Buying a puppy online is a rewarding and fun experience that you will remember for the rest of your life. There are wonderful breeders that love their puppies and want to find the best home for them. Responsible breeders breed happy, healthy puppies whether they are for the Show Ring or Pet Quality.

However, there are breeders that don't take proper care of their puppies and others that run scams. Often you would hear not to buy a puppy online. This in not fair to the honest breeders that work very hard to provide you with a wonderful puppy and companion.

There are precautions that you should take when buying a puppy or anything else online. The internet is a wonderful thing and a wonderful tool to help you find that beautiful puppy and companion that you have always dreamed of.

Guidelines for Shopping online!

• Get references for the breeder. Talk to the breeders veterinarian office. Vets can not talk to everyone that calls but you can call if you are seriously going to buy a puppy and talk to the office. .
• Ask questions about the puppies lifestyle. How is the puppy being raised? Is there a potty training program? How often do they receive their shots? How often do they get playtime? A responsible breeder will have this in writing so you will know what to expect when you receive your new puppy.
• Do they have a warranty? 
• Make sure the puppy is actually at their site or in their possession. If you feel uncomfortable about a puppy picture, have the breeder take a picture of the puppy with your name on an index card in it. This will show that he/she actually have possession of the puppy.
• Payment should be made securely using a credit card or Paypal. If you pay with your credit card you can have the transaction reversed if you do not receive your puppy. Never send a payment with a money order or through Western Union. These are not safe. Unless you know the person you are buying from this is not safe. Once the money has left your hands with Western Union there is no way to recover it. Be smart and use a safe method of payment. 
• One last thing. No deal is too good to be true, and no deal is a guarantee. You won’t find a yorkie or a bulldog for $200 when they normally sell for $2,000 – $3,000. Use common sense, and be cautious as you would in any financial transaction. Many of these scammers are relentless, and will do anything to get your money. If you think you've got a scam on your hands, contact the FTC toll free hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357) or visit them at the FTC, or Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IC3.gov).