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Puppies and Backstreet Breeders - Dog Training Tips We want to advise you about the dangers of rushing to buy a puppy to give on Christmas Day. There are several reasons why this can be a bad idea; not least because it is the person receiving the puppy who must be committed to its care, not the giver. Owing a dog comes with a great deal of responsibility. Puppies need lots of care, attention, time and patience, whilst they are leaning, and are not to be taken on lightly or without a lot of thought. Doing so could cause suffering, behaviour problems and possibly even homelessness for an innocent animal.

Puppies are not ideal as Christmas presents unless you are confident that the recipient is ready, willing and able to care for the needs of a puppy. The phrase âA dog is for life, not just for Christmasâ was coined by The Dogsâ Trust 39 years ago, but still needs to be reiterated every year. Before you give a puppy as a Christmas present, please consider the following:

It is well known that buying a puppy that you may have tracked down via the internet, without doing some research and following some simple guidelines, can support and fund the trade in illegally-imported puppies â something that can leave new owners devastated and in financial trouble from vet bills as they struggle to cope with the severe illness, or even death of their new puppy.

According to the RSPCA, âFarms across Europe are breeding puppies at alarming rates, in appalling conditions and transporting them to homes in the UK to sell. These normal-looking homes are a shop front for unscrupulous puppy-dealing rings who want to sell you a sick and traumatised animalâ. The RSPCA website:
https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dog... explains this more fully and provides links and guidelines to avoid falling into the trap of buying a puppy from a dealer.

You should also check out their tips for spotting a puppy dealerâs advert and, if you do go and visit a puppy, remain cautious.

When considering a puppy, you could visit the Kennel Club website for a list of registered breeders and litters available (www.thekennelclub.org.uk). Their website will also help you to select the right breed of dog for you, your finances, lifestyle and age. Registered breeders may well want to know about you and your home situation before they allow you to take on of their puppies. Donât be offended by this â itâs a sign that they care about the puppies.

The RPCA have been campaigning to stop the illegal import of puppies who are bred in appalling conditions, taken away from their mothers when they are far too young, and then transported like cargo across Europe. The result of this campaign is that the Government is to introduce a new licensing scheme for anyone breeding or selling more than three litters of puppies a year, and banning the sale of puppies under 8 weeks of age.

This will be a great step forward in the fight to end unscrupulous breeding and selling of puppies, but we as individuals can also help end the trade by not providing a market.

Deceptive and unscrupulous backstreet breeders and dealers will go to extreme lengths to deceive you into thinking that you are buying from a legitimate source. Before going to visit a puppy, make sure you check the advice from the RSPCA website: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/do...

or from the Dogs Trust website: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/do...

Finally, if you have any suspicions about the person trying to sell you a puppy, contact trading standards with as much information as possible so that these dealers can be tracked down and dealt with.

Finally, if you do think that you are ready for a puppy, donât be rushed to have it by Christmas. If you are truly committed to having a dog, you will have years of happiness togetherâ¦a few weeks of waiting will be worth it!

