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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why anyone would buy a puppy through gumtree or the like?

428 replies

SummerGems · 28/10/2018 15:15

I’m not talking so much about why people would buy a puppy from a backyard breeder as that’s a discussion in its own right, but why anyone would log on to their local gumtree, look up the pets for sale adverts, and call the owner and arrange to go and collect a living breathing animal without having first met the “breeder” the dogs or had anything to do with them before jumping in the car and coming home with said puppy, usually at vast expense.

Looking at my local gumtree there are puppies for sale for as much as £2000, Shock and even one for £1700 which is described at being available at “the bargain price of.....” Shock. A bargain? For a living animal? Confused.

Why?

On some level I can sort of see how someone might know someone locally with puppies and end up taking one. I wouldn’t but I can see how it happens. But answering an advert on a buying/selling website and collecting an animal from a complete stranger after handing over often upwards of a grand for what might even be a mongrel masquerading as a genuine breed (i.e. cockerpoo/cavachon/labradoodle and I even saw one described as a pomchi the other day, just why would anyone do that?

OP posts:
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ProfessorMoody · 30/10/2018 19:24

It depends what you want in a dog. It depends on a lot of factors. Someone might find what they want a mile away or 300 miles away. If you aren't willing to research, research well, wait sometimes a long time and maybe have to travel, then you shouldn't have a dog and I stand by that.

I could get a dog of my breed down the road. There are loads of breeders round here, especially as I live in Wales and it's puppy farmer central. The dog from the litter I wanted last was in Yorkshire, so that's where I went.

Sofialemon · 30/10/2018 19:26

@Wolfiefan

Where have I said anything about "can't be bothered" to rescue?

For various reasons rescue dogs are not always suitable. I'm an experienced dog owner but made an informed decision not to have a rescue dog as they often come with problems / issues. I had a toddler at the point we were looking for our current dog so most rescue centres would have not allowed me to rehome an adult dog anyway.

I would have had a rescue puppy but wanted a particular breed or to at least know the exact breed mix of a pup, that's not always possible with rescues.

RIPWalter · 30/10/2018 19:30

I did a 200 mile round trip (twice) for my mongrel!!

RIPWalter · 30/10/2018 19:33

@sofia

Similar reasons we decided against a rescue dog.

Sofialemon · 30/10/2018 19:33

@ProfessorMoody

What breed do you have? Our current dog is a Working Cocker, there are always litters available fairly local to me. Some will no doubt be from puppy farms, some are hobby breeders and some breed as a business.

We had no intention of training him to be a working dog, I just wanted a healthy, socialised pup whose pedigree I could check. This is what we have and we got him from an ad.

tabulahrasa · 30/10/2018 19:34

“we are very happy with them both.”

But they came from a breeder that either had such little knowledge about dogs that they really had no business breeding or just didn’t particularly care that the puppies they produced could have developed severe behavioural issues because they allowed them to go to the same home.

Luckily yours are obviously fine, but no decent breeder would have taken that gamble with them.

Wolfiefan · 30/10/2018 19:43

There’s a very good reason that rescues wouldn’t home a dog with a toddler. Very good.
If you want a certain breed you should be prepared to wait and to travel to avoid disreputable breeders.

cupcakedreamer · 30/10/2018 19:45

Whilst I don't agree with places like Gumtree selling pets, they can be great for re-homing pets in need. I have several animals that were posted online as "unwanted, need to get rid". They have all had some issues but nothing that some time and love hasn't helped. I fully support pet adoption and think that sites like Gumtree mean less animals are just being dumped at roadsides, and put online first where they are hopefully seen by people who care, and have done their research about caring for the animal. I wouldn't change my pets for the world and am happy to have given them all a loving home, and without sites such as Gumtree/Facebook/Pets4Homes, I'd never have found some of them. So whilst selling pets on sites can be terrible, I see re-homing as entirely different, especially as one of my poor animals was dumped, in a locked cage, in a bin and was only found by the binmen, then posted online. So many people so cruelly dump animals, and sites that have the option to re-home pets can help to reduce this cruelty. I also wish more people would support the 'Adopt don't Shop' movement, it really feels like I can't say no to animals knowing not many people say yes, when I don't have the time to fairly split between yet more pets.

reallyanotherone · 30/10/2018 19:49

If we banned bloody “poos” and other mongrels with designer names we’d wipe out a significant amount of puppy farms and byb.

If you have a puggle, chorkie, pomski, or anything poo or doodle there is a very, very high chance they weren’t bred with the dogs best interest at heart.

Sofialemon · 30/10/2018 19:51

@Wolfiefan

I'm well aware there are very good reasons not to rehome a rescue dog with small children, or in some cases any children whatever their age. This is why many families choose to buy a puppy.

Wolfiefan · 30/10/2018 19:51

Which is often a worse idea. There’s a reason many rescues try and avoid it.

PennyArcade · 30/10/2018 19:56

Ok I'll bite... I have owned many dog breeds throughout my life. The only pup I bought that couldn't be shown was a KC registered Springer Spaniel, that I waited a year for, from a KC approved breeder. I learnt a lot from that experience. I was young and naive and bought him from the "Pets for sale" advert in my local newspaper - the gumtree of it's time.

However, I am reeling tonight... A post came up on my fb newsfeed. I replied asking what the poster was asking and suggested if she is "clueless" as she stated, then please don't breed. My post, among many others, was removed.

I have a young cockapoo. I also provide daycare for my daughter's cockapoo. I looked at many breeders - and reported most - before finding a breeder that I was happy with. I have no regrets about buying my cockapoo. She is healthy, easy to train and has brought us a great deal of joy. Her breeder interrogated me, visited our property, interviewed my family members, provided health tested papers, pup received vaccinations, flea and worm treatment, was microchipped, had a months free insurance, came with puppy raw food, toys, blanket from the litter, a written statement that puppy could be returned following vet health check with payment refunded and it was included that if any problem occured the pup was to be returned to the breeder.

This post is beyond the pale...and seems to be advocated by a cockapoo group. Please could you join and let your views be known. I feel sick.. 🤮

To wonder why anyone would buy a puppy through gumtree or the like?
Sofialemon · 30/10/2018 20:07

@Wolfiefan

I get why it could be a bad idea to have a puppy and a baby / toddler but rescue centres are ruling out many families that could give a rescue dog a wonderful home by being so strict with blanket rules.

Many people including myself are perfectly capable of dealing with a puppy and a baby. I had a puppy, an 18 month old, 6 year old, worked part time, was planning a wedding and in the process of moving when I got our dog. Not ideal but I managed perfectly fine.

An inexperienced owner or someone choosing the wrong breed might have none of the above to contend with but find it harder than they thought and hand a dog back.

Wolfiefan · 30/10/2018 20:10

Not ideal.
And that’s the point. They are trying to find the very best home for each dog. Imagine the headlines. “RSPCA homes vicious dog that kills baby”. And if that doesn’t happen? They don’t want the dog returned and have to find another home for it.
It’s about animal welfare. Not human desire.

tabulahrasa · 30/10/2018 20:13

“Many people including myself are perfectly capable of dealing with a puppy and a baby.”

And how are they supposed to tell the difference between people who are capable and people who just think they are?

Ever couple of weeks there’s someone on here panicking because their puppy is biting their child and for some reason they thought mouthing meant something else.

Sofialemon · 30/10/2018 20:18

I'm not saying I think rescues should allow adult dogs to be rehomed to families with small children but should perhaps consider allowing pups to be.

I was explaining the reason why many families buy puppies is because they are unable to have a rescue. Giving a rescue dog is the ideal but it's just not always possible or practical.

Wolfiefan · 30/10/2018 20:21

Pups can be worse. The teething. The toilet training. The lack of recall or basic manners!

W0rriedMum · 30/10/2018 20:26

The breeders of Cockapoos and Cavapoos have this fake family environment routine down pat.. Normal home environment, mummy dog there but yet they plan out multiple litters and take deposits over 2 years ahead Confused. Miraculously a place always comes up sooner due to someone pulling out.. No-one questions them, just pays the deposit and enjoys the Facebook camaraderie of "brothers and sisters" (born in different litters). At some level, they either know or are very naïve.

ProfessorMoody · 30/10/2018 20:44

You don't have a cockapoo. You have a mongrel.

adaline · 30/10/2018 21:08

You don't have a cockapoo. You have a mongrel.

Technically a cockapoo is a crossbreed. A mongrel is a mixture of three or more breeds. I'm not a fan of this "poo" or "doodle" trend but calling them mongrels when they're not doesn't help the argument against them.

PennyArcade · 30/10/2018 21:10

You don't have a cockapoo. You have a mongrel

😂😂😂 Did i see a post where you said you have a mutt with breathing problems?

I have a cockapoo. She's a cross breed. You can call her a mongrel if you like. Not bothered tbh. I'd prefer to own a healthy cross breed than a dog who can't breathe... At least I know where she came from..

ProfessorMoody · 30/10/2018 21:16

Actually, the definition of mongrel is a mix of two or more dogs, so any cross is a mongrel.

ProfessorMoody · 30/10/2018 21:16

Eh? I think you have me very confused with someone else.

continuallychargingmyphone · 30/10/2018 21:17

And how were new breeds created professor? Do tell Hmm

ProfessorMoody · 30/10/2018 21:20

I know how new breeds were created. Why do you assume I don't? Do you mean because random people are crossing everything they can get their hands on and making up ridiculous names for them? It's quite a bit different.