Does this sound dodgy?

[Sprockerdilerock]

My friend is looking to get a pup in the summer.

Shes contacted a couple of breeders via their websites to try and get on their waiting list for litters due soon. However they have all come back and told her to get back in contact when she is actually ready to get one and they will tell her what is available.

This seems nuts to me, I was interviewed then put on a waiting list for my pup and was kept updated through the pregnancy and first 8 weeks so I thought this was the standard.

Does this sound dodge to anyone else or am I just over cautious?

Yes, sounds dodgy to me.

Possibly dodgy yes, although to give it a positive slant the breeder I got my dogs from won't operate a waiting list system, she never breeds a litter she doesn't intend to keep at least one pup from, and sometimes if she judges the pups to be of sufficient quality she'll keep two or even three, so with that and the fact she's not always absolutely sure how many are expected in a litter, she won't formally operate a wait list, she waits until litter is born and she's decided how many she's keeping then she will take 'applications' for the remaining pups, this seems to work for her as she's always inundated with people wanting one of her dogs.

She's insanely fussy about who gets a puppy so def not a dodgy puppy farm who'll sell to anyone who can may the £££ - although I think this is a bit 'woo' myself, she claims to be able to tell once pups are born what kind of people/home they "want to live in" and so she matches puppies and potential owners on this basis - for instance she told us that as we live in a relatively urban area we could only have a confident/bold pup as a quieter one might be too nervy - even though so far as I can tell all her pups are calm natured and well socialised so I think any would have been fine, with appropriate training/exposure of course - but it's down to her who she wants her puppies to go to. I think the real reason is, basically she feels by operating a waiting list she's then 'guaranteeing' a puppy to someone once she's accepted them onto the list, whereas in reality she prefers to judge at the exact time she has the litter and the actual circumstances of the people at that time rather than as they were when they spoke 6 months or more ago...

Does sound a bit like they selling a lot.
'Call in July and they'll send you a list of what they have?'
Where is the breeder and can people visit?

I'm not sure where they were based but apparently its licenced by the council and have professional looking websites so she is convinced they are legit.

They do offer a number of breeds and cross breeds by the sounds of it, it just sounds a bit 'commercial'? Like you can pop in on a given day and browse from a catalogue of puppies?

You can visit apparently although there are restrictions currently.

It might not be dodgy - I know some very reputable breeders, especially for very popular breeds, who have had such long waiting lists over lockdown that it’s become very difficult to manage. They have no idea who on the waiting list is still looking when a litter does come around and then they still have a list that is pages long which will be totally out if date by the time the next litter is born.

Although your last message makes it sound very dodgy...

@Sprockerdilerock

I'm not sure where they were based but apparently its licenced by the council and have professional looking websites so she is convinced they are legit.

They do offer a number of breeds and cross breeds by the sounds of it, it just sounds a bit 'commercial'? Like you can pop in on a given day and browse from a catalogue of puppies?

You can visit apparently although there are restrictions currently.

That definitely sounds like a puppy farm.

It's not Kelly's Kennels by any chance?

Certainly sounds like somewhere similar to Kelly's Kennels (Warrington). I'm sure there must be others that are similar.

Sounds like a puppy farm to me, though I'm sure some smaller breeders may have their reasons for not operating a waiting list. I'm not convinced that there is anything 'wrong' per se, with breeding for profit, but my concern would be the welfare of the breeding bitches ie what happens to them in between litters?

For me, I can see why breeders aren't operating wait lists: as described by previous posters. It's the 'shop window' type comments that made me wonder what was behind it.

Just had a look at the website for Kelly's puppies.

Fucking hell. Pose the puppies as much as you want love they still look fucking miserable

I really wish people wouldn't fall for these set ups.

OP I think it depends what your friends said to them.

For example, we are thinking of getting a puppy in the future could you put us on a waiting list...seems like no, come back when you're actually in a position to get one, could be a reasonable response.

Very hard to say without more details

She didnt mention a name. I think possibly because she could sense how sceptical I was and she doesn't want anyone to piss on her parade.

I hope its not Kelly's Kennels though looking at the website. How can places like that possibly be approved by the council?! I dont see how a puppy coming from somewhere like that could be getting enough attention/socialisation. Although some of the reviews are good..