Becker Animal Hospital and Pet Resort Reviews

When you want to go a new pet, you have many resource, ranging from rescue groups and shelters to breeders and family and friends. If you're looking for a specific breed of animal or an animal with a known background, you may want to work with a breeder. However, because purebred puppies, kittens, and other animals sometimes come with large cost tags, information technology's best to do your homework earlier purchasing your new pet. Here'due south what you need to know when buying a pet from a breeder.

Bank check the Breeder's References

The almost important first step is to find a breeder with an splendid reputation. If you know someone who purchased an brute from a breeder and had a pleasant experience, start at that place. If not, the American Kennel Social club (AKC) website has a Puppyfinder Market place that provides a listing AKC registered puppies.

The AKC also has programs breeders can enroll in — Breeder of Merit and Bred with H.E.A.R.T. — to verify they employ but healthy practices when raising new pups. Finally, when you observe a breeder who interests y'all, enquire for two references from people who accept purchased animals from them in the last year. A quality breeder is more than willing to provide this information.

Encounter the Breeder at Home

The next thing y'all want to do is run across the breeder in person, preferably at the breeder's abode or the facility where he or she raises the animals. This gives you an opportunity to check out conditions to brand sure you aren't ownership from someone who mistreats animals or keeps them in unhealthy or unsafe environments. Arrive prepared with a list of questions for the breeder about the facility's practices. Again, a good breeder is willing to answer any and all questions, show you around and let you spend some fourth dimension at their home.

See the Puppies (or Other Babies) and Their Parents

If the puppies (or kittens or other baby animals) are already born when you visit, inquire if yous can meet them. Even if they aren't quondam plenty to leave their parents just yet, you can become an ambrosial sneak peek. Spending time with the animals helps yous go to know their personalities and make up one's mind if a particular breed or fifty-fifty one particular animal is a expert match for you. Ask to spend time with the puppies' parents too to proceeds some insight into what your little guy or girl could be like equally an adult. Puppies and kittens grow up and typically alive anywhere from 10 to xx years, and that adds up to a lot of time together.

Avoid Pet Shops, Online Ads and Puppy Mills

Sadly, non all breeders apply safe and healthy breeding practices, and that puts the animals in their care at take a chance for having health issues that could be deadly or lead to thousands of dollars in vet care. First, avoid shopping for a pet on classified sites like Craigslist. Reputable breeders don't advertise on the site. Additionally, avert pet shops, as the intendance and heritage of these animals is sometimes questionable. Puppy mills are too a business organization.

Beware of breeders who advertise online and hope to ship you a puppy without always meeting you. Similarly, if a breeder wants to meet you in a grocery store parking lot, the animal is likely from a puppy mill or equally horrendous place.

Go a Medical and Behavioral History

Finally, after settling on a breed, a reputable breeder and mayhap fifty-fifty a specific animal, get to know more than about the breed and the puppy's parents. Does the breed accept a history of medical problems? How long does the breed ordinarily live? Practise these animals get along well with children and other pets? Visit the babies as ofttimes equally you can until your pet is one-time enough to accept domicile, and be sure to take your children so they can become to know their new pet too. Yous don't want unpleasant surprises when you bring your new pet dwelling. That'southward not the time to larn your daughter is afraid of dogs or the pet requires more time than you have to give during the day.