Are you & your lifestyle suited to dog/puppy ownership?

Owning and raising a dog/puppy can cost a pretty penny and could exceed £30,000 during the animals lifetime, with vets and health bill pushing this amount up even higher, please ensure you can afford to keep an animal before you proceed with the rehoming process.

Research pays dividends!

Ensure that both you and your lifestyle/home are suited to the breed you have selected.
Your exercise levels must match the animals needs, or you may encounter behavioural issues such as furniture chewing. A quick 10 minute walk after work and before bed will not suit many dogs at all.

It may also be an idea to ensure your garden is fully enclosed and safe, removing any canine unfriendly plants that the animal may like to have a chew on.

Introduce yourself and your family!

Say hi to your prospective new house mate but do so in its own home, be wary of sellers who offer to meet you in a train station or car park! A dog should always be seen its own home environment and a puppy should always be viewed with its mother.

Try to visit as many times as you can before you collect your animal, when you do, ask as many questions as you can of the breeder/seller and don’t be afraid to trust your instincts.

Ask to see all medical records and history of the animal and if the dog/puppy does not originate from the place where you view it, ask why and ask to see any records the seller has.

If in doubt on any of these recommendations, please contact Petwise or report the matter directly to the RSPCA.

Dog neutering/Spaying

If the dog is over 6 months old, ask the seller if it has been neutered or spayed. An animal does not need to have “just one litter” and any unnecessary or accidental breeding can add to the flood of puppies finding their way into rescue centres.

Microchipping

From April 2016, it is a legal requirement that any dog be microchipped. Puppies must be microchipped before being sold and the details transferred to the new owner. If a dog is not microchipped then the seller/breeder is breaking the law.

Please, please, please consider rehoming a rescue centre dog first!

Before purchasing a dog, please consider searching local rescue centres to rehome an animal in need, there are thousands available and many advertise directly through Petwise where we support them with free advertising and charitable donations, because at Petwise.com, we love pets!