You can buy just about anything online these days, cars, groceries, a date, even a new dog. It seems strange but people purchase dogs over the internet all the time. Some from breeders clear across the country. It’s almost the new designer thing to do. Personally, I think it’s ridiculous to purchase a dog across the country when there are so many unwanted dogs right in your own backyard. Why put the poor animal in such a stressful situation for traveling? I think it’s cruel but that’s just my opinion and may not count for much. So, if you are going to purchase a dog, here are some guidelines to help make the experience a little more pleasurable for both of you.

The internet has come a long way but it still can’t quite mimic the experience of actually touching and caressing a dog you may have chosen as a potential pet. All you can do is trust that the person selling the dog is being honest with you about the dog’s temperament and demeanor. A picture says a thousand words but unless you can come face to face and interact with the pup, I’m not really sure how you can be certain that he will make the perfect match for your family. But, I digress again. So, how do you choose a dog based on a picture and a paragraph? How do you know if the seller is reputable or not?

When looking online to purchase a dog, be very wary of an ad that professes to be selling “papered” purebred pups. Does this ad come from a credible licensed breeder or is it just an individual selling his litter of puppies and claiming them to be purebred? It’s pretty tricky because pictures of purebred pups do not resemble their adult counterparts at all so just seeing pictures will not be convincing. They must show proof of AKC membership for both the parents and the puppies as having been certified as purebred. Be sure you get a certificate of authenticity from the American Kennel Club with the appropriate documentation. Do some research ahead of time so you know what you’re looking at when you receive it as these documents can be easily forged as well. Purebred dogs are big business these days and just like anything else worth scamming, this is no exception.

Before you start a random search for reputable breeders, go to the American Kennel Club website and look for the link of approved breeders. I personally would trust the AKC of doing their homework as they would not be putting up breeder’s websites if they haven’t been checked out thoroughly. Even with this knowledge however, do not go head on and purchase a dog outright without doing some checking on your own as well. Play it safe throughout the whole process and if anything feels funny about the way the breeder does business, don’t ignore that feeling. Do a little more research to find out if what they’re doing is common practice among all breeders. Pretend that you are buying a car and that you want to make the best deal possible for what you’re getting even though what you get is far more precious than just a car.

Before you consider the sale complete, have the dog checked out thoroughly by your veterinarian to ensure that he is as healthy as the breeders documents claim him to be. If there is any discrepancy, speak to the seller and discuss what (if anything) needs to be done. There is a chance that the original vet check was indeed valid, and if it is only a minor injury or slight issue, keeping the dog might not be that big of a deal, but you should have part of your purchase price refunded to offset this medical care. Be careful, know what you are looking for and be wary of any thing that sounds far too good to be true.

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