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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

So DH wants to go and see this Staffy...

61 replies

MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 02/11/2011 09:59

We want a dog and DH has seen an advert for a 10 week old Staffy on Pets4Homes or some such site....it's apparently in a family who appear to have bitten off more than they can chew....both working dog needs more attention yada yada.

I am a bit nervous about getting a "Staffy" from a family we know nothing about...dog is all sorted as far as injections etc but no papers....he says he is onlly seing it...he wont come home with it and he does know a lot about dogs having always had them. BUt I stil feel a bit odd about just going to someones house and buying their rejected puppy. Is it wrong? What should he be considering?

OP posts:
Ephiny · 02/11/2011 10:25

Are they selling it or giving it away? If the former I'd suspect maybe it's a cover story for puppy farming - 10 weeks seems very early to have bought a puppy and decided already that they can't cope, they don't normally leave their mum until 8 weeks old, so they can't have had him more than about a couple of weeks! Maybe it is true, but just sounds a bit odd.

Also I'd think about whether you can trust anything they tell you about the dog, and also what will you do if you find there's a problem or you're not able to keep the dog for some reason.

You'd probably be better off approaching a rescue or going to a reputable breeder directly, at least that way you have a better idea of what exactly you're taking on, and they should offer support and to take the dog back if necessary.

coccyx · 02/11/2011 10:28

I agree that at 10 weeks sounds more like a puppy farming dog than an unwanted pet. must be plenty of rescue dogs out there who you could welcome into your hearts/home

louby86 · 02/11/2011 10:30

I'd be concerned, like ephiny says, about the dogs age as it would have only really been in their home for two weeks at the most. Also, how much are they wanting you to pay for the dog? If it was genuine and they were looking for a good home I don't think they should really be asking for money for it.

DooinMeCleanin · 02/11/2011 10:31

  1. This is no different from taking a lab from an unkown family. In fact it's probably safer. Staffords have less health issues than other breeds, although still should be health checked prior to breeding and are known to be more tolerent of young children and toddlers. They are they absolute opposite if the devil dog image the media portrays them as.

  2. What Ephiny said. At best this is supporting backyard breeding at worst this a puppy farm or a dog with known health problems that the family want shot of before they have to pay out ££££ in vet fees.

If your DH wants a Staff, great, brilliant. They are superb family dogs and luckily for you rescues have them in spades. Where are you and we can suggest some good rescues for you to contact.

DogsBestFriend · 02/11/2011 10:50

Puppy farmers often use family homes and/or this excuse to sell their pups. You buy this one and, well meaning as you are, you're contributing to the most pitiful abuse you could imagine. And yes, chances are very high that this IS a puppy farmer - Pets4Homes is well known to those of us in rescue and Animal Rights for being full of them. So are PreLoved, Gumtree and epupz, to name a few others. Often these dogs are vet bills on legs and often they end up dead in the pound or on the vet's table when the owner cannot keep him and rescue has no space.

This recent thread will show you what your DH is likely to experience. The thread is long but you need only read the OP. :)

As Dooin said, taking on a Staffie is no different to taking on a Labrador. I work with them, I've fostered them and owned SBT X. That's not what we're all warning you of. A Staffie is a lovely choice and will be my own when the sad day comes that I have room for another dog (or happy, if I win the lottery!). But I will do as I advise your DH to do - adopt from a rescue which will homecheck me (for my benefit as well as theirs), neuter, vaccinate, microchip my new pal and promise me a lifetime's support as well as contracting to take my little dog back safely into the rescue should, heaven forbid, I be unable to keep him at any stage in his life.

Please ask your DH to do the same, seeking a rescue which offers nothing less than these things, if you are all sure that you want a dog or pup. As Dooin also says, we're happy to identify suitable rescuesif you tell us whereabouts you are.

Original poster
MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 02/11/2011 14:42

I'm not scared of it being a Staffie, I trust DHs opinion as he loves dogs and cares very much about them but he is Australian and may not know how thigs work here so well..all his previous dogs were had in Oz.

He said that on the phone, the man said that he and hs wife were both working and realised they had made a mistake in getting the dog...they were selling him so it could well be dodgy.....however we have tried rescues in the past and they wre reluctandtas youngest DD is 3....they wont rehome to us unless they know the dogs history and often they don't...

We are in Cheshire...open to breed but DH does like Staffys, as well as Boxers and larger breed dogs. We have a large garden and he works nights and I work at home so we are both available for a dog all day and night. We need to make sure the dog we get is good with cats as we have two...both our cats are used to dogs as they were rescue cats and had prevously lived with two. They are confident Siamese cats.
We want a friendly energetic dog...a bigish one who will be happy with children and cats..he or she will have a big garden to run around (notfussy gardeners) and he or she will be taken for as many walks as he or she wants.

Can you tell we want one badly? Grin

OP posts:
DogsBestFriend · 02/11/2011 15:01

A couple of points. Rescues vary in their policies wrt children, with the small independents being far more likely to be flexible and to judge according to family and to dog rather than having one size fits all rules.

Also, all rescues should thoroughly assess their dogs, regardless of whether they come from a home and thus "have a history" or whether they were strays and have no background, so that should not make any difference to rehoming - they should know the dog inside out regardless and should not be taking the previous owner's word for anything.

Rescues often rehome further afield than their local area, providing that they can secure a homecheck upon the family. Many Tears, for example, rehome across the country, so don't limit your options to just local organisations but DO ALWAYS ensure that the rescue you choose does all the things I mentioned in my earlier post.

On that note, was one of the rescues you approached in the past Cheshire Dogs Home or Manchester Dogs Home, by any chance? Because if so, I have something to warn you of there.

DogsBestFriend · 02/11/2011 15:05

PS, I know a rescue which has a 9 week old Staffy cross pup at the moment. Wink

If ONLY I could take him home! Landlord would kill me, as would the bank manager!

Original poster
MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 02/11/2011 15:16

Are they anywhere near Cheshire Dogs? Grin

OP posts:
DogsBestFriend · 02/11/2011 15:21

Nope, in London and I don't know if Gladys, the rescue co-owner, will rehome further afield. Let me check for you. :)

Original poster
MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 02/11/2011 15:29

I just looked at the Many Tears site and they ave some amazing dogs and seem very sorted as to rehoming....some of them are not too far away from us with fosters....some beautiful dogs. A few made me cry with their sad tales and their little faces. Sad

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Original poster
MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 02/11/2011 15:32

Thanks Dogs

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DogsBestFriend · 02/11/2011 15:37

No problem and fingers crossed. Have left voicemail with one of their reps and emailed another... how DARE they not reply to me immediately! :o

Tis gotta be better trying to match up a home and a dog than tackling the HUGE amount of paperwork on my desk!

Original poster
MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 02/11/2011 15:39

I only worry that we wont get to London...we dont have a car and though DH sometimes goes by train for work, it could be difficult to get us all p there to meet the dog..

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kidsrockmyworld · 02/11/2011 16:04

Just flicking through the thread reading your posts mumbling we are an hour away from Cheshire our sbt has just sired a litter that were born last Tue .

DogsBestFriend · 02/11/2011 16:15

Please, mumbling, for the sake of dog welfare, DON'T respond to an attempt at advertising backyard bred puppies from the poster above.

Hundreds of healthy young Staffies are being killed in pounds across the country EACH WEEK because there are insufficient homes or even rescue spaces for them. It is TOTALLY cruel and irresponsible to breed more and anyone who does has PROFIT and NOT dog welfare at heart.

The pups in rescue I mentioned are HERE and the rescue, I've just checked, would be delighted to rehome out of London.

DogsBestFriend · 02/11/2011 16:16

Give Gladys a shout and have a chat with her - [email protected]

Original poster
MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 02/11/2011 16:23

But what wll happen to the puppies that kids advertised? And others like them?

I am just checking your link thank you very much dogs

OP posts:
Original poster
MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 02/11/2011 16:25

Oh my goodness dogs if DH sees those he'll be on the next train! I will show him the minute he gets home from the gym. Grin too gorgeous.

OP posts:
Original poster
MumblingAndBloodyRagDoll · 02/11/2011 16:28

do you know what they are x with at all?

OP posts:
DogsBestFriend · 02/11/2011 16:30

It's about supply and demand, Mumbling. If you don't provide the demand the supply will dry up as there will be no profit in it for the idiot backyard breeders.

All the while folk are buying from these specimens of society they are creating a market for the poor bitch to be bred from again... and again... and again...

These people are a large part of why we have so many dogs in rescue. They don't check the potential owners out, they advertise over the internet and free ads, they won't take a dog back when the new owner can't or won't keep him... so him ends up in rescue if he's lucky or dead in the pound or at the vets if he's not.

Their over-bred pups, bred for profit and not to improve breed lines, are often vet bills on legs too.

DogsBestFriend · 02/11/2011 16:32

No idea what the cross is, apart from scrummy! Have a word with Gladys, she'll be able to give you more of an idea. (Tell her you're the lady from Cheshire, she says).

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 02/11/2011 16:38

I'm the poster who has taken on a pup that was probably puppy farmed. I've got over my fury at this stage, but do feel bloody awful that in taking in Jasper I created a vacancy for some other poor little pup. Oh, and Jasper had to have his anal glands expressed just a fortnight ago at 15 weeks old, and judging by the smell I'd say it needs doing again. If that's the worst of his problems I'll be grateful. These people don't give a shit about animal welfare. Definitely don't believe any of these ads, they can be very convincing. But they have to be, it's how they make their money.

misdee · 02/11/2011 16:44

[really shouldnt keep clicking on rescue links]

soppy cow me.

PersonalClown · 02/11/2011 16:46

Damn you DBF... I'm now badgering DP that one more isn't a problem.