Experienced dog owners know that buying a puppy from a breeder has its advantages over buying a puppy from a pet store. Though there may be advantages to buying from breeders, some prospective buyers are turned off by the many choices and variables involved in selecting a good breeder, so they end up turning to pet stores and buying their new dog at retail.
We put together a concise article on the advantages and potential hurdles you might face when determining if you will buy your puppy from a pet store or breeder.
Life Behind Bars, The Pet Shop Way
What picture comes into your mind when you think of a pet store? Often, it is the vision of puppies for sale in tiny cages stacked on top of each other on display for a slow flow of customers browsing at animals that are often unhealthy and sold at premium prices.
These puppies often come home full of worms, sick, sniggling and most likely haven't received any vaccinations yet. Typically pets are purchases AS IS, meaning if that puppy is genetically diseased, you will not only be footing a large medical bill, you will also have no recourse if the poor thing meets an untimely premature end. All this at a price that could purchase a breeding quality or potentially a champion bloodline animal from a breeder.
Couple this with the AS IS mentality that, once you leave the pet store, you are on your own taking care of your new pet. There is often no one to call in case you have concerns about the care of feeding of your new puppy. Pet shop employees are rarely experts on a specific breed, let alone the amount of breeds carried throughout the year.
There is a positive side to pet shops. They do have a large variety of available puppies for sale and allow you to take the puppy home the day you visit. They also carry an excellent array of pet accessories that a new pet owner must hoard to pamper their precious new pet. You'll also receive pedigree paperwork on site without a long waiting period, but let's weigh the differences with a breeder to see if the risk is worth it.
Differences in Breeders
Now that we have gone over the positives and negatives of Pet Stores, let's review some of the positive and negatives of breeders. After all, not all breeders are created equally. We must make a distinction between professional breeders, both large and small, and 'backyard' breeders of 'puppy mills.
Professional breeders know their breeds. They look for complimentary animals to breed and understand the genetics of the breed or breeds that they focus on. These breeders are often either involved in the show circuit or knowledgeable about it, spending time and money to make certain that dogs they breed are an excellent representation of conformity.
On the other hand, a backyard breeder does not maintain these strict standards of breed improvement responsibility. Rather, they will breed any purebred dog for the simple thought of making a dollar. Though these puppies are often cheaper than a professional breeders, they often end up with the same genetic and health concerns that we mentioned regarding pet store animals. These puppies can also grow up with temperaments that are not common within their breed due to inept breeding standards.
If your breeder is selling puppies that do not appear healthy, do not come with their shots, are being sold before 8 weeks of age or are not sold with papers, you would be better off continuing your search elsewhere as the long term cost associated with caring for a sick animal or one with hip dysplasia can be much higher both financially and emotionally than the up front cost of a quality pet.
Though not all dogs sold by professional breeders will be champions, they will be generally healthier, have good temperaments and will conform to standards set by the AKC. The cost of puppies are associated with the quality of the puppy. This is typically classified as pet quality, breeding or show quality. Be wary however when buying show quality as it is difficult to predict the adult show potential as a puppy.
Professional breeders will always hold the puppy until after 8 weeks of age. They typically give recommended scheduled vaccinations. A quality and reputable breeder will also send their puppy for a health check as well as having the veterinarian check for certain genetic faults that are common in certain breeds.
Difficulties of Buying From a Professional Breeder
Though buying from a professional breeder typically ends in a happier pet experience, there are often other problems associated with the buying experience. The breeders often live outside of the local area, so it may be too far to visit the puppy in person. In many cases, the puppy is shipped sight unseen.
If you are looking for a puppy right away, buying from a breeder may be a frustrating experience. Many breeders pre-sell their puppies prior to birth, causing a long delay before the puppy arrives. It's also often hard to get in contact with these breeders as their contact information is sometimes hard to find.
The breeder also has to have what you're looking for. If you have a certain color, sex, and quality in mind and the breeder does not have an available puppy, you may be put on a list to wait for a potential puppy meeting your standards from a future litter. Also, when buying from a breeder, be prepared to keep in touch and receive calls and letters from a breeder who wants to get updates on the puppy as he or she grows.
Breeder or Pet Store, It's Your Choice
Whether you shop at a pet store or from a purebred breeder is your choice. We hope that this article helps you keep in mind the things that you should look out for when buying a purebred puppy from either.
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