Health & WellbeingBuying a dog online? What to check, ask, and get from seller?
It's great that you're trying to plan ahead and make sure you're asking good questions! I'm not sure what breed you're looking at, but in general, I would definitely consider saving up a bit to purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder if you can. Even if the purchase price is a bit higher than a puppy from an online ad, getting a pup from a more reliable source can save you a lot of heartache (and money!) down the line by avoiding costly health issues and behavioral problems due to poor breeding.
If you do opt to go ahead and purchase a puppy through on ad online, I would talk to the breeder/seller about the following things:
1) Make sure the puppies are AKC registered. Even if you want "just a pet", no responsible breeder would be breeding dogs that aren't AKC registered. It's a big red flag that you're dealing with a puppy mill or really careless backyard breeder.
2) Ask what health clearances the puppies' parents have had, and ask to see documentation. Depending on the br
Updated on November 25th, 2025
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