Breeders, How Would You Respond To An Email Like This?

[rastus_froggy]

The other day there was a thread about someone after a staffy pup and they were originally deciding between 2 registered breeders, one seemed quite dodgy after looking at their website so I shot them off an email just to see what sort of response I would get, this is my email to them in it's entirity:

"How much are your pups? Do you have any left out of the litter shown on here? And if you do how soon could I pick one up?"

and unfortunately I got a very positive response, they were more than willing to sell me a pup.

Ethical breeders look far more into who they sell pups to aren't they? Please tell me they are.

I find it very sad that people like this can become registered breeders but I do understand it must be very hard for the canine council to monitor these sorts of things.

[Danielle]

When I bought my puppers from their (ethical) breeders I was asked a lot of questions and they made very sure that they were happy to sell to me. I found it comforting that they screened potential buyers, and I felt that I had made a safe choice with these breeders. I have been very happy with my dogs, they are exactly what I wanted and all three breeders have made themselves available whenever I have needed to ask a question.

I would not buy from a breeder that did othewise. :D

[Mystiqview]

What kind of positive answer did you receive?

While it is concerning, I have to wonder:

What was their ad? Did they have "pups sold on limit reg" or the like on their ad? Other conditions etc? They may presume that buyers know the difference between main and limit? I know a few breeders who take this for granted that pet people know what main and limit rego is.

Some breeders are still ethical, but may judge their buyers in person. They may also not be word saavy or net saavy. They may also be used to people shopping around and in the first instance have come across all friendly.

I certainly do not like to jump down puppy buyer's throats on all the stipulations and conditions and what kind of person they are on first contact. (well some I have, but that is due to their email in the first place).

If I receive an email like that, I will tell them how much pups are and when they are ready to go and what is left. I may not put much more in a response either. If they are interested, they will get back to me. If not, I have not wasted a whole lot of my time either.

If they get back to me then I will start to add in the screening questions. If that makes sense.

[~Shepherd~]

How do you know the breeder was unethical?

you havent even spoken on the phone?

Perhaps the breeder needed to move the pups on quickly due to buyers pulling out and the screening would come after the initial email.

[~Anne~]

I can't see that an answer to an email enquiry can be construed either way really, unless they made statements such as "the pups will not be registered" or similar.

I quite often answered emails with very simple responses for my rescue, which I am sure, to some could have been construed as unethical or not very satisfying. I know though that when a query gets to a point where it is serious, I will seriously check them out however. Until then, I don't waste a lot of time unless I have the time and energy to waste. Many email enquiries are what I term as 'tyre kickers' and they are just testing the waters. Many will also have emailed a few others asking the same questions.

[Gayle.]

"How much are your pups? Do you have any left out of the litter shown on here? And if you do how soon could I pick one up?"

If I sent an email like this to ANY breeder, I would hope I'd get a reply that stated the price and availablilty of their pups. Any screening should come later and no breeder or anyone else, should presume to judge a buyer based on one email consisting of not very many words.

[macka]

When I was looking for my lab puppy I wrote off two breeders for offering me a puppy straight away without asking me any questions.

Just didn't feel right.

[~Shepherd~]

If you turn people away on the first email, or turn them off because of your 'screening' questions they will probably end up going BYB or petshop. Already the process takes too long, a lot of this screening carry on seems to be over done simply to make the breeder look more ethical.

Flashy websites, intimidating screening responses and awards DO NOT make an ethical breeder.

[fifi]

"How much are your pups? Do you have any left out of the litter shown on here? And if you do how soon could I pick one up?"

I'm afraid emails of this nature are usually deleted by me.

I used to take lots of time to send positive, educational emails with breed club contacts, polite requests for further info to help them in their puppy quest, ect. or at the very least a copy/paste response with similar information.

And NOT one of those types of email folk ever replied, not even to thank me for my reply.

So unless they show some kind of basic manners / introduction ect. I just don't have the enthusiasm to reply.

fifi

[rastus_froggy]

I honestly just thought there would be more questions up front, but now I do see where you are all coming from, and I didnt think about how lots of questions upfront may turn people off and they may go to a pet shop or byb.

Anyway here is the repsonse I got:

thanks for the email we ciurrently have 5 puppies available. male 3,4 and 5 females 1 and3. puppies areall ready to go in 3 weeks time. all puppies are sold with main pedigree papers all going for 2000. if you have any enquireis pls let us no asap as pups are going quick.

I just wanted to see how they would respond to the enquiry I sent, my bad :D sorry.

[Gayle.]

That's actually pretty much the response I got when I emailed Bensons breeder, although I was a bit more wordy in my first email than you were.

She included her phone number for me to call her so I did right away and we went there the next afternoon to see the pups and possibly choose one. I would expect that had she not found us to be suitable owners, she would not have sold us a pup.

all puppies are sold with main pedigree papers all going for 2000.

$2000 for a Staffie pup? Jebeesus!

[~Shepherd~]

I honestly just thought there would be more questions up front, but now I do see where you are all coming from, and I didnt think about how lots of questions upfront may turn people off and they may go to a pet shop or byb.

Anyway here is the repsonse I got:

thanks for the email we ciurrently have 5 puppies available. male 3,4 and 5 females 1 and3. puppies areall ready to go in 3 weeks time. all puppies are sold with main pedigree papers all going for 2000. if you have any enquireis pls let us no asap as pups are going quick.

I just wanted to see how they would respond to the enquiry I sent, my bad :D sorry.

Well you know what they have and how much you will need to save and thats the most important thing to a buyer before they start asking other questions. Why screen a buyer if they cant even afford the dog or want a bitch?

Im actually weary of 'overdone' responses or websites.

[macka]

The fact that they are selling all pups on main register is a concern. I personally wouldn't buy from these people.

[mersonmalinois]

"How much are your pups? Do you have any left out of the litter shown on here? And if you do how soon could I pick one up?"

I'm afraid emails of this nature are usually deleted by me.

I used to take lots of time to send positive, educational emails with breed club contacts, polite requests for further info to help them in their puppy quest, ect. or at the very least a copy/paste response with similar information.

And NOT one of those types of email folk ever replied, not even to thank me for my reply.

So unless they show some kind of basic manners / introduction ect. I just don't have the enthusiasm to reply.

fifi

I agree with you fifi 100%! :D

[WreckitWhippet]

I honestly just thought there would be more questions up front, but now I do see where you are all coming from, and I didnt think about how lots of questions upfront may turn people off and they may go to a pet shop or byb.

Anyway here is the repsonse I got:

thanks for the email we ciurrently have 5 puppies available. male 3,4 and 5 females 1 and3. puppies areall ready to go in 3 weeks time. all puppies are sold with main pedigree papers all going for 2000. if you have any enquireis pls let us no asap as pups are going quick.

I just wanted to see how they would respond to the enquiry I sent, my bad :D sorry.

well there's the clue that you need to run a mile from that one.

all on the main and $2000.

[Loving my Oldies]

"How much are your pups? Do you have any left out of the litter shown on here? And if you do how soon could I pick one up?"

If I sent an email like this to ANY breeder, I would hope I'd get a reply that stated the price and availablilty of their pups. Any screening should come later and no breeder or anyone else, should presume to judge a buyer based on one email consisting of not very many words.

Obviously I am not a breeder, but I am a foster carer and if I received an email like this, I would respond by attaching an application form and ask them to complete it. The adoption cost is on the dogs' listings and the listings show that he/she is still available.

I had one email: Very interested in XXXXX contact ASAP !!

[WreckitWhippet]

I will reply back with the basics of a puppy costs x on the limit register ( not for breeding or showing ) comes wormed, vaccinated, micropchipped and Dogs NSW registered. Puppies are are ready to leave for their new homes at 8-10 weeks of age.

It doesn't mean they will get a puppy but I've found over the years I've wasted my time with extended responses.

[jess live die]

i am not a breeder

but when i was looking through them to find the right one

the 1st one i emailed didnt ask any questions i asked heaps about them and there dogs litters and litters to be and i got lovely emails back but no questions and then a few breeders i emailed just asked age and location and that was that.

the lady that i have decided to go with in my email she asked a few like name age location colours ext ect and she said if i did decide to go with her that she would like to ask more and i did ask her what else she would like to ask not that way but yea and she asked more indep ones and i felt that she was making sure that i was the right type of person for her pups and today she said i was perfect and i have been accented to be put on her list.

[~Shepherd~]

What questions would an 'ethical' breeder like to hear on the first point of contact from a pet buyer?

What replies would a pet buyer like hear when making the initial enquiry?

Are all the initial responses and replies the same if it was a sale from breeder to breeder?

[OSoSwift]

I would probably be a little bit unimpressed by their response, however at least you got one!

I emailed 5 people when looking for a Whippet and got one reponse!

I always worry I say too much in my first contact - usually email. I say who I am where I am from and what sort of property I have. I also say what ages my kids are and other dogs/cats.

I tell them what sort of things I like to do with my dog e.g obedience.

I also tell them what sort of time frame I am after - usually 1 to 2 years (I start searching early)

I then ask any questions I have. Price, availability(length of waiting list) health screening required, possibly questions about coat.

I guess I like to put it in the first contact so if they read something they like they can tell me first up if they would not sell a puppy to me. That way they do not waste their time and I do not waste mine.