Pet shops and puppy farms. How should I find the right dog?

threepaws #51

I’d hardly call a dog having this type of problem having psysical abnormalities, I met my dog’s parents, they were both healthy, the woman was a caring person, if she wasn’t she would have distroyed the other dog with similar problems, the woman also said if there were any problems to let her know. I do know about dog breeders, I have had friends who breed dogs, and often helped out when they went away, they would bring some dogs to breed over from England so the dogs would not be interbreed. Most humans have psysical abnormalities, do we just pick the strongest gene pool?

P.S. The most important period for a puppy to develop their behaviour is the imprinting period (6 to 10 weeks). Pet shop pups spend this time in a glass cage with shoppers tapping the glass all day long and then they are abandoned during the period 6pm to 9am. I am happy to be corrected.

The RSPCA and dog rescue organisations will NOT sell you a dog/pup that has problems. Decent breeders will NOT sell you a pup/dog where you are not able to meet the parents to determine temperament . Enough said.

cleo said :

I got my dog out of CT, it was a breeder from Yass, she is a little toy poodle, I’m allergic to most dogs, but poodles agree with me, she is just a lovely little girl, great temperament, a beautiful little dog, actually my daughters brought her for me, the breeder asked my daughter if I wanted to breed, my daughter said no, I was informed that she had a groin hernia, when I had her de-sexed it turned out it wasn’t a hernia, but skin attached to her stomach, if my daughters had not bought her for me, she would have been left there, as another dog had the same condition, the breeder kept her as no one wanted her, which is silly, as the problem can be fixed when de-sexed.

Well, this is a good example of ‘backyard breeding’ at its worst. For sale through the paper, giving your daughter’s the option of irresponsible breeding to make some quick $$$, and physical abnormalities in the puppies that are presumably the result of breeding from a poor genetic pool.

local breed associations, dog clubs, RSPCA, Companion Animals, DAS etc. ALL pet stores that sell puppies/kittens are supplied by breeders who obviously don’t give a rats … Otherwise they wouldn’t trust a third party, interested in profit to sell their animals.
There is a very good small dog breeder in Brookam. PM me if you would like her details.

I second (third, fourth, fifth…. whatever it is up to!) getting a rescue dog. We got a little foxie through adoptarescuedog.com and he is an absolute little gem. He had belonged to an elderly person who went into a home and was surrendered by the family and we were so pleased to give him a second chance at life. Being a mature dog he didn’t need to be housetrained and was over any kind of crazy behaviour. Now he spends his days asleep on the lounge for around 7 hours a day and then showers us with love when we get home from work. Kate from adoptaresucedog was great as well in recommending him to us.

Great to see some many people are against puppy mills. Only problem is, identifying which puppy comes from a genuine caring breeder as opposed to a puppy mill can be difficult – sometimes they are indistinguishable. If considering a breed, I would suggest viewing the establishment of the breeder first. Having witnessed where our first dog was bred, we bought her on the spot simply to get her the heck out of that hell-hole.

Another problem not brought up here, is in-breeding (otherwise called line breeding) causing conformation and genetic problems such as breathing difficulties, hip dysplacia and epilepsy in dogs (for examples).

A Heinz variety dog is more likely to have a robust constitution and better genetics than line bred dogs. If you’re after a specific breed, question the breeder closely and investigate any potential health issues. Our beautiful border collie was dumped because she had epilespy & the previous owner was not interested in treating her (a simple matter of giving her a pill each day). The trauma of seeing her having an fit is enough to ensure I will do everything I can to ensure I never breed or own another dog with such issues.

Good luck & hope you find your next best friend soon!

As a foster carer myself I would say the best idea is to go through a foster carer. I personally help care for dogs through Canberra pooch rescue http://www.canberrapoochrescue.org.au/, but you can also go through Petrescue http://www.petrescue.com.au/ where all the foster carers advertise their dogs.

As a carer we must look after the dog for a minimum of 2 weeks, this gives us enough time to see how the dog reacts to people/cats/other dogs and to be able to give advice on the best home for the dog. We also see how much training the dog may allready have and to start training the dog. This helps because when you get the dog there shouldn’t be too many surprises as the carers will be able to tell you what the dogs nature is like.

Once a person has adopted a dog we also give them a 2 week trial period in-case things go wrong once the 2 week period is over if the new family is happy with the dog then they get signed over to them. This ensures that everybody is happy and comfortable and that if there is something not working the dog doesn’t end up back in the pound again.

If you are after a pup there are quite often little pups around and unfornately after christmas there will be lots of them.

If you look at going through a breeder always ask if you can go visit the dogs and see how they are kept. This way you can asses how the dogs have been treated and if you are happy with it. If they say no that you can not do that, then I wouldn’t buy from them because you have no gurantees on how the dogs are treated.

I got my dog out of CT, it was a breeder from Yass, she is a little toy poodle, I’m allergic to most dogs, but poodles agree with me, she is just a lovely little girl, great temperament, a beautiful little dog, actually my daughters brought her for me, the breeder asked my daughter if I wanted to breed, my daughter said no, I was informed that she had a groin hernia, when I had her de-sexed it turned out it wasn’t a hernia, but skin attached to her stomach, if my daughters had not bought her for me, she would have been left there, as another dog had the same condition, the breeder kept her as no one wanted her, which is silly, as the problem can be fixed when de-sexed.

Churl, if Embilly goes down the rescue route, I’d suggest a dog that has been in foster care for some time with a rescue group such as ARF or one of the others named above. A foster carer can assess the dog’s social skills in a home situation and with other dogs, children, other animals, etc. Sorry to hear about your friend.

Ok this will annoy the pro-RSPCA brigade above.
But I wouldnt buy from a pet shop and I’m not a breeder.
Beware that an older (rescued) dog can have some significant problems.
There is a critical learning period around 10 weeks of age when puppies learn, by exposure, that certain things/activities etc are normal (if exposed in a non-frightening way). And this is about the earliest a good breeder will sell a puppy.
This is the best time to normalise a dog to cars, bikes, sheep, hot-air balloons (oops I forgot that one with current dog), postmen etc. (Can also work in reverse if frightened at about that age.) Thanks to Victorian RSPCA chief vet for telling me that on the radio some years ago.
To train an older dog is like a human learning a language later in life: hard.
We chose a breed, visited quite a few breeders to find one we liked, then got a puppy.
Quite a bit of work with any puppy and more to normalise. Good results.
A friend doing dog rescue work in the ACT ended up in casualty to get her face stitched up one Christmas. Take care. Good luck.

Wow thanks everyone for the excellent info.

I’m sold: no pet shops for me. Tempting as those gorgeous little puppy dog eyes are… I don’t want to support that situation.

I’ll stick with the adoption thing, and also look at options to buy through a breeder!

Thanks again all.
Embilly

I know of many people who have adopted dogs from Kate at adoptarescue dog , an independent ACT rescue group. Kate’s dogs are thoroughly vetted and matched with owners who are right for the dog – and best of all, she will take them back if they aren’t the right dog for you (try before you buy). I can’t speak highly enough of kate and her wonderful death-row rescue group ….

I also agree with the comments about greyhounds. They do not need much space at all (contrary to popular belief)and accordingly, are New York city’s most popular dog breed. Small dogs can often require much more space and exercise than some of the larger, lazier breeds.

Your eyes will “meat” across the room and “woofer” you will be then together forever.No pun intended…

Ello Vera:

“Everyone who will sell you a dog is basically doing it for cash. Some are better than others and I know of purist, registered one-breed sellers who put down other breeders as puppy farmers but treat their dogs no better or even worse than the so-called farmers.”

Actually, I don’t know a registered breeder who makes money. They do it for the breed itself. I know one who spent thousands of dollars before breeding a litter on health tests, etc, to ensure the dogs would be okay. Money made? Well, it wasn’t thousands of dollars. It was considerably less.

“After being given the run-around by a poodle breeder, we got a lovely dog from a mob in Cootamundra who may or may not be puppy factory types but appear to run a very good business and treat their animals well.”

Congratulations: if you haven’t supported a puppy factory, you’ve supported a backyard breeder. What health tests did they do prior to breeding their dogs? Did you even ask that? How often do they breed the parents? Every season? That you describe it as a business is telling.

“Breeding dogs for money is a reality. If you want a dog, I recommend getting one from the RSPCA but if you want a particular dog, you have to deal with a breeder. Our chap is small enough to use the cat door and loves the cats. He is half Bichon-Frise half Shit-Szu. A newish breed but becoming established (all breeds started somewhere). In America they call them teddy-bear dogs. Schmaltzy but not inaccurate!”

You don’t have a newish breed. You don’t have a breed at all. You have a first generation crossbreed. Nothing wrong with that but it takes a long, long time to get a new breed recognised by the kennel club.

Wow – I posted my comment on Monday morning, with no comments yet on this OP, and ended up being 22nd in the list. It’s great to see that so many people care about where our pets are sourced, and want to see an end to the puppy farms.

My wife was a foster carer with ARF (ACT Foster and Rescue) a while back, and the work they do is wonderful – and I’m sure that the other rescue organisations are the same. Every dog we fostered, was re-homed to loving new owners – we know this, because part of the process involved visiting the home they would go to, to make sure it was suitable. We’d meet the people who wanted to take ownership of the dog, and get to talk to them about what dog ownership means. Generally, there were no problems – I think in a large part because the people who would avoid pet stores and seek out rescue organisations were the type of people who understand what owning a dog involves.

The price of the dog included all its immunisations, and most importantly, desexing. I really believe that the cost of desexing needs to be factored into the price of every dog (or cat for that matter) sold – whether from a rescue organisation, backyard breeder, or a pet store. If the law said that desexing (or a pre-paid credit at a vet for the procedure if the dog wasn’t old enough at sale time) was mandatory for a sale, many of these issues would go away, and rescue organisations would – thankfully – have less to do.

This is why there are breeders associations. Get in touch with a breeder and tell them your concerns. They may be happy for you to pick up the puppy from them and take a look at how the puppy was raised.

Hi Embilly, I know you state in your post that you’d prefer a smaller dog, but I’d like to +1 a couple of suggestions here about adopting a greyhound. We’ve adopted two now from GAPNSW, and they are really good inside dogs.

They don’t take up much room (our house is pretty small), and what people have said here about requiring little exercise it right — we give our a quick morning walk and they are crashed for the rest of the day. They don’t have thick coats, so don’t shed much hair. I also work from home and they tend to hang out in the study with me.

Ours don’t bark, which is a bonus (and as a breed they are known for rarely barking, if ever)

A grey may be another option for you, anyway.

Fair trade puppies?

davesact said :

I would have thought our local pet shops would be reputable in sourcing their stock and if not I am sure someone would have brought it to our attention, at least one would hope.
.

Davesact,

The banning of animal sales from Pet Shops is well and truly out there. The RSPCA is all over it and there are plenty of websites supporting the move.

nhand42 said :

Big dogs need a home as well.

The RSPCA does have smaller dogs available for adoption. Be patient and save an unloved dog from euthanasia.

Just to be clear, the RSPCA in Canberra doesn’t have time limits for dogs and cats, so there is no need to feel you need to ‘save’ an animal from there. Take your time and good luck!

Couldn’t agree more with the comments here – please, please, please don’t buy cats or dogs from a pet shop.

Do some homework on the type of breed that would suit you – for example a breed like a Jack Russell which is small, but has high exercise requirements may not be ideal for a townhouse, unless you can give them lots of opportunities to run around.

And once you have a good idea of what you want keep an eye on the various adoption websites already listed and you’ll find a suitable one before too long.

All of our dogs have come from local rescue organisations and we’ve had no problems with any of them. And yes, we have a Jack Russell and he’s a sensational dog, but he needs heaps of exercise – he gets two good walks every day and we have a good sized backyard for him.

I would have thought our local pet shops would be reputable in sourcing their stock and if not I am sure someone would have brought it to our attention, at least one would hope.

We purchased a West Highlander Terrier X Shitzu (designer dog)five years ago from a petshop in Tuggeranong who has proved to be an obedient and faithful pet much loved by the family. Whether or not the dog really originated from a puppy farm I cannot be certain however I
must say he has never seemed particularily emotionally damaged from the experience if so.

Try these: http://www.petrescue.com.au/search_petrescue/

There are a bunch of websites which can help you select the right pet for you. http://www.petnet.com.au/selectapet/choose-a-pet – Google ‘find the right dog’ top hit.

You are probably more looking for a companion dog breed.

Embilly,

We also found when visiting the RSPCA that the dogs they had up for adoption were primarily larger dogs – but there are other pet adoption services around;

CARA – Companion Animal Rescue and Adoption

ARF – ACT Rescue and Foster

Another good search engine is Pet Rescue which allows searching by size, location, etc. Some double up with the listings from CARA and ARF, but also some indepenent rescuers like Kate.

If you feel like going for a drive, there is Beagle Rescue or Jack Russell Rescue.

Hopefully those sites give you a good guide. As a final note, if you don’t see any little furry family member candidates on those sites at first glance, give it a couple of weeks. It’s a sad fact that you’ll notice the turnover if you watch long enough.

Good luck.

I’d avoid pet stores entirely. Instead look for recommendations of a suitable breeder (might even be worth talking to the RSPCA about this) – it will cost you a little more, but be worth it in the long run.

Big dogs need a home as well.

The RSPCA does have smaller dogs available for adoption. Be patient and save an unloved dog from euthanasia.

I would recommend buying directly from a breeder and visiting them and seeing first hand their set-up and the conditions the dogs live in.

There are also rescue groups that rescue dogs and re-home them, they tend to specialise in one type of breed so once you know what breed you are after have a look for one of them.

Perhaps the Pet Shop should name the breeders they sell for and allow you to visit them to meet the breeder. That surely would be ethical.

Contact the ACT Canine Association. They can put you in touch with breeders of the right breed.

Just keep checking with RSPCA, they have small dogs quite often but they go quickly.

Pet ships are not the best place to buy pets, especially ones lime Pets Paradise.

The Internet has some great pet sites that gives gradings and ifo on the personalities of dogs including exercise requirement & such. Go for a surf.

Then, once you have found a gov that you think is right for you search for a breeder. Good breeders are easy to find.

Are you set on getting a puppy, or would you be ok with an older dog? There are a number of rescue organisations around the area – http://www.canberrapoochrescue.org.au/ is one of them – who rescue dogs from pounds and shelters. They’re fostered by their members, while they find them homes. There are actually a few puppies in their small dogs section too. Taking in a rescued dog is a great way to give an abandoned dog a chance to live with a decent family, while not supporting puppy farms.

I would not recommend buying a pet of any kind from a pet store, particularly a dog or cat – I am not at all confident that pet stores get their dogs from ethical breeders – an ethical breeder would not, in my opinion, sell through a pet store where they had no control over the family and home the dog was going to.

If the RSPCA only had large dogs check with Domestic Animal Services (the pound) who had a lovely long haired dachshund last week. Alternatively try some of the other rescue services in Canberra such as ARF (ACT Rescue and Foster) or Canberra Pooch Rescue – they often have small dogs. Even if they do not have one currently being fostered they all have links with rescues across the country and can probably help you find the right dog for you very quickly.

They support the the ethical treatment of animals, and yet they leave them locked up in their glass boxes all night? Have you ever walked past that place at 8 in the morning, hearing all the animals fighting and whining and barking? Perhaps not.

Don’t let them make money. Adopt a dog from a shelter, you get to actively select your dog, and have a good idea of their personality, as opposed to a pup that could grow into anything.

Everyone who will sell you a dog is basically doing it for cash. Some are better than others and I know of purist, registered one-breed sellers who put down other breeders as puppy farmers but treat their dogs no better or even worse than the so-called farmers.

After being given the run-around by a poodle breeder, we got a lovely dog from a mob in Cootamundra who may or may not be puppy factory types but appear to run a very good business and treat their animals well.

Breeding dogs for money is a reality. If you want a dog, I recommend getting one from the RSPCA but if you want a particular dog, you have to deal with a breeder. Our chap is small enough to use the cat door and loves the cats. He is half Bichon-Frise half Shit-Szu. A newish breed but becoming established (all breeds started somewhere). In America they call them teddy-bear dogs. Schmaltzy but not inaccurate!

No! Puppies in pet stores do not necessarily come from ethical breeders.
The reason I know is that my friends dog unexpectedly got pregnant, & rather than have to try & sell the puppies themselves, my friends gave the puppies to the pet shop in return for $250. The pet shop then put the puppies for sale at $1100.
The puppies were half poodle (my friend’s dog from a registered breeder) & we think the dog from up the road is half border collie – who knows where it came from…

I would suggest looking on somewhere like dogzonline, which have breeders listed for each state for many different breeds.

Hi embilly,

First of all, thanks for not wanting to support the puppy mill trade.

Without first hand experience seeing where the dog came from I can not really comment on whether Pets Paradise (PP) is selling puppy mill dogs. But, most likely the dogs are from back yard breeders. Most ethical breeders do not sell to pet shops.

Back yard breeders are not necessarily as bad as puppy mills but they most likely won’t provide you with the health and temperament assessments that a registered breeder will. Registered breeders only sell dogs that are sound in health and temperament and usually have things like hip and elbow scores and eye checks. They will ensure that any hereditary problems are not passed on through irresponsible breeding. If you are going to spend the sort of money that a pet shop charges you are much better going to a registered breeder. If you log on to http://www.dogzonline.com.au it will give you lists of breeders and there is a forum where you can ask questions of breeders and dog owners about what sort of dog will suit your lifestyle.

Dogs from Pet Shops usually spend their most essential learning period in a glass box instead of in a home, so they are more likely to have socialisation and other issues.

Otherwise, rescue dogs are another great option. The RSPCA in Canberra has a good reputation. Dont’ rush into getting a dog. They will have smaller dogs soon enough.

THere are also other rescue organisations such as:
ACT Rescue and Foster (ARF) – http://www.fosterdogs.org
CARA
Canberra Pooch Rescue

The advantage of going with a rescue dog from one of these organisations is that the dog has lived in a home with a foster carer and they will be able to help you ensure you are getting the right dog for your lifestyle. THey have pups and older dogs of all sizes.

On the ARF website you can request a dog. It will ask you questions about your lifestlye and the sort of dog you are after and ARF will look through the rescue dogs available to try to find one that suits your needs. Alternatively, go to http://www.petrescue.com.au where all rescue dogs in Australia are listed by State, size, sex etc

I am a foster carer so have a bit of a bias towards rescue dogs. I have always owned rescues and they have always fit perfectly into my family, because rescue orgs will make sure they are right. But, if it doesn’t work for you definately go the registered breeder route. They spend a lot of time raising their doggies and want to see them do well. In my opinion, pet shops should not sell animals.

Good luck with choosing a dog. I am sure it will bring plenty of happy times for you.

Please don’t get a dog from a backyard breeder, pet shop or puppyfarm (aka a puppy factory). Pet shops will tell you that they only source dogs from ethical breeders but the fact is, no ethical breeder would sell their puppies to a pet shop. Getting a pup from a pet shop, backyard breeder and puppyfarm is a crap shoot. You never know if the breed advertised is the breed you’ll get. My suggestion is that you try an ethical registered breeder but that first you post a thread on the Dogzonline forums (http://www.dogzonline.com.au/) to ask what breed might be right for you and your circumstances. There’s loads of information there. Don’t be surprised if someone suggests a greyhound, they always do. Plus, in general, getting a purebred will be cheaper than getting a ‘designer dog’ from a pet shop. The dog enthusiasts at Dogzonline will tell you what sort of questions to ask to work out if a breeder is ethical.

The other way to go is to contact one of the rescue groups around Canberra, like ARF and Canberra Pooch Rescue.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy your dog, whatever you end up getting.

Good on you for considering the RSPCA and not getting sucked in to a pet shop purchase! There are a few other local pet rescue groups and private irescuers who advertise on petrescue.com.au

We adopted our ‘perfect match’ pet about a year ago through a local group we contacted via petrescue. It took quite a few weeks of looking and talking to different groups, but in the end we found exactly the type of dog we were looking for and now we’re living happily ever after.

Good luck with your search for a pooch companion.

https://www.rspca.org.au/assets/files/Campaigns/Smart_Puppy_Buyers_Guide.pdf

What about a breeder? they know way more about the dogs they are selling and can usually give you advice after you have purchased the dog. Or what about adopting a retired greyhound? its a common misconception that they are vicious and that they need allot of exercise. they are really gentle but care needs to be taken around small animals because its their instinct to chase and kill small furry things. they sleep most of the day and only need short walks. there is more information on http://www.gapnsw.org.au/

this is a really great wesbite:

http://www.petrescue.com.au/search_petrescue/

It pulls together all the local organisations that re-home unwanted dogs. You help out a nice dog that is need of a home and can be certain you are not supporting puppy farms. I got my dog from ARF and I would never buy another pup again- giving a dumped dog another chance has been very rewarding!

I met many top class breeders looking for my dog and they all quite clearly stated that they would never sell to pet stores. Their dogs are of a standard that makes them sought after. This means they can pick the very best homes for their dogs from a pool of potential owners – they don’t have ‘surplus’ to pass on to pets stores. They also only breed to further their breed so producing puppies for profit alone (ie selling to pets stores) is something they would never do.

No puppy in a store comes from a reputable breeder.

Puppies in pet stores also spend their formative weeks locked unstimulated in a glass box – not a great start for a balanced temperament.

You need to research your breed, search the internet to find the best breeders, prepare to go on a waiting list and some breeders will want to interview you personally. Unless your lucky enough to find a breeder locally, you will probably have to travel a few hours to pick your puppy up.

Good luck.

Please do not buy from a pet shop! A “registered” breeder can mean one of a few things. Firstly, there are breeders registered with the ANKC which is the pedigree association in Australia. These breeders are not allowed to sell to pet shops and are bound by a code of ethics. The “registered” breeders referred to by pet shops are generally people who are registered as a business to sell dogs. These are not all puppy farms but they’re not where I’d be buying dogs from!

If you are interested in rescuing an older dog, try http://www.petrescue.com.au, you can search for small dogs in NSW/ACT. These dogs will generally have been in foster care in someone’s house so you can really get an idea if their personality and needs suit you or not!

If you are interested in a purebred dog, pick an ANKC-registered breeder who does relevant health tests for that breed. Visit them, take a look at how their dogs and pups are housed and raised. Look for pups raised in the home and socialised with kids and other dogs rather than those kept outside in kennels. Take a look at the listings on dogzonline.com.au.

Someone here may be able to suggest a suitable breed for you. Do you mind shedding? Will the dog be indoors/outdoors? How much exercise are you prepared to give? Will you take the dog to training? Do you have kids? There are lots of small breeds that would love to keep you company during the day but we probably need more details to suggest some 🙂

I have one big rescue doggie (who is huge but would be happy to laze around with you all day) and one medium pedigree doggie. They are both beautiful dogs.

You might want to check out the rescue organizations in the area. Between them there is usually a range of size and age of dog available. The dogs are generally in foster care, so the carer should be able to give a good feel for the dog’s temperament.
They are desexed (if old enough) microchipped, vaccinated and wormed. In short the fee paid is to cover the costs of this vet-work.

Try:
http://www.fosterdogs.org/available.htm
http://www.companionrescue.org.au
http://www.canberrapoochrescue.org.au
http://adoptarescuedog.webs.com/

http://www.petrescue.com.au

There are also specific breed rescues for some breeds, if you have a particular breed in mind. Smaller breed one I know of is Jack Russell Rescue in Sydney.

I got one of my dogs from the great folks at fosterdogs.org:

http://www.fosterdogs.org/available.htm

and the other from the Canberra pound:

http://www.tams.act.gov.au/live/pets/domestic_animal_services/domestic_animal_services_menu/impounded_dogs

(pound web site seems to be down right now!)

Both dogs were on death row, and are now the greatest companion dogs one could ask for. If ever I need to look for a dog again, I would not look elsewhere but in those two institutions.

Note that I also looked at the RSPCA, but at the time they had waiting lists for certain dogs, which I thought was ridiculous, while other dogs in the pound face certain death if no one picks them up. So these dogs need our help, and they are no worse than other dogs (contrary to popular belief which states that impounded dogs are somehow disturbed, or something).

The healthiest and often best tempered dog will be a Heinz 57 from the RSPCA or a family somewhere. And you can guarantee that the breeding process has been 100% ethical.

The whole genetic history of dogs is one of success through interbreeding.

But I guess if you’re after a trophy dog, or something to impress your circle of friends, or just have money to needlessly burn, then I believe that the store you referred to is as they say, supporting ethical breeders, insofar as the genetic travesty that is the purebred can be said to be ethical.

Try contacting one of the local breed associations, and ask them to put you in contact with an responsible breeder.

Embilly

RSPCA has a guide for this vet reason, it’s called our smart puppy buyers guide. Check out our website or call for a copy. Also see http://www.adoptapet.com.au. All of our dogs and puppies appear there. We get all shapes and sizes.

Re pet shops, we would advise to go to shelters, pounds or breed and rescue groups. You can also contact the Australian national kennel council for registered pure bred breeders.

ANKC members won’t sell to pet shops generally and only a few pet shops are members of the pet industry association.

Puppy factories are places where the now well known poodle cross are generally bred and it is this hybrid type breed that most often is sold through pet shops or the Internet.

To find out more google where do puppies come from. Also see the ACT RSPCA website as well as the RSPCA Australia website

Www RSPCA-act.org.au
http://Www.RSPCA.org.au

Thanks
Michael
CEO RSPCA ACT

Do you have an idea of what breed you want (there are many smaller dog breeds)? Do you want a grown dog, or do you have your heart set on a puppy? How much time can you spend with it a day (training, exercise, play etc). Do you have kids (if so, how old etc)?

I personally buy through breeders, but I don’t like the idea of selling pups in pet shops, whether they’re a result of puppy farming or not.

It would be worth checking back with the RSPCA as they will always be getting new dogs:
http://www.adoptapet.com.au/search/searchResults.asp?task=search&searchid=&advanced=&s=&animalType=3&statusID=3&regionID=2&submitbtn=Find+Animals

We also adopted one of our dogs from:
http://www.fosterdogs.org/