Pet shops are great places – for buying accessories. Don’t buy a dog there.

In the UK pet shops no longer sell puppies, though they do sell rabbits, hamsters, fish and birds - but in the US pet shops are still a popular way to buy a pet puppy.

If the people buying puppies from pet shops had more information, they might choose to go to a reputable breeder instead. Pet shops do NOT sell puppies more cheaply than a responsible breeder –  if anything, they can often be more expensive.

•                   Sales assistants in pet shops may have some basic training in animal care but they will not have detailed specialised knowledge of every breed they are selling.  A responsible breeder will have detailed knowledge of their own breed and can offer specialised advice which will usually be available for the lifetime of the dog they sell you.

•                   Sales assistants in pet shops may have no more than sketchy information about where their puppies come from and little or no information about the parents and grandparents of the puppies they sell. A responsible breeder will not only be able to supply this but much more besides, including health information and advice on training.

•                  A pet shop will not take the dog back if for any reason in the future you are unable to keep it – a responsible breeder will undertake to find your dog a suitable new home.

•                   And finally, once you have finished nodding your head in agreement to all the above, and still say

       “But the nearest breeder is X miles away, and the pet shop is so convenient” ….

         ask yourself how convenient that will seem in hindsight if you end up paying a fortune in vet’s bills because you weren’t particular enough about where you bought your puppy?

A responsible breeder cannot guarantee your dog will never fall ill or develop a hereditary disease, but he or she will have taken steps to minimise the possibility and will always be there to offer help and advice – the pet shop will not.

To find a responsible breeder in the UK, contact one of the breed club secretaries who will have a list of breeders in good standing with the club.  Contact details can be found on the Links page.

To find a responsible breeder in the US, see the Basenji Club of America website for referral contacts.