How to spot a fake Puppy 'Dealer'

There’s something about puppies that makes everyone melt.

In fact, scientists have even found that time spent with puppies can reduce depression in the elderly and make people less lonely. However, Not all puppies or more importantly puppy breeders are Authentic. Here's our top tips for buying your first Puppy. Scroll to the bottom to read our checklist.  

Ideally both parents would be around but you should at least see the puppy’s mother.

If you are given excuses as to the mother’s whereabouts or why you can’t see her then be cautious. If the mother is happy, the puppy should be happy. Ensure you see the puppy in its breeding environment. If the puppy wasn’t bred on site then ask to see the kennelling conditions. Do not buy the puppy if the conditions don’t seem right.If the breeder is selling different breeds of puppies be wary. Unless they are a trusted breeder they shouldn’t offer up different choices of puppy to you as a buyer.

How to spot a puppy farm or puppy dealer

• A place where puppies are sold without any paperwork or certification – this includes not getting a receipt after the sale. Puppies may also be sold with fake documents.

• A puppy farm would typically have a lot of outbuildings with closed off rooms that you aren’t able to access. This includes trailers, sheds and barns. They may also be found operating out of seemingly normal homes.

• The puppies are often shown to you in a cage or a crate in a puppy farm. Be suspicious if they have been recently bathed and look out for soiling or staining on the coat.

• A strong indication of a puppy farm would be if the seller offers up different breeds of puppy for sale, or shows alternative litters if you change your mind about the one you want.

• If the seller makes excuses about why you are unable to see the mother, or one who is very young and doesn’t seem to be related to the puppy. Ideally you would want to see them interact with one another to see their relationship. The mother should also recognise her own name.

• If the seller has limited or superficial knowledge about the breed they’re selling. They should be able to answer every question you have about the puppy.

• If the breeder isn’t interested in you or doesn’t ask you any questions about your own knowledge or situation. They should be just as concerned as you about the purchase of one of their puppies and take comfort that their puppy is going to a good home.

• For pedigree breeds the actual pedigree chart should look official. If it is a hand-written document or a photocopy it is unlikely to be genuine.