Buying a puppy and avoiding puppy farms

[bloddingalong]

Can anyone help?

It seems to be a bit of a minefield given the line between reputable breeders and puppy farms seems to be even more blurred than it was way back when.

This is a family pet not a Crufts show champion. Plus I’m conscious of ethical problems even there.

So where would you point someone to for buying a puppy - any advice appreciated!

Google to see if there's a basset hound breeders' club - that's how I found our puppy (not a basset).

I got a list of breeders from the club then emailed and rang them all. One in particular I had a nice chat with, and she told me how sought after these pups were, and how it might take ages etc. Then six months later she rang me and said was I still looking.

It took seven months to get our puppy - who is pedigree blah blah - and I was really on it during that time, googling everyone, emailing breeders constantly, ringing them up. Don't bother with the KC site as the litters rarely go up there and when they do, they're usually sold out straight away.

Good luck!

@bloddingalong

Basset hound

I will have a look - prickly breeders worry me! I remember from my horsey days having to deal with difficult horsey people!

Lovely dogs. Basset griffons are a fave of mine. I have a soft spot for hounds!

Prickly breeders are a good sign, albeit intimidating. It shows they aren't in it for the money. The first breeder we talked to (who was big in the breed club) looked up our house on Google earth and street view to suss us out. She was terrifying. However we passed her test and her recommendation got us an in with other breeders until we found the right one. Our dogs breeder is a lovely human who always sends our dog a birthday card

Thanks very much!

I love a Bassett. My friend had a hilarious one 😂

Delving further in to this health scheme, I would be contacting your most local representative on this list and asking if they know of any breeders who have signed up to the health scheme and have any puppies planned:

www.bassetsrus.uk/contact_us.html

They are brilliant, Darcy! We adore them.

Thanks whitney that is helpful. Would hate myself for contributing to unhealthy dogs being bred.

Yes re: tricky breeders being a good sign. We had to spend three hours at her house, talking to her and meeting the puppies/mum. It was like the longest job interview ever. Exhausting!

Afterwards she rang me and said she was happy to let us have a puppy as she'd been convinced by how gentle my children were with the dogs. We also sent her loads of pics of us with dogs etc to convince her we were worthy...

But I'm pleased as she was doing her job making sure we'd look after her baby.

DPuppy is sat next to me and we brought her home on Monday after viewing her and paying a deposit 7 weeks ago. She was on P4H and from a litter where the family claimed they “accidentally bred” their dog with a friend’s dog of the same breed. We visited the home and saw the mum who looked healthy enough and wasn’t living in squalor.

DPup isn’t a pedigree in the sense of having a breed history provided (I have had this before from a breeder) but she is definitely the breed we wanted. We visited the home and picked our pup and I was sent weekly photos and videos. Pup was seen by the vet, vaccinated and chipped when we collected her. I am not sure what else I old expect from the breeder but think that we have to use our common sense if buying a dog.

If I had wanted a pedigree I’m not sure what I would have done though.

I'm in a very similar position and have done a lot of the suggestions on here. Am on the waiting list for one breeder for a (possible!) litter next year that I contacted through the breed society and am meeting another next weekend - am driving 4 hours to meet her and her dogs, before she will consider letting me on a list. I connected with her through Champdogs and also verified her through an owner's facebook group, which may also be a good way of finding a decent breeder. In my experience it is also about being on the list for a litter that may happen next year.. all those pups on Pets4homes are a potentially as dodgy as..

Btw rescue dogs? What rescue dogs? I am fully open to a rescue dog if one comes up prior to pup but despite twice daily checking of all the sites and numerous applications, any dog that is cat and child friendly gets reserved almost instantly. Demand has gone mad.

It sounds odd but also try Instagram. Lots of doggy people Posting pics of their dogs plus some breeders . I am not talking about buying a puppy on Instagram just to find breeders or owners .

@2bazookas thanks but we know what we are doing and have had working dogs before.

Why not get a rescue? Many places have puppies if you have your heart set on one. For every dog people buy, one is left behind in a shelter.

This has been thoroughly answered by now sweet, if you want to try and find me a rescue puppy basset hound that will rehome to a family with a child under 5 then feel free

This is a campaign to help avoid fraud and puppy farmers, you might find the information useful:

getyourpetsafely.campaign.gov.uk/

Thanks doctor

Listening to the long time "Resident Vet" , Pete Wederburn today on the Pat Kenny show on Newstalk ( radio). He recommended the website PetBond if you are looking for a non puppy farmed puppy in Ireland.,