what is the different between buying a dog from a pet store than buying a dog from a breeder?

Answer 1

Here we go again....

Buying a pup from a pet store keeps the puppy mills in business. The stores don't care who they buy their pups from, what kind of breeding stock they came from, what genetic problems they might have....nothing.....just buying pups at a low price (more than likely because the breeder couldn't pawn the sick pup off on anyone else) and keeping them cooped up in tiny glass cubicals.

Buying from a reputable, ethical breeder you will get a healthy pup. A pup from health tested parents. A good breeder will have all the information regarding health testing on the parents, grandparents and possibly even further back. You'll be able to see the sire and dam and it's littermates. Environment it is being raised in, complete vet records.

If you are looking for an AKC recognized breed.... go to www.akc.org they have breeder referral and a list of parent clubs.

If a mixed breed fits your bill, adopt a homeless pet from your local Humane Society or shelter.

Hmmmm did I forget anything guys?

Answer 2

You can get a very nice purebred dog or puppy from a shelter or breed rescue group. There is literally a rescue for every breed of dog or cat. You can search on www.petfinder.com if you don't believe me.

When you buy a puppy from a pet store you support puppy mills. Before you do this- check this site out. www.stoppuppymills.com It is graphic and shows the abuse at these terrible places.

If you are planning on having a show dog, then find a reputable breeder. Contact the AKC or another registry, such as the UKC or CKC, and ask for a list of breeders in the breed you are looking for.

If you aren't going to show your dog in confirmation classes, a shelter dog is perfect! Most shelters and rescue groups will have had the dog examined by a vet, vaccinated, microchipped, spay/neutered and treated for any parasites or problems they have. Most are housebroken and they have had temperament evaluations. The cost of a rescue dog is MUCH less than the pet store will charge, and you will most likely end up with a sick dog from the pet store.

Answer 3

Pet stores will double or triple the price you pay at a breeder. You can also buy from a truster breeder, whereas the pet store puppy...you have no idea where it came from. Always buy from a breeder and don't feed your new puppy Iams, Old Roy, or Science Diet or any of that crap, terrible for the dog. Look for all natural foods. If the first ingredient in the dog food is corn or by-products, don't feed it to your dog. Look for the brand "nutro ultra" if you can find it. That is a very healthy food and your dog will live much longer on a healthy diet.

Answer 4

I have to be careful when telling you the answer to your question because some people are aking questions to get arrousal between Breeders and Shops etc.A shop may not know the truth about the pups they buy cheep and sell to make money.A good Breeder wil introduce you to the mom and dad and will truly give you a written warranty that is easy to understand.A good Breeder will allow you into their home to view the pups and parrents.A breeder will not sell apuppy that is too young to thrive,before 8 weeks at least and sometimes 10-12 weeks.Also ask for the Lable off of the vacinations and the dates they were given and the vets copy of the vets exam.Read your warranty closely make sure you don't have to drop the puppy out of an airplane over Asia to get your puppy replaced or your money back.Good Luck

Answer 5

I think dogs that are bred by a breeder are more socialized and better taken care of than dogs you'll find at pet stores.
Dogs at pet stores generally come from 'dog mills' that raise thousands of puppies at once - which means, less individual attention, more chance of disease spreading, etc.
Now take my puppy for example, who was bred by a breeder - the breeder socialized him, took him on outings (to the beach, parks, etc), too him on car rides, etc. So when I got him, he was used to everything already. Think those dogs in the crates at the pet stores had that? NOPE

Answer 6

Pet store dogs come from puppy mills. They are brought in trucks and have really bad health. It's sad. Most breeders have a lot healthier dogs that are treated better.

Answer 7

Not much of a difference. I worked at a pet store and we got all our dogs from local breeders. I would ask at the pet store where the puppies come from and if you can see the papers. But it is true that some pet stores get them from puppy mills and treat them badly. My pet store didnt. I'd buy the animals toys and bones to chew on so they wouldnt chew on the cages.

Answer 8

On top of the good info Pam & others already gave, stop & think: would any breeder who truly cares about their carefully bred pups hand them over to a 3rd party (pet store) to sell to whomever has the money? Good breeders interview prospective owners to make sure they are a good fit for their breed & will make a good, responsible dog owner. Placing their pups with the right owner is the object, not money. They care about the future health & welfare of every dog they bring into the world (which is why they do genetic health testing, etc), will always welcome questions, and will take back & re-home their dogs if tragedy befalls the owners.

Answer 9

Dogs in pet stores are usually gotten from the pound or from breeders without licenses. The puppys can never be guaranteed purebreds and were treated badly. Getting a puppy from a breeder ensures that you know what the parents were like and such. It isn't necessarily bad to get a puppy from a pet store, but you can't always be sure that you're getting the puppy you're paying for.

Answer 10

Get your dog from a breeder. Pet stores get most of their dogs from puppy mills. Here is a site on that so you can see the problem with it.
http://www.stoppuppymills.org/