Dog Lovers Warned About Online Puppy Scam: Page 2 of 3

Both organizations offer this advice to anyone looking to buy a puppy:

• Do your research. Ask if the breeder is a member of an AKC-affiliated club and contact the club to verify membership or check recent listings of available AKC litters from breeders at the club's Web site. Potential dog owners also can check with the BBB and the AKC to see if there are any complaints about the breeder. Request references and speak to other people who have purchased dogs from this breeder, especially if the breeder doesn't live near you.
• Good breeders focus on the puppy, not the payment. Beware of breeders who seem overly concerned with getting paid. Any reputable breeder will be far more concerned with the appropriateness of the potential pet home than what and when they're getting paid. Make sure you have clear expectations -- ideally in writing -- of how and when the pup will be paid for. Be especially wary of any breeder who insists that you wire money and who calls to ask for more money to be wired to cover last-minute shipping fees.
• Don't be fooled by a slick Web site. Unscrupulous breeders and even outright scammers can be represented by professional-looking Web sites that lure you in with fraudulent pictures of adorable puppies. At the very least, speak with the breeder on the telephone and ideally meet the breeder and the puppy in person. If you locate a breeder online, never send money without checking their references and credentials first.
• Take your time. Beware of breeders who claim to have multiple breeds ready to ship immediately. It's highly unlikely that your perfect puppy will be available for shipping on the day you call. Gestation and socialization of a litter takes months -- no puppy should be separated from its mother before it's eight weeks old.