FAQs About Buying a Puppy from PuppySpot

Is PuppySpot a puppy mill?

Absolutely not. PuppySpot is the leading puppy adoption service in America because of our unwavering commitment to only working with reputable breeders who lovingly care for their puppies from birth to delivery to your home. We have selectively built a national network of certified breeders that allow us to offer healthy, loved puppies of every popular breed. To be a part of our network, breeders must maintain a relationship with an independent, USDA-accredited veterinarian who approves and monitors fitness of breeding parents, determines if moms are ready for new litters, and otherwise ensures the health and well being of the dogs in the breeders care. The result: our customers are assured of getting their perfect puppy, and every puppy arrives ready to love and be loved. 

Is PuppySpot a legitimate site?

More than legitimate. Since our founding in 2005 the PuppySpot adoption service has placed thousands of happy, healthy puppies in loving homes across America. Our team of adoption experts and certified breeders ensure that customers are cared for from initial inquiry to puppy delivery and after. We are here to help people and families find the perfect puppy in the best possible way.  

Where is PuppySpot.com located?

PuppySpot is headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, the birthplace of Frank Sinatra and a lot of other people!  Many members of our team of adoption experts work remotely and our network of certified breeders tend to be located in the midwest. While many of us are physically apart we are philosophically together. 

Where is the safest place to buy a puppy?

We believe it's Puppyspot. To us “safest” means your puppy will be well cared for and arrive at your door healthy and ready to love and be loved. It also means you get the benefit of choice, of the breeds, colors and sizes that you want. Safest means you don’t have to worry about any part of the process of finding your perfect puppy. And that’s our mission. It’s also why we 

refer to ourselves as the Perfect Puppy People. We are here to help every customer find the perfect puppy in the perfect way. 

Is PuppySpot a rescue?

No, PuppySpot is a pet adoption service that helps households across America find their perfect puppy. We are an important alternative to shelters and rescues for people who are looking for a certain breed, personality, or type of puppy, e.g. non-allergenic. 

Aren’t animal adoption services limited to shelters and rescues?

An important question. The answer is no. The term adoption simply means to transfer the ownership of a living thing from one person to another. In some cases that transaction is free, in others it is not. Our certified breeder partners are the owners of their puppies and they seek to have them adopted by loving homes across America.  We help them do that. When you adopt a breeder’s puppy through us, you are paying for the puppy and for the support you get from us ensuring that it is your perfect puppy.

Why is PuppySpot so expensive?

A great question. Our puppies can be a little more expensive than others found via typical online providers, but we do try to keep costs affordable and are on par with other high-quality breeders. The reason our prices are a little higher is because of the rigorous system and organization we have built to ensure that every puppy we deliver to homes across America is the perfect one. And by perfect we mean meets each individual customer's needs, hopes and dreams, and the puppy is healthy and ready for love and be loved. Our team of caring experts and national network of certified breeders work hand in hand to offer a step by step puppy adoption experience that is designed to exceed your expectations while keeping every puppy safe and sound. We back it all up with our industry leading health guarantee, our Perfect Puppy Promise and free lifetime support. So yes, our puppies are a little more expensive, but we believe they and the experience are worth every penny. 

How long has PuppySpot been in business?

 The company was founded in 2005. 

How do you know if a puppy seller is legit?

A very important question. There are two types of “not legit” puppy purveyors: Scammers and what are called “Puppy Mills”. The American Kennel Club offers these three “Scammer Red Flags”: 

• Copycat or stock photos. Photos of the dog or ad text can be found on multiple websites. Search for the text in the listing to see if the seller copied and pasted it from another site.

• Sketchy payment. The seller asks for wiring of money or payment by gift cards. Be aware that if you choose a non-secure method of payment, it is highly unlikely that you will get your money back. Avoid paying a stranger using apps such as Venmo, as it is harder to get your money back if you don’t get what you paid for. Paying by credit card or PayPal are typically the safest options.

• Price is too good to be true. Research the prices for the breed you are considering ahead of time. Purebred dogs sold at deeply discounted prices are typically frauds. If the seller says they register their dogs with a specific organization, you can call the organization to confirm.

Puppy Mills can be a bit harder to detect. Let’s start with the definition. A Puppy Mill is a breeder that does not prioritize the health and well-being of the puppy or the breeding mother. It is important to note that high volume breeders can be excellent and treat dogs very well while some low volume breeders can be poor and not treat their animals well at all. Our priority is on excellent breeding practices and treating breeding parents and puppies with care, regardless of volume. So the key thing to look for is where the seller sources their puppies from and how rigorous their process of breeder selection is. The entire issue of “Puppy Mills” is a function of sellers not being selective about who they work with and what kind of environment a breeder operates. A Puppy Mill breeder is not only inhumane and cruel, it also typically operates in violation of the law or government regulations. All sellers and breeders should be licensed by the USDA, unless they are exempt for religious reasons. The breeders should have formal relationships with USDA-accredited veterinarians who maintain a Program of Veterinary Care (PVC). And the breeders should provide living spaces that meet regulatory standards for size, pet-friendly materials, aesthetics, ventilation, temperature, noise, flooring, bedding, lighting, cleaning, pest control, outdoor facilities, and more. The PuppySpot Perfect Puppy Promise is built on how we select and certify our breeder partners and how they care for their puppies. 

Has anyone had a good experience with PuppySpot

Since our founding in 2005, the caring experts and certified breeders of PuppySpot have placed thousands of adorable puppies in thousands of happy homes across America. Our TrustPilot score of 4.4 out of 5 stars indicates lots of happy customers and happy puppies. But we’re not satisfied. We’ve set the bar higher, wanting to deliver the perfect puppy in the perfect way 100% of the time.That’s why feedback from our customers is so important. If you would like to speak to PuppySpot customers directly about their experience, we invite you to visit our reddit forum and pose your questions there. 

Does PuppySpot offer financing?

Financing is available through a third party provider, Terrace Financing. Applicants must meet certain qualifying criteria. You can learn more here. 

How do I know that these puppies are not from Puppy mills?

A really important question. Let’s start with the definition. A Puppy Mill is a breeder that does not prioritize the health and well-being of the puppy or the breeding mother. At PuppySpot the health and well-being of the puppy is our number one priority. That’s why we have created the most rigorous breeder standards in the industry, and why we monitor our breeder partners on a real-time basis to make sure they are meeting our standards. An important thing to note:  All sellers and breeders should be licensed by the USDA, unless they are exempt for religious reasons. The breeders should have formal relationships with USDA-accredited veterinarians who maintain a Program of Veterinary Care (PVC). And the breeders should provide living spaces that meet regulatory standards for size, pet-friendly materials, aesthetics, ventilation, temperature, noise, flooring, bedding, lighting, cleaning, pest control, outdoor facilities, and more. The PuppySpot Perfect Puppy Promise is built on how we select and certify our breeder partners and how they care for their puppies. We are the opposite of a Puppy Mill. 

Do puppies come micro-chipped?

We are big believers in micro-chipping and doing anything that keeps a puppy safe and sound. Most of our puppies have micro-chips. The ones that do not are bred by Amish breeders whose religious practice forbids the use of any technology. We let every new owner know in advance whether their puppy is chipped. And if not, strongly encourage them to do so as soon as possible. 

Does PuppySpot deliver?

Absolutely. That’s another big reason so many people choose PuppySpot. Wherever you live in the United States we offer three different options for delivery of your perfect puppy. Each option has varying levels of convenience and cost without compromising a puppy’s health and safety. You can review our delivery options here. 

Can you describe the process of buying a puppy from PuppySpot?

We love this question because we get how important the entire adoption experience is. First things first, while our website has all the information you need to find your perfect puppy, our team of adoption experts are always available via phone and email from 9am to midnight EST seven days a week. You can reach us at +1 866-306-6064. Don’t hesitate to get in touch. As for the step by step, the big one is deciding that you’re ready for a puppy and then what kind of puppy you want. Defining your perfect puppy really helps us help you find the perfect puppy. Once you’re clear on the breed, personality, etc. just search the site. On any given day we are likely to have a number of puppies that meet your criteria. If you “heart” more than one, give us a call and we can help you with the decision. And when you know which one is “the one”, the process becomes as simple as 1, 2, 3. Provide your address information so we can give you the travel costs and delivery options. Once you’ve decided on which delivery option works best we provide the total “all in” price. If you agree we then just need a deposit via credit card. At that point the adoption process is officially underway. Our team will be in touch with information on how to prepare your home, feeding tips, and more. We will also share an expected delivery date based on the age and size of your puppy, consistent with federal guidelines. Please note that the average time between agreeing to adopt/paying the deposit fee and delivery is approximately 17 days. We’d love to make it shorter but the health and safety of your puppy is paramount.  If at any point during the waiting period you have a question or just want to talk, call us. 

What happens when you cancel a PuppySpot purchase?

We know that life circumstances can change. That’s why we offer a cancellation policy. Customers can always cancel an adoption as long as they have not yet received notice of a puppy’s specific delivery date from PuppySpot or the puppy’s breeder. Given the effort involved in preparing a puppy delivery, cancellation administrative fees apply based on this schedule:

*  A puppy may be placed on hold with a 25% deposit. If the remaining 75% of the total invoice is not paid within 72 hours, PuppySpot will retain the 25% deposit. 

** Total invoice includes Puppy, Travel and Health Certificates and additional products purchased with the puppy, e.g. our PupPack and AKC packages.  Calculation of the total amount does not include any taxes or discounts. 

*** Customer will have any taxes paid on invoice items not received returned to them. 

Where does PuppySpot get their puppies from?

Over the years we have worked hard to build the most respected national network of certified breeders in America. All of our breeders are licensed by the USDA, unless they are exempt for religious reasons and have formal relationships with USDA-accredited veterinarians who maintain a Program of Veterinary Care (PVC). Every PuppySpot breeder is held to what we believe are the highest standards in the industry, from how they manage the health and safety of the puppy and the mother to the breeding environment itself. All breeders must provide living spaces that meet regulatory standards for size, pet-friendly materials, aesthetics, ventilation, temperature, noise, flooring, bedding, lighting, cleaning, pest control, outdoor facilities, and more. The PuppySpot Perfect Puppy Promise is built on how we select and certify our breeder partners and how they care for their puppies.

What is the PuppySpot Cancellation Agreement?

Until a customer receives confirmation from PuppySpot or the selected puppy’s breeder regarding the specific date the puppy will be delivered, a customer may cancel the adoption by notifying PuppySpot in writing (email). Depending on the timing, all cancellations prompt an administration fee to cover PuppySpot and breeder costs associated with preparing the puppy for delivery. The original agreement to acquire the puppy implies that a customer accepts this cancellation policy and agrees that the administration fees are fair and equitable. 

The fee schedule is as follows:

*  A puppy may be placed on hold with a 25% deposit. If the remaining 75% of the total invoice is not paid within 72 hours, PuppySpot will retain the 25% deposit. 

** Total invoice includes Puppy, Travel and Health Certificates and additional products purchased with the puppy, e.g. our PupPack and AKC packages.  Calculation of the total amount does not include any taxes or discounts. 

*** Customer will have any taxes paid on invoice items not received returned to them.