Buying a dog is an exhilarating time. But you need to make sure that you are in the know when it comes to required codes of conduct and practices. Many people get caught up with the notion of buying a dog that they fail to observe the standard protocol that buying a dog entails.
Of course, this is not meant to put a dampener on your enthusiasm. Being in the know about what to look for when buying a dog can guarantee that the experience is a pleasant one. So, you are stood looking at your prospective puppy. There are some clear positive signs that you can look out for when you are embarking on this process:
If the owner or breeder is happy for you to view the dog in their natural surroundings, in their home, this is a fantastic sign. After all it shows that they are responsible dog breeders and that they are happy to allow you to see how they raise their litters.
In this case the breeder may enable you to see the Dam. This is another positive sign. As such, this means that there is ‘nothing to hide’ and that they are who they say they are. More importantly, you are aware of the dog’s background. When it comes to viewing the parents this is important. By doing this you will see how the dogs behave and how ultimately your puppy will behave. What’s more you will be able to see the overall health of the parents. Healthy parents equal healthy pup. It’s that simple.
Another positive sign to look for is that the dog breeder is not pestering you for cash up front. If they want to know more about you, your home and your family, they are ultimately selling to you because they know you are going to give a good home for their beloved puppy.
All of these things are good signs and signals that your dog is being bred properly and that the breeders are responsible, most of all care about a safe & happy life for their home bred puppies. Consider the Warning Signs
Finding the right dog means that you will spend time looking around different breeders. If you get a ‘bad feeling’ about a breeder or something doesn’t feel quite right you may have due cause to believe that.
There are some definite warning signs that you should always look out for.
If a breeder is not keen on allowing you into the puppy’s natural environment, this could be a sign that the puppy has been bred on the farm.
The likelihood is that they won’t know who the parents are and as such they will stop you from meeting them.
Unlike reputable and responsible breeders, a “bad breeder” will not ask you questions about your personal life and home life. They won’t care about these things, but they may ask you to pay for the dog, in full, the moment that you see them. This is not a good sign and should be avoided. One Final Thought…
When it comes to buying a dog it’s an exciting time all-round.
But make sure that you are viewing a puppy with its mother before you decide to visit or pay any money.
After all seeing how the dog is socialised is imperative. Never pay a deposit without seeing the puppy in their natural environment. The good breeder will have a contract for conditions of sale. This should include all their contact details as well as the purchasers, dated and signed by both parties.
Many reputable breeders invite potential new puppy owners to visit – when they have a litter, buyers can come and see the puppies at 6 weeks old. If you like what you see, and the breeder feels that you could give the puppy a safe and happy life, the breeder may then take a deposit for the puppy. The final payment is then made upon the collection of the puppy. They may give you a suggested shopping list and this gives you time to prepare for your new arrival.
Ideally a puppy should be:
Kennel Club registered.
Have a traceable Pedigree
Insured
Micro Chipped* Vet checked & 1st Inoculation & Wormed.(* due to the size a temporary exemption certificate may be issued by the breeders vet until puppy is large enough to be microchipped)
What should be included is a comprehensive folder containing : Contract of Sale. Diet sheet. Grooming sheets. Photos of Dam and Sire with their litter. Puppy pack including a bag of Food and a piece of Vet Bed.
Before any agreements are made, the buyer needs to know the full conditions of sale. You need to know what you’re getting as stated in the contract to avoid any nasty surprises or hidden fees.
Here’s some helpful guidance and advice on compulsory microchipping
Advice for breeders :- If you are a breeder in the UK, you must ensure that all puppies are microchipped and recorded on a government compliant database by the time they are eight weeks old and before they go to the new owner. It’s essential that you, rather than the puppy buyer, are the first recorded keeper on the database.
Advice for buyers :- Puppy buyers should not buy a dog from a breeder unless it has been microchipped *and recorded on a database to the breeders address..When buying a puppy, you will be provided with microchipping documents which will allow you to transfer keepership on the database (though your breeder may do this for you). If you do not receive microchipping documents then you should not buy the puppy. Anyone who is selling puppies for money must by law have a breeders licence number, which is issued annually. This Number should also be present in all adverts where monies will change hands for any puppies.
Advice for owners of dogs without a microchip :- All dog owners are responsible for ensuring their dogs are microchipped and recorded, regardless of whether they got the dog before the legislation on microchipping came into effect (2016). If your dog has not been microchipped, you must have this done by an authorised implanter. Failure to do so will result in £500 fine if caught and prosecuted. If your dog already has a microchip, it is your responsibility to ensure that the contact details that correspond with that chip are kept up to date.
Fines :- If a dog without a microchip comes to the attention of the authorities, its keeper may be served with a notice requiring the dog to be microchipped, and may face criminal prosecution and a £500 fine if they do not comply with the notice. If this notice is ignored then a fine of up to £500 can be issued or an enforcer can seize the dog and microchip it at the keeper’s expense. In addition, if the breeder or subsequent keepers of the dog do NOT update the dog’s details on a database that is compliant with the regulations, then a notice may be served requiring the keeper to microchip the dog within 21 days of the served notice.
Exemptions :- The first exemption is where a veterinarian has certified the dog as a working dog and docked its tail in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006. In such cases the time limit for the dog to be microchipped and details recorded with a database is extended to 3 months. The second exemption is where a veterinarian certifies that a dog should not be microchipped because it could adversely affect its health. In such cases a vet would have to certify that this was the case and state when the exemption expired. The dog would then need to be microchipped on the expiry of that time limited certificate unless a veterinarian issued a further exemption certificate because of ongoing concerns with the dog’s health. In this case the decision to exempt a dog from being microchipped would be made by the veterinary surgeon. In such a case a breeder may pass the puppy on with a copy of the veterinary exemption certificate and any time limit for microchipping.
What is microchipping? :- Microchipping is a simple, safe and quick procedure which makes reuniting dogs with their owners much more likely. A microchip is the size of a grain of rice and the procedure, which is carried out by a vet or trained microchip implanter, takes only a few minutes and lasts a lifetime. Mini microchips are available for small breeds. There are mini microchips available (the same standard and performance of the existing chip) with a smaller needle for implantation.
Petlog Reunification Service :- Petlog is the UK’s largest database for microchipped pets. Managed by the Kennel Club, it is fully compliant with government microchipping legislation and holds both ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certification. Over 9 million pet owners trust Petlog to help reunite them with their lost pets. To give your dog the best chance of successful reunification, in the event that it is lost or stolen, make sure you upgrade to the Petlog Premium Reunification service for a one-off cost of £16. Microchipping is only effective if you keep your contact details up-to-date and Petlog Premium provides flexibility to amend your records as many times as you need. To upgrade your pet to Petlog Premium you will need to log in or create a Petlog Account. When you have logged in, click ‘more’ against your pet and select ‘Upgrade to Petlog Premium’.