This is one of the most important pages you will look at. Buying a puppy is a lot of work. The most important thing to remember is- No matter how cute that puppy is in the window of a pet store- NEVER buy a puppy from a pet store!! If you buy a puppy from a pet store you are almost guaranteeing an
expensive, heartbreaking experience.
*Remember all puppies are cute when they are only a couple of months old*
Even if you only want a pet, the best place to buy a puppy is from a reputable show home. However, just because a person shows their dogs, does not mean they are the best breeder to buy from.
This is what I mean about buying a puppy being hard work!! The most important thing to do is research, ask questions, trust your instincts and never rush into anything!
What to look for in a Breeder:
There is no doubt about it- a breeder is the best place to buy your new puppy. However, you have to be very careful about which breeder you buy a puppy from. If you buy from a good breeder, you will most likely receive a puppy that is happy, healthy and long-lived. Buying from a pet store, back yard breeder or puppy mill will almost guarantee you a sick puppy in which you spend lots of money and time to try and save.
* As a side note this is the best way to go about buying a puppy, however, there are hundreds of great dachshunds out there looking for a home. Consider checking out rescues in the area. There are numerous rescues out there specifically for dachshunds and they can also help you find the dog you want! Rescuing a dachshund can be tough work because some may have any number of physical or behavioral problems but it can also be very rewarding. If you are not looking to buy a puppy, consider rescuing an older dog! *
Good Breeders:
-require you to sign a contract before buying one of their puppies with specific provisions like a spay/neuter contract (unless the dog is being sold for show)
-Genuinely care for their dogs and love to talk about them!
-Will never refuse a visit to their home to see their dogs
-Carefully screen and question prospective buyers
-Will answer any questions you may have
-Are knowledgeable about their breed
-Specialize in very few breeds. Meaning they don't sell puppies from ten different breeds. A breeder that specializes in one or two breeds is probably being careful about the breedings they do. Multiple breed breeders may be falling into the "puppy mill" or "backyard breeder" categories
-Show their dogs (It is possible to find nice dogs from a breeder who doesn't show their dogs but those breeders need to be looked at a little more carefully)
-Provide pedigrees & pictures of the parents
-Allow you to see the dam and sire of the puppies in person
-Don't own an insane number of dogs. Remember show homes will have what many consider to be a lot of dogs. It really depends on the breed. 20 dachshunds are easier to take care of then 20 Mastiffs. This also needs to be looked at on a case by case basis. A breeder who has thirty female dachshunds and three male dachshunds is probably not on the up and up. In this case use your best judgment. A breeder who is retired or works at home has more time to take care of more dogs. If a breeder has a full time job and no one at home all day it is harder for them to take care of a larger number of dogs.
-Will give references on request
-Will refer you to other breeders when possible
-Will want you to send pictures and updates on the puppy you have purchased.
-Can never have enough pictures of puppies they have sold!!
-Will never place their puppies on Sale or reduce the price of a puppy for a quick sale.
-Will never sell puppies before they are legally allowed to leave their mother. This varies by state. In Maryland it is illegal to sell a puppy or kitten before eight weeks of age. Many good breeders will also keep their puppies for 10-12 weeks
-Have clean facilities
-Have healthy and happy dogs
-Don't have an large number of litters all at once all the time
-Will never advertise their puppies as "Christmas Puppies" or "Easter Puppies"
-Have dogs that are AKC registered if in the United States or CKC in Canada.
-Will never allow you to visit the puppies before they are two weeks ago-preferably four weeks. Puppies are more susceptible to illness and should not be exposed to a lot of different people before their immune system has started to develop.
I know that is a long list but there are still many more features of a good breeder. Most of the time you will know right away whether a breeder is good or bad but some breeders fall in a gray area. If you are not sure about a breeder it is best to go with someone else. Remember this is a puppy that you have waited for and you deserve the best! Don't rush into buying a puppy just because it is available.
It is usually better to buy a puppy from a home where the dogs are kept indoors rather than an outdoor kennel but this is also an issue that needs to be researched on a case by case basis.
Following are signs that say "Beware-Stay Away"
Breeders who...
-Have a large number of puppies from many different breeds
-Have dogs that look nothing like their AKC standard. (It is not hard to find out what the ideal dog for a particular breed looks like. Just go to www.AKC.org
-Have unhealthy, listless, nervous or aggressive dogs. (It is easy to tell the difference between a sick dog and a healthy dog)
-Use sale slogans or will haggle with the price of their dogs. Remember these are puppies that a breeder has spent a lot of time and energy on-they are not cars! A good breeder will never bargain or haggle on the price. (A good breeder may sell a puppy at a lower price under certain, very special circumstances but it doesn't happen often)
-Have no contract, don't care who they are selling to and just want to sell the puppies as quickly as possible
-Will not provide pedigrees or health certificates (when applicable) or who evade questions and documents.
-Who don't register any of their dogs
-Have dirty and/or smelly facilities
-Keep their dogs in crates 24/7
-Don't socialize there dogs
-Don't ask you questions. A good breeder wants to know if you are a good person to sell a puppy to. They want to make sure that you have time to properly care for and socialize the puppy. A good breeder wants to make sure that their puppy is going to the best home possible.
-Doesn't want to meet you (when possible) even if you ask to visit
-Won't show you were the dogs are kept. A breeder who won't show you where the dogs sleep and play is probably hiding something.
-Are unfriendly or short with you
-Won't provide records
-Doesn't know much about the breed they are selling
Like I said before, Research is extremely important when you start looking for a new puppy. Never buy too quickly or on an impulse. Puppies require a lot of hard work and energy and you don't want to make it harder by buying a sickly puppy.
Each breed has certain genetic disorders that can be a problem when the dogs are bred incorrectly. For example: if you buy a lab from a bad breeder you will most likely spend a ton of money on that puppy because it has hip dysplasia. A good breeder won't breed a dog with a genetic disorder and will strive to eliminate these disorders from their line.
Stay away from buying from a pet store (where 99% of the dogs come from a puppy mill), backyard breeders or the newspaper.
Trust your instincts. Visit the breeder if you live close by. If you don't live close by: talk to the breeder, ask questions, request pictures, pedigrees and records.
Read articles and books about puppy mills and backyard breeders. There is a lot of good information out there.
Talk to your veterinarian or contact AKC about possible breeder referrals.
Remember, it may take a little bit of time to acquire your new puppy but it will have been worth the wait when you bring home your healthy & happy puppy!!
Good Luck on Your search!
