Is there anything I should definitely avoid?

Avoid buying a puppy from a pet shop, dealer or puppy farm.

Follow the link to pet shops and puppy farms to find out more. ‘Dealers’ are often agents for puppy farms.  They buy puppies and sell them on, advertising them in newspapers and magazines, often masquerading as breeders. 

If an advert lists more than one breed of puppy for sale, then the person placing it is probably a dealer (but not always).  Ask if you can see the mother with the puppies, and if they make an excuse about why the mother cannot be seen, do not buy a puppy from them. 

Never buy a dog from the back of a van at a motorway service station or from an airport, as this is how many dealers operate.

Should I believe advertisements?

Most may be fine. However, the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) was created in 2001 to combat the growing concern amongst animal welfare organisations regarding unethical classified advertising relating to pets. Follow the link to pet shops and puppy farms to find out more.