Ten Reasons You Should Not Buy a Puppy at a Pet Store

When looking for a puppy for you and your family, it is best to go to the source then to buy one from a pet store. The environment they are kept in can affect their health and your happiness all the while costing you extra money. The list below is ten reasons why you should avoid buying your next puppy at a pet store.

10. When is a guarantee a guarantee?
Answer: Not when it's offered by a pet store. More often than not, if the pup you purchased from the store becomes sick the store will offer you another dog in exchange for the one you have already become attached to. They will then typically put the puppy down as a cost saving measure rather than nursing it back to health. Don't want to give the store the newest addition to your family? The other alternative they may suggest is allowing your puppy to "grow out" of its problems. That is, at least until the warranty has expired.

9. What are you getting into…?
The employees at the pet store are more than likely not the most knowledgeable of people when it comes to the breeds of the dogs. They do not know what the characteristics and behaviors of the dogs are, a prerequisite you will need to know before purchasing any dog. Being uninformed about your purchase may create a situation which you are unprepared for.

8. Health
Health problems are typically the biggest question associated with puppy in pet stores. Sure the puppy you see playing in its cage while walking through the mall may be cute enough, but what do you know about it other than its ability to play. Simply put, nothing. It is impossible to know much if anything about the puppy you are considering buying, specifically the genes it received from its parents. Buying from a breeder who is required to screen parents for diseases provides reassurance for our worries.

7. Documentation
Consumers are often mislead into believing that the puppy they are considering buying is registered with the American Kennel Club, a group which ensures the health of puppies. Papers for puppies which are being sold are often fake, or not correct. The only time this papers should be trusted are when you are buying from a known reputable breeder. Not all stores provide false documentation, but it is something which should be kept in mind if considering buying from a pet store?

6. Unknown genetics
In addition to not knowing the specific genetics of the puppy's parents in relation to diseases, it is also impossible to know just what the puppy will look like full grown or how well it will fit the "breed standard". The parents may not have fit the standard well and will pass these flaws onto their offspring. It is impossible to know what you're in store for without first knowing what the parents were like.

5. Housebreaking
Buying a dog from a pet store can lead to problems that may not be first evident. Housebreaking your new family member because the dog's instincts have been modify to believe it is ok to eliminate where they live, something not typical of most dogs. This is especially common in pet store puppies due to their small cages and lack of open space.

4. Training
Training a puppy purchased from a pet store as opposed to a breeder can be even more difficult than house breaking. Puppies kept in pet stores have most likely been very rarely petted and never exposed to walking on a leash or brushing. Breeders sell puppies based partly on temperament as well as at a younger age. These factors combine to make puppies purchased from places other than a pet store much more readily trained.

3. Socialization
Puppies raised in pet stores are never exposed to certain sensations experienced at the home. When the dog is finally introduced to these it is unknown how they will handle them, however most don't receive them too well. Breeders raise puppies with stimulation so that when they are purchased, they will easily adapt to their new surrounding, particularly much better than store bought puppies.

2. Is pedigree worth the money?
When a puppy is purchased from a store, its pedigree is often stressed as a selling point and as a reason for a higher price. Sure, a list of all the dogs' relatives is great, but what does it mean unless you understand the dogs behind the names. How old did the dogs live to be? What caused their death? Were they healthy during their lives? All of these questions and many more are out of the realm of pet stores, but are questions a breeder can most often answer. Knowing this information can help with a variety of problems which may arise in the future.

1. Puppy mills
The most publicized problem associated with pet stores is their support of puppy mills. Puppy mills are, as their name implies, manufacturers of puppies with profits in mind. Puppies which come from these mills are typically kept in bad conditions and may even be malnourished. They are also not concerned with who buys their puppies, as long as they're making money. They will sell equally to scientific test facilities and pet stores just to keep their bottom line as best as possible. Nearly all puppies in pet stores come from these operations because hardly any breeders will sell puppies to pet stores.

This article applies mainly to large, chain pet stores. These stores are notorious for their mistreatment of animals. Not all large pet stores engage in the practices above nor do all breeders and small pet stores engage in good business practices. On average however, small stores and breeder have better living conditions for the puppies they are selling. Adding a dog to your family is a large responsibility and should be treated as such. In order to ensure the best experience for you and your puppy, buy from a reputable breeder or small pet store which actually care about their animals.