Puppies for Sale – A Complete Checklist for New Puppy Owners

Puppies require food, leashes, toys, bedding, grooming supplies, and other items to live comfortably. They will also need regular vet visits and vaccinations.

Pet stores and breeders should uphold a high standard for puppy health. Nevertheless, a few do not and end up selling sick puppies. This short film is an exposé of these unfortunate pups.

Vaccinations

The cute factor of a puppy is irresistible, like the Mini Goldendoodle for sale, but it’s essential to thoroughly understand your new pet’s characteristics and demands. Puppies need plenty of space, time, love, and care. They are also prone to illnesses and can have shorter lifespans than other dogs. Being unprepared for these medical and behavioral needs is one of the main reasons that puppies end up in shelters.

Vaccinations are essential to a dog’s health, especially when young. Ensure your puppy has received all core vaccinations, including those against distemper, parvovirus, and hepatitis. Then, inquire about non-core vaccines based on your dog’s exposure risk — lifestyle and geographical location.

It’s essential to bring your puppy to the veterinarian for its first exam within a few days of purchase or adoption. This will allow you to identify any underlying issues that the breeder, pet store, or rescue group may not have recognized.

Deworming

While puppy mills provide many puppies to pet stores and public markets, responsible breeders and adoption organizations also offer puppies for sale. Unfortunately, unscrupulous puppy sellers use attractive websites and slick catalogs to hide their breeding facilities. The result is that consumers who purchase these puppies never see the conditions in which they are raised or what they will look like as adults.

Puppies and kittens are prone to intestinal parasites like roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms. These worms can cause weight loss, diarrhea, and other health issues in pets. They can even be transmissible to humans through contact with infected feces.

When looking at puppies for sale, please watch their personalities and how they interact with their littermates. Is one puppy dominant over the others? Does another seem more timid? Watch how each pup responds to being rolled over on his back for a belly rub. Puppies who tolerate being held by strangers are usually easier to train. Those who resist may be more independent.

Health Check

If you’ve been advertising your puppies for sale and have yet to sell any, you might think to reduce the price. While this will work in some cases, you’ll likely find that your pups haven’t sold because you need to get them in front of enough people.

The responsible breeder will show potential buyers where the pups live and introduce them to their mother. They should also provide the pups’ health certificate and pedigree. A healthy puppy is a happy pup, so this is important.

During the checkup, veterinarians will look for signs of infection and parasites. They will check for intestinal parasites, such as tapeworms and roundworms, and external parasites, like fleas, ticks, lice, and ear mites. Puppies should be free of these pests, as they are a significant cause of dog illness and can lead to expensive medical bills and even death. Puppies that have these bloodsuckers are often withdrawn, depressed, and irritable. They will also look at the puppy’s mouth, checking for redness and swelling or a soft area in the skull that indicates open fontanelles.

Training

When shopping for puppies for sale, it is essential to find a reputable breeder. You can do this by searching online for your favorite breed. The results will provide much information about the dog, including where it was bred and the breeder’s contact information.

When choosing a breeder, ask to see the puppies in person and with their mother. Be wary of a breeder who will not allow this, as they may hide poor conditions in their breeding facility.

Also, be sure to choose a puppy that will fit with your family and lifestyle. Puppies are a lot of work and require significant training, socialization, and exercise time. Some breeds are better suited to country life than city living, and some need hours of practice a day, which may be too much for very busy or inactive families. It would help if you also considered whether or not you can cope with a puppy’s teething phase, which may be disruptive to the home. Lastly, ensure you are not buying a puppy at a difficult time for your family, such as during the holidays or a move.

Grooming

Puppies are a lot of work, and preparing yourself before you bring one home is essential. Ensure you have a supportive network and a plan for what to do when your puppy is sick or injured.

Getting your puppy used to being touched early on with grooming tools and giving them daily checks is a good idea. This helps you spot problems such as ticks, fleas, and skin issues before they worsen.

You’ll also need to stock up on supplies like a chew toy, interactive toys, and a bed. Joy says she looks for durable mattresses that can withstand her puppies’ teething and are easy to clean.

Finally, remember a collar and ID tag to help your pup stay safe and sound. Using a collar that sits snugly, about two fingers below the puppy’s neck is a good idea to ensure it isn’t too tight. Also, keep some anti-chew spray on hand and sanitize all areas of your house where your puppy is likely to chew, including wires and shoes.