Buying a Puppy

You can get your puppy from various places,either a friend knows a breeder or you may have found somebody on the internet selling puppies, your local paper or pet shop often have puppies for sale on their notice boards, puppy farms must at all cost be avoided, anyone advertising multiple breeds for sale is more than likely a puppy dealer. You must always ask to see the parents of the puppies or at least the mum, before you go and see the pups do some research on how much that particular breed sells at, plus check to see if there are any health problems which the parents should have been tested for.  Idealy 8 weeks is the age you should pick up your puppy from the breeder, some breeders don't let them go until10-12 weeks.
Rescue centres are a good place to look for puppies and older dogs, these dogs end up there through no fault of their own, maybe their owners couldn't manage them due to illness, or work commitments, before going to a rescue centre you must be aware that the dogs may have been through a lot of emotional stress and could have some behaviour problems. Again research the rescue centres to make sure they are reputable, your dog should have been vet checked, micro-chipped, it is a good idea to ask about the dogs history as to why they have ended up at the centre.

Getting a new puppy can be a wonderful and exciting experience, but make sure that it is the right decision for you and your family and of course the puppy, there are a huge variety of breeds and cross breeds which have different care needs.
Some of these breeds require more exercise than others and some need lots of space to live in, you need to match your family lifestyle with the needs of your new family member.
Research is a must ! Find out which breeds are most suited to you by either talking to friends, reputable breeders and the internet, this can be fun for the whole family.

Things to consider before you take your puppy home,

Vaccinations  are something all dogs need to keep your pet free from fatal diseases, you need to register with your local vet and book an appointment to have your pup's vaccinations done, plus regular de-worming and flea treatments.
Micro-chipping is a small device which is inserted under the dogs skin with a unique serial number, which is then stored on a national database. Insurance is another thing to think about to cover your dogs vet bills etc, there are various companies so please do some research before you buy.
Neutering a dog can help with behaviour and lessen aggression, plus avoid avoid cancer in later years, the main reason ofcourse it will avoid unwanted pregnancies. Dogs and bitches are neutered at different ages so it's best to talk to your vet about that, the Dogs Trust have a neutering scheme to help people with financial difficulties.
Exercise is very important for all dogs to maintain their fitness level, muscles, weight, bones and general health you need to make sure how much your particular breed needs a good walk or run twice a day is a good average but don't over exercise your puppy as too much can be as bad as not enough. It's also good for us dog owners and you always meet new people when you have a dog!