through to the next mating pair. The puppies are typically taken at 3-4 weeks. WAY TOO YOUNG, and shipped to pet stores OR STRAIGHT OFF THE INTERNET!!! You said you were worried that a pup from the shelter might be sick, well it is MUCH more likely that it will be sick off the Internet or from a pet store! These dogs usually have parvo or other diseases(from the filthy conditions), or genetic diseases, such as heart abnormalities( from the poor breeding stock). It is also VERY HARD TO HOUSE TRAIN because they are used to living in their own filth. Check out this web site:http://www.prisonersofgreed.org/. Dont get one from the news paper either. These are typically people who breed for money and dont know what they're doing. Make sure you see the facilities where the pups have spent their time and the parents are show dogs. SHELTERS ARE ALSO A GREAT PLACE TO GET ONE!!!!! SAVE A LIFE!!!!

Answer 5

I'd wait for a diamond ring, a wedding date - or better yet a toddler in diapers before getting such a large dog with a 'boyfriend' - unless you are both in your 30's and there is no risk whatsoever that this dog will get dumped if the relationship heads south.

I don't know what it is, but it seems young couples love to GET A DOG - it's almost like they are playing 'let's pretend we are parents' and generally the dog takes the brunt of it sooner or later. If it doesn't work out -- they lose the house, have to move to smaller digs -- dog suffers. IF they go to grad school? dog suffers. IF everyone is gone all day long? dog suffers. IF they get married and can't take the stress of jobs, a baby and a pet? the dog suffers.

After that rant and if you are still reading -- never buy a puppy from a website that is so far away you can not visit the kennel and see the breeding conditions and meet the puppy's dame. Never buy a puppy from a parking lot.
My best advice as you say you are living with your boyfriend (and hey it's fun but it's a period of adjustment) go online to a breed rescue and get yourself a good broken in second hand dog that's gotten the shaft by some dumb humans who weren't thinking straight when they bought it as a puppy.

1. Raising a puppy is a pain.
2. Most breed rescue's inherit 18 month old 'puppies' that people give up on because they did not know how to train the dog.

A breed rescue (pick any breed you like) will sell you a dog who has been in foster care, who is healthy, who is house trained and who can tell you what the dog needs, likes, wants and style of communication. Specifically, Golden Retriever rescue groups hang onto their rescues until the perfect forever family can be found --- it's sad that generally first year puppy owners generally throw in the towel just about the time their dog is about to get 'pee outside' through their thick little heads.....

Get yourself a used dog -- it will be a gift to the dog and if you get a dog that has been through rescue and foster care (such as the Golden Retriever Rescue of Austin Texas) you'll get a healthy dog with great manners too!!

Answer 6

Don't ever buy a puppy online or at the petstore. NEVER!!!

You want to see where the puppy was. Shepards and Labs are so overbred you can find plenty at any rescue or shelter. Petsmart works with rescues and most of their groups foster the pets in their homes with their own pets, children in a family environment. The foster family can tell you all the ins and outs of each puppy and how it is developing and what needs you have and the pup to make it a good fit. Rescues usually require that if for any reason it doesn't work out you can take it back to them. They saved it they don't want you taking it to a shelter later in life.

Look at all of these. You can search in your area:

http://search.petfinder.com/search/search.cgi

Added:

About being sick its the same risk you take from a petstore that buys from puppy mills or a backyard breeder selling online. Reputable breeders are not online. They have a waiting list for their pets!!! In most cases a government run shelter euthanizes sick pets immediately unless they are being held for a court date and in which case they will be isolated from the others anyway waiting for trial. Those pets are not up for adoption so you wouldn't even see them.

Answer 7

NEVER buy a dog you have never seen and interacted with from a person you have never met! Most pups from puppy websites and pet stores are from puppy mills. They tend to be undernourished and prone to health issues. Buying them just supports the inhumane use of dogs as breeders just to earn cash, not to pass on the best of the breed. Go to the AKC site. Research the breeds you are most interested in. Find a local breeder. Go see the kennel, meet the breeder, see the parents (at least the mother) of the pups. A good breeder will never simply sell a pup..they want to be sure the owner knows what is needed for the dog and can support the need of the breed. If the breeder doesn't have a pup available, you can request to be put on a list for the next litter. Yes, buying a pup this way may cost you more than from a site or shop, but the cost is worth it to get a healthy pup, from a healthy mom with the support of the breeder for when you need it.

Answer 8

No. With any dog you want to find a reputable breeder that you can visit and see the personality of ALL of the pup's relatives that you can. No online ad, pet store, or newspaper can accurately show the parent's temperament. With both Labs and German Shepherd Dogs, you want to see hip scores from the sire and the dam. Both breeds are prone to hip dysplasia. Also, with German Shepherd Dogs, you need to be careful of what kind of dogs this puppy comes from. For a first time dog owner, I wouldn't recommend the breed at all. A Lab is much better for a novice, since their intelligence won't outshine yours. I would also look at shelters and breed rescues for puppies that are a little older, or contact a dog trainer that offers adoption assistance.Visit my page www.fourpawscanineservices.com if you are in the central florida area, or would like free online assistance in selecting a breeder.

Answer 9

I am an English bulldog breeder and we have sold puppies to people on line, but, they are not given to them unless we have spoken for awhile and I am completely comfortable with the people. If you have talked to the breeder and they can answer all your questions, you should be OK. You should try to find a breeder close to you so you can go there and see the puppies and the parents. You are told not to buy from a pet store because they are usually puppy mill dogs. They have had no proper care and can have diseases that you don't know they have. That is a big risk.

Answer 10

I wouldn't reccomend buying a puppy from a pet store. There are a couple good web-sites out there. I've recently put an aid for our puppies on a website called backpages.com, it's like a newspaper/reminder on the internet these would probably be your best luck. I would make sure no matter where you go to get the information on the current owners and before seeing the puppy address any conerns you have. Also don't forget to research the breed.

Answer 11

Many of the people selling online are the same that sell to pet shops -in other words, puppy mills & backyard breeders. The best source is to go to www.akc.org & contact members of the closest breed club (of the breed you like). Buy from a member that tests & certifies their breeding dogs free from genetic defects known to their breed - all breeds have some, good breeders certify. They may also have websites (many good kennels do, too) but the difference is quality & care after the sale - they want to place their well-bred, healthy pups in happy, life-long homes & will offer health guarantees more than a few days/weeks & better than just a replacement pup if you don't want the one they sent.