Choosing A Puppy

Put careful thought into taking on a new puppy, because — as the old saying goes — ‘A puppy is for life, not just for Christmas’ (or birthdays, or Easter, etc.). You will be responsible for your puppy’s welfare for its whole life, which can be up to 10-14 years! During this time, you will need to ensure they have adequate daily exercise and a suitable diet, are protected from pain, injury, and disease, and give them social stimulation every day. The decision to take on a puppy can have significant impacts on your time and finances, but the rewards for investing in this new member of your family can be infinite!

If you feel ready to take on this responsibility, you may also want to carefully consider the breed of puppy you buy. Dogs breeds can have many different character traits and come in many different sizes. So it’s best to match up what you want from your puppy and the amount of space you have to accommodate. You may also want to consider the common health problems that can come with particular breeds. You can find more information on the different breeds available by checking out this breed guide available from Petplan.

If you would like to have a chat about owning a puppy with one of our pet health professionals, please contact us or register online.

There are numerous options for buying a puppy, but you should take time to consider how reputable a seller is. Do your research to check if your breeder has provided an adequate start in life for their puppies. You should always go to see exactly where the puppies have been born and raised. This allows you to meet the puppy’s parents (which should give you an idea of the puppy’s adult size and temperament) and check the conditions in which they have been kept.

Unfortunately, some breeders operate from ‘puppy farms’ who breed irresponsibly keep puppies (and their parents) in squalid conditions and sell very unhealthy puppies! We therefore strongly recommend against buying a puppy online, as you may inadvertently purchase from an unreputable breeder. A good breeder will be willing to answer any questions you have and provide evidence of any worming, vaccinations or health tests they or their parents have had. They should also have a good socialisation program to get their puppies used to normal life with their new human family.