I want to buy a whippet puppy- but can't find one!

[NotYourHolidayDick]

Rhino skin is on.
Hard hat is on.
I'm going in!

So, I want to find a male whippet, preferably white with blue/brindle patches. Ideally 8-9 weeks.

I can't find one anywhere that I'm comfortable with.

Or that isn't trying to charge a gazillion pounds.

Can anybody point me in the right direction? Please?

You're just going to have to be a 3 dog household ;) (assuming you only have the one dog currently.)

There's nothing wrong with wanting to be selfish. Nothing at all. But it does sound sort of fate-like that you're looking for a puppy and this one is looking for an owner. What's the place like - is the farmer going to keep breeding and selling? Or is this a one off litter? How much are you paying? That might make me change my mind.

Paying, without a doubt 😂 And it's a 350 mile round trip.

Farmer can barely spell so his messages are pretty hard to guess. Google earth shows a very large detached farmhouse with lots of outbuildings, all going downhill and unmaintained.

He'd be a good place for pups shipped from Ireland to be placed, but something in me says that's not it. But I wouldn't say he won't have more litters 😡

Only £300 but I'm not really caring about the money side. I was only really mentioning the money at all as it was annoying me that prices have increased so much over the years.

I'm NOT coming home with both. Litter mate syndrome is NOT NOT NOT happening in this house.

Ah, so not a rescue then. And so far away. I'd probably back away then. Hold out for a rescue pup if the breeders are too long a wait.

Your own words last week were;
I just want a pup bred at home with a family and kids and hoovers etc, not in a cold shed somewhere.
Can you hold out a bit longer and hold true to your original thinking? Or at least put your money toward a rescue. I know you've done your bit for rescue in the past, but still - seems quite the moral compromise to go for this pup.

There won't be a rescue whippet puppy. There just won't be. And even if there is, it would have no better background than this one, and then it would have to be placed into a rescue that would rehome with 3 kids. Ive more chance of my daughters rocking horse taking a dump in the corner of the lounge.

And yep that's what I said.

I have ASD so the world is black and white to me. That's my ideal. It isn't an option right now so I go for the other.

My brain isn't normal 😁😁

So you wouldn’t be rescuing. You would be paying a puppy farmer. Be patient and don’t fund people like that.

😭😭😭😭😭😭

You're right of course. But that poor dear little soul. What's going to happen to him 😢

That’s the problem. But if you buy it you’re just condemning the bitch to have another litter. And another litter. These people won’t stop until people refuse to buy from them.

I've just spoken to a breeder from Kennel Club. He had all the right answers and I thought I'd cracked it. Then he sent me photos and his bloody dogs are also advertised on Pets4Homes which is like, the devils site. Wtf. Argh.

Kennel club just means pedigree. That’s all.
I started with the breed club and went to shows to meet breeders and chat to people. I found it really helpful.

@NotYourHolidayDick Get the farmers puppy. It is highly unlikely the puppy you want is going to end up in a rescue centre anyway, so you are going to end up paying a breeder either way.
The farmer will have another litter or he won't. You buying that puppy will not change that. But you will have given it a lovely home and got the puppy you wanted.

There's a similar crisis with a ferret rescue I know of - they go to the horse fairs where the poor creatures are kept in buckets for the duration of the fair and then sold off for barely anything. The rescue think they're doing good by going in and buying up any ferrets left at the end of the day, but what they're actually doing is encouraging these people to breed more for the next fair.

Is Pets4Homes really so awful if you've spoken to the breeder and they're doing everything else right? If they tick all the boxes of ethically raised pups and family pets as parents, then does the website count against them that much?

Second Champdogs. My whippet was from them after visiting the breed club show.

The whippet club has an annual show around autumn half term at the Kennel Club showground in Warwickshire. This is what I went to - and found and chatted to lots of breeders. I found my breeder via talking and looking at Champdogs. That way the breeders can vet you in person and you may get a puppy that has been returned or someone changed their mind about....

@BlueKarou many breeders use Pets4Homes to advertise for a waiting list. Nothing wrong with that. You just have to do you research which it seems the Op has. Its Scumtree that is the real devil.

This might keep you going:

www.thewhippetclub.com/category/events/
"The Whippet Club Single Breed Open Show, Saturday 28th September

29 CLASS UNBENCHED SINGLE BREED OPEN SHOW Held under Kennel Club Limited Rules and Show Regulations Benson Parish Hall, Sunnyside, Benson, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 6LZ SATURDAY 28th SEPTEMBER 2019"

That’s what the puppy farmers and very commercial breeders rely on. A combination of buyers who haven’t done due diligence and those buyers who know what the set up is but still buy in the name of ‘rescuing’ puppies. Don’t do it. As others say you are just creating a vacancy which the unscrupulous shitbag ‘breeder’ will fill with more overbred, undersocialised puppies from mothers who are living horrendous lives and who are being put at risk with every pregnancy.

Unfortunately there are unethical breeders on the KC site. It isn’t a guarantee of anything other than a pedigree bloodline.

Champdogs is excellent. They only advertise health tested dogs though, so OP may find that an obstacle. Whippet pups on there are going for around £700-£800.

polka that's not true. Literally just this moment got off the phone to a breeder on champdogs. Highly regarded breeder. 2 litters on the go, 9 puppies available. NO health testing. Whippets just don't seem to need them.

Ask your vet for local recommendations
Breed shows
Champdogs
Breed specific club (they usually have a puppy register of upcoming or planned litters)
Breed specific shows

If you are going off the kennel club list, please do a bit of googling before you ring them. Do they have an online presence? Facebook? Website (what kind of website & FB?)? Reviews? Any chat about them on forums? Mentioned in any breed specific stuff like online write ups for shows, competitions or gatherings? Google earthing the addresses is a great idea, gives you a feel for the set up. You aren’t daft, you know what’s what.

Ah, sorry. Generally Champdogs only advertise litters from health tested parents (or at least where one parent has been health tested). Good to know whippets are a hardy breed.

Any joy with your search?

Yes, a few litters planned and people who have been more than happy to allow me to have one of their pups. But they are silly money, and I can't see why their pups are any better. They are mostly from show or working stock, but I literally don't care what my pup looks like as an adult. They keep going on about show winners etc but I just.don't.care. I just want a happy hound. I don't see how these breeders dogs who live in packs of 6+ and bred 3/4 times are better off. And I have to pay £800 for the privilege.

You’re not just paying for a puppy. You are paying for the time and energy and expertise of the breeder. With wolfhounds puppies must be shunt tested and breeders will stay with the pup and mum 24/7 for a month to avoid accidents. There are many costs involved in breeding and raising puppies properly.

STOP BEING SO BLOODY REASONABLE AND ADULT

Your breed is far more complicated than mine 😁 I need to Google Wolf hound. ..