Our dogs deserve the best from all humans, right from the start.
You want a puppy, you scour the internet and come across some adorable little pups posed in the cutest setting. The puppies still have cloudy eyes, they are only about 3 weeks old but you can buy one right away. Just pay online and the breeder will ship your puppy to you in a couple of weeks. DON’T DO IT.
I’m just finished reading an article on the CBC website where 500 French Bulldogs were shipped from Ukraine to Toronto, Canada. Upon arrival 39 were dead and others were dying. They were shipped to Canada to sell to unsuspecting puppy buyers. This is not just happening in Canada but the US as well and I’m sure other countries. It is a criminal activity where people can buy large quantities of puppies and then resell them to folks who have no idea for big dollars.
Should you buy a puppy site unseen online? NO. That said, if you get to know an ethical breeder who you know through other people then maybe. My girl Elsa is from Ohio, we live in Southern California. I knew of Elsa’s breeder for a long time. I knew many people who had a puppy from previous litters and the reputation of the breeder. We talked often on the phone, emailed and IM on Facebook. There was not a doubt in my mind that she was a reputable, upstanding, ethical breeder with integrity.
My breeder standards are high, I have written often on blogs just about finding a good breeder and/or rescue. Not all rescues are the same either. If you are looking for a rescue, do your research. There are rescue groups that are unscrupulous as well so do not think that all people who claim to be rescuing are doing that.
Sadly I hear about people sending money to “so called” breeders only to find out that there are no puppies. Other purchase one of these “online puppies” and receive a sickly little thing that barely hangs on or perishes. NOT ALL BREEDERS ARE THE SAME. Please read this and understand that there are wonderful breeders who are conscientious, take care of their adult dogs, test all their breeding dogs, screen potential puppy buyers, temperament test puppies and match to new home accordingly, keep in contact with puppy families etc. etc.
Good breeders do not let their puppies just go to anyone who has the money. Good breeders do not let their puppies go at 5-6 weeks of age or younger. Good breeders do not keep their dogs in kennels. Good breeders do not try to convince you to buy two puppies instead of one. Good breeders will not just send a puppy to you on a plane when you purchase them online with paypal, having never talked to you. Yes there are lots of breeders out there and there are lots of liars. Sad but true, finding a great breeder is a lot of work. But worth every second of that work.
Greed is where the bad breeders/rescuers come from. They see an opportunity to sell and make money and they take it. They don’t care who gets hurt along the way as long as they get their money. They cut corners to save a buck anywhere that they can. And they lie, oh boy do they lie; they even lie to themselves and believe the lies.
When particular breeds or mixes become the “in” type of dog, it can only go very, very wrong. Don’t get roped into believing all the hype about any dog or mix of dogs. A dog is a dog is a dog, do your research. Ask a million questions and expect answers. If the person on the other end of the phone or standing in front of you gets defensive about your questions, leave quickly.
Does the breeder have a slew of dogs and lots of litters all the time? leave quickly, hang up or get out of their website. Does the breeder do any health testing of the breeding parents? That’s a biggy, no matter what dogs or mixes of dogs are being bred. Health testing is a must and it shows that the breeder cares about their dogs and the dogs that they are passing onto new puppy families.
I honestly could go on and on and I will write more blogs on the subject because it is something I am very passionate about. Just know this, if you purchase a dog from Craigslist or Kijiji, you cannot know where the dog actually comes from and/or it’s health. It is literally a crap shoot. Many people want to save money on a puppy but then you pay for it later on. Best to go to a breeder who does their best to make sure that you get a healthy puppy.
Nough said…till next time.