Buying A Puppy

[Rebanne]

I dont understand the concept of not leaving mobile numbers? I get it costs a tiny bit more than a landline to landline call, but we certainly have come a long way in costs of mobiles and it is very normal to leave mobile numbers as often people are not at home.

Myself and most people I am friends with, dont have a landline at home and our sole phone is our mobiles. So I would have no option but to leave my mobile. I would very disppointed if a breeder didnt call me back because I left a mobile number.

I would text you bback with a time suitable for you to call me. Calls cost a lot and not everyone has a huge plan.

Also, for the OP, I prefer first contact to be made by email but I work night shift so it might be 3 or 4 days before I reply. I am on my way home from Adelaide Royal, currently at my daughters, for the past 8 days basically just relying on my phone and I would never reply to an email via the phone. Not to savvy to do that. :laugh:

[sandgrubber]

I like to see a lot of relevant information in an email contact, can't stand the ones that say do you have any puppies available and how much. I like to email first so breeders can respond in their own time, some breeders do prefer phone calls though and hate to be emailed.

This is EXACTLY the attitude that drives sincere, but naive buyers to pet shop sellers and disreputable puppy-mill sellers who don't give a shit. The puppy buyer shouldn't face an arbitrary, judgmental, unwritten set of norms...and be cast out as a prospective puppy buyer because they don't fit some unspecified profile.

All sincere inquiries desreve4 at least a reply, allowing for clarification if some word raises a red flag.

No wonder pedigree breeders have gotten a reputation as snobs in some circles!

[Malakita]

Just nodding my head in total agreement with what sandgrubber said above.

[Roova]

It would certainly help if price were noted in ads too. The problem I found was then getting in contact with breeders but being very wary of asking price in first call for fear of offending. Then if on second contact I found price was out of my range I had to apologise profusely for wasting their time.

it would be great if DOL used a simple template for breeders to complete when advertising puppies. It's a place you would hope is safe to buy puppies from, ie registered breeders, but not all sellers are as great as others. For example, if the template had a question 'testing for known health problems:' and it was left blank, a buyer may choose to keep looking if that doesn't make them happy. I could imagine a number of simple questions answered in the template would save breeders being inundated with calls too hopefully.

[aliwake]

That is such a great idea Roova!

I too don't understand why price is such a big secret. If you already know you can't afford the pup it saves wasting the breeder's time and embarrassment for yourself when you have to refuse a pup after already sharing your life story...

[WreckitWhippet]

That is such a great idea Roova!

I too don't understand why price is such a big secret. If you already know you can't afford the pup it saves wasting the breeder's time and embarrassment for yourself when you have to refuse a pup after already sharing your life story...

I don't discuss price as it's not set in stone, I may sell one puppy for well over a thousand and give the next one away depending on breed experience and the home on offer. What I sell my puppies for is no one's business except myself and the person getting a puppy.

[minimax]

I like to see a lot of relevant information in an email contact, can't stand the ones that say do you have any puppies available and how much. I like to email first so breeders can respond in their own time, some breeders do prefer phone calls though and hate to be emailed.

This is EXACTLY the attitude that drives sincere, but naive buyers to pet shop sellers and disreputable puppy-mill sellers who don't give a shit. The puppy buyer shouldn't face an arbitrary, judgmental, unwritten set of norms...and be cast out as a prospective puppy buyer because they don't fit some unspecified profile.

All sincere inquiries desreve4 at least a reply, allowing for clarification if some word raises a red flag.

No wonder pedigree breeders have gotten a reputation as snobs in some circles!

+1

I hope you set out these expectations somewhere so people know what they have to do, otherwise you're setting people up to fail.

[SkySoaringMagpie]

I think it's fine to have preferences about contact as long as you are explicit about them.

I say on my website that I'm very busy and prefer email contact, with a view to setting up a time to chat. I don't provide my phone number on the website. So there's no confusion. I also have a price range on my website.

[Angeluca]

From the first email response I take the time to lay out everything.

it starts with when they were born to when they will be ready

the puppies colour and sex and how many of each in the litter and how many is left.

I then lay out registered name+ name and heath scores, and temperament of sire and Dam.

I then say cost and explain my deposit system. And that they are only avialble to suitable homes.

Viewing the dam and sire (if i have him)is encouraged.

I intent to keep a pup for my self and will select the most suitable pup for each home at 6 weeks. Some instances there is a choice sometimes not.

Pups on limited register unless otherwise dicussed.

I then ask 5 main questions

What is your stand on desexing?

What lifestyle do you live (active/relaxed, work situation, ect)?

Children if any your or visitors?

Are you familiar with the breed and have you any other pets?

What are you looking for in a pup?

I attach a pic of both sire and dam and couple of the puppies.

and every inquiry via email or phone is sent this and all i need to do is copy and paste.

I need to do is change the person I am saying hello to, and the amount of pups left. And of course the puppy photos get the most recent on the computer at the time.

If they call or email back I then start getting a feel for them, talk more personally with them and those who decide to commit get weekly updates and pics of their puppies

Edited September 17, 2013 by Angeluca

[Brandiandwe]

I recently emailed a breeder who is local to me (waves) because I'm interested getting a whippet at some point in the future. However, I was asking particularly about whether there were any shows they would be attending so that I could come along and see their dogs and meet them. The breeder couldn't have been nicer and I'm looking forward to seeing them and their dogs (and a whole lot of others!) on October 7th at a show.

I guess I've always thought that getting a dog was less a commercial transaction and more about developing a relationship with someone or some people so that we could be matched to exactly the right dog at the right time. But then I'm also open to not necessarily getting a puppy but maybe an older dog who has finished a show career or who needs to be rehomed for any reason. And I guess that, as with horses, the 'right' dog isn't always the one that is advertised.

Is that accurate?

[Angeluca]

I recently emailed a breeder who is local to me (waves) because I'm interested getting a whippet at some point in the future. However, I was asking particularly about whether there were any shows they would be attending so that I could come along and see their dogs and meet them. The breeder couldn't have been nicer and I'm looking forward to seeing them and their dogs (and a whole lot of others!) on October 7th at a show.

I guess I've always thought that getting a dog was less a commercial transaction and more about developing a relationship with someone or some people so that we could be matched to exactly the right dog at the right time. But then I'm also open to not necessarily getting a puppy but maybe an older dog who has finished a show career or who needs to be rehomed for any reason. And I guess that, as with horses, the 'right' dog isn't always the one that is advertised.

Is that accurate?

2 answers to your question

Yes it is less commercial and more a relationship. that is what is suppose to happen. But breeders have so many inquiries that it is hard to establish who is serious and who is not or questionable. Also some people get offended when they can't choose their pick pup or by questions asked. Some don't like to be explained how we think they need to raise their dog and so forth (inside/outside desexing and training). We as breeders know once we have chosen a home for our pup it then becomes their dog but we would choose the home we think the pup would be raised best. So building that relationship can be a trick thing it needs a lot of understanding, open mindedness and honesty from both sides.

The other point is not many people are so informed as you to even ask about shows, some people don't care what achievements the dogs have or what we do with them, they want a healthy pup for their family that is it. they don't want to go to shows it doesn't interest them. There is nothing wrong with these people but sometimes it does make things harder to explain certain training and upbringing methods and just to get tho know them in general.

Credit to you for being so informed and being available for shows. But you are few and far between.

Edited September 17, 2013 by Angeluca

[Brandiandwe]

Hmmmm. I guess then it also comes down to what other experiences people have. I'm not at all interested in showing, but I used to ride horses, and I think you can tell an awful lot about a person's temperament and their animals by watching them perform out and about. I also like watching gorgeous animals move and show off, and love seeing the pride and work that goes into preparing and presenting an animal at its best. I'm also in awe - I have enough problems getting up in the morning, remembering to wash my face and brush my hair and get through to lunch without spilling something on myself without adding the stress of trying to present a dog that well! My dogs generally get their collars and harnesses put on the right way round and are kept clean, healthy and happy, but that's the limit of my capacities!

I do get the thing about breeders having a lot of inquiries though, as well as many many tire kickers. I try to be honest about what I want, which is the right dog at some stage though not immediately. And I guess I feel that the breeder is the expert - they know their dogs so if I can give a clear an accurate picture about what I want and need in terms of temperament and age to fit in with the existing 3, then it is for them to decide what is available and suitable. If that means I don't get a particular colour, sex, age or whatever, so be it. If that means I have to wait, so be it. The right dog is more important than the right now dog.

But shows are, I think, a great way of seeing other breeds. It's the Hound Club Show I'm going to, and I'm hoping that as well as whippets, I'll be able to finally see deerhounds, salukis and borzois up close. If I can see a basset or a blood hound as well, my life will be complete!