Husky dogs are a large breed of dog and they have a rather headstrong and wilful nature.  However, they make energetic, fun and loving pets that will fit in well with an active family that has the time to care for them. They are not the right pet for anyone who is planning on just letting their dog have a run around the garden twice a day: these dogs need space and plenty of stimulation and exercise.

A bored, unhappy husky can develop behavioural problems and end up, like so many do, in the care of an animal charity such as the RSPCA.  As well as exercise and attention, huskies need regular grooming.

There are plenty of breeders who offer huskies for sale, and many will be enthusiastic and very knowledgeable about the breed. A good breeder will be happy for you to meet the puppies’ mother and spend time with the litter to help you decide which puppy you want to take home. By meeting the mother and seeing the puppies in their natural environment, you will learn a lot about what sort of dogs they will become: their temperament will most likely be similar to their mother’s, and if they seem happy and healthy and to have been allowed to socialise properly they will become happy, healthy dogs.

Whilst it is true that many huskies in rescue or rehoming centres are there because their owners have not been able to cope or care for them properly, it is not true that they cannot be loving, well-behaved pets if cared for by the right family.  It is usually the previous owner’s lack of proper care that has led to a husky being put up for re-homing, rather than anything wrong with the husky itself.  Staff at the RSPCA will be able to advise you about whether a particular dog will suit your family and will be able to give you information about its temperament and background.  They will also have made sure that the dog has been neutered/spayed and vaccinated, so you will be sure to have a healthy dog.

If you have the time to care for a husky and educate yourself about how to manage them properly, you can adopt a husky and end up with a very good pet that the whole family will adore.  

German Shepherd dogs have a rather mixed reputation. They are a large breed, and are often used as guard dogs or as attack dogs by the police. Their working roles have given them a reputation as a fierce dog, certainly not one to be messed with! Certainly, if you see an advert for a German Shepherd for sale you must make inquiries about its nature and its role in its current setting (has it ever been a working dog?).

 But there is another side to their nature and one that is well-known among German Shepherd enthusiasts: they can make incredibly loyal, friendly family pets. German Shepherd puppies are exuberant and playful like any other puppies, but their basic intelligence means that they are much easier than some puppies to train. Indeed, their intelligence and obedience is one of the main reasons they are chosen as a breed to work with the police.

People who are interested in buying German Shepherd puppies generally search for a breeder. Breeders of German Shepherds are (or should be) very passionate about the breed as a loving pet, and should have taken great care to breed for temperament. You should be able to meet the mother and see the puppies in their normal home environment so that you can take a view about their personality, how well socialised they have been by the breeder and so on.

If faced with a litter of German Shepherd puppies, it can be tempting to opt for the one who is most friendly and playful, the one that bounds up to you and makes a big fuss. But that type of dog might be more difficult to train than one who is rather less forthcoming. A puppy that clings to the mother and shrinks from human contact may also not make a suitable family pet if it is anxious or withdrawn.

As with all pedigree dogs, German Shepherds can suffer from some genetic conditions (brought about through breeding for appearance that may be unnatural and cause physical deformity). If buying from a breeder, ask to see the mother’s records from the vet to see whether there are any conditions that the puppies might have inherited.

An alternative to looking for a German Shepherd for sale is to make enquiries of an animal charity such as the RSPCA to see whether any of their rescue or rehoming centres has one available for adoption. Adopting a German Shepherd dog gives you less choice as to which dog you take home, but the staff at the centre will be able to give you an unbiased, honest summary of each dog’s personality and temperament.

You can also be sure that a dog ready to be adopted will have been treated for parasites, vaccinated and micro-chipped.

German Shepherds make really excellent family pets. All you need is a large space, plenty of time and energy to exercise them, and the ability to promise the dog a loving home for the rest of its life.

If you are thinking of buying a puppy, you might be thinking about how great it will be to have a puppy to play with or for the children to interact with; how much more motivated you’ll be to go out on all those walks that will be so good for you.  You probably already have a particular breed or size of dog in mind.

But you may not have given much thought to where you will buy your puppy from.  There are plenty of adverts for puppies or dogs for sale, and of course there are pet shops that offer puppies and dogs for sale as well.

In fact it is very important where you buy your puppy or dog from, because the treatment that dog or puppy has had before it reaches your home can greatly affect its temperament and its health.  There are good breeders out there, who put the health and wellbeing of the puppies that they sell at the forefront of any transaction.  They breed and sell puppies for the love of the breed and usually take part in competitions to display their breeding talents.

But there are also breeders out there that only breed dogs to make money.  They do not worry much about the temperament or personality characteristics they may be creating; as long as the puppies have the right physical features for the breed then people will buy them.  They may not properly socialise the puppies and may take them away from their mother prematurely.  Just like a human child who has been neglected or unloved, they can grow up to be unhappy and aggressive.

That’s why it is important to do your research before you start looking.  Find out as much as you can about the breed you are interested in, and what sorts of health problems are common to that breed.  A reputable breeder will have had their puppies and dogs certified by a vet to show that that particular line is free from certain congenital conditions. 

Look for a breeder with a good reputation; many will have waiting lists and will not need to advertise in papers.  Ask at your local vet or Kennel Club for recommendations. 

Then visit the breeder and the dogs.  Meet the puppy in its natural environment and get to know its mother.  Check the conditions of where it is living.

A good breeder who cares about the dogs and puppies they are selling will want to know that their animals are going to a good home.  Expect a good breeder to ask about your home circumstances including how much space you have and whether you have any other pets or children. 

Always remember that an alternative to buying a puppy or looking for dogs for sale is to adopt from an animal charity such as the RSPCA. Their staff will be familiar with the temperament of the dogs and puppies in their care; the dogs and puppies will be vaccinated and neutered or spayed and will have been checked for any health problems by a vet.  You probably won’t get the chance to meet a puppy’s mother this way and the paperwork certifying that it is a pedigree may not be available, but neither will you be adding to the demand for new puppies to be bred.