Head & Paws

Before a dog comes home A responsible guide

Choose carefully.
Commit completely.

A dog should never be an impulse purchase. Whether you buy or adopt, slow the decision down, check who you are dealing with and be honest about the years of care, cost and responsibility ahead.

The first decision

Do not begin with a photograph or an advert. Begin with the adult dog’s likely needs—and whether your household can meet them on ordinary days, difficult days and for the rest of that dog’s life.

Think beyond the first day.

Consider working hours, holidays, housing rules, other animals, children, exercise, training, grooming and access to veterinary care. Budget for food, routine treatment, insurance or emergency costs, equipment, boarding or dog care—not only the price paid to bring a dog home.

Research the likely adult size, temperament, exercise and health needs of the breed or mix you are considering. A reputable breeder or rescue should ask you questions too. If the timing, finances or household agreement are uncertain, waiting is the responsible choice.

Compare breed size, traits and exercise
01 / Time

Can daily life make room?

Dogs need company, exercise, training, enrichment, rest and consistent care—not only attention when it is convenient.

02 / Money

Can you cover the unexpected?

Plan for routine costs and for illness, injury, behaviour support or changing care needs later in life.

03 / Fit

Is this the right dog?

Choose for needs and temperament rather than appearance, fashion, rarity or pressure from an advert.

04 / Years

Will the commitment last?

Changes to work, relationships, housing and health should be considered before—not after—the dog arrives.

Buying responsibly

A good breeder has nothing to hide.

Expect openness about the dogs, their health, the breeding environment and whether the puppy is genuinely suited to you. Registration or pedigree alone is not a guarantee of responsible breeding.

Use the buyer checklist

Adopting responsibly

A different route to the same promise.

An established rescue can help match a dog’s known needs to your home and may provide assessment, veterinary preparation and support after adoption.

Explore adoption

Find the breeder or seller—not just the puppy.

Start with an established breed club, a recognised breeder-finding service or the relevant local authority or official register. Where a licence or registration is required, ask for the number and verify it independently. A listing on a website should be treated as a starting point, not proof.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends researching the parents’ health, preparing questions, visiting the breeder and checking the paperwork. Health tests should be relevant to the breed or parents; ask to see the results rather than accepting a verbal assurance.

Royal Kennel Club buying guidance

Visit before you commit.

  • Meet the puppy where it was bred and raised; do not agree to a handover in a car park, service station or other neutral location.
  • See the puppy interacting with its mother. Ask why the father is not present if you cannot meet him.
  • Look for a clean, calm environment and dogs that appear comfortable with the breeder.
  • Visit more than once where possible. Do not let urgency, a long journey or an emotional story force a decision.
  • Check that the puppy is old enough to leave and that the seller’s identity matches the records and contract.

Read the paperwork before paying.

Ask for the microchip record, veterinary and vaccination records, details of worming or other treatment, relevant health-test results, a written contract and a receipt. If pedigree registration is claimed, verify it with the issuing organisation. Read any return or support terms and make sure promises made in conversation also appear in writing.

Pause if something does not add up. Warning signs include pressure to pay quickly, refusal to show the mother or premises, delivery-only arrangements, several breeds always available, inconsistent ages or records, poor conditions, reluctance to answer questions, or requests for money before a genuine visit. Walk away and report welfare or trading concerns to the appropriate authority.

Give adoption proper consideration.

Rescue dogs are not all the same. Some need experienced homes or careful management; others may fit readily into family life. Use an established charity, rescue organisation or local authority, and expect a responsible matching process rather than an instant handover.

Ask what is known about health, behaviour, previous living arrangements, reactions to people and animals, time left alone and any continuing treatment. Confirm what veterinary care, identification, neutering, training advice and post-adoption support are included. Be completely honest about your home and experience—the aim is a lasting match.

Find trusted welfare organisations

Identification

A chip is only useful
when the details are right.

Before taking a dog home, ask for proof of identification and check the number against the paperwork. Complete the change-of-keeper process promptly and keep your contact details current. In the UK, dogs must be microchipped and registered by eight weeks old, subject to limited exemptions; the new keeper must ensure the database record is updated.

A microchip does not replace other local requirements, such as a collar and identification tag, dog licence or registration. Follow the official rules where the dog will live.

UK microchipping rules

Check the rules for your country.

Breeder licensing, seller registration, advertising, minimum ages, microchipping, dog licences and restricted types vary by country—and sometimes by region or municipality. These concise starting points link to official guidance; check again immediately before acquiring a dog.

England

Buy directly and verify

Commercial third-party sales of puppies are prohibited. Check whether the breeder needs a local-authority licence, meet the puppy with its mother and confirm the chip and transfer details.

Official guidance

Scotland

Check the local council

Breeding and selling activities may require a licence. Verify the seller with the relevant council and ensure a puppy’s microchip registration is transferred and kept current.

Scottish guidance

Wales

Use the national register

Check responsible-ownership guidance and search Animal Licensing Wales for licensed breeders. Dogs must be chipped and registered by eight weeks, with keeper details kept current.

Welsh guidance

Northern Ireland

Licence before possession

Most keepers need a dog licence before taking possession. The dog must be microchipped first, and its registered details must be accurate. Check breeding-establishment requirements too.

Northern Ireland guidance

Republic of Ireland

Check seller and dog records

Dogs must be licensed, microchipped and registered. Higher-volume sellers and suppliers must register, and pet advertisements are subject to specific information requirements.

Irish guidance

United States

State and local rules apply

Licensing, seller rules and microchip requirements vary widely. Check your state, county and city, and understand that federal USDA licensing covers only certain regulated breeders and dealers.

USDA guidance

France

Identification before transfer

A dog must be identified before sale or adoption. Official rules also cover seller status, documents, advertisements and a certificate of commitment before acquisition.

French guidance

Belgium

Rules are regional

Breeder approval and animal-welfare rules differ across Belgium’s regions. Verify the seller with the relevant regional authority and ensure the dog’s DogID record is transferred correctly.

Belgian starting point

Germany

Check state and municipality

Animal-welfare duties apply nationally, while dog tax, registration, restricted-dog rules and some identification requirements vary locally. Commercial breeding or dealing may require official permission.

German dog-welfare law

Netherlands (Holland)

Check chip, registration and UBN

Dutch identification and registration rules apply to dogs. Check the chip and registration, the origin paperwork and—where applicable—the breeder or seller’s UBN details.

Dutch guidance

Ownership begins with welfare.

Once a dog is yours, the responsibility extends well beyond legal minimums. Provide suitable food and water, a safe environment, veterinary care, exercise, social contact, training and protection from pain, distress and avoidable risk. Keep the dog under proper control and make plans for holidays, emergencies and changes in circumstance.

This page provides general information and official signposting, not legal or veterinary advice. Laws and administrative processes change. Always use the current authority for the place where you live and seek professional advice where needed.

Principal sources & further reading

The Royal Kennel Club: Buying a dog or puppy
GOV.UK: Microchipping and updating keeper details
Head & Paws: Trusted animal welfare and adoption organisations

Reviewed 14 September 2026

Straight answers

Before you say yes.

Should I buy a puppy or adopt a dog?

Neither route is automatically right for every household. Choose according to the dog’s needs, your experience, time, home and budget—and the support available from a responsible breeder or established rescue.

What should I check before buying a puppy?

Meet the puppy where it was bred, see it with its mother, verify any required licence or registration independently, ask about relevant health tests, and review the microchip, veterinary records, contract and receipt before paying.

Who updates the microchip after a change of keeper?

The process varies by country and database. In the UK, the new keeper must make sure the registered details are transferred and kept current; ask for proof of the chip before taking the dog home.

Bringing a puppy home?

Continue to the puppy-care guide