It is generally wise for prospective puppy owners to approach registered breeders of purebred dogs rather than to purchase from unregistered breeders or pet shops.

Most clubs have a puppy referral service, either through the club Secretary or through Puppy Registrars on the clubs' committees. Australia's Canine Controlling bodies also provide referrals from amongst their registers of membership and their regular advertisers.

Some advantages of seeking a puppy from a registered breeder:

• Clubs and Canine Controlling Bodies provide their members with ongoing breed education and the latest breed information as it comes to hand. They also keep their members up to date with Federal, State and Local Government legislation as it applies to the keeping of dogs, and also with current animal welfare matters.
• Clubs and Canine Controlling Bodies have Regulations and Codes of Ethics to which members must adhere in order to remain "members in good standing".
• Puppies offered for sale by registered breeders "should be of merchantable quality and suitable for the intended purposes of the buyer", which infers that the puppies should be healthy and have a sound temperament that is typical for the breed. If a puppy falls short of the "merchantable quality" description, then the purchaser has recourse to the Club or Controlling Body which supplied the referral.