Having to sell puppies....

[Emmerybored]

and its breaking my heart. We had planned to sell them when she got pregnant but then she only had 2 and decided to keep them.
I have since got a job and know its not fair to have 3 dogs in the garden all day so we decided to sell.
Its horrible i love them so much already (they are nearly 10 weeks old)
just felt like a rant

[SquongebobSparepants]

Wow. Just wow.

No wonder people rarely post in here for advice.

There are ways and means of suggesting (note the use of suggesting there, not ordering) methods or solutions to people's problems. Angry faces, faces and the level of vitriol shown here in response to a single post are not the most effective, and will stop anyone from coming on here and asking for genuine advice for fear of being flamed to hell and back.

A perfectly good response to the OP could be 'have you thought about taking them to a rescue?'

But anyway, what do I know...

[SquongebobSparepants]

Sorry, meant to say

A perfectly good response to the OP could be 'have you thought about taking them to a rescue?' as terrier managed nice and calmly

[clam]

I confess to running a personal sweepstake with myself when anyone posts asking how to go about getting a puppy in a "decent" way, as to how long it will be before the "get a rescue dog/all breeders are bad" brigade pounce.

[Scuttlebutter]

Awww, diddums, SoupDragon. That nasty, harsh Dog House where there is - last time I looked, a humungous thread on puppy experiences, along with a variety of others on, let me see, things like health issues, bereavement, behaviour, training, alerts on stolen dogs and yes, lots of people who are positive about rescue dogs.

It's funny how the people who complain about the Doghouse are never ever the ones who are here when someone's lost a beloved pet after a long illness, or are helping with a training problem, or providing information on how to avoid a puppy farmer, or what questions to ask a rescue, or how to approach a responsible breeder. No, it's just too harsh, so they pop in, waft a ladylike, frail hand under their nose and disappear again into their fluffy, pink little bubble.

And Madame - I do believe DBF's was when she found out the OP was in Ireland, rather than directed at the OP herself. This is completely understandable as Ireland has a pretty appalling record on dog welfare. Only a couple of days ago, I was visiting a fellow MNetter, and admiring one of her beautiful rescue border collies who had unfortunately been hung up by her previous owner in Ireland and beaten repeatedly, because she was pregnant. I wish I could say this was exceptional but it isn't. Strays in Ireland have only five days in a pound before they are killed. Take a look at here for what just one animal charity in Ireland has to do.

[Cheria]

This is the only place I post for dog related advice. Sometimes we get told that we are talking crap, but the people on here that so many of us turn to for advice have got so much experience and say what they think very honestly, that I and many others trust them no questions asked.

The Doghouse isn't a place to come for sympathy (except when our beloved pets are injured, ill or need to be put down.) But a lot of the advice is extremely good.

[PinotsWolefCubs]

Blimey. Think both 'sides' of this debate could do with walking in the others' shoes for a bit to be honest.

[MmeLindor.]

Scuttle
OP is in Ireland but that does not mean that she is cruel to her dogs. Or indifferent to where they end up.

This is my point. Rescuers know the dangers that face dogs when they are bought by people who do not care for them. The majority of the population don't. But if you "educate" people by shouting abuse at them, you are unlikely to help many dogs. And you are likely to scare some people off who might otherwise have asked for advice.

"You may not know this, but a lot of privately sold dogs end up in rescues and shelters when their new owners abandon or mistreat them. I am sure that you don't want that to happen to your dog's puppies, so would advise you to get in touch with your local rescue centre and ask them for help rehoming the puppies"

Surely you can see the difference between that and the posts on this thread?

[MmeLindor.]

And yes, I have used the Doghouse for advice.

But I would never ask for advice on rehoming a dog. Or buying a puppy.

[SquongebobSparepants]

'It's funny how the people who complain about the Doghouse are never ever the ones who are here when someone's lost a beloved pet after a long illness, or are helping with a training problem, or providing information on how to avoid a puppy farmer, or what questions to ask a rescue, or how to approach a responsible breeder. No, it's just too harsh, so they pop in, waft a ladylike, frail hand under their nose and disappear again into their fluffy, pink little bubble. '



FWIW the ONE time I posted in here I was rounded on and screeched at when I really did need some open minded advice. So whatevers.

[SquongebobSparepants]

Mme, NEVER ask about rehoming a puppy...

[pinkytheshrinky]

I am looking to buy a puppy at the moment and I am stunned by just how many are available from people who seem to not have any experience at breeding but happily advertise their puppies for £300 - £600 even if they have no pedigrees.

It seems to me that people do this to supplement their incomes rather than thinking about the welfare of their dogs. I am sure if |I produce the required money later the current owner will have no difficulty in parting with the puppy... Just found the whole process shocking.

If I was in the Op's position I would ask a rehoming charity to be involved, I could not bear the uncertainty of no knowing what happened to those dogs.

[Cheria]

I think the rehoming / buying debate gets the rescuers on here so wound up because they see on a day to day basis the results of negligent owners and backyard breeders. They see it for real, and are passionate about dogs' welfare, so do their best to get their opinions across. And they do so very effectively, even if people who haven't had these experiences don't understand at the beginning why they get so angry.

However when people come in already decided that they want to buy a dog from a breeder they will be asked to check if the breeder is reputable. I wish I had done so before getting my dog - lovely as he is I gave money to someone who is, I think having read these boards, pretty unscrupulous.

I now feel pretty horrified at that and would probably have appreciated the likes of Scuttle and DBF putting me right before I went ahead.

[MmeLindor.]

Pinky
I think a lot of people do this truly innocently. My parents dog had 2 litters and Part of the reason they asked for money was to deter those who were not interested in the dog. Those who would get a dog on a whim.

[pinkytheshrinky]

I do see what you mean but some of the prices people expect when really you have no idea where the dog has come from is a bit strong.

I have also seen a large amount of adverts for rehoming 'designer' pups only a few weeks old with tales of 'changes of circumstances' - my gut tells me these are puppy farmed and being marketed imaginatively...? I might be wrong but it does seem strange that just three weeks after you have bought your £700 teacup yorkie/chi/pug you realise you cannot actually keep it.

[pinkytheshrinky]

So can I ask?

Do the doghouse ladies disagree altogether with me buying a puppy? I have tried RSPCA etc but they don't seem to have the right sort of dog we are looking for. I am trying to be responsible about this.

Am not trying to start a scrap but I am aware that by buying puppies perpetuates more and more puppies... a bit conflicted about it really..

[peggyblackett]

I'm surprised that anyone asks for advice here any more TBH. Same old same old. It's too risky to put your head above the parapet.

If you're truly thinking about the dogs then give the OP some friendly, constructive advice without lecturing her. After all, what is done is done. You risk scaring people away when what you should be doing is trying to get people to listen to your advice positively.

[Ephiny]

I think this is on the whole a friendly place and very good for advice - it's the first place I'd think to come if I needed advice on a dog problem. I wouldn't buy a puppy personally, so haven't needed to ask about that myself, but have seen other people get good advice on finding reputable breeders etc.

Yes there were angry and abrupt responses on this thread (and on similar ones in the past), but generally that only happens when the OP is so outrageous in its ignorance or callousness towards dogs - what other reaction can you expect from people who actually care about dogs and their wellbeing? Sometimes a bit of straight talking is needed.

I agree though that sadly this sort of situation is not unusual - though for many of us its hard to understand how it can happen. Surely neutering for pet dogs is just one of the basic things you do, along with chipping and vaccinating? It would never even occur to me not to get it done, unless there was some medical reason.

We need a big change in attitude about this - and about the fact that rescue is (or should be) for emergencies and cases where people really absolutely cannot care for their dog any more (e.g. owner's death or serious long-term illness, or homelessness or something) not for when it just becomes a bit inconvenient or difficult. Maybe being rude and swearing is unhelpful and counter-productive - but on the other hand, being too soft and nice and rushing to make people like this 'feel better', is not going to convey that their attitudes and behaviour are unacceptable. And over-breeding is a big, big problem - it's the root cause behind so many dogs being killed simply due to being unwanted.

[peggyblackett]

I for one do care about dogs and their feelings - I have a rescued dog from an Irish pound so I am only too aware of the issues that we are discussing here.

However my point was that the angry faces and blunt words only can serve to alienate the OP, and ensure that they take none of the advice given. Surely a separate 'generic' thread on why selling puppies is bad practice would serve a better purpose?

Emmeryboard - you've been given some good advice on this thread, try and follow it as it will serve you and your dogs well :).

[Emmerybored]

right lets clarify...
i was annoyed by the comments i got because of the tone and feeling it gave me.
i do not want to get rid of the puppies and as i said it is breaking my heart to have to sell them but am doing it so they can have a better life.
i am selling them because i want to be able to pick the people who take them and make sure as much as i can that they will get the love and care they deserve. i posted on here because to me this is as sad as one of my pets being unwell or lost ect.
i may have over reacted this morning and i am sorry but at the time of posting last week i felt i needed sympathy. which i thought i would get here as ppl love dogs as much as i do. that was all.
i will be getting my bitch neutered which was always the plan.
alot of posters have made assumptions about me and how i raise and care for them which got me very annoyed.
And yes i did go to my regular thread and have a bitch but no names or specific posts were talked about i just said i was annoyed and put a link to here.
i would not get a pound or rehoming place take them as i know what they are like here and they would be worse off. to get holly all i had to do was say i want that one and pay 40 euro. which to me isnt good enough.

[Emmerybored]

if i was in the uk i most likely would as they are a million times better than here

[misdee]

this is showing no-one in a good light.

[rainbowinthesky]

[rolls eyes emiticon] Did you really go on another thread to have a bitch??