Pandemic Puppy Demand
Breeders are receiving more puppy (and adult dog) inquiries than ever before, so many that it has become very difficult to keep up and answer them all. This is a long read, but it’s well written and the information is important if you are looking to purchase a dog during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Credit: FB/Redstart Australian Cattle Dogs - Thank you!
⚠️ Puppy Purchase Pandemic! ⚠️
Over the last few months, there has been a dramatic increase in inquiries for puppies lately, not just our puppies, but everywhere. I’ve been calling this the puppy purchase pandemic.
While many would think a Breeder would be happy to see the many inquiries they get daily, I’m actually concerned by the trend-
There is a large percentage of families looking for puppies ‘ready now!’ or ‘ready to go very soon!’ because many of us are home for the foreseeable future. It sounds like a sensible time to get a puppy right?
Absolutely, a brand new puppy takes a considerable amount of time and attention and it is always in a puppy’s best interest if someone is able to be home with that new puppy at all times! But- what happens when these families are suddenly called back to their jobs?
What happens when life resumes and all of a sudden they are ‘too busy’ for their new family member?
This leads me to my next concern... If and when that happens, a reputable Breeder would take that puppy back to prevent them from entering a shelter. ALL reputable breeders should have a contract that states their puppy is never at any point allowed to be surrendered to a shelter. But what about the puppies who came from a backyard breeder or pet store. Those really are ‘all sales are final- no returns’ transactions.
My concern is with the explosion of demand for puppies, not everyone is doing their research and buying their puppies from reputable breeders. Why? Well, most reputable breeders typically have a waiting list on their puppies, and puppies are not usually ‘available and ready to go now!’. And others just really don’t know any better and can be fooled by scammers and less than reputable breeders.
So now who really is benefiting from the puppy demand boom? Backyard breeders and puppy mills! It seems lately that many are so desperate to get a puppy right now they will purchase any that happen to be available at the moment. I know waiting lists are long but it truly is in your best interest - and your new puppies’ best interest- to make sure you are not supporting puppy mills or backyard breeders as a result of this puppy purchase pandemic!
Some very common red flags of puppy mills and backyard breeders include:
1) No health testing on parents or general knowledge of common hereditary or genetic disorders in their breed. If you ask a Breeder if their dogs are health tested and the answer is “they are vet checked healthy” the answer is really no. Determining evidence of dysplasia or genetic disorders involves testing far outside the scope of a standard vet checkup.
2) No health guarantee or contract- A responsible Breeder invests a lot of time and money into making sure the puppies they are producing are as healthy as possible. Reputable breeders are willing to back their puppies up with a health guarantee and should always be willing to either take back their puppies or at least help in the rehoming process of one of their puppies if that unfortunate situation arises. This should be part of the contract.
3) Weaning their puppies early. Anyone who is advertising puppies ready to go home before 8 weeks old absolutely does not have the puppy’s best intentions in mind. In many states selling puppies before 8 weeks old is even illegal. Puppies need to be with their mother and littermates for at least 8 weeks for many reasons and there truly is no GOOD reason to send a puppy home that early.
4) Multiple breeds or a number of crossbreds are being produced. It is my opinion that a dedicated Breeder would focus their time and resources on one breed. The purpose of a responsible breeder is to better the breed. How are they able to do that if they are focusing on four or five different breeds or creating new ones? Bettering the breed is a very complicated process and should not be an experiment.
5) Advertising ‘Purebred with no papers’ - or with a bogus registry that does not register based on breed and parentage. While it’s absolutely true that registration papers are not in any way a guarantee that you are getting a well-bred animal- it’s a step in the right direction. Many puppies are sold by reputable breeders with limited registration. Limited registration means the dog is registered with the breed club but cannot produce any registerable offspring. There are many reasons this is done, but perhaps the Breeder did not feel that puppy was breeding quality and should not be bred. By purchasing a puppy who is ‘purebred with no papers’ you have to ask yourself why this puppy doesn’t have papers. There really isn’t a good reason. Registering a dog is truly the least expensive part of owning and breeding dogs. Are you purchasing a puppy from a dog who was never intended to be bred by their Breeder? Are you purchasing a dog marketed as a purebred but isn’t it? Mutts are absolutely wonderful dogs in most cases and I have no problem owning one myself- but if your reason for buying a purebred puppy is because of the expectation for that breed as far as size, health, and temperament- you should definitely avoid a puppy being marketed as purebred without papers.
These are just a few things to look for when purchasing a puppy to ensure you are supporting a reputable breeder. I truly hope when life starts returning to normal that I am wrong and the puppy pandemic purchases continue to be healthy loved furry family members in their new homes but I do fear that many puppies will suffer by being discarded at shelters and many families will suffer from puppies who have health issues.
🐾 Choose a Breeder- Not a puppy.
🐾 Support ethical and responsible Breeders and do your research.
🐾 Be willing to wait - Puppies should never be an impulse purchase!
Please make sure you will remain dedicated to your new furry family member once our lives return to ‘normal’.
