Where to buy a puppy (SW London/Surrey)

chris_n_tj

You have a lovely family Chakani, thanks for sharing such a lovely photo xx

Chakani

Not often they all sit still enough for a photo - that one took some speed, let me tell you :rotfl:

Kinski

Just to add something more to put you of buying from a pet shop, the photos below were taken the day after I took on Ellie who was used as a puppy making machine at some factory in Wales. Ellie didn't have a name when she came to me, she was not even given a number, she had never lived in a house before and didn't know how to behave in one, she's terrified of men and attacks my son every time she sees him ( every day ) she's bitten him twice but only drawn blood once.





9 months down the line she is better but there is still a long long way to go before she will be totally comfortable around men.

Sagz_2

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Hi,

We're looking to buy a puppy.

As it's our first time and have small children we'd be happier buying from a shop rather than a private sale / rescue home.

Please consider a pup from a rescue centre. You'll be getting a pup that is Vet checked, will have been wormed, vaccinated if old enough and will have been handled by trained staff who have the pups best interest at heart..... not making money!

jenhug

there are lots of rescue places with lots of different types of dogs needing homes. if you are on facebook it is a really good place to seek out smaller rescues that really know and work with the dogs to find them suitable homes.
https://www.facebook.com/SE.Dog.Rescue

here is one.

elaine.e

I'd echo most of what has already been said. Please, please don't go to a petshop or sites like gumtree etc.

Before you get as far as purchasing please do some research. Your original post mentions a small breed dog. There are lots of small breeds and they can vary hugely in terms of health, robustness, amount of exercise needed, grooming requirements and suitability as family pets.

The Kennel Club website provides a lot of information about the various breeds and if you find a breed that you think might be suitable the KC website should also have links to breed clubs. Also do a google search for any forums about your chosen breed. Most forums will let you register for free then you can browse or join in. Many breed forums are well run and informative.

When you've chosen a breed try and meet some puppies and adults and take your family with you to get an idea if it's the right breed for you.

Puppies are incredibly hard work. Be prepared for sleepless nights while your puppy adjusts to being away from it's littermates and for pee and poo on your floors while you're housetraining. Small puppies simply don't have the bladder and bowel control to hold on for long so accidents will happen during the first few weeks even if you're really vigilant and take the puppy to the garden after every meal, each time it wakes up and frequently in between. Be prepared for chewing and mouthing, especially while the puppy is teething and be aware that you're committing to the care of your dog for perhaps 15+ years.

So take some time to research what breed you want and then more time to find a reputable breeder. Good luck.

Katiehound

I agree with everything that has been said before;
buying a puppy from a shop is a bit like buying a secondhand car from a cowboy dealer when the words "one careful owner" mean the very opposite.

May I suggest that you treat yourself to a dog magazine? Both Dogs Today & Your Dog are excellent publications, if I remember rightly they list breeders at the back which conform to strict guidelines such as testing for particular conditions. They usually have a puppy training section and a breed outline. The readers questions section usually makes intersting reading.

An excellent place to see all the dog breeds is at Discover Dogs, Earls Court in November & run by the Kennel Club. Breeders and breed rescue bring their own dogs to meet the public. You would get the chance to ask questions etc. Its a bit like a mini Crufts with trade & charity stands.

Last, but not least, many reputable breeders will vet potential owners as much as owners vet breeders! Sometimes they will not part with their puppies because owners don't meet their strict criteria.

cjmumto2

You can get puppies from a rescue centre, the Celia Cross Rescue (as an example) has just had a female give birth to 6 puppies. They are in Surrey.

musogirl295

I don't post on here very often but I thought I'd share my experience of getting a puppy from a rescue.

We got our puppy from Wood Green Shelter in the middle of January. We had been discussing getting a new dog for months following the loss of our older rescue dog so we went to the shelter for advice. It was decided that a puppy would be best suited to us as I'm at home all day and we could train the toddler and the puppy together! The shelter happened to have a litter in that day, and following meetings and checks we brought home our mongrel pup Freddie.

Getting a puppy in this way has been fantastic. The shelter gave us loads of support over the phone and by visiting us. I've never felt like they were judging us, instead they have given us practical advice on all kinds of matters. As part of the adoption agreement we have to get Freddie neutered when he's old enough. The shelter even help out with the cost of this if you wish. All in all it has been a very positive experience, so I would really encourage you to look down this route.

To reiterate what a few of the others have said though, it is incredibly hard work. I have never been so tired in my life, including when my daughter was first born!. Making sure everybody's playing nice all the time is a juggling act in itself, let alone trying to get housework done, dinners cooked etc.

It is so worth it though!

lyniced

Got our puppy (he's 5 now) from a breeder in Kent. Saw his mummy (and daddy) and his siblings. All looked very well looked after and content. We weren't allowed to take him home til he was 8 weeks old and we were given his pedigree form ( he's a yorkie). Had no problems with him. Great member of the family, love him to bits!

DO NOT buy from a shop. My friend did that and her dog was so ill he had to be put own at 6 months!