Puppies for Sale

If you are looking for puppies for sale or dogs for sale in Singapore, here are some considerations you should have:

 

Request to Physically See Puppies Together With Their Parents

Potential dog owners need to see the physical conditions of the puppies and their parents.
 
If the breeder or seller gives excuses, it could be a red flag that the breeding dogs are raised in poor and very unhygienic conditions.
 
Common reasons cited by sellers include fear of contamination (?), to prevent matted fur, or turning off clients as they are not presentable.
 
Worst, it could very well be a puppy mill, where the parents are always shaved off with serious skin conditions.
 
Mere photos or videos alone may not be sufficient.
 
Responsible dog breeders are always proud to show you the conditions where the parents and puppies grow up in.
 
They would also like potential owners to spend time with the puppy’s parents and have a sense of their offspring’s likely temperament.
 
AVS encourages consumers to request to view the breeding animals and may in the future require sellers to show buyers the parents.
 
But as of now, shops and farms are not required by law to show potential puppy owners the living and physical conditions of the breeding parents.
 
The breeding dogs and puppies should stay in clean, spacious, and well-maintained areas.
 
They are given toys to play with and often get to socialize with other dogs.
 

 
The dogs should also all appear active, happy, clean and healthy, and excited to see humans.
 
However, puppies from puppy mills are usually confined in cramped cages which are often dark, crowded, and unhygienic.
 
Since these puppies are individually locked up in cages most of the time, they lack socialization and do not learn much about the world beyond their cages.
 
These puppies also often display fear and anxiety issues when facing strangers for the first time.
 
Breeders that are responsible will allow mating periods to occur naturally and provides ample rest for their dams between litters.
 
They avoid overbreeding them and typically retire their dams after a few litters.
 
This helps to maintain the quality of the puppies and prevents overstraining them.
 
Therefore, responsible breeders may not always have stocks of puppies available, unlike puppy mills.
 
 

Ask for Health Reports

Ethical breeders are knowledgeable and aware of the potential genetic and development problems for each dog breed.
 
They provide DNA laboratory testing, official and comprehensive health reports to ensure the puppy parents are fit for breeding.
 
These reports will provide important information on the problems specific to your dog breed.
 
However, buyers should be alert about generic checks provided by the breeders.
 
They are superficial and are required for imported dogs anyway.
 
 

Sellers Perform Comprehensive Checks on Buyers

 
Breeders who truly care for their puppies will only sell them to owners who can take good care of the puppies.
 
Therefore, they will screen the owners to understand their experiences with dogs, motivation and assess their ability to care for the puppies.
 
Potential owners will be asked to fill out a questionnaire and are invited down to the shop only if deemed suitable.
 
They will also ensure you are equipped with all the necessary information you need to take care of the puppy before the puppy returns home with you.
 
This information includes how to provide for the puppy’s diet, grooming, playtime, and training.
 
Furthermore, they are always available to provide advice and answers to any questions you might have.
 
They will also call to check on the puppies’ progress, unlike sellers from puppies mills.
 
But since screening owners are not mandatory, some unscrupulous owners will just sell their puppies without any concern about the puppies’ welfare.
 
 

Pedigree Dogs

Breeders don’t need to register their puppies with kennel clubs or provide ancestry lines for their puppies.
 
However, this is not the case for pedigree dogs.
 
For pedigree dogs, they should come with pedigree certification issued from officially recognized and legitimate kennel clubs, such as the AKC (America), ANKC (Australia), FCI (Europe), VDH, IDF and VRZ (Germany), and the UK Kennel Club (United Kingdom).
 
Avoid breeders who claim the puppies they sell are “pedigree” just to mark up the dogs at exorbitant prices.
 
 

Imported Dogs

In reality, most shops in Singapore source their animals locally from farms or home breeders, to do their breeding or sell to consumers.
 
Sellers are not required to provide import permits or breed certificates aside from vaccination records.
 
If a seller refuses to show import papers, you can probably assume their animals are local.
 
 

Home Breed Dogs

Home Breed Dogs sold by Backyard Breeders (BYBs) are unlicensed and typically care little for the puppies’ welfare, either to lower cost or due to ignorance.
 
They are breaking the law, according to AVS.
 
Puppies bought from BYBs can be associated with birth defects, infectious diseases, and/or behavioral problems.
 
Treatments for these conditions can amount to up to five-figure, and some of these conditions can be fatal.
 
They often post on Facebook, Gumtree, or pet forums and delete their posts as soon as they found a buyer.
 
 

Give Away Puppies

Although some owners genuinely would like to give away puppies due to multiple reasons, it is prudent to be aware of Backyard Breeders who disguise themselves as rehomers and request sky-high “adoption” fees.
 
Listen to your gut feel.
 
If the sellers use pressure selling or claim that other owners are also viewing the puppies, it might be best to avoid altogether.
 
 

Teacup Dog

Teacup dogs are dogs that have been bred to be small and typically weigh less than 3kg.
 
The popular teacup dogs are Teacup Pomeranian, Teacup Poodle, Teacup Yorkie, Teacup Maltese, Teacup Maltipoo, Teacup Shih Tzu, and really, any of the teacup puppies.
 
Because of how Instagrammable they are, these dogs come with a premium price tag.
 
See the photos below and you will be melt by their cuteness.

 
Teacup dogs are nice since they have small statures and can be carried anywhere easily in a small bag.
 
They are also likely to be allowed to more venues and facilities.
 
Furthermore, they will certainly get lots of attention everywhere they show up.
 
Their small size also means that they do not need large quantities of food, and their waste is easier to clean up, keeping maintenance fees low.
 
To produce teacup dogs, breeders typically pair the runts of the litters to downsize the dog as much as possible.
 
They might promote inbreeding, which carries an increased risk of inheriting genetic disorders such as blindness or epilepsy.
 
Sometimes, the dogs selected are also tiny because of birth defects and medical conditions.
 
Some unethical breeders even go to the extent to stunt the growth of their puppies by deliberating keeping them malnourished, subjecting them to skeletal, digestive, and nervous systems issues.
 
Therefore, it is super important for you to do ample research and source an ethical and reputable breeder.
 
Otherwise, long-term serious consequences can arise for your dog and other family members.
 
Since no owner would like to see their teacup dogs suffer and struggle under a heavy medical burden themselves, it is advisable to consider their decision carefully.
 
The common health issues for teacup dogs include hypoglycemia, heart defects, collapsing trachea, seizures, respiratory problems, digestive problems, and blindness.
 
The breeding practices can also lead to an increased risk for liver shunts, affecting the dog’s ability to flush out toxins.
 
Treatment is highly costly and cure is not guaranteed.
 
Since teacup dogs are inclined to develop teeth and gum problems, it is quite common for vets to help remove all the baby teeth when they are spayed or neutered.
 
Patella luxation or dislocating kneecap is a real concern affecting a teacup dog’s ability to walk and make it more prone to arthritis.
 
Since their small bones can break easily, owners have to be vigilant not to step on them or allow them to jump off from heights.
 
They are also prone to develop hydrocephalus, or “water in the brain”.
 
If these teacup dogs miss even one meal, their blood sugar could plunge to dangerously low levels and can cause seizures and death.
 
With teacup dogs’ low blood sugar and body temperature, vets have to race against time and ensure the operation does not go beyond their blood sugar reserves.
 
They also have to work hard to keep the animal warm as body temperature drops under anesthesia.
 
Because of their small sizes, they are much, much harder to treat and operate on.
 
 

Adopt A Dog

Rather than looking for cheap puppies for sale, why not consider adopting one?
 
Here are some tips if you ever want to consider adopting a dog.

Image source:
@supercolaa
@rollyteacuppuppies