Is it OK to Purchase a Puppy?
- Abbie Gale
- Jan 3
- 3 min read
I will often say to applicants during our call that its ok if you don't get a dog from me. I will tell you how I run my program, with an eye on quality control and product development, which is my background. I tell them that during our call I am going to tell them what to look for in a breeder. The way we truly stop the need for rescues and shelters is by not contributing to them, and I don't.
Quality dogs are a lot of work:
Puppies should be raised with science by working with veterinary schools and having a solid genetic understanding.
Physical exams by veterinarians are needed for the things we don't know the genetic markers for and they should be graded by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.
A puppy curriculum including early neurological stimulation and desensitization, temperament testing and professional training of potential parents should be in place.
A clean environment with room for the puppies to learn and grow with activities to allow their brains to develop.
Puppies should come with a health warranty and parent's health testing should be available upon request.
Parents should be dna tested for known inherited diseases.
Their parent dogs should be thoughtfully placed in loving homes and not kenneled during their breeding years. They should have forever homes and be cherished pets first.
While we are not bred for showing we do have a breed standard and conformation can be important to health and movement and should be well understood.
Red flags when looking for a breeder:
They have puppy photos and a payment button to just buy a puppy from a photo.
They allow you to join their wait list without a phone call.
They are trying to sell retired breeding dogs.
They only show puppy photos and no photos of the parents as puppies and the parents now.
They aren't talking about the puppies temperament or the parent's temperament.
They don't talk about the parent dog's families and where they live.
They have older unsocialized puppies they cannot sell and are discounting them to get rid of them.
They aren't a member of any association that holds them accountable and verifies their testing.
They let you pick your puppy without helping to match the temperament to your homes energy.
They don't take the puppy back if you can no longer care for the puppy.
They don't require spay and neutering so that dogs aren't being backyard bred or have accidental litters without health testing.
They don't have good reviews.
They don't have people tagging them in social media and people aren't commenting about how much they love their dog from them. Happy clients will stick around their social media.
These are the things I am going to begin a series on in this blog section explaining why those are red flags.
Why Choosing a Responsible Breeder Matters
Selecting a responsible breeder means you are more likely to bring home a healthy, well-adjusted puppy. It reduces the risk of costly vet bills and emotional stress caused by preventable health or behavioral problems. It also supports ethical breeding practices that protect the future of dog breeds. Unhealthy dogs contribute to shelters when owners can't afford medications, surgery and lifelong illnesses.
By choosing carefully, you contribute to a better life for dogs, shut down the bad breeders and close the shelters.
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