Buy puppy in Beijing Liyuan Dog Market

Situated in what is definitely Beijing's worst suburb, Tongzhou, this market is not exactly what a cynical westerner might expect - there are both pleasant surprises and unimaginable horrors to be seen.

One comes to learn that buying things in China, a country without any sort of enforced product regulation, always follows a similar pattern - First, you find out, usually through a friend, which area sells a particular product. Certain areas have product monopolies: Beijing has a technology district, an antiques district, a musical instrument district, a wedding dress district etc. etc. etc. even an orange district... you honestly can't imagine seeing so many oranges in one place. You then make your way there, knowing you're in for a very stressful day of bargaining, being pestered, and eventually being cheated, paying more than you should for something that you definitely won't get enough use out of before it breaks.

Well my toilet can't even take paper so there was no way I was going to get conned into buying a sick puppy. I arrived very early on a Sunday morning, after the looooooooong subway journey, with a fierce if not weary temperament. I'd researched what breed I wanted, what I should look out for with regards to health, what questions I should ask. I was prepared to ask to demand to see licences and certificates.

To my surprise though, the market seemed fairly presentable and not one person tried to pressure me into buying anything. This is China's largest dog market, and indeed it is large... I wouldn't be able to hazard a guess as to how large but if you've seen anything on a Chinese scale then you'll know what I mean.

The main avenue is lined with clean, properly furnished boutiques with their dogs on display either on tables or in display cases (open at the top). Their licences are also on display for all to see. Every conceivable breed is available, from 3 month old pups to fully grown beasts. The dogs all seem happy and healthy and the shop keepers are strict in not allowing perusers to actually touch the animals, for everyone's safety. The dogs are sometimes dressed in little clothes or accessories, especially the breeds that tend to be liked by girls. The prices range obviously depending on the breed, size etc. Some were extremely expensive and were certainly very fine animals, probably intended for breeding or parading in shows. Many shops also sell all the food / accessories / health products that any dog owner may need, including all the international big-name brands.

Behind the main avenue though is just what one fears. Shifty toothless peddlers with their mangy animals stuffed into tiny cages, trying to sell them for whatever they can get. I've read rumours that they even inject the dogs with drugs to keep them happy and active, and saline into the face to make them look cute and puffy. Of course the shops on the main avenue may engage in this practice as well but then... I'm not sure if I'm that cynical a Westerner.

At the end of the day, if you want to buy a dog in Beijing and you don't personally know a reliable breeder, then this, or at least somewhere very similar with fewer breeds available, is your only choice. I had also researched breeders online and all of them were based suspiciously nearby the market. I visited a couple and they were just as bad... flats with hundreds of dirty, mangy dogs stuffed into tiny cages. My advice would be to stick to the main strip, keep your wits about you, and only pay what you're prepared to... and keep your fingers crossed. I wasn't brave enough in the end and came away with nothing. My toilet just wouldn't be able to take it.

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Incidentally, try and eat / go to the toilet etc. before you go to the market - the food is... well... you can guess what's on the menu... and the various food stalls look as dirty as the toilets (possibly the second or third worst I have ever been in).... Oh and don't take any photos. They all hate it when you take photos.

To get there take the line 1 subway all the way to Sihui East, change to the Batong line and take another 8 stops to Liyuan, then get a taxi / black car / moto-trike from there.