‘How much is that doggy in the window?’. We have all heard the famous song. But the question is how much do you know about your local pet store and their puppies?

Although buying a hamster or a guinea pig in a pet store doesn't bare too many risks, buying a puppy in a pet store is probably not the wisest decision.

So you should know all you can about where you are going to get your canine companion from. Don’t head down to your local pet store until you have read these secrets, it might just change your mind!

Price Matters

dog price

The key motivation of a pet store, beyond all else, is profit. There is nothing wrong with that you might say, after all a business has to make money. But when you are choosing a puppy you must understand exactly what you are getting! A puppy is not chosen by a pet store on the basis of quality, bloodlines or even health.

The first question that will be asked of the breeder or supplier is - How Much?

As Euro Puppy has an extensive network of breeders we are occasionally approached by pet stores to get a large number of dogs for them.

One example is this email we received:

Hi Euro Puppy I am looking to get dogs at wholesale prices from you if you can provide it currently less than the price I'm purchasing it from my current 2 breeders I am looking for 3 French Bulldogs, 2 English Cocker Spaniel 1 male and 1 female, 1 English Bulldog, 2 West Highland White Terrier, 2 Boxers, 2 Havanese, 2 Coton De Tulear. Please can you send me your best price with shipping cost too. I want these as soon as possible. I can purchase ... puppies monthly Looking forward to hearing from you Ab..s

Since this is an actual email we have received I have hidden some of the information for privacy reasons. As you can read, the only question asked is cost. Quality of puppy is always secondary at best, compared to profit. You should always understand what you are getting before you choose a puppy.

If you want a quality puppy, with official paperwork or even a pedigree, then a pet store is not a place to go. In all honesty, for us at Euro Puppy, price is of the lowest concern. Standard and health comes before all else. We accept and trust our experienced partner breeders judgement on the price of the puppy, as long as we believe it matches the quality. Euro Puppy understands that the average pet store generates more business, and quicker turnover, but for us we want to sell only the very best.

Quantity not Quality

responsible dog breeding

For us at Euro Puppy the quality of the breeders is vital. We will ONLY choose experienced breeders, who we have visited, and who specialize in only a minimal number of breeds. Quite often this is not true of the pet store. Once again breeders supplying pet stores are chosen purely due to price.

This does not mean all breeders chosen by pet stores are dubious and inexperienced. What it does mean however is that these puppies have in no way been pampered in their upbringing. The cheapest suppliers are not going to show their puppies or their parents, they are not going to spend money on regular health checks and they are unlikely to feed them premium dog food. This is all done to cut cost and be more competitive in terms of price.

Ask Questions!

As a responsible dog owner you will want to know everything you can about the background of the puppy. Details such as knowing about the breeder and where the pup was raised, as well as information about the bloodline, pedigree and parents are crucial to find the right puppy.

Sadly at a pet store they know nothing about the breeder of the puppy. All you will likely find out when you ask about the puppy you like, is - price, breed and country of origin! A puppy from a pet store may not have had a terrible start to life but it certainly won't have had everything that the puppies we choose receive. Every time a puppy is bought at a pet store it promotes their trade, encourages the continued sale of low cost puppies, which can force breeders to lower their prices too, as cheap puppies grow in demand.

This can on occasion lead to puppy mill style breeding where the dogs and puppies are not being looked after and cared for properly. This is something we all want to avoid!

Unnatural Environment

dog in garden

A core belief of ours at Euro Puppy is that we firmly believe puppies DO NOT BELONG IN CAGES. We understand that pet stores serve an important community demand, pet food, supplies, even birds or reptiles can be found there. We just simply believe that puppies do not belong in pet stores. Until they have new homes, dogs belong with people who know and understand them, not alone inside a shop, and they should sleep on a bed, and not in a cage or behind glass.

Our puppies all stay with their mother and litters-mates until the last possible moment before they are picked up for delivery. Before this they are under the close care of the breeders, socialized and given all the important vaccinations and health checks. You must remember that a puppy in a pet store could be kept there for a long time, not the ideal situation for a growing puppy. A puppy should go from their litter to their new home as quick as possible, that is our belief.

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We are not going to tell you where you should buy your puppy. But we would encourage you to know all you can before you make the choice. It is our belief that a pet store is not an appropriate place for a puppy, but that does not mean that the puppies they have are awful either.

But if you are looking for high quality puppies, with a greater chance of good health, of being properly socialized, and from an experienced breeder, then pet store puppies are not going to be for you. Why not check out our purebred puppies for sale right now! Please also check out our blog where we look at the terrible dangers of the puppy mill breeders.