Finding the perfect puppy takes time and hard work.
A dog can be a wonderful companion, steadfast friend and loyal guardian. However, before a dog grows into your best friend, he will likely need to spend some time as a goofy puppy. Bringing a new puppy into your home is a challenging and rewarding experience. If you want to buy a puppy, there are several ways to find the one that is going to work best for your needs.
Pet Stores
Most cities have at least a couple of pet stores that offer kittens, puppies and a variety of other animals. While a pet store can be a good source of healthy puppies, they are also notorious for being the face of puppy mills and other unscrupulous breeding tactics. Before you make a purchase at a pet store, speak with the owner about where their puppies come from and ask if you can talk to the breeder. Research is key if you want to avoid the health and behavior problems commonly associated with puppy-mill puppies.
Breeders
If you are dead set on buying a purebred dog, your best choice is likely a professional and reputable dog breeder. Breeders make their primary incomes by raising litters of puppies. You can usually find a good breeder in your area, though some specific breeds may require a trip out of town. Once again, there are good breeders and bad breeders, so ask to visit the breeding facility and meet the breeders in person before making a purchase. This is usually the most expensive method of buying a puppy.
Shelters
Every year, thousands of animals are euthanized because the shelter could not find them homes. Many of the dogs in animal shelters are puppies that were left by owners because they proved to be too much of a burden or have simple behavioral problems that can be resolved with training. Shelters charge nominal fees for their animals to cover administrative costs. It can be hard to find a specific type of dog at a shelter, but if you are not picky about breed, this is one of the best ways to rescue a puppy in need.
Breed-Specific Rescues
While shelters are usually large facilities that take any animal that comes to them, there is a variety of breed-specific rescues that can help connect you with a purebred dog in need of a home. These organizations are usually more expensive than a shelter and may conduct house visits and personal interviews to determine if a dog would be best placed with you. Breed-specific rescues exist for almost every breed, but you may need to travel to another city or state to pick up your pup.
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