Bringing home a puppy is one of the happiest decisions you'll ever make — and one of the easiest to rush. The wriggling ball of fur in front of you is very persuasive, and "I'll take that one" can happen before your brain has caught up with your heart. This guide is the pause button: how to tell a healthy puppy from one that needs a vet before it needs a home, what to ask the person handing it over, and how to recognise the source you should quietly walk away from.
One framing note first: this is general pet-care information, not veterinary advice, and nothing here replaces a vet check. The goal is to help you make a confident, welfare-first choice — the kindest start you can give a dog you'll share the next decade-plus with.
What a healthy puppy looks like
You don't need to be a vet to spot the basics. When you meet a litter, get down to their level, stay calm, and look — gently — for these signs:
- Bright, clear eyes. No discharge, redness, or crusting. A healthy puppy tracks movement and makes eye contact.
- A clean nose and clear breathing. No persistent sneezing, coughing, or thick discharge; breathing should be quiet.
- Clean ears, no strong smell, no head-shaking or scratching.
- A well-covered body. Not bony, not bloated. A pot-belly can point to worms.
- A clean rear end with no signs of diarrhoea, and a coat that's clean and reasonably glossy — no bald patches, sores, or heavy scratching.
- Sound movement. The puppy walks and runs without limping, stiffness, or obvious wobble.
- Curiosity and steadiness. A confident-but-not-frantic puppy that approaches you, recovers quickly from a small surprise, and doesn't cower is showing good early temperament and socialisation.
Remember these are signs on the day you visit — a shy puppy isn't necessarily an unhealthy one, and a single sneeze proves nothing. You're looking at the whole picture, ideally across more than one visit.
The questions worth asking
A responsible source expects these questions and answers them without flinching. If the answers are vague, rehearsed, or irritated, that tells you something too.
- Can I see the puppy with its mother and littermates, where they were raised? Seeing the mum and the actual environment is the single most revealing thing you can do.
- How old is the puppy, and can it go home yet? Puppies typically need to stay with mum until around eight weeks — a source pushing them out earlier is a warning sign.
- What health checks, worming, and vaccinations have been done? Ask for records, and whether the parents were health-screened for issues known in the breed.
- Is the puppy microchipped and registered? In many places this is a legal requirement before a puppy changes hands.
- What have you done to socialise them? Household sounds, gentle handling, and meeting people all matter in those early weeks.
- Will you take the puppy back if things don't work out? A source who cares where their dogs end up says yes without hesitation.
The red flags that mean walk away
Trust your gut, but also trust this list. Any one of these is a reason to pause; several together is a reason to leave:
- You're not allowed to see where the puppy was raised, or to meet the mother.
- Multiple breeds and multiple litters are always available, on demand.
- You're pushed to pay a deposit fast, meet in a car park, or "decide today."
- No health records, no microchip, no paperwork.
- The puppy seems unwell, and the excuses come easily.
- The price feels engineered to seem like a bargain, with no questions asked about you or your home.
A genuinely responsible source interviews you as much as you interview them. Being asked lots of questions about your lifestyle is a good sign, not an inconvenience.
Choosing a responsible place to look
Rescues and shelters are always worth considering first — they can tell you an assessed temperament and usually rehome dogs already vaccinated, microchipped, and neutered. If you're set on a puppy and want a dedicated pet shop rather than a private seller, one option worth putting on your shortlist is Alex Dog World — treat it exactly as you'd treat any source: visit, apply the checklist above, ask every question on it, and let the answers decide. No single shop is automatically right for you; the point is that you now have the criteria to judge for yourself, and a place that welcomes that scrutiny has earned a look.
Whatever route you choose, the principle holds: pick the source that's transparent about health, honest about the individual puppy, and clearly cares where its dogs end up.
Settling in after you've chosen well
Choosing the puppy is the start, not the finish. The first month has a predictable arc — prepare the home, keep day one calm, protect the routine, and book that first vet visit within the first few days. We've mapped the whole thing in our guide to the first 30 days with a new puppy or kitten; read it before arrival day rather than after the first sleepless night.
FAQ
What are the signs of a healthy puppy?
Bright clear eyes, a clean nose, quiet breathing, clean ears, a well-covered body (not bony or pot-bellied), a clean coat and rear end, sound pain-free movement, and a curious, steady temperament. Ideally you'll see these across more than one visit, and confirm them with a vet check soon after taking the puppy home.
What questions should I ask before getting a puppy?
Ask to see the puppy with its mother where it was raised, its age and when it can go home, what worming, vaccinations, and health checks have been done, whether it's microchipped, how it's been socialised, and whether the source will take it back if needed.
Is it safe to buy a puppy from a pet shop?
It can be, if the shop is transparent. Apply the same standards you would to any source: visit in person, ask for health and microchip records, check for the signs of a healthy puppy, and walk away from anyone who rushes you or dodges questions.
How old should a puppy be before it comes home?
Typically around eight weeks. Puppies need those early weeks with their mother and littermates to learn crucial social skills, and a source willing to separate them much earlier is a red flag.
Choose with your head as well as your heart
A healthy puppy from a responsible source is the best possible start to a long friendship — and you now have the checklist to recognise both. Take your time, ask the awkward questions, and let the answers guide you. When you're ready to start looking, you can evaluate Alex Dog World against everything on this list and judge it on its own merits.
