Getting a puppy

[Bookwords]

Ok this is a contentious subject, we lost our JRl last year.

We want another puppy, have the time, space etc for one.

The last time we got a pup was 15 years ago.

We don't want a rescue for lots of reasons.

Where would you start?

Do you already know what breed you want, do you want another Jack Russell? If so I'd start with the breed club, also any facebook pages for owners of/fans of that breed and make a shortlist of suitable breeders, then get onto contacting them, first to quiz them to make sure they really are good breeders (being KC approved is a good starting point but not a guarantee), then if you like the sound of them to find out their mating plans and whether they operate a waiting list.

If you don't know or aren't set on a breed yet there are lots of online quizzes you can do where you input factors like size of dog you want, how much exercise you can offer, any other pets in the home, how much grooming you are prepared to do etc etc and it then generates suggestions. It's difficult right now but if you are prepared to wait until the world re-opens a bit there are events like Discover Dogs where you can meet different breeds of dog including some rarer breeds and chat to breeders and owners?

Obviously whichever breed you go for, you should read up on puppy farms and the warning signs, it seems to have become way more prevalent and horrific than it used to be even 10 years or so ago when I last bought a dog (or perhaps we were all just ignorant and naive back then), smuggling in of dogs from abroad that are often unhealthy and badly bred/raised is also something to be aware of. Obviously you want the breeder to have done and can show you proof of relevant health screening for both parents (not just a vet 'health check' which really only confirms the dog itself is healthy, not its suitability for breeding). A proper health screening includes things like DNA tests for any genetic diseases prevalent in the breed, hip scoring for a breed that has hip issues etc. They should be able to talk you through the reasons for the mating in terms of the characteristics and temperaments of both parents, it really shouldn't be 'we own the stud dog so we use him for all matings' or 'my friend owns the stud' IMO. You want to be able to see pictures/videos of Mum and pups being raised in a home environment, and to be able to visit the puppy at least once with Mum (obviously not atm but in normal times). Look up the signs that a 'stunt bitch' is being used as this is a trick puppy farmers use to fool people into thinking they are just a normal lovely family breeding from their pet dog or similar. Also I am highly highly suspicious of any breeder that happens to have a puppy immediately available when you inquire, especially if the breeder doesn't grill you thoroughly about your home and circumstances or if they give you any kind of 'hard sell', says the puppy will be sold within hours if you don't make your mind up right away etc. They may tell a plausible tale about why they have just this one puppy available right now, and I know occasionally a litter turns out much bigger than expected or a planned buyer backs out last minute or has to return their pup but all the good breeders I have heard of usually have long waiting lists and/or have loads of people contacting them about their dogs who they have 'pre-vetted' for suitability and would have no need or desire to sell a puppy right away over the phone to someone calling up on spec. I would expect to have to wait at least 6 months to get a puppy from a truly responsible breeder, even if they don't operate a formal waiting list they won't do a mating unless they are confident they have homes ready for the litter, of people they already know about/have vetted, and each bitch should have decent gaps between litters (and no more than 2-3 litters total in their lifetime) so waiting is a unfortunate necessity esp for breeds that have small litters, even if you get super lucky and the breeder has a bitch imminently ready for mating and a spot on the waiting list for you, it will take a few weeks for her to come into season and be mated, then the pregnancy time, then pups won't be ready to go until at least 8 weeks, longer for some breeds...

Good luck!

That's so helpful, thank you!

It just seemed so easy last time round!

I was in the same position as you last November. When I got my previous JR I googled local breeders and after a long chat with one breeder who was about to mate her bitch she put me in touch with a breeder she was mentoring who had just had their first litter and the rest, as they say, was history.

This time around it was much harder. I wanted a small terrier - preferably part JR but nothing like my old boy. I confess I used Pets4Homes. My biggest worry was making sure I was avoiding a puppy farm (they are rife in our area). I crossed my fingers and contacted someone about a litter locally. It turned out that she was an experienced hobby breeder and along with her parents runs a well respected local business which gave me some confidence in proceeding.

We were in lockdown and not able to visit for a week and she said that as I was first to make enquiries she would give me the first chance to see the litter and choose my pup the following week with no need to pay a deposit before visiting.

When we visited we were more than happy with the pups, both parents, and the owners. We had an hour alone with the dogs to choose the one we wanted. He was sold as a JR although his parents didn't meet the breed standard and he is too coloured for the breed standard but he is perfect and I love him to bits.

I don't think I could have found a better breeder if I had gone through a breed directory. They have kept in touch and follow my dog on Instagram. I know there a lot of bad breeders on P4H but it can be a good starting point.

@IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere how odd, I started there yesterday! Contacted one breeder, but she asked me nothing!

Didn't bode well for me, but I'll keep going.

There's a LOT of dodgy breeders on all the freelistings like Pets4Homes, especially now, it's a puppy farmer's dream. Everyone wants a lockdown puppy.

Look on ChampDogs instead
www.champdogs.co.uk/
You'll find more reputable breeders there and should be able to look up the sire and dam as well.

I know you don’t want a rescue dog but apparently rescue centres are full of lockdown puppies. Some pedigree. It was on tv today.

I don't know where all these lockdown puppies are but there are very few dogs in rescue locally and most of them have issues - not good with men/other dogs/children.

Champdogs is good if there is a breeder near you. I wasn't prepared to travel outside Wales and there are only 2 Welsh breeders listed - and one of them listed a whole slew of different terrier breeds. The trouble is that a lot of time a good breeder might not be breeding family pets - the animals may get the best of care and all the health checks but they're not family pets. My pup's parents are and that mattered more to me than good breeding lines.

I'm also looking and would prefer a young dog, but as Ithink says, there are no puppies or even very young dogs in the rescues near me. I'd prefer to rescue, but so many of the rescues I have seen won't put dogs in homes with children or will only place them in a home with another dog. I don't think we'll have much choice but to buy a puppy.

@JM10

I'm also looking and would prefer a young dog, but as Ithink says, there are no puppies or even very young dogs in the rescues near me. I'd prefer to rescue, but so many of the rescues I have seen won't put dogs in homes with children or will only place them in a home with another dog. I don't think we'll have much choice but to buy a puppy.

Wait until the end of the year. You'll potentially have to wait 2 years for a well-bred puppy anyway (or opt to give thousands to a greeder or puppy scammer, those are what are filling the freelistings).

Right now many people are still working from home and their kids are having a great time with their puppies. Once this pandemic ends, they go back to work, want to go on holiday, realise the cost of dog walkers and doggy daycare, the rescues will be overflowing with child-friendly dogs again.

Right now it's more likely the dogs are being signed over because they're too lively for small children and have sent them flying like skittles, or have complex behavioural issues that mean they really can't safely be rehomed with kids.

I don't know where all these lockdown puppies are but there are very few dogs in rescue locally and most of them have issues - not good with men/other dogs/children

The same here, we got from a breeder last time, but want to rehome one this time. Its proving impossible, between not allowing them with under 5,s and just the availability it making a rescuse impossible and forcing us to breeders which is a shame.

@tigger001

I don't know where all these lockdown puppies are but there are very few dogs in rescue locally and most of them have issues - not good with men/other dogs/children

The same here, we got from a breeder last time, but want to rehome one this time. Its proving impossible, between not allowing them with under 5,s and just the availability it making a rescuse impossible and forcing us to breeders which is a shame.

That’s mainly because the dogs that have been happily living with young children are living happily with their families, not being signed over to rescues.

Dogs that are being signed over and have been in a family with young children, are more likely being signed over because they DIDN’T get on with tiny kids, maybe they were too bouncy or had issues with resource guarding.

A rescue could only feel confident rehoming a dog to a family with very young children if that dog has a history being happy in that situation. The vast majority of rescue dogs do not have that history. The rescues do not want literal blood on their hands when the rescue dog turns out it cannot handle small kids tearing around or snatching things from under the dog’s nose, as small kids do.

A good reputable breeder may also be unwilling to sell a puppy to a family with under 5’s. Because puppies bite. They don’t want their dogs returned a few weeks later or sold on freelistings because of the kids. (There’s a LOT of dogs who are 12-16 weeks being resold on Gumtree and the like for exactly this reason.)