If you’re Googling “puppies for sale NZ” because you think you’re ready to bring a happy fur ball into your life, PD Insurance reveals all you need to know in its puppy buying guide.
As a potential dog owner, you’ve quite a big responsibility resting on your shoulders. Not only should you consider carefully whether you actually want to buy a puppy instead of adopting one, you need to also make sure you’re buying from ethical breeders and not giving your money to a cruel puppy mill.
From avoiding puppy scams and deciding on the best pup for you, to training and dog-proofing your home, here’s all you need to know about buying a puppy:
Puppies for sale in NZ: To shop or adopt?
There are many reasons people choose to buy a puppy rather than adopt one:
To shop?
Perhaps you have your heart set on a very specific breed, sex and colour of dog that just isn’t available at your local shelter. If your dream is to own a tri-colour female Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, there’s little we can do to persuade you otherwise.
And we totally get it. Beautifully bred little bundles of fluff are pretty irresistible! Just be sure to thoroughly research how to find ethical dog breeders first. You want to find a professional breeder that treats breeding parents and their pups like gold. You also want to ensure they’re undertaking all the important health tests, for example testing for hereditary and congenital conditions.
As your first stop, visit the Dogs New Zealand website for pedigree dog breeding and breeder information. It has a list of health tests that might be relevant for the breeds you’re interested in, plus a breed selector tool that helps you find the best breed for you. You’ll also find contact details for different breed clubs.
Undecided about shop vs adopt? Don’t fall prey to any of the myths about animals from shelters. For instance, that they all have behavioural issues, are unhealthy, unsocialised, or that shelters don’t have any pedigree or young dogs. Which leads us to…
To adopt?
Adopting from a shelter, where there are plenty of puppies to choose from, can provide you with the right furry family member you’ve been seeking. Plus, it helps the animal community as a whole. Why? Each year, thousands of unwanted pups are euthanised in New Zealand, and tens of thousands more end up in shelters, desperate for a home. Adopting literally saves lives.
Adopted dogs also cost less to bring home, usually come spayed or neutered, and offer all the physical and emotional benefits of a purchased dog.
Compare Pet Insurance with Canstar
Looking for pet insurance that delivers great customer satisfaction? Each year, we release our Most Satisfied Customers | Pet Insurance Award and Star Ratings. Below is an abridged version of our full awards, which you can view here.
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See here for our ratings methodology. The table above is an abridged version of our research. For the full results of our 2022 Pet Insurance Most Satisfied Customers Award, click here.
Ethical buying of puppies for sale in NZ
Over recent decades, selling puppies has become big business. But, unfortunately, the laws that govern who can breed and sell animals in New Zealand have very few restrictions. This has given rise to puppy mills.
These are large, commercial facilities that make money from breeding dogs. Some puppy mills make the health and wellbeing of their dogs a top priority. But many don’t, which can lead to terrible cruelty to the animals.
So how do you avoid giving these places your money? Your first stop should be Dogs New Zealand to find a professional breeder. Also arm yourself with the info below:
Tips for spotting a nasty puppy mill
- If the seller won’t let you come to their home or facility to view or purchase the dog, they may be hiding overcrowded, inhumane facilities.
- If you’re invited to the seller’s kennels, check the conditions. Where do the puppies sleep? Do they have clean sleeping quarters, food and water? Are they kept in cages or tied up? Do the dogs look happy and healthy? Do you see any signs of malnourishment or disease?
- Wherever possible, try to meet the puppy’s parents. How well are they socialised? A dog that’s terrified or overly aggressive may be that way because they’ve been confined for breeding and aren’t allowed to mingle with other dogs.
Avoiding scams with puppies for sale in NZ
The rise in demand for puppies has also increased puppy scams. This is when an online seller gets you to pay for a dog that usually doesn’t exist. Either that, or they sell you a stolen dog.
Puppy scams aren’t limited to specific breeds, but they usually target small, popular and expensive breeds, like English and French Bulldogs and hybrid dog breeds, such as the Spoodle.
How do puppy scams work?
While puppy scam tactics vary, there are things to look out for:
- Vendors often use online trading sites, because it’s easy to disappear from such platforms. However, some do go to the trouble of creating bogus websites.
- Some puppy scams offer a free puppy and say that you only have to pay for the freight to get the dog to your home. Once you transfer the cash for the freight, the seller disappears or blocks your number.
- Scammers often use free email service providers, whereas legitimate breeders usually have a business email address pertaining to their website.
- Puppy scam pros often use untraceable payment methods and will request payment via online money transfer services.
- Scammers’ correspondence is often full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Legitimate breeders will take the time to create a professional impression.
Choosing the dog that best suits you
There are many aspects of dog ownership that you need to consider before deciding on your perfect pooch. From lifestyle and location fit, upfront and lifetime costs, to grooming and dog breed exercise requirements, there’s a lot for you to ponder carefully.
Make sure you’re definitely ready to take on the responsibility of a pet and that you’re at the right stage of life. And if you already have one or more pets, you should also make sure you know how to integrate your new pup into the fray.
Preparing for the new arrival: puppy proofing your home
Before you adopt one of the legit puppies for sale in NZ, you’ll want to make sure your home is ready for a new furry arrival. Here are some tips for puppy proofing your home:
- Puppies love to chew! Not only can this cost you thousands in damage to your property, but chewing is a dog choking hazard. Ensure any chewable items are safely off the floor and out of reach before your pup arrives, and keep it that way.
- In the same vein, remove anything that’s small enough to be swallowed. A lot of things that are swallowed can’t be digested or passed through the other end, which can lead to the need for surgery to remove them.
- Remove any rugs, mats and carpets that aren’t fixed. Until the poopy place has been firmly fixed in your pup’s mind, get yourself some puppy training pads, too. Don’t worry, it’s just temporary.
- Pack away any dangerous household goods. This includes cleaning substances, essential oils and medicine. You don’t want your puppy ingesting them, nor do you want them spilling.
- Close doors to no-access areas. This includes floor-level cupboards, which should be fastened with cable ties/baby-proofing equipment or locked. Close bin lids and toilet lids; perhaps even keep the toilet and bathroom doors closed.
- Puppies love to explore and this can get them into trouble, especially if they get entangled in strings, cords or hanging objects. That’s why you should ensure your blinds and curtains are drawn up or tied, so that your puppy can’t reach them.
The best puppy plan? Insurance!
PD Insurance is the winner of Canstar’s latest Award for Most Satisfied Customers | Pet Insurance, as rated by Kiwi pet owners.
PD Insurance specialises in low-cost, high-value pet insurance that can cushion against hefty vet bills for tests, treatments, medication and more.
The three simple policies offered by PD Insurance offer the quality protection your furry family member deserves, with no lock-in contracts. In addition, you can go to any vet of your choice, plus you can upgrade or downgrade your plan as your needs change.
PD gives you one or more months of award winning pet insurance for FREE when you buy your plan online. Simply click below to get a quote today.
About the reviewer of this page
This report was reviewed by Canstar’s Editor, Bruce Pitchers. Bruce has three decades’ experience as a journalist working for major media companies in the UK and Australasia, including ACP, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. Prior to Canstar, he worked as a freelancer, including for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority, and for real estate companies on both sides of the Tasman.
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