Buying a puppy online???

[kacaju]

, if the breeder WILL take them back they kill them or just breed them to continue the cycle.

I do not know of any true dog breeder who will kill a pup returned to them. At least the breeders I show with will not. I can't tell you how many times they have gone out of their way to go get a dog that they bred because the former owner could not keep it.

 

[Suz725]

I believe I used Puppyfind.com. If not it was a site very similar. Anyway, we bought from someone that was local, 1 hour away. We were able to pick from the litter and got to meet our puppy before bringing him home. We spent a lot of time with the breeder and he sells his puppies to all the local stores by me. Like you, I needed a dog that was non shedding and hypoallergenic. So we needed to purchase and not go through a shelter. The same puppy that we paid $900 for cost $2750 plus tax at the local pet store. I got a guarentee and he paid for the first round of shots. He made sure the puppy was healthy before we lost contact. He kept in touch for a decent amount of time. I would highly recommend.

I used this site not knowing any better and my 1 1/2 year old Newfoundland died of Kidney disease that he was born with...Don't support Puppy Mills!!!! go to a shelter or find a reputable breeder...reputable breeders dont use this website

 

[Aristocath]

I'm guessing you are looking for something like a Wheaten? We have allergies and wanted a non shedding dog and I found the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. I searched for breeders online, starting with the breed's website. I think when you contact the breeders you will get a feel for what kind of breeder they are and if they are reputable. We ended up buying our Wheaten, Louie, from a breeder I found online that lives a couple of hours from us. We were able to drive up and meet Louie when he was little and came back for him when he was ready to go home with us. The breeder has been an excellent resource for us as we have been training Louie. He is the sweetest boy!

 

[DisneyMarathon]

Rescue groups will take them... or shelters... or they'll be killed. It happens now anyway.... if dogs can't be sold and are clearanced down enough, if the breeder WILL take them back they kill them or just breed them to continue the cycle. I've worked with puppy mill rescues for years. If you chose to go to a breeder and they ship, don't interview YOU, don't make YOU sign a contract saying you MUST return the dog to them if you ever have to get rid of it... run. Fast. Most responsible breeders do not need to be online to advertise because they have homes for the pups before they're even born.

about 30%.. and usually more.. dogs in shelters are pure. Where do you live/ I assure you you can find a rescue to help you find your forever friend!

CinRell is right. Also, sometimes the unsold dogs will end up in Dogs Auction where they are sold at very low prices. The lucky ones will go to rescue groups but, sadly, many end up being killed.

Many of the dogs in the pet stores come from Missouri, the capital of Puppy Mills. Last November, there was a law passed to establish better laws in the commercial dog breeding industry. Unfortunately, it was overturned by the legislators because commercial dog breeding is a multi-million dollar industry.

http://missourifordogs.com/

 

[Happiest mommy]

please consider adopting my current puppy is from a shelter he is not ready yet I get her in May I agree with others they have specific breed shelters please don't buy a dog there are so many wonderful dogs up for adoptiopn.

 

[kacaju]

please consider adopting my current puppy is from a shelter he is not ready yet I get her in May I agree with others they have specific breed shelters please don't buy a dog there are so many wonderful dogs up for adoptiopn.

You know, I have nothing against getting a shelter dog..in fact I have one.

But it is really annoying to have people say don't buy a dog...adopt.

Buying a dog is not a bad thing..if you can find a reputable breeder. If someone wants a certain breed and wants to buy from a breeder there is nothing wrong with that.

It is good that people do their research and get what they want. You can even find a *rescue* from a breeder. Any reputable breeder will take back a dog they bred at any age..no matter what. They will then rehome the dog themselves.

 

[princessmom29]

1. Not all breeders are bad. We got our puppy form a wonderful breeder. We got to come to her farm several times and observe the puppies with their mom and dad, and choose the one we wanted. We got all medical records and they were transferred to our vet. WE got a 1 year health gurantee agianst major health problems. She has kept in contact with us, and we send her pics of our Bella regularly.

2. Not all shelters will adopt to families with children. We could not find any in our area that would allow us to adopt a small breed dog with a then 6 year old child at home. Our family is much more suited to a small breed inside dog so we were SOL.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You know, I have nothing against getting a shelter dog..in fact I have one.

But it is really annoying to have people say don't buy a dog...adopt.....

It's just that there are so many homeless animals out there that need a good home. With thousands of dogs and cats being euthanized each month, why would you pay someone to breed you a dog?

 

[Happiest mommy]

Deb & Bill and if you take your time you will find the type of dog your looking for.

 

[robinb]

It's just that there are so many homeless animals out there that need a good home. With thousands of dogs and cats being euthanized each month, why would you pay someone to breed you a dog?

The reason why our family bought our dog and both cats from breeders was because we wanted a specific breed, not just a mutt or "American Shorthair". I have fairly bad allergies to both dogs and cats and I wanted a cat with low dander (we ended up with Japanese Bobtails) and a standard poodle. JBT cats are very hard to find (there are only a couple thousand in the US) so I bought mine from a breeder in Canada. Poodles are prone to many, many inherited problems so I didn't want a poorly bred dog. Like I said earlier, my dog's parents were both genetically tested for a variety of things. So far (*knock wood*) my dog is very healthy. And while I admire people who rehabilitate dogs, I also didn't want to deal with an out of control dog or an abused dog .

 

[deedeetoo]

For those of you that recommend buying from a "reputable breeder", but not a "backyard breeder", what exactly is the difference?

We bought a Lab from a breeder we found in the classifieds. She bred the dogs in her house and had a website (which we discovered later). The mom was her dog (of course), but the dad belonged to another breeder and was not on site. We got to meet all the puppies and picked ours out. He was too young to leave the mom so we had to go back a few weeks later to get him. We got health records, family history going back many generations with lists of awards, and a one year health guarantee. The dog is AKC registered but there was a stipulation on the registration that he not be bred - because of this we only paid $500. He is now 3 and is a great dog and never had a health problem though he is oversized for the breed. So was this a "reputable breeder" or a "backyard breeder"

 

[CinRell]

I do not know of any true dog breeder who will kill a pup returned to them. At least the breeders I show with will not. I can't tell you how many times they have gone out of their way to go get a dog that they bred because the former owner could not keep it.

Come on out to Ohio.. IF they will take back their pups... it's not uncommon for the amish (puppy millers) to kill unwanted dogs.. by bullet, withholding food, or drowning. More than not they don't take them back and they end up in shelters, rescues, dumped or euth'd due to genetic flaws.

 

[RachaelA]

For those of you that recommend buying from a "reputable breeder", but not a "backyard breeder", what exactly is the difference?

We bought a Lab from a breeder we found in the classifieds. She bred the dogs in her house and had a website (which we discovered later). The mom was her dog (of course), but the dad belonged to another breeder and was not on site. We got to meet all the puppies and picked ours out. He was too young to leave the mom so we had to go back a few weeks later to get him. We got health records, family history going back many generations with lists of awards, and a one year health guarantee. The dog is AKC registered but there was a stipulation on the registration that he not be bred - because of this we only paid $500. He is now 3 and is a great dog and never had a health problem though he is oversized for the breed. So was this a "reputable breeder" or a "backyard breeder"

First off no reputable breeder will ever list their dogs in a newspaper or online website like puppyfind.com Reputable breeders usually have 1 or 2 litters a year and they have waiting lists for all their dogs. Expect to wait to be matched with a dog.

They do extensive health testing (so much that they usually take a loss on a dog rather than make a profit). They are actively involved in dog shows and ONLY breed to better the breed.

Reputable breeders only breed dogs that are champions with titles. Registration doesn't mean anything.

They actively screen every potential owner and usually match you up with a specific dog. You don't just go to their house and pick out a dog.

They never breed unless they have owners for every potential puppy.

Repubtable breeders always sell dogs with spay/neuter contracts and the contracts almost always state that you must return the dog to them if you ever decide not to keep it.

http://www.almosthomerescue.org/breeders/breeders.htm
http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/pets/puppy_mills/how_find_good_dog_breeder.pdf

Honestly 95% of breeders out their are backyard breeders or puppy mills.

 

[RachaelA]

Come on out to Ohio.. IF they will take back their pups... it's not uncommon for the amish (puppy millers) to kill unwanted dogs.. by bullet, withholding food, or drowning. More than not they don't take them back and they end up in shelters, rescues, dumped or euth'd due to genetic flaws.

Because they are a puppy mill. No reputable breeder would kill a dog.

 

[CinRell]

For those of you that recommend buying from a "reputable breeder", but not a "backyard breeder", what exactly is the difference?

We bought a Lab from a breeder we found in the classifieds. She bred the dogs in her house and had a website (which we discovered later). The mom was her dog (of course), but the dad belonged to another breeder and was not on site. We got to meet all the puppies and picked ours out. He was too young to leave the mom so we had to go back a few weeks later to get him. We got health records, family history going back many generations with lists of awards, and a one year health guarantee. The dog is AKC registered but there was a stipulation on the registration that he not be bred - because of this we only paid $500. He is now 3 and is a great dog and never had a health problem though he is oversized for the breed. So was this a "reputable breeder" or a "backyard breeder"

http://thedogliberator.com/index_files/ReputableBreeders.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_2076895_find-reputable-dog-breeder.html

http://www.marilynsvoice.org/finding_resp_breeder_article.html


And honestly AKC registry doesn't mean you have a dog from a responsible breeder

http://network.bestfriends.org/campaigns/puppymills/news.aspx?pID=6508

 

[CinRell]

Because they are a puppy mill. No reputable breeder would kill a dog.

Exactly... but she said she knows of no dog breeder... puppy mills and back yard breeders are, unfortunately, dog breeders.

 

[louey]

For those of you that recommend buying from a "reputable breeder", but not a "backyard breeder", what exactly is the difference?

We bought a Lab from a breeder we found in the classifieds. She bred the dogs in her house and had a website (which we discovered later). The mom was her dog (of course), but the dad belonged to another breeder and was not on site. We got to meet all the puppies and picked ours out. He was too young to leave the mom so we had to go back a few weeks later to get him. We got health records, family history going back many generations with lists of awards, and a one year health guarantee. The dog is AKC registered but there was a stipulation on the registration that he not be bred - because of this we only paid $500. He is now 3 and is a great dog and never had a health problem though he is oversized for the breed. So was this a "reputable breeder" or a "backyard breeder"

Honestly it sounds like you lucked out, I do not believe a Reputable Breeder would even have to advertise in the News Paper. I think you lucked out in finding what sounds like a decent backyard breeder?
I Definately believe in rescuing instead of purchasing a dog, but don't fault anyone who wants to buy a dog. What people have to understand is that there are many many many dogs in mills right now suffering and when someone buys a puppy from the internet or pet store you are supporting the Millers!!!! Its that simple This is such a hot topic and honestly once people learn about what happens to these dogs they might think differently about rescuing? I wish Oprah would run her show on puppymills one more time before her show ends. It educated alot of people.

 

[ceecee]

ALL puppies you buy online, or in a pet store, are from puppymills, or backyard breeders. PLEASE do not support animal cruelty. Either find a rescue, or find a reputable breeder (will never sell to a store, or ship). The breeder's #1 reason for breeding is to improve the breed, not to make money selling puppies. The breeder will not breed dogs that have any medical problems, and will make sure you neuter your puppy, and agree to return the dog if, for whatever reason, you need to surrender it.

Go on petfinder.com - you can find any breed.

GREAT ADVICE! We have two labs from a lab rescue, both adults when adopted and we had no health issues, no potty training and they didn't chew a thing! Rescue organizations will usually foster the dogs waiting on adoption so they know their temperment and work with them on their not so desirable issues!

 

[cnlmom]

I have been a rescuer for years. There ARE all breeds of dogs, both mixed and purebreds available in shelters. The group I am with rescues highly adoptable dogs from municipal animal control death rows when their time is out. I currently am fostering a purebred, with fancy pants AKC papers, 10 month old collie someone decided they did not want anymore. She is gorgeous and well behaved. We also just adopted out two purebred pom puppies, a purebred chi, a purebred german shephard, a pure parsons terrier, a maltise, a dachshund and that is just within the past few weeks that are off the top of my head. Our local shelter just a few days ago had a purebred English bulldog who was 2 years old and had a great temperment. Another had a litter of purebred dachie puppies. We always have in small breed dogs.
Being a purebred does NOT guarantee you will never end up, through no fault of the dog, in a shelter. We have had virtually very breed of purbred in our rescue at one time or another. This is of course in addition to all the wonderful mixes available.

The OP specifically stated they wanted a non-shedder. Let me tell you there is NO SUCH THING. There are dogs that are LOW shedders such as poodles, but NO shedders is a falacy. If a breeder claims NO shedder, they are not being completely honest. Also Hypo-allergenic is a crock as well. Not even sure what the heck that is. Dogs have hair, dogs get dirty....Even low-shedders that are groomed frequently cannot claim hypo-allergenic. Just marketing gimicks. And don't fall for the designer "breeds" of goldendoodles, labadoodles, yorkie poos, puggles....you are paying big bucks for "mutts" Nothing against "mutts" I think they are wonderful, but don't pay tons for a mixed breed with a fancy oodle name.

Someone back a few pages asked what happens to the puppies the petstores and backyard breeders can't sell....well I can tell you, they end up in Municipal animal controls shelters discarded when they are no longer valuable to the store or breeder. The lucky ones get adopted or placed into rescue. the unlucky ones don't make it out alive.

as others pointed out, check out Petfinder.com There are breed specific groups out there. Not all rescues are equal though, I will be honest about this. At the risk of alienating myself against other rescuers...Some make you jump through all sorts of hoops to adopt, others don't screen enough. There are many great groups that are right in the middle. You should be expected to fill out an application asking about your lifestyle and what you are looking for in a pet. This should include a vet reference. That helps me decide if the dog I am fostering is a good match both for you and the dog. I want my fosterpets to go into great homes that are prepared for them and I want my adoptive families to have a great experience. Some animals require a fenced in yard, some don't; some love kids, some don't; some are active, some couch potatos. Look for a group that fosters....that means the animals live in private homes awaiting adoption.....I can tell you all sorts of things with the animals I foster...quirks in personalites, housebroken, good on leash etc...and I also work with them to make them more adoptable if they have issues.

Most rescue group will also have the animal FULLY vetted including spay/neuter, heartworm tests, vaccines etc prior to adoption. If there are medical issues that are known, they should be very clear in their contracts. Some areas do not have access to juvenile spay/neuter, however most do. You should get copies of all vet work completed at adopton. My rescue group spay/neuters at 8 weeks and NEVER adopts out any animal that is not fixed. And BTW...we have been doing Juvenile spay/neuter for years and have never had a problem...in fact the puppies and kittens seem to do much better than the adults with their recovery.

 

[marie1203]

For those of you that recommend buying from a "reputable breeder", but not a "backyard breeder", what exactly is the difference?

We bought a Lab from a breeder we found in the classifieds. She bred the dogs in her house and had a website (which we discovered later). The mom was her dog (of course), but the dad belonged to another breeder and was not on site. We got to meet all the puppies and picked ours out. He was too young to leave the mom so we had to go back a few weeks later to get him. We got health records, family history going back many generations with lists of awards, and a one year health guarantee. The dog is AKC registered but there was a stipulation on the registration that he not be bred - because of this we only paid $500. He is now 3 and is a great dog and never had a health problem though he is oversized for the breed. So was this a "reputable breeder" or a "backyard breeder"

This is a typical backyard breeder. The ACK means nothing as they don't really do much or control anything. The dog is only 3 year old so I wouldn't be surprised if problems come later on. My friend had the same thing happen now her Lab is 4 years old her dog developed very bad allergies, and had to have knee surgery.