What Does This Mean?

[Black Bronson]

Why do so many not want to sell/respond to people who have mobile numbers only and free email? How is using a mobile any dodgier than using a home phone? Both can very easily be disconnected or the number changed.

I wouldn't NOT to respond to you in this situation, but I would be a little wary until we had established some rapport. With a landline I can tell approximately where you are, for example, if you have a 02 47xx xxxx number I know you are in Western Sydney, but with a mobile number you could be anywhere in the country, or in fact even OS with an Aust mobile number. If you are calling me from another state I want to know why you aren't dealing with the local breeders in that state. I had an enquiry from interstate recently and I checked with breeders in that state and they gave a very big 'STAY AWAY' from this buyer, as they had bought puppies from 3 different breeders, only to return the puppies in less than a week for a number of stupid reasons, such as they changed their mind about the colour of the puppy! Word had gotten out in that State, so they were now looking Interstate for a puppy. With just a mobile number you might tell me you are local to me, but I don't really know if that is true.

With free email accounts, I'm sure at least one enquiry for each litter I have for sale is from other breeders in my breed just wanting to find out what I'm telling puppy buyers and how much I'm charging. I always respond politely and answer all questions, including the cost, but I probably put a bit more info in the non-anonymous email requests.

I emailed a breeder late last year about a litter on a proper email address and got an answer to phone her. I phoned her 5 times and left a message over a week giving my mobile number and she never rang me back Perhaps she had an issue with mobile phone enquiries???. I couldn't understand why she never answered the phone or returned my calls, but kept updating her adds. You tend to give a mobile number having the phone with you not to miss calls as you would on a land line???.

[Jed]

The problem is that most of us are not "professional dog breeders". It is a hobby, and has to be fitted around whatever else we do. The weekends I have pups ready to leave for their new homes are very full on for me, and it's not the time to be talking to someone who has no intention of buying -- but I have plenty of time otherwise to talk to you, let you see the dogs, and spend a lot of time with you in the interest of you buying the dog which is right for you.

I like people to be honest. If they say they are interested in the breed, but do not know if they want a pup or not, I'm good with that. I'll talk to them, and recommend other breeders for them to talk to.

However, I really dislike wasting my time on someone who was never interested in a puppy, but purported to be. People looking at pups takes a lot of my time, because I like to talk to them, I like them to understand the breed, I like them to know what they are getting. I like to see them with the adult dogs. About 3 - 4 hours per visit for a puppy buyer with paperwork etc.

If people say they would like to see the pups, but not buy one, they could come at another time, and see the pups, and learn about them when I am not flat out, and have time to discuss the dogs and breed with them.

People who come to see the pups, and then don't like them are good with me too - it has to be the right dog, and if it's not, leave it here. It doesn't bother me. If you don't like the colour, or the eye, or the way it interacts with you, I'm happy. Don't feel bad about saying "no". I've done it, and I respect your right to do it too.

As far as hotmail accounts and mobile numbers go, I've been caught by both these. I am a bit dumber than the average bear, but once I've learned a hard lesson, I don't repeat it.

For me, there are many triggers for me not to want to sell a puppy to a person. Those triggers have been learned through hard and bitter experience over a lot of years. I want the pups I breed to go to the best possible homes. I talk to people, and if they hit a "red button", there is no pup.

That might seem unreasonable if you are the person who wants a pup. But it ensures my pups go to lifetime homes, and if you miss out, it may just be that this is not the breed for you, or that you are not ready for a pup, or you may not be the right home for a dog at all. And it saves you having the difficulty of a dog or breed which is not suitable, which you can't train, or which harrasses the kids, or which doesn't fit in with your lifestye.

I don't care if you are 80, or have kids hanging off each finger - you are either the right home, or not.

This is only my opinion, but it is born of experience and knowledge.

I don't care if you don't buy one - I am happy for them to stay here until their lifetime home comes along. It's not about money, it's about finding lifetime happy homes for those little lives I was responsible for bringing into the world. And it's about you too - I want you to ring me and tell me that this is the best dog you've ever had, or I'm the best breeder you've ever dealt with. Whether it is true or not is unimportant, what is important is that signifies that you are 100% happy with that life I planned for, mated the parents for, whelped and reared them for.

That's why I bred them. And I want them to fulfill my expectations, whether it is strutting their stuff in the ring, or lying on top of your feet and tormenting the pigeons, or helping you eat pies on your worksite.

And I have always tried to be the breeder my mentors were. I remember phoning up what turned out to be A Big Time Breeder, although I didn't know that at the time, voicing some serious questions and concerns about the breed. On reflection, I was such a numpty idiot, that breeder would have been within her rights to nick me off. Instead, she spent a couple of hours on the phone on a few occasions, spent an afternoon introducing me to her dogs, and found me the best dog I've ever owned- not one of hers, from another litter she knew about. She armed me with lots of information and advice before I went, and gave me constant advice and assistance for a lot of years after that. Willingly and graciously.

But I told her the truth. Turns out she had a criteria, which I discovered years later - only 1 - "genuine" or "not genuine". I was genuine, so I got help.

Be genuine, folks.

Edited May 4, 2010 by Jed