What’s the best way to find a pedigree puppy?
A READER has written to me with a query that justifies a public reply, as there are lessons in the answer that are worth passing on to other readers.
‘Our sixth consecutive Golden Cocker died three weeks ago. He was 14 years old and my wife and I miss him very much. My first Golden Cocker was obtained as a birthday present in 1952 and I have rarely been without one since. However, we have failed to trace a Golden puppy this time. What’s the best way to find a pedigree puppy?’
This is a common dilemma. People often set their hearts on a particular breed of dog, and when they can’t find one immediately, they don’t know what to do. They are vaguely aware of the risk of accidentally buying a puppy farmed dog, so they don’t want to go straight to an online sales website where hundreds of puppies may be for sale at different outlets. So what can they do to find a healthy specimen of the type of dog that they want?
My first answer is not the one that people want to hear: consider changing the type of dog that you’re looking for. There are hundreds of rescued dogs that urgently need homes across the country. If you want a dog with a particular appearance, you may be pleasantly surprised, and there could be a rescue dog that fits the description. There are even breed rescue societies that have pedigree dogs that did not work out in their first home, and are now looking for a new home.
A well established website (rescueanimalsireland.ie) lists more than 200 rescue groups and dog pounds across Ireland. You can easily search through a number of organisations within driving distance of your home.
This answer will not suit everyone: some people have already made up their mind, and they are determined to get a puppy of the particular breed that they desire. So how do they do that?
My starting point for this task has always been to contact the Irish Kennel Club (www. ikc.ie), which maintains a list of the clubs and societies for each breed, along with contact details for the secretary of each club. These are usually enthusiasts for the breed in question, with experience and knowledge that is helpful for somebody new to the breed. They also often have their ear to the ground, so they may know about litters of pups that are not yet advertised publicly.
An alternative contact point is a website that has been set up specifically to act as a market place for reputable pedigree dog breeders to let people know that they have puppies available: pedigreedogs.ie.
A final possibility is to go through the broader channel of online sales websites, with the proviso that you do need to be very careful to ensure that you are not accidentally buying a puppy-farmed dog.
As I’ve said before, the problem with puppy farmed dogs is that they are bred in large numbers with the sole purpose of making money. In comparison, traditional dog breeders produce small numbers of puppies because of their fondness for a particular breed or a particular individual dog. The money they make from puppy sales is secondary to this.
The main problem with puppy farmed dogs is that they are more likely to be deprived of socialisation opportunities when young, which makes them more likely to grow up as nervous, frightened or aggressive dogs. Puppies that are reared in a small scale, in a family home, are more likely to have good socialisation experiences when young, and they are more likely to become friendly, relaxed family pets.
How do you spot a puppy farmed dog? This can be difficult, as puppy farmers are aware that people may be trying to avoid them, so they may find ways of disguising the origins of their puppies.
Typically, a puppy farmer may ask to meet you in a car park or a lay by, with the excuse that it’s easier than giving you complex directions to their home. Anybody buying a puppy should avoid making a purchase in this way.
Sometimes, the disguise may be more complex: I have even heard of puppy farmers renting a house to give the impression that they are a family set up. Or they may use a friend’s house, or ask a friend to sell the pups on their behalf.
So what should you do to avoid a puppy farmer? Most importantly, you should always be able to see the puppy’s mother (and preferably the father). This has the added advantage of giving you a sense of what the puppy will turn out like as an adult. As with humans, most puppies turn out to be similar to their parents when they grow up.
Secondly, always visit where the puppy was born, regardless of how far you have to travel to do so. It may be inconvenient, but in the long run, it’s worth it.
The simplest way to avoid buying a puppy farmed dog is to follow the advice of a new anti-puppy farming website, and the clue is in the website title: seethemsuckling.com. Seeing a puppy, with its mother, while it is still young enough to suckle, will ensure you are not being sold a puppy farmed animal and that the breeder is genuine. Obviously you won’t be able to take the puppy away at that stage, but that’s a good thing: you have more time to reflect and consider your choice, rather than rushing into the decision.
Remember that your new puppy may be a part of your life for the next 15 years or more. It’s worth making a big effort to get this decision right.