Colleague wants a puppy now

Goneroundthetwist · 08/01/2021 17:54

We found our puppy through Pets4homes and there is a risk of puppy farms but they are not all like that. Our puppy came from a family and we saw mum and dad there and witnessed the puppies feeding from Mum. The children living there clearly loved the puppies.

My dog is healthy and well adjusted, you just need to know the warning signs. We ditched our first option because details kept changing, and there were multiple dogs kept there.

We had thought about another dog for a while as we missed our old boy, we didn’t want to wait years to get one.

We visited several times, it felt right.

Worriesandwobbles · 08/01/2021 18:50

Same here, not all adverts through pets4homes are dodgy, just need to be a bit more careful.

Original poster

VelvetRed · 08/01/2021 19:10

Thank you! That's good to know. It's more the wanting it right now rather than the website that bothers me - are there good breeders on there that dont have lists?

OP posts:

gottakeeponmovin · 08/01/2021 19:12

I have bought two of my dogs through top breeders who have crufts show dogs. I bought one from pets4homes - she wasn't puppy farmed she was the puppy of a loved family dog that was pedigree and bred with a pedigree. I don't see the issue

Stellaris22 · 08/01/2021 19:15

Our dog was purchased through Pets4Homes, with the appropriate research and care that isn't an issue.

The issue here for me is the lack of care. Does she know know what she wants from a dog? Researched insurance? Planned for the finances including day care if needed. Or alternatives to daycare if dog doesn't suit it. Cost of grooming if needed and the money for vet bills if needed. Has she had a dog before and understand the huge time commitment?

There's so much to think about and plan.

SpaceRaiders · 08/01/2021 19:16

Has anyone got any advice on how to make her see sense please?

You’re entitled to give your opinion but I don’t think you can make anyone do anything.

After 18 months of research, 10 months of searching, I found my pup on pets4homes. I made sure to thoroughly check the breeder out. Visited mum and puppies twice. All looked happy, well liked after in a family home setting. 4 months on I have a lively little guy with no health issues whatsoever.

Shmithecat2 · 08/01/2021 19:16

@VelvetRed

After some advice please!

My colleague wants to get a puppy but all the reputable breeders she has contacted have full wait lists.

She is planning on going on pets4homes and just finding what's available right now as she says it doesn't suit her circumstances to wait.

I dont want to be that person that bores on but I really feel strongly shes making a mistake not to wait for the right puppy, and will end up falling into the puppy mill or BYB trap. She lives alone as husband left and lockdown has been hard for her so I get why she wants company.

Has anyone got any advice on how to make her see sense please? Or if anyone knows anyone who has done something similar and it's gone badly so I can give her real examples.

I've given her all the usual advice like making sure she sees mum and where the pups are raised, asking for proof of health checks etc but I feel like she wants a dog so much it's all going in one ear and out the other.

There's not much else you can do OP, other than what you've suggested about seeing the mum/asking for health results etc. But I'm with you, I think buying a puppy from Pets4Homes is a bit shitty. People who speculatively breed aren't much better on the ethics scale than puppy farmers imo.

ekidmxcl · 08/01/2021 19:16

Lots of pets4homes dogs are family pets who’ve had a litter. I know two families who sold litters on there. Both families love the puppies, certainly not puppy farm situations. You should probably not interfere and leave this person to make their own assessment of the puppy’s home.

Original poster

VelvetRed · 08/01/2021 20:36

Like I said it's more the not being prepared to wait than the website itself that concerns me. I didn't think it was usual to just be able to choose a dog and collect it immediately.

But maybe I'm just over thinking, I'm prone to that!

OP posts:

SquidInALid · 08/01/2021 21:43

Another here who got a lovely dog from a family on Pets4homes.
I know a few people who have also done so. It's not all bad breeders.

SquidInALid · 08/01/2021 21:46

With respect maybe you should let her make her own decisions. If she's not worried about pedigree lines etc and she's found a puppy that is from a well looked after dam with the right health checks and not a pup farm then it's her decision.

00100001 · 08/01/2021 21:59

Ugh, "loving family puppies" is BS, why are these families being so irresponsible allowing their dogs to fucking breed, when they have NO way of knowing what will happen to that dog.

This is why animal shelters are full of unwanted dogs. Family home breeders aren't that much better than puppy mills, not really.

They're breeding their dogs for no other reason than for their own pleasure or to make money.

Get a rescue dog.

Goneroundthetwist · 08/01/2021 22:14

You’re a bit in your high horse there 001000010??? The shelters were empty when I looked and the ones that were there were only to live with adults.

You saying the only puppy worthy of being bought is one from a breeder with a three year waiting list???

How do you know they have no way of knowing what happens to that dog. Just because their pet has had puppies they don’t care what homes they go to... I think you have put every puppy from a family home in a big fat box with issues.

You know what, I waited nearly two years to get a new puppy and it has made a huge difference to our lives. Not a fancy bread, healthy and well loved... it’s changed my life and won’t be ending up in a shelter as you seem to think.

00100001 · 08/01/2021 22:28

Nom I'm saying dogs shouldn't be bred and sold on... Sorry.

And no, they have no way of knowing if puppy is going to it's forever home and will be loved and cared for its whole life.

Otherwise there'd be far fewer digs in rescue centres. Lots of dogs are given up because circumstances change, it's too hard, they got bored, awe it's not a cute puppy that wasn't trained properly and is now a big strong bitey dog.

Yes family breeders can do due diligence and scope out new owners as much as possible. But the truly responsible thing to do would to have never bred in the first place 🤷‍♀️

tabulahrasa · 08/01/2021 22:31

What a family bred pet usually means is - they have absolutely no clue about health or behavioural in the lines, or how to pick a stud with the confirmation to match a bitch, so they’ve raised the odds of breeding a litter with problems.

Thing is, it’s not your gamble to take or not and if someone is at the point of looking for a puppy right now, you’re not going to be able to talk them out of it IME...

MothershipG · 08/01/2021 22:39

A few years ago I had a friend like this, did all I could to persuade her to go to a reliable breeder, offered to drive her but she couldn't wait and she went and bought a puppy from a pet shop.

About 6 weeks later she admitted it was a big mistake she was really struggling so I fostered him until we found a lovely home for him He's a venerable gentleman now.

Nettleskeins · 09/01/2021 00:17

Kennel club do have litters available, and assured breeder litters if she looks on website. Not all puppies are on waiting lists on KC website.
At least she would have a better chance of getting the right advice from a breeder about temperament habits etc??

Original poster

VelvetRed · 09/01/2021 09:22

Thanks all. I know I can't tar all breeders with the same brush and perhaps I had some misconceptions that aren't always right. She will do as she wishes in the end! I will mention KC again

OP posts:

thecapitalsunited · 09/01/2021 09:51

@00100001

Nom I'm saying dogs shouldn't be bred and sold on... Sorry.

And no, they have no way of knowing if puppy is going to it's forever home and will be loved and cared for its whole life.

Otherwise there'd be far fewer digs in rescue centres. Lots of dogs are given up because circumstances change, it's too hard, they got bored, awe it's not a cute puppy that wasn't trained properly and is now a big strong bitey dog.

Yes family breeders can do due diligence and scope out new owners as much as possible. But the truly responsible thing to do would to have never bred in the first place 🤷‍♀️

If nobody bred dogs, eventually the shelters would be empty. Is no one supposed to own a dog once that happens? Or are breeders allowed again at that point?

I have a vulnerable native breed, are we supposed to let them die out? These dogs are part of our culture and have been around for centuries. I get so annoyed at the suggestion that anyone who breeds dogs is a heartless monster only out for money. There are many breeders out there who are breeding wonderful well constructed dogs with good temperaments. Rather than trying to put them out of business we should be pressuring councils to remove licenses from puppy farms and the government to tighten regulations to ensure all puppies come from health tested parents not from idiots who just want their dog to have one litter.

Hoppinggreen · 09/01/2021 09:55

I bought my dog via pets4homes
We did our research (I thought), visited twice, asked questions, they asked us questions etc etc
Turns out he came from a puppy farm, it was a front
I genuinely thought we had been careful, I rejected a few possibles as they looked like puppy farms but these people are so clever now.
Luckily it turned out ok for us but we are experienced dog owners, have had this breed before and had the time and money to get professional help where needed.
Unfortunately while you can earn your colleague that’s it,and they will probably not listen

Ninkanink · 09/01/2021 09:59

No one should ever breed dogs? How would that actually work then?

CrotchetyQuaver · 09/01/2021 10:09

I won't buy a purebred dog these days due to too many inbred health problems.

Our now 3 month old puppy came from pets4homes. He's a super boy but. Advertised as a cocker spaniel x patterdale terrier, it's clear now that's completely wrong and I suspect the breeding is pointer x springer. We've done a DNA test because we'd like to know. He was £1000 which is cheap at the moment and no microchip. All sorted now and wormed/flea-d with proper stuff not OTC products. We were lied to, but I don't mind because he's a nice natured dog.

CrotchetyQuaver · 09/01/2021 10:16

I'd also add that one of my purebreds, that came to me through rescue was a former puppy champion at crufts. The most neurotic dog I've ever known, she had agoraphobia and went into hysterics several times a day over nothing (obvious). I spent a fortune trying to get her right and tragically she was killed hiding under the car which my DH forgot to check for before he drove off. Horrendous, but you know not so bad in some ways for the dog as her suffering was over. Maybe pts earlier would have been the kindest thing for her. She had no quality of life, either hiding under the table or a car ☹️.

Scaredykittycat · 09/01/2021 10:19

My mum has A KC registered dog, used a KC registered stud and has KC registered pups. She is not a puppy farm, nor is she a registered breeder. She will be adverting on pets4homes 🤷🏻‍♀️

Not all breeders give their dogs a nice life. A lot of these dogs live in pens and the like. Home breeders have their dogs as Pets, part of the family.

It’s people believing you can only use established breeders that cause the problem. There are absolute morons on pets4homes. There are also established breeders who are running a business.

AtlasPine · 09/01/2021 10:30

It seems like there is a lot of money in breeding and selling puppies now, and it does feel like rescues have been emptied of most of the adoptable dogs - and I’m sure £1000 for a cross-breed is pretty unprecedented. That’s bound to motivate some less experienced and knowledgeable owners to jump on the bandwagon.

However, I do feel if your friend waits for a while, the shelters will be filling up again with puppies bought in haste during a time when there is always someone in the house. Some of those poor animals will have attachment issues when everyone is back at work/school.