Pros and Cons of Buying a Puppy Online

Buying puppies online is becoming a very popular option for anyone who is interested in owning one, mainly due to the benefits that it has to offer. Not only is it very convenient, but you will also get the opportunity to have a much wider selection of pooches to choose from than what the pet shops, dog breeders and ASPCA’s in your area have to offer. You will get to select the exact breed, color and gender that you want. What could be better than choosing the puppy which you truly want rather than settling for one which is decent enough to meet your expectations? There are many things that you should be sure to consider before you decide to purchase a puppy online, however. Here are several questions that you may want to ask yourself if you are thinking about buying a puppy online.

Do I Want to Meet The Puppy?

Before you decide to purchase a puppy from any breeder or pet shop, one of the things that you may want to think about is whether or not you actually bond with the puppy. If the puppy’s personality does not seem compatible to your own, you may want to look for a different puppy who you will bond with better. When you decide to purchase a puppy online, you will not get the opportunity to meet it and see what its personality is like. Determining whether or not meeting the puppy before you decide to make it a member of your family is very important to think about before you make the decision to buy one online.

Do I Want To Meet the Parents?

One of the main things that many people think about when buying a dog from a breeder is what the parents are like. The parents’ behavior will provide you with a good idea of what you can expect from your own dog in the future. Many people would not even recommend to buy a dog unless you meet the parents. When you opt to buy a dog online, you will not get the opportunity to meet the parents. If this is something which is of importance to you, it may be a good idea to find a good dog breeder in your area instead of purchasing one online.

Do I Know That The Seller is Legitimate?

Dog breeders who sell their puppies online, especially when they belong to website services which are designed to allow them to sell puppies online rather than their own websites, may not always be legitimate. There are a number of different scams which have happened through the use of these websites. A seller posts a picture of a puppy which he or she claims will be sent out once you send them your payment. What you do not know is that other people will also be making payments for the same puppy at the same time, and in the end no one will end up getting it. Even worse, when you try to contact the seller at a later time, he or she is suddenly missing in action – and so is your money. If you are going to buy a dog online, it is often recommended to purchase through a reputable breeder.

Do I Really Want Splurge On Shipping?

When you purchase a puppy online, you will also need to cover the cost of shipping. In most cases, this tends to cost between two and three hundred dollars. If the puppy which you are buying is five hundred dollars to start with, this can cause the total price that you will be paying to be eight hundred dollars. You should consider whether or not you really want to pay this high amount of money on a puppy when you can probably just find one from a local reputable pet shop, breeder or even the ASPCA for much less.

Do I Think Shipping a Puppy is Morally Right?

Many dog breeders have a pick up only policy because they refuse to ship their puppies. What do you think about shipping a puppy? Do you think that it is morally right for a puppy to come all the way from wherever it is coming alone and in most cases “a bit drowsy”? The fact that puppies are not objects, but are instead animals, is enough to cause many people to make the decision to not purchase a pet online. You should think about if putting a puppy through the experience of being alone until it reaches you is really worth it to you. If the breeder is close enough, you may want to think about traveling to bring your new pooch home.

While there are some major conveniences associated with buying a puppy online, there are also many disadvantages to doing so. It is important for you to consider whether or not the disadvantages outweigh the advantages when you decide to purchase a puppy online.