Typing “dogs for sale in Perth” into a search engine is risky business. You’ll get flooded with an abundance of ads and miscellaneous websites that could be run by anyone. The person behind the website could be an ethical breeder, a backyard breeder, or a scammer from another country. How are you supposed to know?
In fact, there are lots of prospective pet owners who fall victim to puppy scammers all the time. And a lot of the time, it starts with typing “puppies for sale in Perth” into a search engine.
Because of this, I thought I’ll share with you my personal process on how I would go about finding a new puppy in Perth today. The simple truth is that it’s too easy to fall victim to a scammer, to pop into pet stores with puppies for sale down the road, or to find a new puppy on gumtree or the trading post, and that there are far better ways to bringing a new dog into your life.
In fact, you can save yourself from a lot of heartache (and expense) if you take your time when looking to find a dog for sale in Perth. So, let’s explore some alternative approaches together.
So you’ve decided to get a dog?
First things first: if you’re thinking about bringing a dog into your home, then I’m sure you’ve done your research.
A lot of people don’t know this but if you’re thinking about getting a dog you’ll want to be able to determine what kind of breed they are, so that their required lifestyle will be a good match to yours.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t always as simple as it sounds, because even among the same breed you’ll be able to find lots of different furry personalities.
Not all dogs are same just because they’re a certain breed, but the breed will be a good indicator to determine your dogs’ genetic instincts.
Which breed is right for you?
To find out which breed of dog is the best fit for your lifestyle, it’s best to speak to veterinarians and qualified dog trainers.
It’s not a good idea to consult Google, or the internet in general, about which breed of dog is right for you.
In fact, on the internet you’ll likely find lots of anecdotal comments on social media and articles written by people with no relevant qualifications.
If you get a dog your entire life will change, so you better make sure it will change for the better for the sake of both you and your new companion.
Most dogs that are surrendered at shelters are between 5 months and 3 years of age, and the predominant reason for this is because the owners were looking for pets for sale without doing the appropriate research first.
They didn’t realise what they’re getting themselves into and caused both themselves and an animal lots of heartache.
You can set yourself up for success by taking your time when looking for a dog for sale in Perth.
What to do before looking for a dog for sale in Perth
Write down why you want a dog, and then speak to as many of the following as you can:
- Qualified dog trainers
- Dog Clubs
- Veterinarians
- Dog owners who have the same breed
Then, be honest with yourself. If you have your heart set on a certain type of dog but you come to realise that it will be a terrible fit for your lifestyle that’s ok. Be flexible. Stubbornness is not worth it when it comes to a 10+ year commitment.
You’re prepared and know what you want. Where do you find dogs for sale in Perth?
Once you know what you’re looking for it’s time to find the perfect dog for you.
Also, since you’ve already spoken to qualified dog trainers, dog clubs, vets, and other dog owners, you might have even received a recommendation for where to get your dog from.
In short, here are your options when looking for dogs for sale in Perth, Western Australia:
- Dog breeders
- Dog shelters and rescue organisations
- Pet shops, Gumtree, Trading Post and similar (don’t do this)
Dogs for sale in Perth: Dog Breeders
When looking for a dog breeder, it helps to understand that not all breeders are the same and that there’s a difference between purebred dogs and well-bred dogs.
Unfortunately it’s not safe to assume that a dog came from a reputable breeder simply because its purebred.
In fact, purebred dogs can have lots of health and behavioural problems too. It’s a common misconception to believe that you’ll do better with a purebred puppy rather than a mixed breed dog from a shelter. It’s hardly ever as black and white like that.
Finding a responsible dog breeder
The problem we have in Australia is that sometimes we’ve got our heart set on a certain breed, but they can be hard to come by in the land down under.
If you want XYZ breed of dog but there are only 5 responsible breeders across the entire country, it’s understandable that people get caught up and desperate.
It’s not unheard of that prospective dog owners will consider paying thousands of dollars for a certain breed, or find themselves browsing Gumtree even though they originally planned on doing the right thing.
And I get it, once you decided that you want to add a new dog to your family, you want to bring the pup home as quickly as possible, and not go on a waitlist with a responsible breeder for 17 months.
But unfortunately these are the cards we’re dealt with in Australia, and some breeds are much harder to come by than other.
That’s why it’s so important to take your time before deciding on a new dog, and to speak to as many professionals as possible.
To find a responsible breeder, it’s best to get off the internet and speak to a local veterinarian or qualified dog trainer. They will know all about who’s good and bad, and can give you plenty of feedback and insights that you won’t be able to find online.
That said, here are some websites you can check that list dogs for sale in Perth from breeders:
- https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/dog-breeders.asp?state=WA
- https://www.dogswest.com/dogswest/Breeders_Search.htm
Dogs for sale in Perth: Dog Shelters & Rescue Organisations
Many dogs end up in shelters due to no fault of their own and they can be a great addition to your family.
Whether you want to adopt or shop is entirely up to you and both options have pro’s and con’s. Whichever options you choose, the most important thing is to do it responsibly.
If you’re a prospective new dog owner who wants to adopt a dog but you don’t know where to start, consider contacting a qualified dog trainer for help.
A dog trainer will be able to advise whether a specific type of dog will be a good fit for your lifestyle.
You can even ask them to come along to the shelter with you to help assess the dog before you commit to bringing it home.
The truth is that you will probably end up doing some dog training anyways once you brought a new dog home, so there’s nothing wrong in getting a trainer involved beforehand too.
Here are two websites you can use to find rescue dogs in Perth:
- https://www.petrescue.com.au/listings/search/dogs?interstate=false&page=1&per_page=24&state_id%5B%5D=5
- https://www.dogshome.org.au/dogs/
Dogs for sale in Perth: Pet shops, Gumtree, Trading Post and similar
It’s a delicate topic, but here are my two cents worth about looking for dogs for sale in Perth via the above mentioned sources.
Irresponsible breeding practices can lead to sad and expensive health and behaviour problems which are ultimately contributing to dog abandonment.
That’s not to say that this is always the case, but the fact is prospective dog owners are less likely to be screened for suitability when they buy from pet shops and online marketplaces.
And I understand that most people hate getting screened for suitability in the first place, and that there are issues with screening processes too.
But if screening or no screening are your only two options, getting screened significantly reduces your risk of ending up with a dog you can’t care for.
In addition, you typically also end up with much less support than you would have received from a dog shelter, rescue organisation, or responsible breeder.
And if you’re a new dog owner, you want all the support you can get, not less of it.
