BUYING A PET DOG
Making the decision to welcome a dog into your life is an exciting and happy time, but it is a decision that should not be taken lightly.
A dog is for life and a happy, healthy dog requires lots of love and attention and will cost you a lot of time and money over the course of their lives.
One of the biggest decisions before you start stocking up on all the toys and bedding and accessories is where you’re going to get your dog from.
WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO BUY A DOG FROM?
The best place to buy a dog from is a rescue shelter. Tens of thousands of dogs are killed every year largely because their irresponsible owners are ill-prepared for the responsibility of dog ownership and in some way or another their once-loved pooch ends up in the pound.
These days there are so many different rescue shelters operating, if you’re after a particular breed there’s bound to be a shelter or rescue group that looks after that breed.
The smaller rescue groups usually have a network of foster carers who take the dogs into their home, and can provide a good assessment on how they get on with other dogs and children, and what their behavior traits are.
There are well established rescue organisations like the RSPCA who have tried and tested methods for helping you find the right dog. Dogs which are unsuitable to be re-homed do get put down, but sadly many of the perfectly friendly dogs never make it to their next home.
If you have your heart set on a pedigree dog than the next best place to buy a dog is from a reputable breeder. Do your research before you make any purchases because there are a lot of backyard breeders who claim to be breeders but are really just in it for the money. You’ll often find their ads in the paper or on selling websites. There are many stories of people buying a pedigree only to find them not looking 100% like the breed they thought they were getting as their puppy gets older.
The prices are usually a good indication, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is. Speaking of pricing, a reputable breeder won’t charge extra for different colours. It’s likely to be the opposite, dogs whose colouring doesn’t meet the breed standards may be sold for slightly less. If someone puts a premium on a blue colour, which usually happens with Staffordshire Bull Terriers for instance, you’d be questioning their reputation.
Also be wary of people charging premiums for trendy new breeds. What was once a mongrel is now a Cavoodle, Labradoodle or Groodle, and thanks to the rise in popularity of these trendy mixed breeds some enterprising backyard breeders are mixing various breeds to create more brand new breeds in the hope they’ll have the same surge in popularity.
There are also many reports of complete scams, where people offer popular breeds at basement prices and promise to ship them once they have the money, only they never ship the dog and you’ve got no way of getting your money back.
The other common place where dogs can be bought from is pet stores. Pet stores have their place in society but it’s not to sell live animals. The conditions for the dogs are below standard, they are kept in glass boxes or wire cages day in day out, only to be let out for a quick run around the store at opening and closing times – if the staff members can be bothered. The other concerning factor with pet stores is that many backyard breeders and puppy mills supply the dogs you see in those glass boxes and cages.
If you’re thinking about buying a dog and would like any information about where to buy from, or even someone to run ideas past, please don’t hesitate to contact one of the friendly Brisbane-based team members here at Kat’s Kritters Pet Sitting and Dog Walking.