How to get a puppy safely

Are you ready to welcome a new puppy into your life and home, but unsure how to go about finding the right one, safely?

There are many ways to buy a puppy, but what most people don't realize is that there are also many pitfalls to watch out for in this process. Before you go ahead and buy a new puppy, it's important to keep the following information in mind - Being prepared will help you avoid scams, and will help make the process go through as smoothly as possible.

Here are some useful tips that you can keep in mind to buy a puppy online safely.

Locate a reputed breeder

Not all the breeders that you come across on the internet are in a position to deliver the best service as per your expectations. Hence, it is important to take your time and find a reputed breeder. By going through the customer reviews, you will be able to get a better understanding of the reputation of the breeder that you are going to deal with.

It is a good idea to pick a breeder that breeds only a few dog breeds. You should also confirm that the breeder has a clear understanding of the breed. For example, the breeder should provide prompt and accurate answers to the questions you ask about the history, characteristics, and developmental concerns related to the dog.

Try to adopt a puppy from a rescue club or shelter

Instead of buying your puppy from a breeder, you can also think about adopting a puppy from a rescue club or shelter. This is a convenient method available for you to avoid scams. On the other hand, you will be able to support the great initiatives of the rescue clubs and puppy shelters, which try to contribute a lot towards reducing pet overpopulation.

Sign a contract

Even if you are purchasing your puppy online, you should sign a contract. This contract must be associated with a health guarantee. In case if you cannot take care of your puppy, your dog breeder should agree to return. The reputed dog breeders often do it. On the other hand, make sure that your breeder is providing all the documentation related to the breeding of your dog. You should also get confirmation documents that indicate the puppy you buy has been tested for health issues.

Never use unsecured methods to make payments

You need to be careful at the time of making the payments to the dog breeder. You should refrain from sending money through unsecured payment methods such as MoneyGram and Western Union. If things don’t go according to how you expect, you will not be able to get back your money. Hence, you must always use a debit card or a credit card, where you can open a dispute against the transaction. You should also ask for the merchant number of the breeder before you handover the credit card number. Then you can call the credit card company and make sure that you are dealing with a legitimate seller.

Look for the warning signs

There are some warning signs, which you need to keep in mind while dealing with an online puppy breeder. For example, you need to make sure that the breeder is from your local area. Your breeder should be willing to develop a healthy conversation with you. On the other hand, the breeder should be able to provide personalized photos to you based on your requests.

If you can keep these tips in mind, you can buy your puppy safely online.