Reliable Sources for a Lifetime Best Friend

where to get a new dog

Have you decided to add a new fur baby to your family? There can be a lot of new things to learn and difficulties to overcome for you and your new pet. Before you get there, you have to decide how to find your perfect pet. Three of the best reliable sources are: to buy from a reputable breeder, adopt from a local shelter or rescue, or receiving a rehome from a friend or acquaintance. Each option comes with it’s own pros and cons to explore.

1st Source: Reputable Breeder

A reputable breeder is very knowledgeable about the specific health concerns and dietary needs of your new pet and are a great resource tool. Do proper research on your choice to avoid “backyard breeders”- inexperienced and untrained dog breeders.

Reputable breeders will ensure the puppies are mature enough to be separate from the mother and their siblings.

Dog breeds can vary greatly, and with that comes a whole variety of health conditions and needs. Using a reputable breeder is a great way to know the ancestry line and potential health problems for your puppy. Breeders will usually also provide starter vaccinations with the cost of purchase.

The chance your puppy is unaltered often depends on the age you bring them home. Most breeders require a contract for you to spay/neuter them by a certain age to avoid backyard breeding or accidents.

curious golden retriever resting on grassy lawn

2nd Source: Shelters and Rescues

Rescues and shelters can be more cost efficient but do have their own share of pros and cons to consider.

Plenty of perfect family dogs are available for low cost at your local shelter or rescue. To be a reliable source, these organizations often have certifications or endorsements.

These dogs are often found as strays or surrendered by their past owners and in need of a great forever home. They often end up with litters of puppies as well.

However, your new pup may in fact be a calm, altered, and house-trained adult dog that is just love at first sight. It can feel very rewarding to rescue your new friend, however, there needs to be a level of patience with these pets. Some can come from bad situations and will need time to re-learn positive behaviors.

It may be challenging for some new pet owners to understand these pets without knowledge of their prior history. This is why searching on social media in local rehoming groups can also be a reliable way to find your next best friend.

3rd Source: Local Re-homing

People will choose to search social media ads and postings in hopes of having more luck than with other avenues.

However, this method has a higher risk due to a few different possibilities: ‘backyard breeding’, stolen pets, inaccurate details, costly prices, etc. Those are more of the extreme risks but you should always be cautious about contacting and meeting strangers online.

It’s best to make connections with people you or someone in your community knows. For example, a sweet older couple going into a nursing home may not be able to take their pet and could be looking for someone close by to still get updates.

You should use your best judgement and ask lots of questions before accepting an offer. Good things to keep in mind are vaccination records, (if applicable) microchip or local registration information, alteration status, approximate age, and any behavior or health issues.

Still keep in mind that this option is the least reliable due to so many variables and lack of support systems.

Conclusion

With any choice for bringing home a new dog, a meet and greet with the pet is one of the best ways to finalize your decision. There is something special about that first look at your new best friend. Also, sometimes they’ll pick you before you pick them. Once you decide, it’s best to prepare for your new pet before they come home. Take a look at our next article for your new pet checklist!

You can find breeder referrals from the American Kennel Club website listed here : https://www.akc.org/akc-breeder-referral-contacts/

For help finding local shelters in your area, click the website listed here: https://www.petfinder.com/animal-shelters-and-rescues/

Petfinder also has options for local re-homing pets in your area: https://www.petfinder.com/

Take a look at these other posts on our website for more puppy help:

https://www.lugaruk9training.com/how-to-potty-train-any-dog/

https://www.lugaruk9training.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-potty-train-your-dog/

Khayl is a long-time pet care professional and resident dog husbandry expert. Khayl has a wide array of experience with dogs, from being a pet food nutritionist to working in grooming salons and boarding facilities to sharing her knowledge with customers as a sales associate and trainer in pet supply stores. She now shares her cumulative knowledge as a writer and obedience trainer for Lugaru K9 Training.

Author: Khayl Bond

Khayl is a long-time pet care professional and resident dog husbandry expert. Khayl has a wide array of experience with dogs, from being a pet food nutritionist to working in grooming salons and boarding facilities to sharing her knowledge with customers as a sales associate and trainer in pet supply stores. She now shares her cumulative knowledge as a writer and obedience trainer for Lugaru K9 Training.