• It is always recommended that you speak with the breeder over the phone. This will give you a better understanding of the breeder's practices and the puppy that you are looking at. This will also give the breeder a better understanding of the conditions that the puppy will live in. E-mail may be the initial form of contact when locating a Breeder through the site. Once you have your initial questions answered and feel you want to move forward with the purchase of the puppy, ask for a phone number to talk to the Breeder. If they refuse to give a phone number or they claim that their phone is out of service, please don’t pursue the purchase of the puppy – refusal to make contact over the phone is usually an indicator of some type of scam.
• If possible, do not send money through Western Union, which is another favorite of scammers. There is no way to protect the funds in case an instance of fraud does arise.
• Every listing on the site will show the location of the Breeder. The Breeder provides this information upon creation of their account. Pay attention to this, if they ask you to send money to another country (i.e. Nigeria, Africa, London, Romania etc.), or even a different state than the one shown on the listings, do not pursue the purchase and report their name and e-mail address to security@selectpuppy.com.
• Consider using PayPal, or a similar service, when purchasing a puppy. Visit www.paypal.com for more information.
• Ask the Breeder to send additional pictures of the puppy you are interested in. Require a specific item to be in the photo, like a soda can or a specific color of material. If they refuse to send additional pictures, or state their camera is broken, and are unable to send additional pictures, do not pursue the sale – they could be using pictures of puppies that they do not even own, which would keep them from being able to take new pictures with the specific criteria that you requested.
• When you find the puppy you are looking for, arrange a simple and concise contract with the Breeder, and make sure that all aspects are understood by both parties. It should state which dog you are going to receive, what organization it will be registered with, if any, what type of health guarantee the Breeder offers, and the process of reimbursement and/or return if the dog is sick, etc. Most contracts will state that you need to have the pup seen by a vet within a specific time frame. A clearly defined, signed contract will protect both the Buyer and the Breeder and will avoid any problems that could arise from miscommunication. If you, or the Breeder make an agreement that is not included within the contract, get it in writing.

Remember: Selectpuppy.com does not take any part in the transaction of business or handling of funds. If any Breeder supplies information indicating otherwise, please report them to security@selectpuppy.com . Our website will not refer you to any specific breeder, and if you feel like a Breeder has not upheld their part of the contract, you have the right to pursue legal action against them. Selectpuppy.com does not offer any guarantees, so please do your homework and know who you are doing business with. Always remember: if you don’t feel comfortable there is probably a reason – trust your instincts and protect yourself. If you feel that a Breeder has acted suspiciously and that they might be a potential scammer, you may forward their information to security@selectpuppy.com and we will further investigate the matter.