EXCLUSIVE PUPPY SHOPPING TIPS – Revealed by breeder of 12 years.

Meet Buddy the Mal Shih puppy by GoMODOG.com

THE TRUTH ABOUT ONLINE PUPPY SHOPPING 

First, lets click out the adorable Chihuahua video below. 

WIGI The Purebred Chihuahua Video

WHERE TO SHOP

If you search the internet for any kind of puppy for sale you will most likely come across websites like NextDayPets.com, TerrificPets.com, PuppyFind.com and PuppyDogWeb.com and the list goes on. Nearly all of these are reputable commercial website that dog breeders and sellers of all caliber pay to advertise their puppies. Commercial sites are a great way to view literally thousands of puppies conveniently sorted by breed, breeder, size, price, location, care requirements and other criteria. 

Most sites offers multitude of search methods and various features. If security is your primary concern, you may wish to use one of several websites like NextDayPets.com that require all buyers and sellers perform an ID verification prior to shopping or selling online. The cost for breeders to advertise varies dramatically from each site, so you may actually find better selection and price on some of the less expensive, user friendly sites. 

AVOID THE SCAMS

Regardless of where you look, please be careful puppy shopping online. Even the safest, most popular commercial sites fall prey to scammers. Be sure to research the breeder or seller thoroughly before considering adoption to avoid indirectly supporting animal cruelty or getting scammed. Read the “buyer’s tips” and scam warnings BEFORE you start puppy shopping. Visiting the facility or home in person, and REAL customer testimonies are your primary source for breeder/seller validation. 

If a visit is out of the question, make sure the referrals you are reading are real by contacting the individuals who wrote them. Sometimes the names and phone numbers are noted at the end of the testimony. If not, a good breeder will gladly provide contact information to connect potential new buyers directly with their satisfied clientele. For security reasons, this process now works better in reverse. As in breeders get the shopper’s contact info and request the satisfied clients to contact the shopper. Remember when researching the seller’s via referral, to ask questions that will also validate with whom you are speaking. For example, full name, place of employment, Twitter or Facebook user name, something casual and not too intrusive, but yet easily traceable. 

SHOP SMART

Choosing a breed and finding the perfect puppy requires skills, research and patients. After browsing hundreds if not thousands of cute puppy photos and reading various write ups and sales pitches, you may feel a bit numb or overwhelmed. Shopped till you dropped, so to speak. This is when many shoppers grow tired of looking and feel compelled to make a choice from the puppies they’ve seen thus far. 

I suggest you bookmark the puppies you liked and take a break for the day. Maybe search another site or two tomorrow. This is not a race or guessing game. Adopting a puppy is a 10 plus year commitment that requires lots of time, money and devotion. Selecting the appropriate breed based on size, temperament and care requirements is often far more important than choosing which puppy. 

Lastly, I suggest you use the order of birth theory found on our Puppy Shopping tips page. Did you know the order of birth often dictates what physical and mental characteristics a puppy will inherit. It’s true and scientifically proven! Many breeders and handlers are familiar with but not openly sharing, these ancient pick of the litter methods. Come learn the science involved with choosing the best Puppy For Sale. 

SHOP RESPONSIBLY

Don’t let Oprah or the media brainwash into thinking “kennel” is a bad word, or believing a home raised puppy is likely better than a puppy from a breeder with a kennel. Contrary to popular belief, raising puppies responsibly requires a state of the art facilities and lots of time, dedication and know how. A breeder needs a kennel just like a cook needs a kitchen. Mr. Backyard and Mrs. Garage (home/hobby breeders) nearly always have good intentions, but are often amateurs at best. Legislation prohibiting many techniques used by “hobby” breeders, is well on its way to becoming law. The days of legally raising puppies in spare rooms and hall closets are soon to be over. 

In my opinion, if a breeder does not have the proper equipment, and is not being informed, regulated and inspected on a regular basis, they are not breeding responsibly. The ideal modern day breeder should have a clean, spacious, licensed facility and provide plenty of “in-house” time, exercise, socializing and affection for EVERY puppy and dog they possess. 

SHOP SAVVY

Remember, these adorable little puppies are live animals. Their worth is measured in many ways. There is no set price for a purebred anything, so don’t be afraid to bargain a little. Watch out for additional fees too. Commercial air shipping cost is typically the same to any location,within the lower 48 states. Airlines charge a set rate per kennel sizes known as 100, 200, 300 series and up. Some airlines classify charges by weight. For example,1 to 9 pounds costs $220, 10 to 25 pounds is $250 and so on. Experienced breeders will know how much the puppy and crate will weigh and can easily tell you exactly what the total cost should be. 

It is very wise to ask the breeder if other puppies are shipping from the same airport on the same day, as your puppy. If so, request they wave the handling fee, as the transportation cost to the airport has already been paid by another client(s). That’s a fair money saving request. Most breeders will quickly agree, others remain speechless for a moment as they ponder lame excuses. Of course shipping crates are not free, so you might expect a charge for that. 

As a rule, air shipments should come prepaid by the shipper. Most breeders/sellers charge a handling fee for transporting puppies to the airport, so cost is not solely based on airline ticket price. Handling cost varies and should be determined and justified before making an agreement or exchanging any funds. Purchases made in person (or in-state) may be subject to sales tax, where as online purchases are usually nontaxable. 

Click out this adorable puppy video below!

Puppy For Christmas Video 

SCREEN THE SELLER

Okay, so you researched the breed AND breeder then narrowed your search to a few select puppies. Now it’s time to make initial contact with the seller by phone, email or via their website. This is an important step in the adoption process and you can find a list of good questions to ask the seller on most commercial puppy shopping websites. I suggest you have this questionnaire in front of you when you inquire about your puppy. 

In addition to these standard questions, ask about the order of birth. If a breeder doesn’t know the litter’s order of birth, I might question their integrity. Reputable breeders usually have a license, tons of referrals and can quickly answer any questions regarding the puppy or the sire and dam (parents). Responsible sellers will have questions for you as well or require that you complete their puppy application, also known as an adoption application or sales agreement. Here’s a link for more advise on how to shop responsible. 

CLOSE THE DEAL

Assuming you took all, or at least some, precautions like those suggested above and found the perfect puppy from a trusted seller, it’s time to pay the bill. Again, there should be no unexpected or addition fees, and most deposits are nonrefundable, so I recommend paying in full if possible. 

Be sure to speak with the seller directly either by phone or in person, BEFORE making any monetary commitments. Remember, most deposits are nonrefundable so changing your mind or finding out you can’t afford the shipping cost will usually be at the buyer’s expense and quite heartbreaking to say the least. 

The most common payment methods are: PayPal, Postal Money Orders, Cashier’s Check and good old fashion Cash (if picking up in person). Scammers often only accept Western Union and Bank Wire transfers and they never ever want to meet in person. Avoid buying dogs from far away exotic places like Nigeria, or from foreigners, deaf people, preachers, missionaries or anyone reselling, or selling on someone else’s behalf. Sorry brokers. 

PUPPY PICK UP

Picking up your puppy is usually quite simple. You’ll need two forms of ID and your flight info from the shipper. Pick up location is usually at the cargo desk, avoiding the crowded passenger terminal altogether. Note, arrival time and pick up time are not one in the same. Recovery time (getting pup from plane to you) is usually about 20 or more minutes. It’s a good idea to call the airport ahead and verify pick up time and location before leaving. 

Shop smart, shop responsibly and may you enjoy many, many years of unconditional love and faithful companionship with your new best friend. We hope these words of wisdom will be of some assistance during the search for your next best friend. You can find more helpful puppy shopping tips on our website. Hope to see you there! 

~MODOG 

Meet SUGAR The Purebred Shih Tzu Puppy by MODOG!

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