Complete puppy buying guide
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7 parts
Contents
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What you'll actually pay for a puppy in 2026
Median listing price · live
$800
Right now, the typical price for a puppy listed on Petmeetly is $800. That's the middle of all our listings: half cost less, half cost more.
Per-breed prices vary, sometimes by a lot
Different breeds cost different amounts. A French Bulldog costs more than a Beagle. A Bernese Mountain Dog costs more than a Cocker Spaniel. It comes down to how rare the breed is and how many people want one.
Typical US prices for our most-listed breeds (Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, French Bulldog, Golden Retriever, Shih Tzu):
| Breed | US price (USD) |
|---|---|
| Labrador Retriever | $1,000–2,500 |
| German Shepherd | $1,500–3,500 |
| Golden Retriever | $1,500–3,500 |
| French Bulldog | $2,500–5,500 |
| Poodle (any size) | $1,500–3,500 |
Show-quality bloodlines (dogs from parents that have won at dog show competitions) and rare coat colors (unusual fur patterns like merle, blue, or rare color combinations) push prices higher.AKC: The Cost of Owning a Dog
Prices in the UK, Canada, and Australia don't always match these US ranges. French Bulldogs usually cost more in the UK. German Shepherds can cost less in Europe.
The price isn’t the cost
What you pay for the puppy is just the start. The first year adds another $2,500–3,500 for a medium dog. That covers vaccinations, food, training, vet visits, and supplies. Big breeds and flat-faced breeds (short-snouted breeds like Frenchies and Bulldogs, prone to breathing and heat-sensitivity problems) often need extra medical care. Budget for the full first year, not just the puppy.ASPCA: Cutting Pet Care Costs
Coming soon: prices broken down by breed, based on real Petmeetly listings.
How to check if a seller is legit
Before you send any money, run through this list with the seller. If they push back on any of these, walk away.
Ask for a live video call to see both parents
Real breeders are happy to show you the mother (always) and the father (when he’s on-site). Watch how the dogs move, how they react to the breeder, what the space looks like behind them. A seller who won’t video-call the parents is hiding something.AKC: Finding a Responsible Dog Breeder
Ask for the parents' health-test papers (certificates showing the parent dogs were tested for breed-specific health problems) and look up the numbers
Responsible breeders test the parents for the health problems common to that breed. Hips and elbows for big breeds (checking for the joint problems common in large dogs). Eyes for spaniels and retrievers (checking for inherited eye diseases common in these breeds). Hearts for Cavaliers (checking for the heart-valve disease that affects most Cavalier King Charles Spaniels). They volunteer the certificates. Scammers send PDFs that look real but don’t match anything in the actual registry. Look up the certificate number in the OFA database (the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals’ public registry of health-test results breeders post). Anyone can search it. If it’s not there, the paper is fake.
Visit in person, or do a 30-minute video tour of the place
Photos hide a lot. A video tour shows you what photos can’t. Are the dogs in clean spaces or wire crates? Are puppies playing or pacing? Is there a person handling them or are they alone all day? These are the things you can’t see in a listing photo.ASPCA: A Closer Look at Puppy Mills
Ask how many litters (groups of puppies born to the same mother at the same time) they produce a year
Real breeders raise only one or two litters a year in total. A seller producing dozens of litters is running a puppy mill (a commercial dog-breeding facility that prioritizes profit over animal welfare), no matter how nice their website looks. Vague answers (“we have a few litters”) are a red flag.
If any of these checks fail, walk away. Then report the listing to Petmeetly so we can take a look.
Health checks, vaccinations, and what papers to ask for
Ask for these papers before you pay. Each one tells you something about the seller and the dog.
Shots
Puppies need a series of three core shots (the essential vaccinations every puppy needs: distemper, parvovirus, and rabies), plus rabies (a fatal viral disease; every state requires vaccination by law), in the first four months of life. Your vet handles the schedule. The seller should give you a vaccination record signed by their vet, listing every shot and the date.AVMA: Vaccinating Your Pet
Health tests
Beyond shots, ask what health tests the parents have had. Big breeds (Labs, Goldens, Bernese) need hip and elbow tests. Flat-faced breeds (Frenchies, Pugs, Bulldogs) need breathing tests. Spaniels and retrievers need eye tests. Cavaliers need heart tests. Real breeders share the certificates. You can look up the numbers in the OFA database to make sure they’re real.
What papers to ask for
Before you pay a deposit, ask the seller for:
A signed vaccination record from their vet
Health-test certificates for both parents
The puppy's microchip number (a microchip is a rice-grain-sized ID chip injected under the skin that holds your contact info; ask for proof the seller can transfer it to you)
A copy of the contract before you sign
Registration papers (see below)
Registration papers
Look for the right breed-club papers (kennel-club registration) for your country: AKC in the US, KC in the UK, CKC in Canada, ANKC in Australia. The breeder fills out their side; you fill in yours.AKC: Register Your DogRoyal Kennel Club: Registration
Registration only proves the parents were registered. It doesn’t prove the puppy is healthy. A seller who pushes papers but skips health tests is hiding something.
The puppy contract, deposit, and money-back terms
A real breeder gives you a written contract before you pay a deposit (an upfront payment, often partially refundable, that reserves your puppy). Read it before you sign. A seller who refuses to put anything in writing is telling you they don't want to be held to anything.
What a normal puppy contract covers
- / 01
Names & addresses
Both names and addresses (yours and theirs).
- / 02
Puppy details
The puppy: breed, sex, date of birth, microchip number, registration papers.
- / 03
Price & deposit terms
The price, the deposit, and when the deposit becomes non-refundable.
- / 04
Health guarantee
A health guarantee (a written promise covering specific health problems for a set period, often one to two years), with time windows for short-term illnesses and longer-term genetic problems.
- / 05
Return clause
A return clause (a promise that the breeder will take the dog back if you can no longer keep it): the breeder takes the puppy back at any time if you can't keep it.
- / 06
Spay/neuter & limited reg.
For pet-only puppies, often a spay/neuter agreement (a written promise that you will spay or neuter the dog before it can breed) and a "limited" registration (a marker on the registration papers that prevents using the dog for breeding) that doesn’t allow breeding rights (permission to use the dog for breeding; usually reserved for show or program dogs).
Your legal rights
Most countries have consumer protection laws for pet sales from registered breeders or pet shops.
- United States
Puppy lemon laws
In the US, several states have “puppy lemon laws” (state laws that let you return a sick puppy within a set time window) that let you return a sick puppy.
- United Kingdom
Consumer Rights Act 2015
In the UK, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers pet purchases.
- Canada & Australia
Similar laws
Canada and Australia have similar laws. Look up your country’s rules before you sign.
Check local consumer-protection law
If the seller won't put any of this in writing, walk away.No paper, no deal.
Transport, shipping, and meeting the seller
Always try to meet the seller in person. Most online puppy scams start with a seller who only ships, never meets.
Best path · Recommended
Meet in person whenever possible
Real breeders are happy to let you visit, see the puppies and parents, and look around their place before you pay anything. If you live too far to drive, a 30-minute video tour is the next best thing. A seller who won't do either is hiding something.
Last resort · If shipping is unavoidable
Use a shipper that follows the rules for your country.
| Country / Mode | Regulator | Key requirements |
|---|---|---|
| US (ground) | USDA APHIS: Travel With a Pet | Transporters registered with APHIS (pet transport companies certified by the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service), vet health certificate (a document signed by a vet stating the puppy is healthy enough to travel) |
| Air transport (anywhere) | IATA Live Animals Regulations | At least 8 weeks old, fully weaned (no longer nursing; eating solid food only), in a correctly-sized carrier (a travel crate large enough for the puppy to stand, turn around, and lie down); flat-faced breeds (short-snouted breeds like Frenchies) cannot fly in hot weather due to breathing risk |
| United Kingdom | GOV.UK: Bringing a pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain | Rabies vaccine 21+ days before, microchip, pet health certificate; tapeworm treatment (a single-dose deworming medication required for UK pet import) from some countries |
| Canada | CFIA: Travelling with a pet | Stricter rules for puppies under 8 months bought from a breeder |
| Australia | Department of Agriculture | Multiple vet tests, quarantine, and import permit. Strictest of any country here; plan months ahead |
Always ask the seller which rules apply to your shipment, and what papers they'll send with the puppy. A real breeder answers right away. A scammer is vague.
Microchipping, registration, and bringing your puppy home
The first 72 hours after a puppy moves in are mostly logistics. Get these four things sorted in week one.
Your first week
Four things to sort out, in order
Step 01
Day-one supplies.
A crate the right size, a flat collar with an ID tag (yes, even with a microchip), a six-foot leash, food and water bowls, a bag of the food the puppy is eating now, and a quiet spot they can hide in. Switch food slowly over the next week or two, not on day one. Everything else can wait.
Step 02
Take the puppy to your vet within 72 hours.
A new vet checks the puppy over, makes sure the vaccination record matches what's in front of them, and starts the relationship that lasts the dog's life. Bring all the paperwork.
Step 03
Update the microchip with your contact details.
Sellers chip a puppy under their own name. If your puppy ever runs out the front door, the chip needs your phone number, not the breeder's. Update it through the chip company's website (Petlink, HomeAgain, or AKC Reunite are the three main US microchip registries; you register the chip in your name with one of them).AVMA Microchipping FAQ
Step 04
Move the breed-club registration into your name.
If the puppy comes with AKC, KC, CKC, or ANKC papers, the breeder fills out their part and you fill out yours. AKC's online service emails you a digital certificate the same day, and mails the paper one. Other registries work the same way.AKC: Transfer Ownership of Your Dog
Step 01
Day-one supplies.
A crate the right size, a flat collar with an ID tag (yes, even with a microchip), a six-foot leash, food and water bowls, a bag of the food the puppy is eating now, and a quiet spot they can hide in. Switch food slowly over the next week or two, not on day one. Everything else can wait.
Step 02
Take the puppy to your vet within 72 hours.
A new vet checks the puppy over, makes sure the vaccination record matches what's in front of them, and starts the relationship that lasts the dog's life. Bring all the paperwork.
Step 03
Update the microchip with your contact details.
Sellers chip a puppy under their own name. If your puppy ever runs out the front door, the chip needs your phone number, not the breeder's. Update it through the chip company's website (Petlink, HomeAgain, or AKC Reunite are the three main US microchip registries; you register the chip in your name with one of them).AVMA Microchipping FAQ
Step 04
Move the breed-club registration into your name.
If the puppy comes with AKC, KC, CKC, or ANKC papers, the breeder fills out their part and you fill out yours. AKC's online service emails you a digital certificate the same day, and mails the paper one. Other registries work the same way.AKC: Transfer Ownership of Your Dog
Red flags: 7 puppy scam patterns
These are the seven patterns that show up over and over in puppy scams. Our moderation team watches for them, but you should know what they look like too.
- Scam pattern #01
Wire-transfer-only payment. Western Union, MoneyGram, gift cards, crypto, or Zelle to a stranger (payment methods you cannot reverse if the puppy never arrives). Real breeders take credit cards or PayPal (a payment service that lets you dispute charges if the seller fails to deliver) because both protect you if the puppy never arrives. A seller who only accepts payment you can't reverse is planning to take your money and disappear.BBB Puppy Scams research and Scam Tracker
- Scam pattern #02
Photos that show up everywhere on a reverse image search (uploading a photo to Google Images to find every other site using that same photo). Scammers steal puppy photos from real breeder sites or Pinterest. Drop a couple of the seller's photos into Google Images. If the same puppy shows up on three other “breeder” sites, the listing is fake.ASPCA on online puppy scams
- Scam pattern #03
"Shipping only, I can't meet in person." This is the most common puppy scam, by far. Real breeders are happy with an in-person visit or a live video call. A seller who refuses both, often blaming distance or a medical reason, is hiding the fact that the puppy doesn't exist.FTC Consumer Advice: Getting a pet? Avoid scams
- Scam pattern #04
The price drops the moment you hesitate. If a $3,000 French Bulldog suddenly drops to $1,200 because "we just want her in a good home," the original price was never real. Real breeders charge what they need to cover health tests and the cost of breeding. They don't slash prices to clear stock (a retail phrase a real breeder would never use about their puppies).
- Scam pattern #05
Registration paperwork that doesn't match the registry. An "AKC certificate" PDF that doesn't look right. Or registration with a kennel club that doesn't exist (some scammers make up the acronym). Always check the registration number on the registry's own website, not the seller's screenshot.
- Scam pattern #06
"No video calls, my internet is bad." Photos and pre-recorded clips can be faked. A live video call can't. A seller who won't do a five-minute video call to show you the puppy and the parents is hiding something.
- Scam pattern #07
The "sick puppy" emergency follow-up. You've paid the deposit. Suddenly the puppy is sick, stuck at customs (government inspection when an animal crosses an international border), or needs a special crate. "Pay $400 more or the puppy dies." None of these costs are real. The same account collects every payment. Stop paying, screenshot everything, and report the listing.
See any of these on Petmeetly? Use Report a listing. Our team reviews every report and removes listings that match these patterns. Repeat offenders are banned.
