Buying a Purebred Puppy

There's a very good reason why we shouldn’t buy a pup; there are perfectly healthy dogs that are awaiting death sentences in animal shelters everywhere. Giving an abandoned dog a home, a family and a life is a fine thing to do and I’d always encourage adopting a rescue.  I’ve pulled dogs out of shelters and fostered, trying to find suitable homes. It’s a good feeling to save a dog’s life. Adopting is a great thing to do, either from a shelter or a rescue agency. 

There are also some reasons why we might want to purchase a purebred pup. Each dog is an individual, but each breed does have some traits that may or may not suit our lifestyle or home. By evaluating our own situations, being honest with ourselves – then learning about the traits we can expect from different breeds – we can choose a type of dog that suits us.  Some things about dogs go against conventional wisdom, or what we might consider “common sense;” so it’s best to do some homework.  

Choosing a Breed

Some breeds are territorial; some need a lot of exercise; some have high prey drive; some shed a lot, etc. If a person lives in a small home or an apartment, a guard type dog might not be a great choice. They could have a hard time understanding that your neighbors aren’t intruders. Territorial dogs like to have some territory. Most Great Danes don’t have the drive to defend territory, and they don’t need a lot of exercise. So despite their giant size, they’re reputed to be great apartment dogs.

Things aren’t always what they seem. The trick is, to be honest with yourself, lots of research and choosing the breed that fits. Of course that’s where the work really begins, they need to be trained to adapt to your home. It’s important to remember that two things drive a dog, their instinct and their conditioning. It’s our job to override some of their instincts with our conditioning.  

Also consider health issues. Almost every breed has inherent problems, some more than others. Educate yourself on the genetic defects of the breeds you’re considering and the ways the breeders can minimize or eliminate the chances of producing puppies with the problems. 

With my breed (Staffordshire Bull Terriers), the two biggest problems can be ruled out with simple DNA testing. It’s easy enough to screen the sire and dam for some of these problems; there’s no excuse. If the breed is prone to hip dysplasia or joint problems, see if the breeder has OFA (orthopedic foundation for animals) certifications. Hips and joints can be x-rayed and evaluated by the OFA before a breeding. A parent with great hips can still produce pups with terrible hips, but an OFA Certification can help to change the odds for the better.  

Why a Breeder as Opposed to a Puppy Store?  

It’s all chance. You can get the healthiest dog in the world from the worst puppy store, or you can get the sickest dog in the world from the greatest breeder, but there are good bets and bad bets on every crap table. Maximize your chances and stay away from the bad bets.  Pups from pet stores are almost never health screened, they’re puppy farm bred, mass produced animals. If you find a decent breeder – someone that loves the breed – someone that wants to improve the breed, someone that will stick with you after they sell you a pup, it can make all the difference in the world. You’re not only buying the dog, you’re buying into a relationship with the person that bred the dog. The good ones will be there to help you along. They’ll answer your questions and even give you a call now and then. In spite of what they tell you at a puppy store, those pups were all born in puppy mills or puppy farms.

I won’t go into the horrors of the puppy mill; just Google it. Lots of pups are coming from Eastern Europe these days. One of the puppy store sales pitches is, “This puppy is a European import” (as if it was a foreign sports car). When you buy at a puppy store, you’re supporting puppy farms. We should work to cut out the demand.  

Find a Breeder.  After you’ve chosen your breed, check the AKC website and find clubs for your breed. There will almost always be a National Club (The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of America) and there will likely be smaller, regional clubs (The North East Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club). Contact some people in the clubs and ask for references, visit dog shows and introduce yourself to people with your chosen breed. The breeders will have lots of questions for you; Do you have a fenced in yard? Are you married? Are there children in the house? How old? Do you own or rent? Tell the truth; there are no right or wrong answers. They’ll also expect questions from you: Can you visit their home? Is the sire on the premises? How many litters do they produce in a year? Do they health test?

Find a breeder you’re comfortable with, learn about their dogs. Find out if they compete with their dogs, (conformation, agility, obedience, tracking, etc). Personally, I don’t like it when breeders produce too many litters; how can they keep track of the multitudes of pups? If someone has three or four litters at any one time, I’d back off. I’d also be aware of someone pushing for a paypal deposit. Money isn’t supposed to be what motivates a breeder. They’re supposed to be improving the breed and finding suitable homes. Money is important to any transaction, it’s an exchange of value for value. If a person doesn’t pay for their pup, they might be more inclined to give up on it. If a person can’t afford the price for a pup, how can they afford the cost of owning a dog? I’d never try to negotiate the price of a puppy, either as buyer or seller.  

Health Guarantee

Most breeders will give a limited health guarantee. This is nothing like a warranty on a car. They’re just saying that at the time the pup changes hands, it’s healthy. They’ll give you a specified amount of time to get the pup to your vet and have him sign off on its health. If your vet says the pup isn’t healthy, the breeder should take the pup back and return your money. If your pup checks out with your vet, that’s usually the extent of the health guarantee.  

Limited or Open Registrations

If the breed is AKC registered, most breeders prefer to sell pups on limited registrations.  This prevents the new owner from eventually using their puppy to breed, then registering the pups.  It also prevents the puppy from eventually being shown. The breeder can open a limited registration at any time in the dog’s life, but they can’t close an open registration. If you buy a pup on a limited registration and at some point decide to try the show ring, you can contact your breeder; they might evaluate the dog and decide whether or not it’s worthy to show or breed, then open the registration.  

Right of First Refusal

In my opinion, the good breeders don’t want you selling the dogs they bred, or giving them away without their permission. That’s pretty standard, and it’s usually the sign of someone that cares about the pups they produce, and their breed. Many will also offer to take the dog back at any time in its life if there’s a problem (sickness, foreclosure, divorce). It’s not a money back deal, good breeders will take on that responsibility to prevent their dogs they produce from winding up in shelters. “Taking back your own” is an honorable thing to do.  See if a puppy store offers anything like that. I’ll bet they don’t.  

Buying a pup is a huge commitment. Don’t rush into it. If it’s your first, study up on training techniques, know what to expect, and have fun. Breeding a litter is an even bigger commitment, especially if it’s done right (health testing and committing to the puppies for life). If you find a breeder you trust, and you like their dogs, wait for a pup. Don’t look in the classifieds, and don’t wander into a puppy store. Do research, learn everything you can, and only make the move when you know you’re ready.  

Once again, before you commit to a new puppy, please consider adopting a rescue. There are some wonderful dogs out that someone gave up on, they need a home. The Animal Farm Foundation is one of my favorites, or visit .  If you do choose a purebred puppy. I hope this  helped you out.