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Advice needed - buying pup from breeder

25 replies

kid · 26/06/2010 19:44

I need some advice about getting a pup from breeder.
I am new to this so wanted your advice.

I plan to visit the pup at the weekend at 4 weeks of age. Providing all goes well, he will come to live with me in August. I can't get to the breeder any sooner as they live a 3 hour drive away.

They have said I can pay the £100 deposit now to reserve the puppy (they will give me bank detail via email) If when I meet the pup I don't like him, I can have deposit back but if I fail to show up/get in touch, I'll lose the deposit, I think that's what the email said anyway.

Is this the normal procedure? I know I am weary of giving £100 to a total stranger and I know dh wouldn't be keen to do this either. But I am aware they don't want to turn potential purchasers away incase I back out.

What should I do?

OP posts:
AngelaChase · 26/06/2010 21:33

Yes that happened when we bought our puppy.

Is your breeder registered with the Kennel Club? If so I wouldn't worry about paying the deposit as they are well regulated I think.

kid · 26/06/2010 22:15

I'm not sure about KC, but they are registered on Champdogs.

Don't know what to do. I have sent an email asking if they can just hold on until Tuesday. Thats when I know for sure when I can visit them.
Once I know that, I am willing to pay the deposit as once I know when I can go, there will be no stopping me!

I haven't had a reply to my email yet, really hope its okay with them as I know this is the pup for us. I just hope they think that too!

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kid · 26/06/2010 22:47

Got a reply and she is the best breeder/person in the world right now!

She has agreed to reserve the pup for me at least until she hears from me on Tuesday. I will know then when I can get to visit her.

I just need to hope and pray that this stupid fuel card is organised before Saturday now. We will have our new car, but want the card so we don't have to pay petrol for a 6 hour journey!

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SoBloodyTired · 27/06/2010 09:03

Kennel club registration doesn't equate with any degree of regulation I'm afraid. It just means they have paid their membership fees ...

minimu1 · 27/06/2010 12:22

I would not pay any money until I had seen the puppy. I would either take cash for the deposit or a cheque and only let the breeder have it when I have seen the puppy. I don't think it is normal practice to demand money before you have visited the puppy. Well at least I have never been asked to do it and would not do it!

Maybe other people have had a different experience.

kid · 27/06/2010 13:53

What about the fact we can't get there until Saturday T the earliest?
We can have our deposit back if we don't like the puppy or if they don't like us.

I know their priority is to sell the pups, I do 't want to let this one slip through our fingers.

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WhereTheWildThingsWere · 27/06/2010 19:53

But a good breeders priority isn't to sell the pups it is to find them wonderful, loving forever homes.

Imo it is quite unusual to ask for a deposit in this way, if one is taken I would expect it to be when you go and visit.

Disenchanted3 · 27/06/2010 19:55

I wouldn't ask for a deposit through bank transfer.

I would want to meet the new potential owners to see if I was happy with the pup going to them first!!

Widemouthfrog · 27/06/2010 22:05

As the owner of a 15 week old puppy I have been following the ups and downs of your story. We too found the accredited breeder of our puppy through Champdogs.

The breeder of our SBT would not accept a deposit from us until she had home-checked us and we had signed a contract with her. We had to rely on a verbal agreement that she wouldn't sell to anyone else until this had been done, though she did home-check us within 48 hours!

So yes, I agree with disenchanted. The breeder should be asking you lots of questions, and then if you are both happy then a deposit should be exchanged on Tuesday.

Widemouthfrog · 27/06/2010 22:07

Where did I get Tuesday from? I meant deposit changed when you have viewed the puppy . I haven't been posting recently and it shows!!!

kid · 27/06/2010 22:45

They have asked for a deposit which will be refunded if we don't like the pup once we view it or they don't like us.

She has asked me questions already about my family and our home.

I know I am going to like the pup as I haven't even bothered to view any pups that I am not 100% interested in. If I did, I would have bought the first one I saw. The markings of the dog aren't overly important to me. I am more interested in the parents being health screened, the pup being home reared and of course the breed and sex of the pup.

I am so tempted to just pay the deposit as I don't want to let this pup slip through my fingers. She is going to tell anyone that is interested that the pup is reserved until I get back to her on Tuesday/Wednesday.
I am worried that if I don't pay the deposit, someone else will beat me to it and I don't want that to happen.

I know the general advice here is to not pay the deposit and I generally do listen to advice, but my heart is ruling my head here. Just suppose I decide to pay the deposit, is there anything I can do to protect myself in anyway? Maybe an email stated the terms and conditions of the payment would offer me some kind of protection?

Let me add a photo of him to my profile (she said I can share his photos). I really do love him already!

OP posts:
minimu1 · 28/06/2010 09:29

There is no way I would pay money to people I had not meet face to face and only had contact with over the internet. I am sorry Kid that you do not want to hear this. But if you do not mind risking the £100 then you have nothing to lose but I would not be so trusting. I would ask for the puppy to be reserved until Saturday and that I will bring the deposit then.

minimu1 · 28/06/2010 09:30

met!

Vallhala · 28/06/2010 09:43

Agreed Minimu.

Besides, if she's willing to return the deposit on Saturday should you not be impressed, and is willing to turn other potential buyers away until then, surely the same risk factor exists from her POV?

Either way, come Saturday, she could be left with a pup to home.

I really think you need to see the pup with his parents, in his home environment, see the paperwork, see any other dogs they own and so on, before handing them a bank transfer.

midori1999 · 28/06/2010 10:21

Kid, I apologise for having not emailed you back yet.

If this litter is the one I think it is, then Mum is not hip scored, although other tests have been done. Have the breeders said why this is? Also, they appear to be a hobby breeder and not especially deeply involved in the breed itself, which is sort of OK if they have done things properly, but it does mean they will not necessarily have the experience to offer you 'after sales' (I hate referring to homing puppies as 'sales'!) advice, should you need it.

I would be concerned about the breeder asking for a deposit prior to meeting you. She may be offering to refund it, but by accepting a deposit, she is entering into a contract with you which means she is agreeing to sell you the pup and that could mean you could insist on buying that pup even if she then isn't happy with you as owners. Not a great situation to be in from a breeders point of view.

As a breeder, the homes are of paramount importance. It is not the breeders job to sell puppies, but to find suitable homes for them, and it can be a minefield. I appreciate from the breeders point of view you get a lot of timewasters and that may be qhy she is inclined to take a deposit, but rather a timewaster than an unsuitable home. If she really thinks you can offer the right home, seh should be prepared to wait until she meets you before taking a deposit.

Also, I would be wary of any breeder who reserves specific puppies for people at such a young age. I am always prepared to reserve a specific gender, but not a specific puppy until I know what the personality of that individual puppy will be. Some puppies suit certain home situations better than others, and for that reason, although I do allow families/new owners to chose puppies, I guide them in their choice.

I personally think the first breeder you found, the breed club secretary, was much better. Does she have no puppy available now? Would you not consider a bitch puppy? Perhaps she has another litter planned and you can go on a waiting list?

kid · 28/06/2010 15:40

Midori - you don't have to apologise for not emailing back, I should apologise for keep pestering you!

It is the litter you think, I noticed mum was not hip scored, she did explain why, I'd need to check the email though.
I didn't realise breeders didn't reserve individual puppies. The other 2 boys have been selected by other families already, I am certain I want a boy. If we got a bitch, it would have to be spayed and I just can't go through that ever again.

I'm not overly concerned about the after sales bit as I would go training classes and have become good friends with the dog trainer. I know I could ask her for any support or advice at any time.
Also, I am not into the habit of giving up on dogs. When we buy a dog, it becomes part of our family. That includes all the good times and the bad times. Of course it would be good to have the support of the breeder too.

The first breeder is waiting to see if the other 3 viewers want the only boy pup. I decided to continue my search in the meantime, she hasn't got back to me yet.

Thank you for all the advice. I wonder if I can convince her to reserve the pup till the weekend when we will bring the cash deposit with us?

OP posts:
minimu1 · 28/06/2010 17:14

Kid please do not rush into this - there will be other puppies. I would not touch a puppy if the parents had not been hip scored (despite any reason they breeder may give. I do know how frustrating this is!

booyhoo · 28/06/2010 22:27

i have never heard of paying a deposit before viewing a puppy.

kid · 30/06/2010 15:53

I have been in constant contact with the breeder and she is happy to wait until Saturday for the deposit. If either of us aren't happy, we won't go through with the sale.

OP posts:
midori1999 · 30/06/2010 16:16

Are you happy with the fact she hasn't hip scored her bitch? I would honestly walk away on this alone. It is no guarantee, but it does go a long way to help. Having seen dogs that have hip dysplacia, I know how debiliating it can be, and how ditressing for the owner and of course, in severe cases requires surgery, which then requires a general anaesthetic. In fact, it requires x ray to diagnose, which also requires a general.

It's up to you, obviously, but I would not be happy buying from a breeder like this myself, and therefore wouldn't suggest anyone else does.

Why would you need to get a bitch spayed?

midori1999 · 30/06/2010 16:18

Just to add, I would be suspicious that someone has had all other health tests done, but not hip scores. I would be concerned that they had actually had x-rays taken for the scoring but th evet told them not to submit to the BVA as they were too bad and wouldn't get a good score. This happens an awful lot.

kid · 30/06/2010 18:16

I'd have to get a bitch spayed as I couldn't be worrying about coming into season and having other dogs sniffing around and the risk of her having pups (as gorgeous as they would be!)

I'm not overly concerned about the hip scores in all honesty, maybe that's wrong of me, I don't know.
The dog has been living abroad for a few years, running through the open landscape and swimming etc.

I do hope not to offend anyone, especially you midori as I know you gave been so helpful. I do believe we will get this pup though.
I do value your advice, I hope to god that all is well with the pup. They are keeping one of the litter for themself, which gives me confidence that the litter is a good one.
I hope you understand.

I'm just waiting to hear back from the breeder with confirmation of our plans. If she pulls out now, then it's not going to happen.

OP posts:
midori1999 · 30/06/2010 19:07

I have never once had a problem with unwanted attention from other dogs when my bitches are in season, and as they all come into season at once, it would be blatantly obvious to all dogs around. We have an entire male dog two doors down, and whilst that means I have to exercise caution, I have never had a problem. Preventing puppies is easily done by correct management, neutering is not the only way. The main problem with non spayed bitches is the risk of pyometra, a serious womb infection, but the risk can be reduced by good diet and management, plus being vigilant. If it is caught early enough there is a very good chance it could be sorted by emergency spaying at the time. Obviously with intact males you have the same of testicular cancer, in which case you'd have no choice by to neuter.

Personally, I do believe it is wrong to buy a pup from parents that aren't properly health tested. It encourages poor breeding practices. They are also charging rather a lot of money for puppies where the mother is not properly health tested, and that makes me question their motives. (I really do worry that x rays have been taken and the vet has felt they are not good enough to be submitted)

I don't think these people are puppy farmers, I think they are well intentioned pet breeders who want a puppy from their bitch, but that doesn't mean it is a good quality litter. I expect they too think the bitch can't have hip dysplacia as she is not symtomatic, but I have known a dog with a score of 96 (horrendous!) who was not symptomatic, but that didn't mean if they were bred their offspring would be so lucky.

I do though wish you the best of luck, it's obvious whatever puppy you get will be well loved and cared for.

kid · 30/06/2010 20:11

Thank you midori, I really appreciate that. I can guarantee that we will love this pup with all our heart. We know he won't ever replace moby. I had a little cry about moby last night, I can't remember what set me off but the tears are not as frequent as once before.

If things don't feel right with the pup, then I will walk away. I will be sensible and have been advised on what to look for. I really do hope it works out. We are going next weekend now as we can't make it this weekend.

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minimu1 · 30/06/2010 21:07

Kid just a thought if you do get a puppy with HD they will have to undergo many GA's. I know you have an issue with this so could be setting yourself up for some heartache.

It is really really hard to walk away once you have seen the litter. But I do so hope it turns out alright for you all.

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