Downsides of buying a trained puppy/dog?

[GreenDragonisLoose]

I'm looking into buying a ready-trained young labrador, rather than a puppy and training it myself.

So you pick the sex, traits that you want, and it comes toilet trained, with recall, house manners etc.

Any downsides to this? Seems too good to be true so I must be missing something?!

Adolescence is the kicker with puppies. So you can get a puppy that knows sit, stay, do a polka, say 'sausages', sort out the washing etc.

And then they turn into a massive massive bellend and chase a duck across three counties and start pooing in the bath randomly.

If you outsourced__ the early training it'll be harder to get through this stage.

My pooch was almost a year old when we adopted him from a rescue. Initially they said he wasn't house trained, but apart from a few accidents he learned very quickly to wait until he was outside (now he practically poops to order!) He learned his new name, and over time as he trusted us and developed his relationship he picked up all sorts of commands and tricks. We wipe his paws when we get back home and he will lift each foot in turn without us saying a word - it's so cute!

I wish I had seen him as a puppy, I know he would have been gorgeous, but I also know that he has a far better life now than the one he seemed destined for, so it is worth giving that up to give him the spoilt rotten life he has now.

As long as op goes into this with eyes wide open, she should be fine. Ie. Be aware that that the trained dog is not the finished product, and that training is ongoing.

I don’t really understand this The dog training business isn’t replicating thus. Rescue centres rehome unwanted dogs, for whatever reason, whilst this trainer is offering a service.

@Gundogday problem is I don’t think she is. If you are not willing to do the initial hard graft with a puppy are you really someone who should have a dog, as there will be moments of hard graft throughout that dog’s life. It’s not all country walks and snuggling on the sofa

Where do all of these dogs live until they are 10 - 18 months old? Presumably they must have a fair few of them if it's a business.

Probably in a cellar until they reach the maturity that is required by the OP and others like her. Much the same as you would do with a fine wine.
Or perhaps in a barrel as one would do with whisky.

Why not look into Labrador rescues? I have a friend who fosters Labradors for a rescue. All the dogs she has had are lovely family pets being rehomed for no fault of their own. The youngest have been about a year old and the oldest about 7. They have all been absolutely great and really easy dogs.

@elastamum my parents had dogs from Golden retriever rescue, local one run by a breeder. One of the dogs was actually one of the breeder’s former puppies. Family had had children since getting dog, and it wasn’t getting the attention it deserved. Absolutely lovely dog, wonderful temperament, but fat and unfit. So parents had to work on that but had about 8 great years with this dog. Got another rescue one after that, which was an absolute disaster, so doesn’t always work

@redboxer321 my concern is how these dogs are looked after for 18 months. No-one who loves dogs would run a business like this

I can look into this too! Thanks 😊

@SpanielsGalore most of them claim the dogs live in 'the house with a family who fosters them' - which is what OP is saying this lot of charlatans claim.
Most of the time, they live in small kennels (as dogs in rescue kennels do), and are only bought out to train. They then go into a 'family home' to be met by OP.

There are several such businesses near me. Most also also run a 'kennel' for boarding or are 'breeders'. The dogs they 'train' live in the kennels. Not in family homes, despite what the businesses websites will claim.

Only one near me is specifically for spaniels - they have, perhaps, a litter a year and the dogs only go to working homes. I sometimes go out with my boy on shoots with that family and they have nothing but horror stories for this sort of business.

This is a growing market for (and I feel a bit awful saying it, but I am going to), gypsies. People think they're getting a 'fully trained' dog that's lived a good life before coming to them and, unless they are getting a working dog to work, it almost always goes horribly wrong.

A fool and his money are soon parted.

@crumblingschools
My point was that a dog is a sentient being and not a commodity as the OP seems to regard them. To be clear, I share your concerns.

On the subject of rehoming dogs those that come from rescue centres are not necessarily "unknown" as the OP states - exactly the opposite if you go to a good rehoming centre - and while some might have "big issues", many don't.

What I have noticed with some people who rescue dogs - and they are really re-homers but like to call themselves rescuers - is that they don't have the ability, or perhaps can't be bothered to help their dogs overcome whatever issues they have, and in fact often make those issues worse, and then put it down to the fact that the dog has had a difficult early life. Anything but look at themselves and what they are doing.
A woman saw fit to let her dog run up to my on-lead dog growling and barking the other day because the dog had "spent the first year of its life in a cage".
Loads of reasons why that is unacceptable but it also never crossed her mind to think that my dog might have had a difficult start too - she has and her unwanted behaviours stem from the fact that she was once a street dog but I don't let her cause other people or dogs problems because of her tough start. Not always easy for her or me but it's my job to support her and help her adapt.

Every day I become more convinced that human beings should not inflict themselves on dogs or any other sentient being and this thread has done nothing to make make me unconvinced.

@LandSharksAnonymous That's so sad. I've not come across businesses like this before. I know people who sell 'failed' working and show dogs, but they kept the puppies as they showed promise. And I know you can send your dogs away to be trained for you, if you can't be arsed to do it yourself.
I'd Google it to find out more, but I think it would be too depressing. 😞

Lots to think about, thanks again everyone!

I did not want a puppy or to deal with toilet training. I got a rescue dog aged about a year. Well sure he was toilet trained but he was also an adolescent idiot. None of his issues were due to being rescued or having a hard life (he didn’t). All of them were pretty much normal for his age and we’ve had to work through it. I underestimated how hard it would be. (I wouldn’t be without him now) At least I had not paid any money for him so I had more to spend on training. I think I would get an older (and smaller) dog next time.

My dog also developed a fear of motor bikes since we’ve had him so I guess that even if the dog had no issues it can still acquire some. My friend had a retired guide dog so a perfectly trained lab but she admitted that their family successfully managed to undo his training and teach him quite a few bad habits within a few months!

A fully trained dog is too good to be true and not the easy solution you are thinking. There is no way around the hard yards. I’d get a rescue dog and spend the cash on some regular top quality 1:1 training sessions. That’s what has helped us the most.

You must be my old neighbour! That's exactly how I would describe it.

Looks like the OP is only looking for positive stories and disregarding the pitfalls? What happens if the dog develops a behavioural problem when they’re older which needs working through? That’s often harder than the normal stuff they tend to grow out of with guidance.

OP, in your shoes I'd look for a dog that had either not made the grade as a showing/breeding prospect, and was being rehomed by the breeder, or a gundog that was proving not drivey enough to do the job on a shoot.

A family I know had one of the former, who was about 12-18 months old iirc, and whose hip score was too high for the breeder to want to breed her. She was the perfect dog for that family: placid, not very bright, well-behaved. She had a long and happy life with them (and her hips saw her through to her old age).

Another family has one of the latter: a not-very-drivey spaniel. Again, perfect dog for the family she has gone to.

Or could these dogs be stolen?

That's really helpful, thank you!

Or the breeder has dismissed the dog for breeding or showing as they have a health issue or are not the right temperament and you pick up a dog that costs you loads in ongoing treatment and behaviour issues........

Ohh could you link to your articles, if they're published?

I believe we have a beautiful pup form the breeder you mention. Best dogs

What’s putting you off training a dog yourself? It isn’t hard and ime puppies learn most commands by about 12 weeks and then it’s just reinforcement.

Where do they get these puppies sounds like you are shopping at argos or something do they have a "back room" of puppies do they also have a no bark option ?