Buying puppies online?

Question

Looking to buy a pure bred online. How does one know that these breeders are legitimate? Are there any pertinent questions I should be asking? I don't want to pay for something I might not receive or get a sick puppy or god forbid it arrives dead.

Answer 1

I bought a Chocolate Lab online and it was a WONDERFUL experience!

There is a website that you should check out... the dogs have to be AKC registered to be on the site and any reputable one would allow you to get references!

Check the site below - they literally have THOUSANDS of types of dogs.... THOUSANDS of BREEDERS.... and TONS to choose from!

I have had my Chocolate Lab for 2 years (this spring) and she is the light of my life!

Questions to ask:

1 - how many liters have you bred before?

2- how often do you breed this particular dam?

3 - ASK FOR REFERENCES!!!

4- What is the guarentee for health - most reputable breeders will have one - even on line!

5 - What is the cost of shipping - if you have to get the puppy a "plane ticket" - I had to fly my puppy in from Kansas to Ohio!

6 - What type of activity does the mother have while pregnant? What about the puppies after birth?

7 - How much personal interaction is made with the puppies throughout a typical day?

8 - Are they professional breeders or is this a "backyard" breeder?

9 - Do you have a lineage for the dogs you are breeding?

10 - How many puppies are in this particular litter?

11 - How many of their shots have they gotten? Records?

12 - How often are they checked?

13 - IF YOU BUY FROM SOMEONE... NO MATTER WHERE... ask for a few servings of the dog food. That way, they already have something they are used to. I know for my puppies - the biggest problem was their food.

Overall... these are the questions I focused on. I wanted to know as much about this particular litter as possible. Also, check references... remember - no one is going to have someone who had issues with them be a reference... but it will give you some insight into the breeding style!

Answer 2

Try the AKC website. www.akc.org. They have a breeders classified section where they list puppies for sale. They also have a listing for breed specific rescues. The rescues are always looking for “forever” homes for their dogs! Also, you can try www.puppyfind.com. Be very, very careful about that site. There are too many puppy mills and backyard breeders that list on this site. However, if you know what you are looking for and the AKC standards for the breed, then you should do just find there, as long as you ask the right questions!.

Here are some of the questions that you need to ask the breeder:

1. Do you have both parents on site? -- This lets you see both parents and see how they behave. This is a good indicator on how the puppy will act.

2. Are the parents and puppies AKC?-- If not, run!!! AKC has some of the strictest guidelines of any of the registries. Most dogs that are not AKC (and even some that are) should never have been born because they are very poor quality.

3. Are the parents current on all shots and are currently on Heartworm preventative? -- Shows that the parents are well cared for.

4. Have all of the proper genetic tests been done on the parents before mating? -- Shows if there are any potential serious genetic defects in the lines.

5. What type of health guarantee does the puppy have? -- Most reputable breeders have a return or refund policy if the puppy has health issues.

6. What kind of contract must I sign to get the puppy? -- If there is no contract, RUN! This shows they really don't care who gets the puppy as long as they get money!

7. Will the puppy have its first shots and be wormed? -- This is a MUST!

8. How many litters has she had? How many litters do all of your dogs have per year? -- If she has had more than 4 litters, I would be concerned. If she has had more that 3 litters in two year, Backyard Breeder, RUN! If she has several litters a year out of very few dogs, STAY AWAY! Use some common sense. A dog really shouldn't have more than one litter a year. However, accidents happen, but more than three in two years means she was bred every time she went into heat.

9. Are the parents considered pets? Do they have free run of the house? -- If they are outside only, or contained to a small area of the house, they may not be well socialized. I would be very wary.

10. So you have references from your vet, neighbors, and people who purchased puppies from previous litters? -- References are so important, so that you know how others feel about the breeder. If the breeder refuses, then you should stay away!

Finally, make sure that you inspect the property where the breeder has the dogs. See how they interact with other animals, and yourself. You can tell by looking at them and interacting with them if they are well cared for.

Also, don't be surprised if the breeder asks you for some things too. I always ask for references, a letter from the landlord if they do not own their own home, if they have done their research, how they plan on house-breaking the dog, and who would be their primary vet.

Good luck! If you have any more questions, feel free to e-mail me!

Answer 3

Responsible breeders will require a spay/neuter contract and also a return olny contract. Most reputable breeders won't ship a pet it causes to much stress imagine being seperated from your mom the first time and shoved in a box in a dark place on a plane. Ask the breeder about her line if any of the offspring have had health problems related to the bred if she says no shes probably lying. Both parents should be on premises and look just as much at the parents as the puppy. The parents should have a good temperment. Also a repuatable breeder will have a health guarentee. Also a good breeder will have lots of questions for you as well. Avoid puppies from Montana they are one of the top puppy mill producers. You should also go to there house. To check out the environment the puppies were in

Answer 4

The poster called 'savejustonemore' has the correct answer. Do NOT buy ANY pet online except perhaps a goldfish. The online dealers in animals are the WORST of the puppymills, their behaviour is nothing short of criminal, and the way they treat dogs would fill you with horror. In a better society, these people would be imprisoned. If you want a healthy, well-treated, socialized and cared-for dog, go to an actual breeder that you've checked up on. Visit the place. See how the dogs are kept. You're not getting a toy, you're getting a new family member. Would you adopt a child from a total stranger over the internet?
Of course not. WHATEVER you have to pay, HOWEVER far you have to travel to go to a legitimate breeder, it's MORE than worth it.

Answer 5

There ARE some good breeders online but mostly they just advertise their kennel, not so much SELL online. They will usually screen buyers and just having the money won't guarentee you a pup. I'd be suspicious of anyone who seemed overly eager to sell you a pup without a lot of questions and phone conversations. Many good breeders will want a spay/neuter contract... a puppy mill could care less what you do with the dog.

For starters, I'd avoid one who offers more than 2 or 3 breeds. I see some online that have about 12+ different small breed dogs. That screams puppy mill to me. Don't be fooled by professional looking pet photos of all of their dogs... puppy mills make big bucks, they can spring for a camera and a nice backdrop. Breeding a good dog is hard work, hard enough getting it right with one breed. It's impossible for someone breeding a dozen plus.

CKC (Continental Kennel Club, not Canadian Kennel Club, ask to be sure which it is) registration is a JOKE. You can get a dog registered by simply sending in a photo with two people signing off that it's fullblood. Voila, you're in the "pedigreed" dog business. I would not buy a CKC registered dog. AKC is better, but not idiot proof. Do your homework on the breeder.

Ask for copies of the health records of both parents, including any breed specific issues that should have been tested for (hip displaysia, PRA, etc). When you get the copies, call the vet to verify that they're legit. You do NOT want to buy a puppy from anyone who cannot be bothered with genetic testing.

Ask for 3-4 references from other buyers, and call them to ask about how their purchase went.

Ask about health guarentees. A reputable breeder will guarentee the health of the pup against serious health defects, as well as guarentee it to be free from illness upon arrival. You want all of this IN WRITING.

That's all I can think of right now. I'm sure others will have more.

Answer 6

Buying a puppy on line is NOT a good idea. Most of the time these puppies are from mills or other irresponsible breeders and are being sold by puppy brokers. They often are sickly, have behavior/temeprament issues, aren't bred to standard, aren't even purebred, are registered with scam registries etc.
You would be far better off finding a good responsible breeder and getting a well bred dog.

Answer 7

DO NOT BUY A PUPPY ON LINE!! Internet sales of dogs and puppies are not regulated. No legitimate breeder would sell a puppy on line to a stranger. A good breeder gets to know the family that wnats to adopt one of their dogs. they want to ensure they are going to the best home possible.

Some of the WORST puppy mills in the country now sell their dogs on line. No longer have to worry about federal regulations or the animal welfare act which covers dogs sold to pet stores but not on line over the internet! Do not be fooled by the photos on line. Anyone can make a puppy look cute and cuddly in a photo while the dogs live in filth and are undersocialized, genetically defective, sick, and abused.

Answer 8

I was also looking online for a yorkie pup. I didn't have a lot of confidence in the outcome either. I found a local breeder and adopted a great yorkie puppy for a fraction of the price they were selling them for online. I got to see the parents and learn about the puppy I was getting from the person that had been with the dog since it was born. The whole situation was a great experience, not the crazy chaos I was expecting with a mail-order pup.

Answer 9

just remember that those puppies may be infected with worms or diseases or have health defects. you can't check the environment its in (where they were born and raised) so you never know if it came from an puppy mill (you should search puppy mill if you don't know what that is) or not. i wouldn't go with the internet puppy buying. i personally never liked buying a puppy online. the puppy also may become stressed in the plane ride. a lot of the times dogs aren't allowed in the passenger cabin. they're in the luggage place where its not temperature controlled. you should be able to freely talk to the owner/breeder and question her/him. a lot of times, on the internet you cant. go check out the local humane society first. a lot of times they have chihuahuas there too, you know.

Answer 10

Here's some reading and questions to ask a potential breeder
http://www.akc.org/future_dog_owner/find_breeder.cfm
Depending on the site you are looking on, you can look by location, I would reccomend doing a local search this way you can see the premises and the dogs parents. If any breeder has a problem with you visiting, I would be suspicious. Looking online is a little scarey, but it you are responsible with it there should not be any problems. This is how I found my Sibe pup. Good luck and enjoy your new pup :)