Advice on this dog please? DH wants to go and see it....

[WhoopsyLa]

DH saw an advert on Pets4Homes...I know I know....they do not have a good rep....he was looking though and there's an ad for a 14 week old American Bulldog. He called the number and the woman says that she bought it and has found that one of her children has a lung disease and so she simply has no time for the dog anymore...she is too worried about her son and going to hospital appointments.

He said the lady sounded nice and worried about finding the right home for the dog...she says she was asking for 300 pounds but would be happy to take less if the prospective owner seemed like the right person for her dog.

He has been with children and cats and is "daft as a brush"

Is it silly & irresponsible to visit dogs from such advertisments? DH has always liked Amercan BUlldogs....what are they like in your expert opinion please Doghouse?

I have two American bulldogs, have you had dogs before? They are very willfull dogs and need a firm hand. I love mine and they are great with kids but can be a bit too protective of the front door.

I'm not sure about the situation, I'm sure someone will come and say don't go there. But one of mine was taken from their former (bad) owner and he's a great dog but needed a lot of work.

Bulldogs are lovely. I adore all bull breeds and they all have an excellent reputation with children.

Taking a pup from Pets4Homes is beyond silly and irresponsible. At best it is puppy farmer and the dog might have illnesses that will cost £££ in the future due to bad breeding at worst the seller is lying and the dog is sick/aggressive etc. Please don't take this dog. Email the seller with the details of Bullies in Need if she is genuine her dog stands a far better chance with these people than with Pets4Homes. I can gurantee she won't contact them. She wants cash not a good home for her pet.

They're also a great place for DH to contact if he wants a ambull. It will be fully assesed so you'll know it's great with children and will have no health issues and you'll always have the back up of the rescue if you need it for anything.

Basically, unless you can guarantee this dog a home for life whatever may happen then don't bother. The owner will not take him back if you decide you don't like him.

DH is experienced with dogs but I am not....I don't like the sound of it really...it's me who would have to handle him in the day and they look very strong....I am a bit too wimpy to be firm. I am also worried about it being probematic nd the lady lying about why she wants rid of him. poor dog...

Doin thank yo for the link...I will show DH...there are a couple on their which look lovely and re good with small children...we would like to rescue if possible...but as I am inexperienced with larger breeds I am a bitnervous...not of the dogs but of mishandling the dog...

Do not,do not, do not get this dog. If you really do want an american bulldog research go to breed rescue etc.

In my opinion the worse the illness as the reason for giving up the dog the less unlikely it is. I expect the dog has either got "issues" from a bad beginning or the owner is bored with it, or they just regularly sell dogs in this way and will have a load of dogs that they will sell in this method. Either way the dog could have serious health issues and not been socialised properly. Any paperwork will usually be fradulent and incorrect.

Did I say do not get this dog unless you are barking mad!!!!!!

I think you need a serious talk with all the family members stating your concerns you tell us here all of which are valid. Then discuss which dog is best for you. Do go and look at reputable rescues to help you make your decision - then you will have lifetime support and some have dog training help as well and as a newbie will give you confidence.

DH knows about dogs nd breeds as he has always had them...but he is from another country and so I think the culture is different here as far as how yu get them etc....I will tell him what you all said.

I bought a pup from a woman claiming that she had been given the pup as a gift and had to go back to full time work. She was very plausible. The ad she posted on Preloved three weeks later advertising another identical pup was equally plausible. Now, I love my pup and we will deal with whatever health issues he may develop as and when, but I will never fall for such a story again. I was beyond furious with myself when I realised I'd given money to someone who was almost certainly involved in puppy farming. If you take the pup, you create a vacancy, and somewhere dogs are suffering. And you never know what issues the pup could have as a result of careless, intensive breeding.