What is the best place to buy a dog?

Question

I am having a hard time finding a good place to buy a dog. Many people say do not buy from pet stores or people that have ads in newspapers. So where do you find good dogs at?

Answer 1

First determine what sort of dog you'd like and then try any of these websites. They promote listings for various shelters and rescue groups around the US. They let you search for dogs by your city name and zip to find ones closest to you:

petfinder.com
pets911.com
1-800-save-a-pet.com
nextdaypets.com

You're right. You don't want to buy dogs from pet stores because they're usually "puppy mill" dogs that are horrendously over-priced.

You can buy dogs from people who advertise in the paper, but do research on the type of dogs they're selling -- so you know if they're selling a good, healthy version of the dog -- and ask for references if you can.

Answer 2

I adopted mine through a local humane society. There are so many dogs that need homes. You can also check at the dog pound. those dogs get put down after a few days..if nobody claims or adopts them. Good luck

Answer 3

EASY!

SInce you don't mention what breed (in which case I would give you a single link), so you

First, start with the list of breeds on the AKC

website.http://www.akc.org/breeds/index.cfm...

You can search by Group, Breed name or all of them at once.

Now, when you click on the picture of the dog and go to the page for that breed, on the left is a column. At the bottom of the column, is a link captioned "National Breed Club". Click on it - that takes you to the link to the National Club that is the only club about the breed that is recognized and accredited by the AKC and it sets the standards for the breed . You can also get to the list of the National Breed Clubs from here if you know what breed:

https://www.akc.org/clubs/search/index.cfm?action=national&display=on

The Clubs' websites will give you an ENORMOUS amount of information about the breed - the good, the bad, and the why or why not to get that breed. Be very very sure to read about the health issues in each breed. Many many health problems are hereditary, sometimes fatal and always expensive. To make sure that breeding animals don't have those conditions (and they may not be showing symptoms), a careful breeder spends the money to do all the sophisticated health checks - of course, they never make money on their puppies because they do take the time and spend the money and only have a litter once a year or so and they raise them just because they love the breed.

The clubs websites also have:

(1) a breeders list or a breeders referral contact - with breeders all of whom have agreed to abide by the breeders code of ethics (which you can read)

(2) a link to the breed rescue for their breed

You can also get to the list of the Club's Breed Specific Rescues from here:

https://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm

Do give serious thought to adopting from an adult from a breed rescue. The clubs' breed rescues go to a great deal of trouble to determine the dog's temperament, personality, likes and dislikes (particularly kids and cats and other dogs in the household), HEALTH, and level of training. They make a huge effort to match the right dog to the right home - and if they don't have one they think will be suitable for your home, they won't place it. Great way to avoid the puppy training, newspapers, chewing.......They have dogs that are purebred and part-bred (1/2 or so of their breed.) Dogs that come through rescue are so thrilled to have a forever loving home having once been abandoned to a shelter or rescue that they are typically extra devoted and loving. Dogs lose their homes for reason that are not their fault: death, divorce, a move and they couldn’t keep them, financial problems….


If you decide to get a puppy, please use one of the breeders who are members of the breed club. A well-bred pet puppy may not be a candidate for the show ring (that nose being 1/8th of an inch to long or something else very picky) but they will be very healthy, the parents carefully screened for hereditary health problems ( and that involves a LOT more than a checkup at the vet) , and from a breeder who has devoted a great deal of time to understanding the breed and bloodlines. A responsible breeder will have a written contract with a health guarantee for hereditary problems; require that if for any reason you ever have to give up the dog that it comes back to them; and always be available for help, assistance and advice about your dog. Such a breeder will tell you if they don't think their breed is right for you based upon your needs. They want a perfect forever home for the puppies - not the money. (In 43 years in the dog show world, I have never known a breeder of that caliber who has made a profit on their dogs - it is labor of love.)

A puppy from such a breeder costs no more - and often less as poorly bred dogs tend to have very high vet bills over the years - than from a backyard breeder who doesn't do the health checks, knows nothing about the breed or bloodlines, doesn't give a guarantee, never wants to hear about the puppy again and has breed from mediocre or poor quality dogs.

You may find the breeder who has the type of dog you want but no litter on the ground at the moment. Most good breeders have waiting lists -get on it. You may find the breeder and puppy you want but at a distance. Among the really responsible breeders (members of the club) shipping a puppy is quite normal -they want the best possible home for the dog and the written contract is very extensive - and they will have stacks of health testing results from the OFA, CERF, Univ of Michigan and more plus the AKC certificates showing not just the registration of their dogs but the titles they have earned -something that is much much harder to fake,.

Do ask the breeders on the club list if they have any dogs they bred that they need to rehome - good breeders all require if the owner can't keep one, it comes back to them. It may be a dog they placed and it came back because the owner didn't have time, didn't realize how big it would get, got divorced.... It may be a dog who was a show prospect but as they grew didn't meet their early promise. It may be an AKC Champion they decided not to use in their breeding program because while it did get the Championship, they don't need more bloodstock or find a tiny conformation flaw they don't want to reproduce.

NEVER EVER buy from a pet shop. Those puppies came from puppy mills where the parents are locked in cages, bred until they literally die from it, never vaccinated, never wormed, fed just enough so they don't quite die of starvation, live in filth, never bathed or groomed or cared for, are typically of very poor genetic stock both physically and often mentally. The puppies are shoved off to pet stores with no vaccinations, no worming, no socialization or handling... You are buying nothing but heartbreak at a price higher than what a responsible breeder charged for a pet puppy.


IF A SERIOUS BREEDER OR RESCUE TELLS YOU THAT THE BREED IS NOT SUITED FOR YOUR SITUATION - BELIEVE THEM - NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU LIKE THE WAY THE DOG LOOKS

Now once you know what the tendencies and traits of the breeds are, you are prepared to think about adopting a mixed breed. Now you know when they say "mastiff/collie" cross, what you are geting into. PLEASE consider adopting from your shelter. They make just as wonderful pets as those with a pedigree. They are often more loyal and bond more closely when they know that they can trust you not to leave them having already been abandoned and deserted in their lives, and thankful for a loving home. You can go to your local shelter. Adopting an adult froman unknown genetic background is a LOT less riskier than a puppy from such a heritage -particualrly in the breeds prone to dysplasia and patella problems

Answer 4

go to petfinder.com.....this is a site for rescue groups.....just enter your Zip code, and be AMAZED at how many great choices you have !!.....i adopted a Great Pyrenees mix from them, and my dog Sylvester is awesome !!.....check it out.....try it....do a good deed.....adopt a dog today !!!.....good luck to you, in your search for a dog as a new pet !!!!.....most adoptions run between $ 50 to $ 200 max, for a great dog, that would love to go home with you, and be your new pet !!!

Answer 5

*******ONLY******buy DIRECT from a REPUTABLE breeder!!!

Contact your local(county!) kennel club!!!They're ALL listed at theAKC site!

NEVER buy on-line OR from a petstore!!! ONLY CRAP from CROOKS is EVER available!