How did you source your pup?

[Covert19]

The internet seems to be the starting place, but how do you know if a breeder is “reputable”? I’m looking for a relatively unusual breed (Great Swiss Mountain Dog) and if you google it, you’re directed to sites like dogs4homes or europuppy. The europuppy site in particular seems too good to be true, and as dogs are sourced overseas and arrive on a plane, I can’t see how we could check out the breeder at all.

How do responsible purchasers find their pups? How do I find a breeder of the dog I want that I can go and see in person?

Thanks

Have you had a look for the breed club? Details are usually on the Kennel Club website. Then contact them - they'll know who is planning a litter, running a waiting list etc.

Europuppy sounds like something to be avoided like the plague, and Pets4Homes is notorious for being used by puppy farmers (and the odd scammer)

Don't know where you would find one but I dreamed of one as a child after spotting in a dog breed book!

I'd start here www.gsmdclub.co.uk/

The Kennel Club, although I'm not a fan of them, have three UK breeders registered. And each had a website that I found on Google in seconds.

Hi OP - you've got your answer from @Moondust001! By far the most important thing is to be able to visit the breeder and see copies of the parent dogs' health tests.

For a big breed like GSMD you have to make sure there's no congenital illness - if there were, you'd have a beautiful dog that suffered it's whole life in avoidable pain, plus a risk of dog having bad temperament/being unsafe around children, etc.

Best of luck!

Thanks everyone. That’s really helpful.

I have used the kennel club in the past. My other dog is a rescue but a breed specific rescue.

I used the Champdogs website and emailed lots of local breeders, then also used the Kennel Club website to check on the names of the parent dogs and their lines. Ideally go for someone fairly local that you can visit easily.

Go to Kennel Club for breed clubs, join any breed club social media pages as these will often advertise litters and/or older dogs who need rehoming. (Which is how we got our 2 year old dog.) KC will also have a list of assured breeders. Contact them and get on their lists.

Yes kennel club don't bother with any animal selling sites no decent breeder needs to advertise on there. Paying thousands for a ill or puppy farmed fake pedigree scammers avoid avoid avoid.

Plus people on the sites are selling dogs for thousands may as well get yourself on list were the dogs are going to health tested socialised pedigree Vaccinations etc... As pay thousands for a poorly bred dog. Good luck.

dogs are sourced overseas and arrive on a plane,

They're a sentient being, not a box of strawberries. Astonished anyone would buy a dog that way.
The kennel club/breed clubs are the only reputable starting points I know of.