Puppy or adult dog, breeder or rescue? How to decide where your dog comes from

Most people picture a puppy when they think about getting a dog. But a puppy is only one option, and a breeder is only one place to find one. Before you start looking at adverts, it is worth deciding which age of dog and which route suits your life best.

Should I get a puppy or an adult dog?

There is no right answer for everyone. The best choice is the dog whose needs you can meet every day.

What a puppy needs from you

Dogs Trust is blunt: a puppy needs a lot of time. The first three or four months are the sensitive socialisation period, when your puppy needs gradual, positive introductions to the world. Puppies also need:

• house training, with someone around to take them out often;
• company, because they can't be left alone for hours;
• time alone built up very slowly;
• time every day for training and games.

Blue Cross adds that puppies need to wait several months before they are ready for long walks.

What an adult dog offers

Blue Cross lists several advantages of an adult dog, especially for first-time owners:

• most are already house-trained;
• many have some basic training, such as walking on a lead or settling;
• their personality is already formed, so you know what you are getting;
• they are usually past the most demanding puppy stage;
• they can often enjoy longer walks straight away.

An adult dog still needs time to settle, and may need help learning new routines. Blue Cross points out that adult dogs learn well with fun, reward-based training, even if it takes a little longer than with a puppy.

Puppy or adult dog at a glance

Should I buy from a breeder or adopt from a rescue?

Adopting from a rescue

PDSA recommends considering adoption first. Rescue and rehoming centres assess their dogs and try to match each one to a suitable home. Dogs Trust says its fee covers a full vet check, vaccinations, worming and flea treatment, neutering (or a neutering voucher) and microchipping, and adopters get free behaviour advice for the dog's life. Blue Cross offers similar support.

Rescues don't only have older dogs. Blue Cross says it often has puppies looking for homes, so keep in touch with your nearest centres if you'd like a young dog.

Expect a rescue to ask about your home, routine and experience. That isn't a barrier. It is how they make a good match.

Buying from a breeder

Buying from a responsible breeder makes sense if you want a puppy of a particular breed, or need to know more about the parents' health. Ask which health tests the parents have had for their breed, and expect to see the puppy with its mother where it was raised.

PDSA suggests looking for a breeder whose home is similar to yours, so the puppy's early experiences match the life they will have with you. The Puppy Contract, a free toolkit from the Animal Welfare Foundation and the RSPCA, helps you get the right information from a breeder.

In England, puppies under 6 months old can only be sold by the person who bred them or by a rehoming centre. Pet shops and other dealers can't sell them. Wales has a similar ban on third-party puppy sales, and Scotland has its own licensing rules for sellers.

How to check a rescue is responsible

It pays to check a rescue before you adopt, just as you would a breeder. Signs of a responsible rescue include:

• assessing each dog and telling you honestly about their health and behaviour;
• giving you the dog's vet records, vaccinations and microchip details;
• asking questions about your home and lifestyle before agreeing a match;
• offering support after adoption and taking the dog back if it doesn't work out.

The Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) is a UK umbrella body whose members must meet its minimum welfare and operational standards. You can search for a member rescue near you on its website.

In Scotland, larger rescue and rehoming centres must be licensed by their local council, so you can ask to see the licence.

Where to start looking

• If you want to adopt, contact rescues near you and ask what dogs they have, including puppies.
• If you want a puppy from a breeder, visit before you pay anything.