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The doghouse

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Original poster

What is a reasonable price for this dog and would you be wary?

35 replies

Bedtimeteatime · 06/10/2022 07:05

I told a friend recently that I was thinking of getting a dog for our family. We didn't mind a puppy or a younger dog. She happened to know somebody selling a beautiful 6 month old poodle cross as she hadn't managed to sell the last 2 pups of the litter and had hung on to them. A big reason for this is that the person adores dogs and had struggled to part with them- having met her I can see that this is true.

However, on visiting the pups I was informed that the smaller one hasn't always been smaller and that the smallest (also there) has actually overtaken the size of the other one. She wants to sell the smallest but keep the other one. This made me wary as I began wondering why the one she wants me to have hasn't continued to grow bigger than the one which was smaller? And then I wondered if she was trying to sell me the runt? She seemed very genuine (friend of a friend) but the one she wants me to have looked underweight. I asked her about this and she said that because she has so many dogs she can't monitor food intake. Is is a worry that this dog doesn't appear to be thriving as much as the pup which was smaller at birth? I just worry about health issues and my children would be devastated if we had it and something happened.

Another thing is price.
She is asking for £900 which I know is a good price for a puppy, but this dog will be 6 months old so it seems a little steep for a dog which is now older. She justifies the price by saying that we won't need to toilet train him and I know she has a point. I have offered her less money (600) for the dog but she won't accept it. Part of me feels a little guilty as I want to rescue it and help it gain weight, he would have such a loving home with us, but I also don't want to inherit a dog with potential issues. Is it a concern that the smaller pup at birth has overtaken this one in terms of size? I also can't justify spending 900 on a 6 month old dog, but he does need rehoming. He's not thriving where he is. What do I do?,

OP posts:
BabyMoonPie · 06/10/2022 07:11

If she has "so many dogs she can't monitor their food intake" she isn't responsible as an owner or breeder. I don't know who the appropriate body to get involved is, the RSPCA?

ImperioMarch · 06/10/2022 07:12

£900 would be a good price for a purebred puppy with a half decent pedigree. It's an absolute rip off for a cross breed, let alone one that's six months old.

Getting people to pay pedigree prices for mongrels is one of the greatest cons of our lifetime. (nothing wrong with them as dogs, just the pricing issue)

Everydaywheniwakeup · 06/10/2022 07:17

£900 for a mongrel that is possibly unhealthy, no longer very young so may have training challenges and there's a question mark over why noone snapped it up sooner. Unless you have money to burn, I'd be staying well clear.

Whinge · 06/10/2022 07:18

Part of me feels a little guilty as I want to rescue it and help it gain weight, he would have such a loving home with us

But he does need rehoming. He's not thriving where he is.

OP stop it. This is not your problem to fix. You don't need to be this dogs saviour, especially if it means paying £900. They're relying on you feeling guilty, if your friend or the greeder wanted to help the puppy there are plenty of options available to do so.

My advice, walk away.

Pishposh99 · 06/10/2022 07:18

If you're wanting to "rescue" a dog then get one from an actual rescue.

Mollymalone123 · 06/10/2022 07:19

I would be very wary and a decent owner/ breeder would know how much their dog ate and if they were underweight would have to taken them to a vet by now.Poor dog but you could bring for a lifetime of vet visits.Backyard breeders like her don’t deserve dogs-no matter how ‘lovely’ she seems.We took on a dog with clear but unknown health issues as we know the breed- but we are lucky in that we had the money to do so.I am talking thousands spent on one of our dogs-she had chronic health issues-but we wouldn’t have done anything different.
unless you have the time and resources it’s set to look for another dog.

PutinIsAWarCriminal · 06/10/2022 07:21

Walk away. A genuine breeder wouldn't be charging full price for a pup who wasn't thriving. Someone who has so many dogs isn't a reasonable breeder.
I wouldn't go near a poodle cross anyway, I've seen too many with poorly maintained coats, which have caused horrible matting and skin sores. I'm not against a cross breed as such, I have a couple myself, but certainly didn't pay what I had paid for pedigree. I wouldn't spend good money on a pup where the parents weren't temperament tested, hip scores done etc.

GiantCheeseMonster · 06/10/2022 07:21

Walk away. Incredibly irresponsible. I knew it would be a poodle cross as soon as you said it.

Also, many (maybe most) dogs are not reliably toilet trained until 8 or 9 months and will still have accidents up to this point. Toilet training is hard work, and if she has so many dogs that she can’t monitor their food, I don’t see how she can give a puppy enough attention to toilet train it.

Getting this puppy will save that puppy but she’ll just breed more. Best thing to do is report her to the council (bet she’s not licensed) or RSPCA to see if they will do a welfare check.

Then research breeds and go to a reputable breeder for a puppy - champdogs is a good website to use.

Hellocatshome · 06/10/2022 07:22

Don't kid yourself that you are rescuing this dog. There are plenty of dogs that need rescuing they are in rescue centres and a hell of a lot cheaper than £900. If you have concerns about the dog (although most dogs people describe as thin are actually a healthy weight) contact RSPCA. Do not buy a 6 month old cross breed with dubious health for £900.

PutinIsAWarCriminal · 06/10/2022 07:23

Someone who has so many dogs isn't a reasonable breeder. should have said so many dogs they couldn't monitor feeding, there is nothing wrong with a house full of dogs if you can managed and care for each one.

Riverlee · 06/10/2022 07:24

I wouldn’t risk it - plenty of reputable breeders out there.

Your post contradicts itself;- has trouble selling the puppy v wanted to keep puppy. Which is it?

We brought a puppy recently, also from a friend of a friend. But we did our research, met the breeders months before the mum became pregnant, saw the puppies several times before choosing one, etc.

Don’t be swayed because he’s a cute puppy - there are other cute puppies out there.

PinotPony · 06/10/2022 07:26

£900 for a mongrel?! Er... no! You could get a decent pedigree pup from a reputable breeder for that kind of money.

Notimetothink · 06/10/2022 07:26

Walk away

TooHotToTangoToo · 06/10/2022 07:29

She's not a good breeder
£900 is expensive
Now lockdown is over and the puppy boom has been and gone there are lots of breeders out there who can't get rid of puppies.
She's probably wanting the keep the bigger dog to breed from
The smaller dog is likely ill or will suffer issues for the life
Don't get guilt tripped into buying the dog because you feel sorry for it, this is her angle. She knows it'll be harder to sell, probably sees your sympathy and is trying it on.
People who sell cross breeds such as labradoodles don't get monitored by the kennel club as some pure breeders do. A lot of people have taken up breeding poodle X as they see it as an additional and lucrative revenue stream

If you want to rescue a dog, do it via a charity, lots of people are surrendering dogs due to buying in lockdown and now having to return to the office and the cost of living rises. Don't buy from a breeder, they'll simply breed their dogs again.

PlntLady · 06/10/2022 07:29

Dont do it! You hear so many stories about ppl getting dogs that didnt look in great condition only to find out they had loads of health issues and end up loosing the pup.

We had a simple issue with our dog last year and the vets fees were just over 1.5k. Luckily our dog is insured. But he is a very old dog so sooner or later it's to be expected. You should never buy a pup hat already looks unhealthy as dogs are so good at hiding issues. In my experience he issues always turn our far worse than they first seemed.

I understand you wanting to rescue the pup but think about how awful your children will feel if you loose it.

ThatsTheWayIHikeIt · 06/10/2022 07:30

If you believe there is a neglect issue - and it sounds like there is - perhaps a report to the RSPCA may be a good idea. Sounds like this "breeder" needs checking up on if she has so many dogs she can't ensure their wellbeing.

LovelyDaaling · 06/10/2022 07:30

Sounds like a vet bill waiting to happen.

Original poster
Bedtimeteatime · 06/10/2022 07:31

Thank you. I'm so glad I posted here.
I will walk away now and go to a renowned, registered breeder.

OP posts:
Dontjudgeme101 · 06/10/2022 07:43

Bedtimeteatime · 06/10/2022 07:31

Thank you. I'm so glad I posted here.
I will walk away now and go to a renowned, registered breeder.

Kudos to you op. Well done for listening.

shandon14 · 06/10/2022 07:51

Good choice OP, it's better not to prop up irresponsible breeders. If you're up for paying that much for a cross bred dog who is a bit older and hasn't had a good start, give it to a charity.

Original poster
Bedtimeteatime · 06/10/2022 08:10

Can anyone recommend any charities I can go to instead?

OP posts:
7catsisnotenough · 06/10/2022 08:15

I think some of the breeds have their own rescues, maybe try looking into that OP?

Pishposh99 · 06/10/2022 08:19

I found our rescue by googling our region ie - rescue dogs yorkshire

DarcyProudman · 06/10/2022 08:19

Try Many Tears. They have loads of unsold poodle crosses, all the time, these days. I think people are refusing to pay the ridiculous prices anymore, so the ‘breeders’ dump them at MT…

averythinline · 06/10/2022 08:19

Rescues..spaniel aid, sos spaniel, many tears, prodog, mayhew , dogs trust..
Or look for a breed you're interested in+ rescue...it can take longer to get a dog via a rescue as they are focused on the dog needs not the human ! So often have criteria for each dog