Buying a puppy online can hide the most important information about where the puppy came from. Before you pay, you should know who bred the puppy, where the dogs live, and what condition the mother dog is in.
If you cannot meet the mother dog and see where and how she lives, do not buy the puppy. Responsible breeders should be willing to show buyers where their dogs are raised. Beware of red flags.
We buy almost everything online today, but a puppy is different. A dog may be part of your family for 14 years or more, yet an online transaction can allow the entire sale to happen without the buyer ever seeing where the puppy was born.
Photos and videos can show you the puppy. They cannot show you the full breeding operation, the condition of the mother dog, how many dogs the breeder keeps, or how those dogs live every day.
When the sale happens entirely online, the puppy can become the focus while the dogs producing the puppies remain out of sight.
Some puppy-selling websites list puppies from many different breeders. The website provides the online storefront and access to buyers, while breeders or sellers supply the puppies.
Depending on the platform, breeders may create accounts, upload puppy photos and descriptions, communicate with buyers, accept deposits, or use services provided by the website. Some sites also use terms such as puppy concierge, puppy finder, or matchmaker for representatives who help buyers choose a puppy and arrange payment or transportation.
This system can allow a buyer to select, pay for, and receive a puppy without ever visiting the breeder who produced the dog.
That separation matters. When the website becomes the face of the transaction, buyers may focus on the website’s promises, guarantees, photographs, and customer service instead of independently evaluating the breeder and the conditions where the dogs live.
A puppy may be part of your family for 14 years or more. Before bringing one home, it is important to know where that puppy came from and how the breeder’s dogs are living.
If you want to avoid supporting cruelty and want the best chance of bringing home a healthy, well-adjusted puppy, you need to look beyond the puppy for sale. Learn about the puppy’s background, meet the mother dog, and see where and how she lives.
We say it often: if you cannot meet the mother dog and see where and how she lives, do not buy the puppy.
One of the biggest red flags is a seller who refuses to let you visit the kennel or breeding property. You may hear excuses about why a visit is not possible, but responsible breeders should be willing to show buyers where their dogs are raised and how they are cared for.
Puppy mills come in many forms, but they have one thing in common: puppies are produced for profit. The parent dogs are often the ones buyers never see. Breeding females may be repeatedly bred, while buyers focus only on the puppy pictured online.
The condition, health, and temperament of the parent dogs matter. They are part of the puppy’s history and can affect the puppy long after the sale.
A puppy photo shows you the puppy. It does not show you the life that produced it.
Online puppy sellers follow consumer demand. When a breed or designer mix becomes popular, commercial breeders can produce and advertise more of those puppies to buyers across the country.
Doodle mixes are one example. Puppy-selling websites market Goldendoodles, Bernedoodles, Labradoodles, Sheepadoodles, and other Poodle mixes using professional photos, different sizes, colors, and appealing descriptions.
Popularity and attractive marketing do not tell buyers how the parent dogs are being kept or how frequently they are being bred. Buyers still need to identify the actual breeder and see in person how the breeding dogs live.
Lastly, Doodle dogs are thought to be “hypo allergenic” but that is a myth. There is no such thing as a “hypo allergenic” dog.
Internet scams cost consumers billions of dollars every year. And puppy scams are very common.
Scammers will build a beautiful website or social media page or group and offer puppies for sale, puppies that don’t even exist. They offer the puppies at a lower price or even free, but charge for the shipping. At first, the “breeder” is very good at communication, answering all of questions about the puppies. Then, you decide which dog you want and wire the seller money. That’s when the problems start to arise. Sometimes, the seller just vanishes. The number they gave you was from a burner phone and you’ll never hear from them again.
The bottom line, you never receive a puppy because the puppy never existed. Stop Online Puppy Mills was contacted by a consumer who was the victim of a puppy scam.
The puppies are cheaper for a reason. You have no way of knowing where the pup is coming from or the condition of its mother.
The puppies are taken from their mother too early, put in a crate and shipped via air to the buyer in another country. But along the way, many disasters can occur. The puppies can go days with no food or water. No one is looking out for them. Imagine putting a human baby in a crate and shipping them cargo around the world. It’s dangerous and inhumane.
Another problem, many of these sellers are scams. They will ask you to pay via wire transfer and you have absolutely no way to retrieve your money or your puppy. There are no laws to protect you. Buying online from a foreign seller is a sure way to not only end up with a sick dog, but a good chance you’ll end up with no dog at all.
Before buying, identify the breeder behind the puppy and visit the breeding property in person. Meet the mother dog and see where the breeder’s dogs live.
Do the dogs look happy, well adjusted, are not afraid of people? Are they living in a clean environment? Are the dogs living the way you would keep your dog. How many different types of dogs does the breeder breed? Do they always have puppies for sale? Do they only have puppies on the property, if so they most likely are puppy resellers.
If the seller will not provide the breeder’s identity or allow you to visit, consider that a serious red flag.
For a complete checklist, read our Dog Breeder Red Flags and How to Find a Responsible Dog Breeder guides.
There are many myths about shelter and rescue dogs, but most are there because of changes in their previous owners’ lives—not because there is something wrong with the dog. Families move, lose jobs, face financial hardship, or realize they cannot provide the time and care a dog needs.
Shelters and rescues are full of wonderful dogs looking for homes. If you are hoping for a specific breed, there are also hundreds of breed-specific rescues that may be able to help.
Adopting an older puppy or adult dog can also give you a clearer picture of the dog you are bringing home. You may have a better sense of their adult size, temperament, energy level, and personality. Many rescue dogs are also already vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and have received basic veterinary care.
You can search for adoptable dogs through Petfinder.com, which lists dogs available through shelters and rescue organizations across the country.
Before buying a puppy, consider adoption. You may find the right dog for your family while giving a dog in need a second chance.