This week marks the Kennel Club's Puppy Awareness Week, the aim of which is to make sure that puppies live healthy, happy lives with the perfect family. It helps to raise awareness of puppy farms and the cruel practices which go with them while helping potential owners to pick their perfect puppy.
It is thought that as many as 1 in 4 puppies bought in the UK come from a puppy farm. Puppy farmed dogs have a multitude of health and behavioural problems and many don't live to see 6 months old.
I often get asked what to look for when picking a puppy so I thought I would put a post together to give you the best things to look for when picking a new member of your family.
Do:
It is thought that as many as 1 in 4 puppies bought in the UK come from a puppy farm. Puppy farmed dogs have a multitude of health and behavioural problems and many don't live to see 6 months old.
I often get asked what to look for when picking a puppy so I thought I would put a post together to give you the best things to look for when picking a new member of your family.
Do:
- Ensure you see the puppies mum, the mum should be present and should be happy to see you. If you can't see mum walk away!
- Ask to have a look around the breeding environment and where the puppies are currently living, if anything doesn't look or feel right to you don't buy a puppy.
- Be prepared to add your name to a waiting list.
- If you are buying a pedigree puppy always have a look at the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme.
- Ask if you can return the puppy if things don't work out, a reputable breeder will always take back their puppies for whatever reason, many will insist that the puppies are returned to them rather than being sent to a shelter.
- Breeders normally specialise in one or two breeds, be suspicious if they are selling numerous breeds.
- Speak to local rescue centres, they may have a more suitable older dog or sometimes they have puppies needing rehoming too.
Don't:
- Buy a puppy from a pet shop, these have, more often than not, come from a puppy farm.
- Collect the puppy from a public location such as a service station car park. This is a common way that puppy farmers pass over their puppies and it means you cannot see where the puppy has been developing or meet the puppies mum.
- Buy a puppy because you feel sorry for it. If you go to see a litter of puppies whose living conditions are less than ideal, do not feel you have to purchase one to 'rescue it', this just encourages the 'breeder' to breed further puppies in the same conditions.
If you are unsure about how to know whether you are buying the right puppy for you from the right breeder please get in touch and we can chat through your options.
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