The decision to bring a puppy into your family requires lots of thought and planning. There are many important factors to consider before making the lifelong commitment into pet ownership. This will be extremely rewarding, but at times very challenging. It is important to be prepared for the challenges ahead by taking the time to research your options and making informed decisions.

Before choosing a puppy there are many important questions you need to ask yourself. Equally important are those you need to ask the breeder, retailer, shelter or rescue group you are considering purchasing from. Asking the right questions will ensure that you support only registered ethical breeders, and ethical shelters. Also, they assist you and your potential breeder in assessing your ability to provide an enriched and caring environment for your puppy throughout is entire life by ensuring that the puppy you choose is the right fit for your lifestyle now and into the future. Below are some of the things that you need to consider.

Which Breed?

Which breed you choose is extremely important. Your choice will affect your family and the animal itself for the next 10-15 years. The right decision can result in a positive, rewarding experience. Choosing the wrong breed can lead to behavioural issues, a lack of connection and can create a heart-breaking environment for both the animal and the owner. To help ensure you choose the right breed for you, its important to consider all of the questions bellow.

Where From?

Where you buy your puppy or dog from shows that you support the business, and the way in which they care for their dogs. Find the new member of your family from a reputable breeder or rescue shelter. Make sure you ask if the parents are DNA tested to ensure the breeder is responsible and considering the health of the puppies in their breeding program (see here for our DNA testing information).

What is your lifestyle like?

Dog Parks?

Backyard vs Deck?

Young Family?

You need to be prepared and realistically consider your situation.

Do you have all of these:

time to dedicate to training and exercise
energy to take puppy/dog for required exercise
resources to pay for food, health care and unexpected Veterinary costs

Have you picked a breed based on your:

Yard – don’t pick a high energy dog in an apartment!
Lifestyle – do you go away a lot in the car and need a dog who can travel?
Work and school commitments – what will it be doing while you are working full time with 3 hours travel a day?

What do you want from your dog?

Energy high to low – remember to think about the future. Sure you run 25km a day now, but when you have kids will you still do this?
Where will it live; inside or outside or a combination of these? To get the most from your dog you will want to think about shedding and size of the breed as an adult dog.
Will it be around your children or grandchildren? A family will want a different breed to those who want a dog to hunt with or another lifestyle choice.

Additional costs for your puppy

After you have thought about the type of dog you would like to join your family, remember to consider all the aspects of caring for it, such as bedding, toys and veterinary needs and how you intend to fulfil these.

Ask questions - can you see mum?

Newborn puppies in Birthing Nursery

Heated nursery with heated floors

Happy Mum

Regardless of if you purchase a puppy from us, or through a shelter or another breeder, think about the questions you want them to answer for you, and ensure that you are satisfied with their response.

Never buy from somebody who will not:

Answer all of your questions, AND
Let you see the puppy nursery or property where the puppies have been bred.

Don't be fooled

Be wary of websites who only show huge expanses of grass and paddock. Make sure they show you the real conditions mum and dad live in.
On our photos section we show you every area our dogs and puppies live in, and additionally offer tours for customers. These are examples of what you should be looking for in a breeder. Make sure wherever you get your puppy or dog from, that you can visit the property, and that you see the real yards or areas where mum and dad live.

Where have you looked?

At Banksia Park Puppies we suggest that you firstly check the your local shelters for the breed of puppy or dog that you have chosen. If all avenues of rescue dogs are exhausted and you begin to look at breeders, make sure that they do all of the above, and that they (like us) are:

a reputable dog breeder,
legally registered,
and regularly inspected by the local shire.

If you would like more information the RSPCA has a great resource for new and potential owners called the Smart Puppy and Dog Buyer's Guide. It includes information on Being prepared, the Different types of dog, Where to get your dog, and Caring for your dog.

Ensure you choose ethically, and support the welfare of dogs.

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Pet Exchange Register Source Number: BR100305