Buy puppy or lose deposit? Feeling sick

[everythingstaken123]

I made the mistake of taking DD to look at puppies. The first place we went to she fell head over heels for a puppy but i was sure it was from a puppy farm and refused to buy it. We had another viewing somewhere else straight after. We stopped outside quite a rough area but i thought i shouldn't be prejudiced so waited and we went in. House was very nice inside, lovely young couple. Puppies looked gorgeous - fluffy and healthy. If anything, i noticed they weren't as excited to see us as I would expect. Anyway, i was so thrilled that these puppies didn't stink like the farmed ones, and feeling bad cos my daughter was so upset i wouldn't buy the other ones, i put a deposit down. I was really happy with that decision. Puppy was lovely. Very calm (too calm?). But then i decided to do some research and discovered that the hips and elbows hadn't been done on the cocker as I was expecting. The cockers parent had had various checks so supposedly this meant the cocker was unable to inherit them (the explanation i had). I am having the stud dog's paperwork checked currently but the address on the paperwork is false - but it could be data entry. I researched the people I"m buying from and they don't have the best pasts. I'm feeling sick about it. My daughter is beside herself with excitement, i'm very much up for a puppy (I am a dog owner already) but i'm worried i'm not making the right choices. If the paperwork all checks out, does that make it ok? I don't think they're farmed but they might have been brought up in an outbuilding. I saw them in the house with the mother and despite the puppies being 8.5 weeks, they were still having milk. Any thoughts? I have tried to be responsible in buying a puppy but the breeders have shut up shop cos too many enquiries and it's a minefield out there. I appreciate i could have waited but decided not to. Help!

Can't advise on this but 8.5 weeks and still feeding from mum seems odd to me, think my pup had stopped by about 6 weeks.

If you don't go ahead with this pup - don't take your daughter to any more viewings, she can always meet pup once you are sure. How old is she? I'd explain it as you want to make sure its the right choice - good owners, good parents - nice temperaments etc. Its important to get the right pup, not just the one you fall for because its cute. My kids and I have talked about getting a dog for YEARS - I have been planning it for as long as I can remember. When I decided the time was right I went ahead in secret contacting breeders etc and didn't tell them until deposit paid and I'd met him a few times (lucky as breeeder was a 15 min drive away so I visited weekly until he came home). Not trying to tell you what to do, just maybe something to consider if you do pull out of this one.

If you’re not happy then walk away. You need to do your research before you visit. I’m guessing cockerpoo in which case you will struggle to find anyone not purely breeding for the cash. I would rather rescue or go for a carefully chosen pedigree breeder.

If it doesn't feel right then walk away even if you lose the deposit.

Think of it this way, the deposit you will lose will be tiny in comparison to the amount of money you will have to spend over its lifetime or if the puppy is ill (even with insurance excesses mount up).

As PP said don't take any DC to look at puppies. You want your full attention on the puppy and the breeder. Once you are happy then you can take them on subsequent 'checking in' visits.

So much of thus doesn't add up.
False address? No logical explanation for that
Why are the puppies still there at 8.5weeks? Very bizarre and probably not true.
Lovely young couple in a not great area? Front for a puppy farm/dealer as you are probably aware.

I thought puppies were meant to stay with their mum until 10-12 weeks?

"I don't think they're farmed but they might have been brought up in an outbuilding"

Puppy farming doesn't mean being bred on a farm. My understanding is it's high intensity over-breeding, possibly shipped in from other areas, with little concern for the dogs' wellbeing.

Yes, often fronted by nice appearing cash-desperate/greedy people.

Lose the deposit and don't take your daughter to any more viewings.

I honestly can't think what i was doing taking her with me! I think I thought it would be a really nice bonding experience. I have tried to rescue but because of having children under ten and a dog already, opportunities have been non existent other than from abroad which seemed risky seeing as I wouldn't even meet the dog before buying. I also decided having spoken to a friend who worked for the RSPCA for a long time that perhaps I would do better with a puppy. I just feel so flipping stupid. I also know that something's not sitting well in my gut and normally I would follow that. I'm presuming the fact that I would be letting my daughter down and losing money that belongs to me and my husband - he is being amazing about it - is what's making me feel so sick and not trust myself. And yes, you're right, a cockapoo. I went for it cos its the only ad i've seen even mentioning health checks. Nuff said.

You’ve been a monumental idiot. Do not buy this dog.

I’d trust your gut on this one. And definitely wait for the right puppy from the right place- you have a dog already, you need to make a responsible decision for them too.

Lose your deposit. It sounds like a front for a puppy farm to me - very suspicious circumstances imo. At 8.5 weeks, puppies shouldn't still be feeding (so I suspect pups are younger than you've been told) and it's extremely dodgy that there's a fake address on the paperwork too.

Cockapoos are highly likely to be farmed at worst or from backyard breeders at best. Very few will come from properly health tested parents, because doing so is expensive and won't get the breeders a decent profit.

I always advise people to look at rare or endangered breeds as there is usually no money in breeding them so rarely farmed
www.thekennelclub.org.uk/getting-a-dog/are-you-ready/vulnerable-native-breeds/

Its best to walk away before the kids get attached, I would also be concerned at introducing another dog to the house, some times it works but you need a good robust plan incase it doesn't

So we pulled out and lost our deposit but at least I was able to sleep after! It's such a big thing getting a dog and making sure you get a healthy one. Good luck to anyone buying right now because there are so many dodgy situations out there. I think we will start again in the new year. Thanks to everyone for your help. Getting a rare breed is a good idea I've not thought of.

You need to contact the police.

If the details are fake then you have evidence that these people aren’t legit. And the only way these puppy farms can be shut down is if the authorities are aware of them.

Even by paying a deposit you’re giving them money, because they’ll still sell the puppy to someone else. How much did you give them and how much did the puppy cost?

In our Rare Breed experience we found the three breeders we contacted where excellent, they all wanted the dog back if things didn't work out.
The one we bought from even has her back for holidays
They are in it for the Dogs not money.
Just take time to sit back and consider if you can offer a dog all it needs, Spaniels can be a lot of work and lots of walking.
Talk to owners as you need to know lots about the breed Warts and all.
We quite often see people who we feel have the wrong dog too boisterous, cant be left etc

I wouldn't. Do your research and find a highly reputable breeder - THEN you can take your daughter and it will be a happy experience. This sounds like heartbreak waiting to happen.

Have a look here
www.thekennelclub.org.uk/getting-a-dog/are-you-ready/vulnerable-native-breeds/
It all depends what you want from a dog they are all great at different things. This website has a easy points system to tell you about each breed
dogtime.com/dog-breeds/dandie-dinmont-terrier#/slide/1

My friends puppies were stolen. A whole litter from their farm. I dread to think what happened to them. Probably sold via a set up like this one.

@funf That list of endangered breeds is fascinating - thanks for sharing it.

No problem, to be honest once we started looking at rare breeds we are shocked just how many great pets are on it.
We feel a lot of dog ownership isn't planned so people wake up one morning and decide to get a dog, if faced with a wait for a rare breed they don't bother and buy something they like the look of instead.
We bought a Dandie Dinmont after 30+ years of Dog ownership she is the best we have had.
www.donthibernate.co.uk/dummys-guide-to-dandie-dinmont-terriers/

The breeder asked all the right questions and offered to take the dog back if we had any issues and for holidays, dog ownership is a life changing big commitment many people just don't think through.
If we ever had the space we would have a Wolf or Deer hound and a Glen of Imaal Terrier

Not sure what to think reading this.

I see you’ve already pulled out so my comments are largely useless anyway..

Re the health tests.
By ‘hips and elbows’ I assume you mean x rays for dysplasia?
Dysplasia is a tricky disease, it’s largely environmental.
Too much exercise and obesity at a young age is a greater risk than a parent with poor scores as I understand it though of course, it is sensible to pick puppies from parents scored as low as possible.
The grandparents having low scores doesn’t mean the parents and subsequent pups will, that’s nonsense.
However.
I could be entirely wrong, but I didn’t think spaniels were routinely screened for dysplasia.

Are you sure the breeder didn’t mean DNA tests for diseases like Progressive Retinal Atrophy and others?
If both grandparents are DNA tested for diseases and come up ‘clear, unaffected’ then the breeder is right, the puppies from that litter cannot pass the disease on to these puppies that you have been to see, unless the stud male was affected by the disease and even then, the pups (I believe) would be carriers but still never go on to develop the disease.

The address being wrong could just maybe be it wasn’t updated?
Not sure as my dog isn’t KC registered.

What do you mean by ‘don’t have the best pasts’?

I would expect 8 week old puppies to still be pestering mum for milk yes.
In fact, if I went to see a litter and the mum didn’t have the saggy mummy tummy and the pups weren’t trying to feed I would assume that the pups were bought in and the mother wasn’t the real mother.

My pup was 10 weeks old when I brought her home.
The pups all launched on the mum for feeding when she was brought out.

Don’t get this puppy.
You are sure it’s not right.

I dunno what others think but at the moment if there is a puppy ready and waiting for you to buy just like that, it’s a puppy far or stolen.

Reputable breeders have looong wait lists at the moment

Even if you did lose your deposit you would be avoiding potential costs of healthcare and behaviourist that you could face with an unhealthy dog or one that hasn't been well socialised as a baby.