When looking to obtain a dog or puppy as a pet there are 3 main sources to consider.

Dog Breeder

Dog breeders may be located through dog clubs or advertisements for dogs for sale.

Many breeders of pedigree dogs also show their dogs and so breed towards producing a good healthy show dog with a view to keeping one or two themselves so quality and temperament is of vital importance when planning the breeding.

Although breeders of show dogs specialise in breeding pedigree dogs, there are also owners who have bred their pet dogs and produce cross breed or pedigree puppies. These may be the result of a planned or unplanned pregnancy but the pups have usually been well cared for and brought up in a family environment and so most often make very suitable pets and will be less expensive to purchase than a pedigree show dog.

Buying a dog direct from the breeder means that there is the opportunity to see the parents and know the date of birth of the puppy that it is intended to purchase.

Rescue Home

Many dogs, both puppies and older dogs, unfortunately become abandoned or homeless through no fault of their own every year.

Rescue homes usually assess the dog's behaviour on arrival and often carry out remedial training if needed before offering for rehoming. Therefore dogs offered are usually very suitable and loving pets. The advantage of an older dog is that basic training has already been carried out and so in this respect these dogs are easier to care for than taking on a puppy.

Rescue homes often have both pedigree and cross breed dogs available but the dog's background or exact breeding details are often not know. However, unless the intention is to show or breed then rescue dogs should be considered.

Depending on the rescue organisation they may require the completion of a series of forms, interviews or even a home visit to assess suitability as a potential dog owner. Their primary concern is to ensure the correct placement of the dogs in their care with a suitable new owner.

Pet Shop

Sometimes puppies are available in pet shops. These puppies are unlikely to have come from a reputable show breeder and are most likely to have come from a pet owner with an unplanned pregnancy or from commercial puppy farms. There is some risk as to whether these puppies will be of good temperament or health as the parents cannot be seen and often little or no information can be given about their background or breeding.