About Puppymakelaar

Puppymakelaar is a Belgian platform for puppy listings. Approved breeders list their litter or puppy there, and buyers contact them directly. We do not sell dogs ourselves and we do not act as a go-between for buyer and seller.

No puppy trade, no middleman

The word "puppymakelaar" (Dutch for "puppy broker") is sometimes used for middlemen who buy up puppies and resell them, often from puppy farms. Puppymakelaar.be is the opposite:

• We do not buy, sell or broker dogs. A puppy always goes directly from the breeder to its new family.
• We earn nothing per puppy sold. Advertisers only pay to put their listing online, just as they would with a newspaper or a classifieds site.
• Breeders must hold an approval number (HK number). We check that number against the official register of approved breeders, and keep checking it every night after that. Anyone who is not (or no longer) approved loses the "Approved" label.

How we keep puppy farms out

• Every listing shows the details required by law, such as the approval number, the date of birth, the origin and whether the puppy is microchipped.
• Anyone can report a suspicious listing. We look into every report and can suspend or block listings and accounts.
• In our information and guides we explain how to recognise a good breeder, which health tests matter and what to look out for when you visit.

More than listings

• Listings of litters and individual puppies, which you can filter by breed, sex and province, with photos, the parent dogs, the price and what has already been taken care of (microchip, worming, vaccinations).
• Breed profiles covering temperament, care, health and the questions worth asking the breeder, plus a breed comparison tool to compare breeds side by side.
• Health guides on hereditary conditions, DNA tests and screenings, so you know which tests are relevant to a breed.
• Search alerts: you get an email as soon as a new listing for your breed goes online. You can also save listings as favourites and send the advertiser a message safely through the site.

For breeders

• Approved breeders register with their HK number and, once it has been checked, receive the "Approved" label on their listings and their own breeder profile.
• You place a listing in just a few steps, with photos, information about the parent dogs and the address where the buyer can visit the puppy.

How Puppymakelaar makes money

Puppymakelaar is funded by the price of a listing and by extra visibility (Featured and Top), which advertisers choose for themselves. Our prices are published openly on the site. Adverts from partners, such as pet food brands, are always clearly labelled "Sponsored". We never receive a percentage of a puppy's sale price, so we have no interest whatsoever in how many puppies are sold.

Tips for buyers

• Always visit in person and see the puppy together with its mother.
• Ask for the approval number, the microchip number and the pet passport or vaccination card.
• Never pay in advance for a puppy you have not yet seen.

Contact

Have a question, an idea for a partnership, or spotted something that is not right? Email [email protected].