Global Eyeballs

Alright, you’ve come to the decision to purchase a puppy, but where’s the best place to start? Buying a puppy involves many decisions and some hard work.

In all probability, you will have considered issues such as the size of dog to go for, the financial cost of it’s up-keep and if you can spend the time to exercise it. However, there are other questions you should ask.

Most breeds will have negative points, so make sure you’re familiar with these, as they say ‘forewarned is to be forearmed’. A good way to find out about this sort os information is with Breed Rescue Centres, they make sure any potential owners are fully aware of all the down-sides of the breed, the last thing they want is to have to re-home the dog again. Always make sure you are familiar with any medical problems that might be associated with the breed, especially inherited conditions.

Be patient, don’t be too quick to decide on a particular puppy because the breeder seems nice, or the puppy has all the registration papers, this is no guarantee that the puppy will be healthy.

We all want our puppies to grow up happy and healthy and will be around for many years to come, to ensure this you need to buy from a reputable dealer. The Kennel Club has a “Fit for Life” campaign, which reviews all breed standards and avoiding registering puppies that have been born from closely related parents. It also continues to develop it’s Accredited Breeder Scheme (ABS), the ABS was set up to promote responsible breeding and enable owners to buy with confidence from approved breeders.

It makes sense to meet a few breeders with litters and, if there is one that you’re particularly happy with and trust, be ready to wait for a suitable litter if they don’t happen to have anything available at the time. A good breeder will always have the best interests go the puppies in mind, and will have just as much to ask you as you will have to ask them. When seeing the puppies for the first time, make sure their facilities are clean, and they look healthy and contented with toys to play with.

You should always avoid buying a dog that you’ve never seen, from individuals that want to hand the puppy over in a car park or deliver to your doorstep. Be wary of puppies for sale in newspaper ads, internet forums or puppies from pet stores.

Think about buying from a rescue centre or animal shelter, however, you should be prepared for a bit more work. Generally it is unusual to find puppies and you need to be aware that older dogs can have behavioural or health issues, mainly due to being badly brought up by previous owners!

Above all, do your homework, owning a dog can be expensive and the last thing you need are a lot of vets bills. Once you do find the ideal puppy though, they will hopefully grow up to be a friend for life, and what better way to immortalise this friendship than with a pet portrait. A worthwhile artist will not only produce a realisitic portrait but capture the true essence of your dog!