In 2022, Spots.com found that over 4 million puppies are born annually across America from legal and illegal breeders.
With so many puppies for sale, it’s important that you do your homework before adding a new pup to your family. Whether you’re looking to bring home a new chocolate labrador retriever puppy or you would love a husky, a beagle, or a doodle, you need to know that the puppy you are buying has been bred for legitimate reasons, not just for a quick buck, as is the case with backyard or unscrupulous breeders. So, what are some red flags to look for when buying a puppy?
You can’t meet the parents or litter.
It’s not always possible for you to see the litter with both parents, but you should be allowed to see the puppy you are buying with its litter mates and its mum. Seeing the dog in its natural environment can allow you to see how they currently live and are cared for and how they all interact with each other. You can visually see if the pups are all cared for and how well-socialized they are. You can also get a feel for how mom behaves too. Legitimate breeders will breed healthy dogs with good temperaments, and you can see this when you see the puppies.
The puppies are ready to leave before 8 weeks.
Puppies should not be separated from mum before 8 weeks old, and if you’re being sold to a younger pup, this is cause for alarm, and you should be extremely cautious. The same can apply to dogs older than 12 weeks. Is there a reason they haven’t been sold already? Do they have anything wrong?
You can’t collect from their home or location.
If the person you’re buying a puppy from asks to meet you at a third-party location, then this is worrying and an indicator that something isn’t quite right. All breeders should allow you to come to where the puppies are to visit before you buy them and collect them to take home. If this is presented to you, listen to your gut feeling and walk away.
There are multiple litters.
Proper breeders will not have more than one litter at a time, and if you arrive to see a puppy and there are many litters, it can be a warning sign that things aren’t quite right, and this is likely someone in it for the money.
You can’t see proof of registration or parents’ health certificates.
All breeders should have their dogs tested for health and temperament so that people who buy the puppies are confident they won’t have any significant hereditary health conditions. If you can’t see this proof or they won’t supply the details, there’s a high chance that they are an illegal breeder.
They won’t tell you about their history.
You should always talk to your breeder about their history and how many litters they have had, how many litters mum has had, etc. Honest breeders who are legally producing pups will happily share this information. Suppose they’re cagey about the what they do or are not forthcoming with any information. In that case, it is highly possible they’re an irresponsible breeder, and you potentially aren’t getting the dog you think you are.
There is no vet history.
If someone is breeding dogs for money, they will want to spend as little as possible on mum and her litter, there is likely to be little to no vet information or paperwork to help you ascertain their health. There will be no health checks, potentially no vaccination records or treatment for illnesses, and chances are even if your puppy or others have been ill for any reason they won’t be tested, you won’t get a true answer anyway.
You need to pay upfront before seeing your puppy.
Legal breeders will not ask you to pay upfront without seeing or picking your own puppy. If you’re conversing with someone online or via text and they request full payment upfront in full, this should be a sign that they’re waving a huge red flag. If you do not know them and you’ve not been to their home or to see the pups, how do you even know it exists? Even if it does, and you’ve seen pics or videos, how do you know you’re getting that dog, not the runt of the litter who has health issues, and you’re being duped?
While there is nothing wrong with picking the runt of the litter, you should be given that choice, not tricked into paying for it, thinking you’re getting a different dog entirely.
They don’t know the breed or can’t answer questions about the breed.
While accidental litters do exist, and sometimes genuine people do not know the breed of both parents, especially dads, those who are intentionally breeding should be knowledgeable about both parents’ breeds and traits and the breed of the puppies. They should be able to tell you what to expect from your new puppy, their breed fulfillment requirements, and typical issues they face or other buyers have reported from previous litters. Unethical breeders won’t know or even care to find out this information, never mind willingly sharing it with you. After all, when you take it, it’s not their problem anymore.
There are no guarantees or takebacks.
Genuine breeders will want what is best for thief pups, and this means helping you in the event of any major health or behavior issues and even taking the puppy back if you cannot care for it for any reason. Different breeders will have time periods attached to these conditions, and for some, it might be 12 months. For others, they will take the dog back at any age, provided they are able to.
Choosing a puppy from a reputable breeder isn’t always as easy as it might seem. There are so many unscrupulous breeders it can be easy to get sucked into their web and end up purchasing a puppy that isn’t as you expected.
