Dogs

What to consider before adopting or buying a dog 

Dogs come in all shapes and sizes. There’s hundreds of different breeds out there, and all have different needs. Some breeds are only suitable for certain types of homes too.

If you are interested in adopting, rehoming or buying a dog, make sure you do your homework and work out which breed would be best for you.

Find out as much as you can about the breed before you commit. You need to understand how big a time commitment your new dog will be. Will they be very active and require lots of long walks or will they need short regular bursts of activity? This is just one of the things you’ll need to think about.

Your local Scottish SPCA animal rescue and rehoming centre will be able to give you lots of tips and advice about different breeds and how they would fit with your lifestyle.

You’ll have to consider the veterinary costs involved in caring for your dog too. If your dog isn’t neutered before you adopt it, you should consider having this done. It’s also very important you keep your dog’s vaccinations up to date to protect them from dangerous diseases, and regular treatment for fleas and worms.

Where should you buy a dog from?

Well, our mantra is ‘adopt don’t shop’. There’s always lots of rescue dogs at our animal rescue and rehoming centres ready to be someone’s new best friend. That being said, we know you may want a specific breed, which isn’t always possible with adoption.

If rehoming isn’t an option, your chosen puppy should be bright, active and friendly and should be purchased from a responsible breeder. Follow tips on buying a puppy safely on our ‘Say no to Puppy Dealers’ website.

If you are looking to buy a pedigree puppy, find a breeder who is licensed by their local authority.  A good breeder will probably have a waiting list for puppies – a happy, healthy dog is worth the wait.

You should never allow someone to bring the puppy to you, and you should be able to see the environment they are being kept in. Always ask to see them interacting with their mum and siblings! Don’t be afraid to ask for paperwork too – any breeder worth their salt will be able to provide all of the above.

Responsible breeders will be open and honest about the health of the pups they are selling and will welcome your questions. Be cautious of any situations that sound “too good to be true”.

If you are interested in giving a rescue dog a second chance, you can see the cute canines currently in our care here.