Pet Dogs

　　You can easily start your dog-raising life. Once people who like puppies have the conditions, the desire to get a puppy is urgent, and all day and night they dream of having a cute little thing running around at home. At this time, all dogs look super cute, and when hearing someone say they can give you or sell you a puppy at a low price, people often get so excited that they bring the puppy home immediately. Don't do that!

　　Before deciding where to buy a dog, focus on market research and don’t buy right away.

　　Take a stroll through the pet market to understand the current situation. Beijing’s Guanyuan Pet Market, some pet shops, or the Tong County dog market are good places to visit. But just to understand, do not buy (better don’t bring money, :D ). Because on one hand, buying a dog, like other products, requires comparing multiple sources; on the other hand, some sellers are just middlemen for puppies with no guarantee of health. Your purpose at the market is only to know which dog breeds are available, interact with dogs to see which you connect with, and understand the price trends (some very low prices might be from middlemen and are not a proper reference; prices at reputable pet shops are more reliable).

　　Learn more about where to buy dogs through various channels, and get information about kennels and dog farms.

　　Buy a few pet magazines. Nowadays, magazines have a lot of supply and demand information. You can find many legitimate kennel contact numbers and addresses in the magazines to call and ask about your favorite breed’s price and availability of puppies. Be sure to check several kennels and visit them in person. Buying from kennels has the advantage of better guaranteed appearance, more choices, and more standard immunizations. The downside is the price might be higher because part of the cost goes toward advertising, which they need to recover in the puppy price. Note that kennel dogs include those bred in-house and those imported from outside; it's best to buy dogs bred by the kennel itself. If the kennel doesn’t have the dog you want, look elsewhere rather than letting kennel people find one not in their stock because these dogs may lack health guarantees. Several of my friends have had similar experiences: kennel people kindly helped find a dog of the desired breed, but the dog died shortly after for various reasons. This is a painful lesson; losing money is minor compared to watching your beloved puppy near death, helpless to save it, which is very distressing.

　　Visit pet forums and listen to what experienced people say.

　　With the internet so developed, it is very easy to find information on buying or raising dogs online. Join one or two popular dog forums, lurk or chat with dog owners, learn about different breeds’ features and care issues, which helps a lot when preparing to raise a dog. Also, finding puppies bred by friends on forums is a good method, often cheaper and healthier than buying from kennels. I personally feel that home-bred puppies (not those bred specifically for selling) have better temperaments than dogs from kennels because they are loved all the time and have a closer relationship with humans.

　　Be a loving person and adopt rescued dogs.

　　If you don’t care about the breed, "adoption" is a way beneficial to both yourself and society. Many dogs are abandoned nowadays, and some animal lovers rescue and cure them, making them very healthy and waiting for loving people to give them a home. Browsing online you’ll find groups of animal lovers and many rescued dogs they cannot raise. Most are currently staying in pet hospitals or kind people’s homes. Adopting one isn’t a bad idea, so why must you buy a dog? Right?

　　A little advice

　　You can obtain dogs through various channels. Broadly: 1. Market (pet shops, dog sellers, dog farms) - not recommended. 2. Adoption and rescue (through pet forums, stray dogs) - carefully select. 3. Raising from friends or family (home breeders) - recommended.