Buying a Puppy? Make Sure You're Ready Before Falling In Love With That Cute Little Puppy For Sale!

Please read the following 3 lines out loud -- I'll wait...

Buying a puppy isn't like buying a new pair of shoes. It's closer to having a child. A child that doesn't speak English and occasionally eats poop. 

If that thought sends you screaming from the room, consider another kind of pet like maybe a fish or a plant or a pair of shoes. If you work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. six days a week, you're going to have one lonely, unhappy dog on your hands. And how do dogs show their unhappiness? 

In the absence of being able to say, "Pay attention to me," they'll do things like pee on your high school yearbook or eat all your CDs or like one of my puppies decided to do -- remove the linoleum from the kitchen. 

It Isn't Their Fault!

Here's a little "pup quiz" that will help determine if you are ready to add one more member to the family. Answer "yes" or "no" to the following questions:

1. Do you like dogs? I mean do you REALLY LIKE dogs?
2. Does your health allow for a dog? (i.e. allergies)
3. Does your building allow dogs?
4. Can you afford food, shots, etc. for your dog?
5. Are you OK with picking up dog poop, mopping up dog pee, or cleaning up dog vomit? (I'm an expert)

If you answered "no" to any one of these, then you're probably not ready to become a dog owner. That's ok, fish are cool. If you feel ready to get a puppy, then please continue reading.

Decide on a dog breed that is suitable for your lifestyle or personality. Getting a puppy is really a process of self-discovery. You can't know the right dog for you until you know yourself. 

For example, a jock would prefer an active dog. A lazy person would prefer a dog that doesn't require much exercise. A touchy-feely person would prefer a friendly dog. A tightly-wound person would probably prefer a dog that doesn't bark or shed too much. Think of picking a pup like choosing a mate; you have to find one that compliments your personality.

I found a great resource on breeds and a great pet finder service as well. Just a great overall resource if you're looking to buy a puppy. Check it out by clicking here.

In the meantime, here are some very general guidelines. We won't list every dog breed on the planet, but they'll get you thinking in the right direction. 

1. Brittany Spaniel
2. Bichon Frise
3. Old English Sheepdog
4. Bearded Collie
5. Golden Retriever
6. Labrador Retrieve

There are dozens of breeds and dozens of traits to sort them by. You get the idea. Again, these guidelines are EXTREMELY rough. You can try going to a dog show and speaking with the breeder or check out the great resource I mentioned above by clicking here.  

One of the best ways to research dogs is to talk to friends who have dogs. Believe me, they'll give you plenty of honest information. Sometimes even more than you want to know.

In case you didn't realize it, all of the breeds we listed above are purebreds. This means that they are the product of parents of the same breed. To get a true purebred worthy of being in a dog show, you often have to pay thousands of dollars. 

Most people get mixes of some sort (the "cockapoo," a combo of a cocker spaniel and a poodle, is quite popular), because rumor has it that purebred dogs can have personality problems because the gene pool is so small. 

As a result, many people choose to go with a mutt, a mish-mash of different breeds. Mutts can combine the best of two or more breeds in a one-of-a-kind dog. Having a mutt is like the canine equivalent of owning an original work of art. 

Is this all sounding like too much work? It shouldn't be taken lightly. A dog is a living thing, but millions of dogs die every year because their masters didn't realize how much work caring for a dog really is. We're not trying to bum you out, but this is nothing compared to how bummed you'll be if you become one of those failed former dog owners.

Where to Get a Puppy

Breeder

Once you've determined the right breed for your lifestyle, one possibility is to go through a breeder. You can find breeders by looking in the classified ads in your newspaper (the prices are usually pretty steep, ranging from $100 to $3000, depending on the breed and the quality of the puppies). 

You can learn about breeds, find puppies for sale and more at Any Pets, Inc. A well put together resource that's definitely worth a visit.  

Speaking to breeders is a good idea because you'll get someone who knows all about your breed of dog, so if you have any questions, you'll have a new friend to ask. Also, breeders generally take very good care of their dogs. So good, in fact, that they'll usually interview the potential buyer to make sure that the dog is going to a loving home.  

The drawback about using a breeder is the price - you can get a puppy for free at a shelter. But if you're looking for a pretty puppy that you might eventually want to breed or take to dog shows, using a breeder is the way to go. 

Animal shelter 

Also known as "the pound," shelters are connected with purebred rescue programs, giving you that purebred chic look combined with the warm, gooey satisfaction of rescuing a homeless dog. The benefit of a shelter is that 1) it's free (or really really cheap), and 2) you're saving a dog's life. 

The main drawback is that the dog could have some kind of personality or health problem (based on how it was treated before you got to the pound). That's a lot to deal with. As long as you're at the shelter, consider strolling past the puppies and adopting an adult dog. 

Friendly, well-trained adult dogs will often wind up in the shelter through no fault of their own. Maybe their owner lost the appeal and got sent up the river for life... you never know. Actually, sometimes you do know. Many adult dogs come with a written history. Some even come with the former owner's contact number so you can get a character reference. 

Pet stores 

Here's a way NOT to get a dog. When you see that cute little puppy for sale in a mall pet store our advice is: run away. Many pet stores sell dogs from puppy mills. Puppy mills are right there when it comes to wholesale animal cruelty. 

They basically churn out puppies for pet stores, kill the ones that don't look like they'd sell well, and keep the live ones in awful living conditions. Pet store puppies that don't get bought are sent to the pound. You can get pet supplies from the pet store, but NOT the puppies... please!

Don't be fooled by the breeding papers they'll wave in your face. You're not rescuing the dog; you're funding the puppy mill industry. Without the demand for puppies from mills, the supply would eventually dwindle. Can you tell that we're against puppy mills?