Getting a puppy?

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Has anyone bought a puppy? Either from a pet store or breeder? How much did it cost? Why did you pick to buy a puppy instead of adopting one?

I ask because I am really struggling with adopting a dog again and we've been waiting, but i'm debating pulling the trigger and buying a puppy. I don't know what to do. Just wanted some perspective.

[msomnipotent]

I bought a puppy from Petland many years ago. It was $800 out the door with taxes and a leash. We were lied to when they said they don't buy from puppy mills and she wound up having many of the health problems that a reputable breeder would try to avoid but backyard breeds don't bother with. I know the puppies in the mall shops are between $2,000 to $6,000 because my daughter insists on stopping every time we see them. You would probably get the same quality dog there as you would from Petland.

Our current money pit was adopted, and she was $500 because she was a puppy. Older dogs are cheaper to adopt and sometimes they have adoption events where the older ones are free. I plan on adopting if I get another pet, but strays usually find me on their own. I simply cannot get out of the state of Wisconsin without at least one stray climbing into my car or people trying to get me to take their kittens.

What are you struggling with? Can't find a puppy you like at a shelter or just debating to get one at all?

[james.hendrickson]

Why not get a dog from the human society/local animal rescue facility? Their fees are usually very low and they give them basic medical care.

[bjl584]

I bought a chocolate lab pup from a breeder. I still have him today. He just turned 9. It was a ton of work early on. The first 6 months or so were the worst. But, after the housebreaking and training he quickly became my best friend. I don't regret it at all.

[Jluke]

I would not purchase a dog/puppy from a pet store.

If you are interested in a specific breed, I would search your area for breed-specific animal rescues. I think the AKC website has a search function.

If you are interested in a "mutt", then the local SPCA, rescue league, humane society would be a good start.

Buying from a reputable breeder can minimize the health/behavior risks associated with a certain breed.

"reasonable" costs $350 to $1000. Certain breeds fetch more $$ (pun intended)

[TexasHusker]

We love bulldogs so we have mostly stuck with them through the years. We have had two English and one French. Currently we have an English. These are about the best breed of dog there is for kids. Do a little googling on them. But with the bully breeds, you want to buy from a reputable breeder where you can actually see the parents and you know what you are getting.

We also have a half Maltese, half Chitzu and I can tell you she's had problems with the Chitz part in the house for the last 4 years and I think we've given up that anything is going to change. We housebroke the bully in about 48 hours. This dog, 4 years and counting.

[snafu]

I'd never ever buy a pet from a store, they are the root cause of puppy mills. They will tell you anything you want to hear but puppies are fraught with problems. I believe it's the prospective owner's responsibility to work out how a pet fits your daily routine and life style. Do you want an active dog that needs 2 - 4 serious runs each day? Would a lap dog like a Pug who needs to be coaxed to go for a walk be a better fit? Do you want a smart dog like a poodle or dumb as a door but beautiful Afghan. Can you tolerate a dog that needs to be brushed daily and groomed by a certificated groomer like Shih Zhu [my pup went for a roll in the leaves and there were tons of burrs...had to cut them out, one by one by one, no way could they be brushed out! Groomer fell off her chair laughing at the mess, sensitive dog, feelings hurt hid behind the sofa and wouldn't come out]
Most breeders take great care with their breeding pairs. They sell adult dogs they no longer plan to breed but require the dog be 'fixed.' Our current dog is from the pound. Many of those dogs have behavioural problems because original owner bought a cute puppy with no realization of responsibility and requirements of the breed. You're an experienced pet owner and know, these problems can be sorted with consistent, daily, training time suitable to breed behaviours.

Since you travel several times a year, what arrangements seem feasible for pet? I baby sit friend's dogs, they take mine and our dogs all meet up regularly at the nearby dog park.

[clairemackerras]

Every one should Adopt one don't buy. There are numerous reasons to adopt a pet rather than buy one from a pet store.

[MooseBucks]

Two dogs currently. Onewas free...wife found out someone’s dog had an accidental litter and she was free. Great temperament and just an overall lovely dog. Rescued our 2nd dog as about 4-6 month old puppy. Think she was $350-$400. They had to do a home visit and made us do a puppy training class. Probably won’t ever do a rescue again. The ones we contacted were a PITA and all were expensive. Luckily now once or twice a year all the shelters get together and put on an event where there are 100s of dogs for $25-$50 or less. Issue with shelters is they’re typically all pit bull mixes so if you’re looking for a smaller dog you can’t find them around here.

[MooseBucks]

Just checked local SPCA fees are $400-$600 for puppies. Insane.

[FrugalFish]

I haven't had a dog in over a decade, My last dog was "purchased" in another state, in a city that was not known for having a good reputation for shelters or rescues at the time (talking the 90s). I came across a crossbreed at a shop that would sometimes sell/adopt dogs that people came to them with puppies that needed to be homed. Our dog was getting a little on the old side, so they discounted her to $50. She was a lab/rottweiler mix and we had her for 14 years, which is very old for a dog of her size.

Nowadays, it seems like there are a lot of rescues out there, but whether or not you have luck with them depends on the ones in your area. A friend of mine, who is hands down the absolute best dog person I've ever met, became frustrated with the rescues in his areas. So many hoops to jump through and it didn't seem like he would ever get a dog. He and his wife eventually went to a reputable breeder and have two fantastic dogs as a result.

One of several reasons that we have yet to get another dog is that we also live in an area where a lot of the mutts are pitbull mixes. You would think with my history of having a rotty mix, that wouldn't bother me, but given the issues with the breed in the area, I'm very leary, especially since we have a young kid who can sometimes be a little wound up, as kids are. If I were going to think about getting a dog, I'd probably start calling a few of the local rescues, talk to them, and see what kind of vibe I got--- then work from there.

[rob62521]

There's a site called Petfinder that has a bunch of resources for choosing a bread as well as adoption. It might bear looking into.

[mo0n]

The two I have I adopted. The first one was from the Humane Society here in town, where puppies are normally $100, but she was discounted to $25 because there was a chance she might die from distemper after I brought her home (I guess that's what happened to one of her brothers). That was 7.5 years ago, I think she's fine. Her tag said she was a Lab/Shar Pei mix, but she looks like a small black Malinois with a spotted tongue. I don't know if I got extremely lucky, or its a pound puppy thing -- but this dog would follow me to the ends of the earth, I liken her to the German Shepherd in "I am Legend".

I adopted my second back in 2015 from a rescue league after crossing paths with him, and paid $50 for him. A 2.5 year old black and white American Staffordshire Terrier. I never thought I'd own a dog like that, but if I ever adopt again after these two pass, that'd be the breed I'd go with. They're not for the faint of heart, but he's so awesome in his own way.

[riverwed070707]

Another one in camp adopt don't shop. There are SO.MANY.DOGS in shelters. Can't teach an old dog new tricks is a myth. I've had dogs my whole life, always adopt and I've had some of the best pups. All healthy, all lived/living past their life expectancy for their size. I'm a big dog lover. I share custody of 2 husky mixes that are both going on 14 and a 4 year old great pyr/husky mix. While I'm a big proponent of adopting adult dogs since they are least likely to be adopted and generally require a whole lot less training, earlier this year I adopted an 8 month old purebread German Shepherd. He was dumped because his ears are floppy. And in a single sentence that sums up why I despise breeders and the people who buy from them. It's a disgusting market and I'd never be convinced that there is a benefit to paying $1k+ for a papered dog when there are hundreds of thousands being euthanized every year because of people who consider pets disposable

[amastewa93]

Has anyone bought a puppy? Either from a pet store or breeder? How much did it cost? Why did you pick to buy a puppy instead of adopting one?

I ask because I am really struggling with adopting a dog again and we've been waiting, but i'm debating pulling the trigger and buying a puppy. I don't know what to do. Just wanted some perspective.

We bought our pup for $75 and drove about 4 hours round-trip to get him. We both wanted a puppy to "raise." I also wanted to be able to train him to run with me and help with anxiety issues. He's also a reminder while I'm working (from home) to take breaks, etc. We also wanted a heeler, which is difficult to find through adoption (we wound up with a heeler-lab mix). However, I also know my pup was malnourished and had mites when we got him. I was happy to pay $75 to get him out of that kennel and give him a loving home.

I definitely wouldn't go to a pet store for a dog - unless they are hosting an adoption event. We checked around on Facebook and Craigslist for a few weeks before finding our pup.