Buying a puppy should be exciting, not stressful. Unfortunately the UK puppy trade still attracts scammers and low-welfare dealers, and they rely on buyers who fall in love with a photo before asking questions. This guide walks you through every check a careful buyer should make — before enquiring, when visiting, and before handing over any money.
If you have not yet decided between buying and rehoming, our guide to adopting vs buying a pet is a good place to start.
Know the law before you start
Three legal rules shape every safe puppy purchase in the UK:
- Lucy's Law — since 2020 in England (2021 in Scotland and Wales), puppies and kittens under six months can only be sold by the breeder who bred them, from the place the animal was born, or rehomed through a legitimate rescue. Third-party dealers and "agents" are banned. Read our full explainer on Lucy's Law.
- The eight-week rule — puppies cannot legally be sold under eight weeks of age.
- Microchipping — every puppy must be microchipped and registered on a compliant database by the breeder before it goes home, normally by eight weeks. See our guide to UK microchipping rules.
Anyone breeding three or more litters a year in England (or breeding dogs as a business) needs a licence from their local council. A licensed breeder must display their licence number and the name of the issuing council on every advert — on PetHome this appears on the listing itself.
Before you enquire
A few minutes of research filters out most bad sellers:
- Reverse-search the photos. Scammers reuse images from other adverts and websites. If the same puppy photo appears on several adverts, it is a scam.
- Search the seller's phone number. Numbers linked to multiple litters of different breeds are a classic dealer sign.
- Check the price against the market. A pedigree puppy advertised at a fraction of typical prices is bait. Our cost of owning a dog guide covers what realistic prices look like.
- Verify the licence. If the advert claims a breeder licence, ring or email the named council to confirm it is genuine and current.
When you make contact, a good breeder will interview you as much as you interview them. Be wary of anyone who asks no questions about your home and lifestyle.
When you visit
Never agree to buy a puppy you have not visited in person, and always visit where the litter was born.
See mum with the litter
This is the single most important check. The mother should be present, relaxed, and obviously nursing or interacting with the puppies — not a lookalike adult dog brought out on a lead for show. Ask to see where the litter sleeps. Puppy dealers sometimes "stage" a family home with a borrowed adult dog; if mum seems stressed, uninterested in the puppies, or is "at the vet's" or "out on a walk", leave.
Check the environment and the litter
- The area should be reasonably clean, with bedding, water and space to move.
- Puppies should be curious, mobile and bright-eyed — not lethargic, thin or crusty around the eyes and nose.
- Ask how many litters the breeder has at once and how many breeds. Multiple litters of multiple breeds is dealing, not breeding.
Ask questions
A responsible breeder can talk fluently about worming dates, food, socialisation, the parents' temperaments and any breed-relevant health tests (for example hip scores or eye tests). Vague or defensive answers are a warning sign.
Before you pay
Red flags that should end the conversation
- Deposits demanded before you have visited. Scammers vanish the moment money moves. Never pay anything before seeing the puppy with its mum.
- Offers to deliver the puppy or meet halfway. Couriered puppies are the hallmark of illegal importers and farms — and under Lucy's Law you must be able to see the pup where it was born anyway.
- Pressure tactics. "Three other families are coming today" is a sales script, not a fact.
- Payment by untraceable methods only — bank transfer to a mismatched name, gift cards or cryptocurrency.
Paperwork to take home
Do not leave without:
- Microchip paperwork showing the chip number and the database it is registered on, with transfer of keepership explained.
- Vaccination card signed and stamped by a veterinary practice, showing the first vaccination.
- A written receipt and sales contract naming the seller, their address, the price, and any health guarantees.
- Worming and flea treatment record with dates and products.
- For pedigree puppies: Kennel Club (or equivalent) registration documents and copies of the parents' health test results.
Photograph the seller's ID address matching the sales contract if they offer it; a legitimate breeder will not object to being identifiable.
After you bring your puppy home
Register the microchip in your name within days — the breeder starting the transfer does not complete it. Book a vet check within the first week, insure the puppy from day one (accident-prone puppyhood is exactly when cover matters), and keep every document from the sale in one folder.
If anything about a purchase went wrong — or you spotted an advert that broke the rules — report it. On PetHome every listing has a report button, and our buying a pet safely hub explains exactly what happens when you use it. You can also call the RSPCA cruelty line on 0300 1234 999.
A safe purchase takes a little longer than an impulsive one. The reward is a healthy, well-socialised puppy — and one less customer for the dealers. When you are ready, browse puppies and dogs for sale from breeders who meet our advertising standards.