English bulldog pup … FURY SON Hamilton

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Never send money outside of Pets4Homes unless you have viewed the pet at the seller’s premises and are confident that the seller is genuine. We recommend you to use our deposit service to ensure that you are safe through the payment process. This video explains how it works for you as a buyer.

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Rehoming a puppy is a massive commitment and different breeds have vastly different characteristics. For more info read our breed profiles. Make sure that you have researched the breed fully and ensured that it's the right breed for you, and your family. Our friends at PAAG have put together some great advice on how to buy a pet. Also ensure that the seller or breeder is genuine and ask alot of questions. A good breeder will help you choose a puppy whose temperament will suit your lifestyle and family circumstances, and won’t rush you into making a decision. Here are the most important questions to ask the breeder before viewing a puppy.

Always view the puppy at the seller’s home with the puppy’s mother. Do not accept any excuses for sending money without a viewing having taken place, or if the advertiser attempts to meet you at any other location than their own home. Unscrupulous sellers will often suggest another location to avoid showing the puppy’s true living conditions. The advertiser should ALWAYS let you see the puppies interact with their mother. Pets4Homes do not allow third party sale of puppies and all litters of puppies advertised, MUST have been bred by the advertiser. Make sure that the interaction between the puppy and its mother is natural to avoid the setting being staged.

The seller should be willing to let you take the pet to a vet of your choice for a health check and return the pet within 48 hours for a full refund if there are health issues. If the puppy has already been health checked, make sure you have this documented and phone their vet. The vet may not be able to disclose specific health information due to GDPR, however they should confirm the puppies have been checked. When you meet the puppy, they should be sociable and alert, with bright eyes and no visible health issues. Read about how to check the health of a dog here.

If the breeder claims the animal has been vaccinated and/or microchipped, ask to see records of these, including vaccination certificates and evidence of worming and flea treatments. It is required by law that all dogs over 8 weeks of age are microchipped and that the keepers' details registered against them are kept up to date. The breeder is responsible for microchipping the puppies and must have their details registered on the microchip database first. These records should be sent before collection and you should never accept any excuse for sending them later. For puppies, if they are advertised as Kennel Club registered, make sure you get a copy of their Registration Certificate before you buy the puppy.

If you believe a puppy may be subject to irresponsible breeding, do not “rescue” the puppy by rehoming it. Walk away and report the seller to us immediately. Read here to learn how to recognise a puppy farm here.

You should also report your concerns directly to the local council as they have the authority to inspect the premises if there are any welfare concerns, and can take further action if required. We work closely with several local councils, trading standards and police forces and we are able to provide any account or advert details if requested and if a data protection request is sent to us. Find contact details to your local council.

For serious welfare and / or cruelty issues, please contact the RSPCA (England & Wales) on 0300 1234 999, or SSPCA (Scotland) on 03000 999 999 immediately.

Never send money outside of Pets4Homes unless you have viewed the pet at the seller’s premises and are confident that the seller is genuine. Pets4Homes has its own deposit service that we strongly recommend you to use to ensure you are safe during the payment process. Pets4Homes holds the deposit until you and the seller have both approved the transaction. This video explains how it works for you as a buyer. It is not currently possible to pay the final payment through Pets4Homes, so we recommend you make sure you are completely happy with the transaction before you make a direct payment. If you are unsure you are making the right decision, it is still possible to walk away from the purchase at this stage.

We also encourage all prospective puppy owners to sign a contract with the seller to make sure that what has been agreed and said verbally is also formalised. You can find a specialised puppy contract here.

Puppies must be at least 8 weeks old and fully weaned before they can leave their mothers. Please make sure to check the paperwork to ensure the puppy is old enough.