Anyone else finding it hard to sell puppies?? never had so many timewasters!!!

[GeorgieLee]

Hi We have bred Miniature Pinchers for the last 5/6 years and have never had a problem selling them, we have deposits on them by 4 weeks,
This year is a different story, we are asking £250 LESS than normal to reflect the current climate (we advertised them at full price for 2 weeks) and we have two left and they are 15 weeks now.
The crazy thing is we hav sold them about 5 times!! people have rund and even come to see them, aranged a time to come and collect them and never appeared!! Im used to time wasters but this year they seem to be out in force!!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Nothing is selling - I know people with pups by last year's VA5 dog in Germany, who has a good chance at VA1 this year, started at £1200 and they're down to £450.
I know the original price was stupid but it goes to show you can be selling some of the best bloodlines in the world and still not get it right - we're in bad times, it's one of the risks attached to breeding and always good to have homes lined up before selling.

 

[GeorgieLee]

Yep defo bad times, this was my mums last litter aswell so we could afford to have our 3 bitches spayed

 

[rowy]

some dogs are selling really quickly though! We are getting a new puppy- a cockapoo black and the black ones are selling like hot cakes! the more expensive teddy bear ones (cream) not so much though.
At a yard where i am buying a new pony, they have just had a accident litter which is german shepard cross lurcher. they had 10 puppies :O i think they are gonna really struggle to find homes for all of them. besides do people know what lurcher x gs look like?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Selling like hotcakes, anyone would think you were talking about an inanimate object
How much are you paying, out of interest? And how much more for a prettier colour?

A GSD lurcher can be quite striking and they can often have erect ears, but ten pups is a lot to think about homing, there is a user on here who has one but cannot remember her name for the life of me.
Unlike a lot of lurcher types which could find working homes, they are not an ideal combination of breeds for working.

 

[FrodoBeutlin]

But when people come and agree to buy a pup, don't you get a deposit?

We did not have any problems finding homes, in fact we now have a waiting list in case we decide to do another litter next year (!), but it *is* an extremely rare breed

 

[Puppy]

I could find homes for my Poplets ten times over, despite the fact I'm (1) not selling them, and (2), wouldn't even consider parting with them to anyone I didn't consider a good friend.

 

[Sandstone1]

maybe, it should make people think twice about breeding when there are so many dogs in rescue already.

 

[dozzie]

Not sure what your breed association is like or if you are a member, but the good mastiff breeders ( My dog's breed) advertise via word of mouth through the mastiff sclub or association. I went though the club to find my pup. So maybe worth ringing them to let them know you have some pups, as someone looking for a puppy may go to the breed society first.

That sounds confusing when i read it back!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Not as confusing as mine - I said 'homes lined up before selling' when I meant 'homes lined up before breeding'

 

[MurphysMinder]

Not as confusing as mine - I said 'homes lined up before selling' when I meant 'homes lined up before breeding'

I did think homes lined up before selling was kind of obvious I think puppy sales are really suffering, people are reluctant to commit to extra expense. Re the GSD x lurchers, I think you are right about them struggling. Then again perhaps if they give them a fancy designer name they might have more luck.

 

[rowy]

Selling like hotcakes, anyone would think you were talking about an inanimate object
How much are you paying, out of interest? And how much more for a prettier colour?

A GSD lurcher can be quite striking and they can often have erect ears, but ten pups is a lot to think about homing, there is a user on here who has one but cannot remember her name for the life of me.
Unlike a lot of lurcher types which could find working homes, they are not an ideal combination of breeds for working.

Heehee sorry i have never used that phrase before and never realised how stupid it sounded

I think it is £550 for black and about £700 for "teddy bear" but all the teddy bear ones have been sold now bar 1.

Not to be crude and i totally am against this but could it be the kind of dogs in the fashion? I.e a few years ago it was chihuahuas.

 

[CAYLA]

This is what you have to think about when breeding I suppose, I would live in hope that epopel are learning a lesson, but they are not, because the silly made up untested named mongrels are selling at stupid prices bought by, well people who like the look of cute pups presumably, and the health tested dogs bred to a good standard "OP im assuming yours are" are not selling, and the lurcher x shepherds will I bet my life on it, end up in rescue when they beging to resemble a not so cute neither nowt nor summit.

I must say we never have issues rehoming rescue pups, we have 2 ten week old border terrier siblings and have had aabout 10 calls already and we never even told anyone they where in these puppies will go out fully vaxed, chipped, contracted for life with lifetime back up, insured and their neutering is also included when they are returned to us for less than half of what they would have been bought for.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Holy ****.

It's your money and all, but just to let you know, you're paying more for a crossbreed than someone paying for a dog with five generations of world class, health tested, proven, working-titled dogs behind them, all traceable and identifiable if there is any sort of health problems in the genes - out of a bitch imported from Germany, by the fifth best breed dog in the world.
Microchip, vaccs and insurance included.
But like I say, your money!

 

[MurphysMinder]

Those are expensive crossbreeds! I just don't understand it I must admit.

 

[CAYLA]

Holy ****.

It's your money and all, but just to let you know, you're paying more for a crossbreed than someone paying for a dog with five generations of world class, health tested, proven, working-titled dogs behind them, all traceable and identifiable if there is any sort of health problems in the genes - out of a bitch imported from Germany, by the fifth best breed dog in the world.
Microchip, vaccs and insurance included.
But like I say, your money!

I groomed a *poohchi* the other week and when I said "I can do you little x breed at such and such a time" she said it's stupid made up name im not repeating it pooh whatever, I said no missus its a bloody X breed, well of course she could not win an argument with me I gave her it back telling her it had the worst deformed gob I had ever seen and horrendous patellas, she said oh im sure it was well bred I asked where she bought it It was only the local bloody puppy mill and she paid £700 we had a puppy cavi in the rescue at the time and she was going mad for it and it was a well bred one, as she was handed in through tragic circumstance and came with a lot of paper work and proof of parental health tests, the donation for her was £150

 

[rowy]

lol cavecanem, what breed are yours?
Even though they are just cross breeds, they are by a recognised breeder who specialises in breeding cocker spaniels/ cockapoos. We have seen mum and dad and they are all health checked etc.
I think my parents like the fact they don't shed, are relativeluy energetic but not over the top which is ideal on our farm Also less health issues that full breds.
I feel so bad for the lurcher x GSD puppies! They are so cute and wouldn't like to think where they will be when they are older hopefully in nice homes!

 

[CAYLA]

Who said they would not shed? half of what makes the X they are sheds, which means they can and will most probably shed, or have I got that wrong and you mentioned 2 non shedding breeds?

Also I would not think anybody who prides themselves on breeding a breed to a high standard would then go and X it with another random breed, most breeders would and are horrified at the breeds they specialise in being X with random others to make a "designer X breed"
There would also be no proof it would be any healthier or problem free than a pedigree infact it could have the problems both breeds are suseptible too, no I would no believe the yarn they spin you in order to see the £££££.

 

[CorvusCorax]

German Shepherds. Mine were £300 each.

There is no guarantee that your puppy will not shed. Your puppy is half cocker. Cockers shed, it may take the cocker coat.

There is also no guarantee that crossing breeds, eliminates health problems - ie if you breed as GSD to a JRT (for example!!!!) with no health tests you might end up with an epileptic dysplastic with haemophilia and slipping patellas.
Health checked? Do you know what hereditary diseases both breeds are prone to, and have they been TESTED for them?

I know plenty of 'recognised' breeders who 'specialise' in their breeds, doesn't mean I'd pay £700 for a puppy - Kennel Club Accredited is a paid for title!

But anyhoo, rant over, I wish you the very best with your pup, but I still think you are paying a very, very high price for him/her.

ETA Sorry to repeat/ x-post with Cayla

 

[dingle12]

Its a shame people breed dogs then moan that they cannot get rid of them far too many in rescue wanting home.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Friends of a friend had a genuine reason for wanting a labradoodle, child had serious allergy so wanted non moulting. Unfortunately their much loved pup had the labrador coat and had to be rehomed When you breed from purebred dogs there is no guarantee what you will get, in that the pup might inherit fathers movement and mothers temperaments when you want the other way round, but at least you know roughly what the pup will turn out like, with cross breeds it is anyones guess. There was a thread a while ago with pics of labrador x springers, some looked very like labs, others were just like solid coloured springers,its a lottery.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Its a shame people breed dogs then moan that they cannot get rid of them far too many in rescue wanting home.

Whilst I agree with your sentiments,in fairness to the OP I doubt there will be many Min Pins in rescue.

 

[FrodoBeutlin]

Also, OP was complaining about timewasters.

CC, that's incredible about that litter. Oh if only I could get a fifth dog

As for crossbreeds, I have never understood why people would want to pay for them (though I must admit in Italy I have never seen ads for crossbreeds *for sale*...it must be an Anglo-american 'fashion').

 

[blackcob]

I really, really do not understand the labradoodle thing - labs/goldens are great, poodles are great, one is guaranteed not to shed, the other sheds like a mad thing. If a non-shedding dog is definitely required, why take the 50/50 chance with a labradoodle when there are perfectly serviceable poodles available?

Come on, they even come in three handy sizes to suit your house and lifestyle, it's not rocket science.

The phrase 'teddy bear' is really irking me, going back on topic - if people want a £700 teddy bear they should get one from Merrythoughts, it won't shed and **** on the carpet like a real one.

 

[rowy]

oh , my sister was the one who chose them and said they dont shed? sorry my mistake. it will be my sisters puppy so its her choice. 2bh i did think it was expensive but looking around cockapoos are 600 + :O
also to health thing, i just assumed they were hardier cos when you cross horses they have fewer health issues, my bad! (i am mainly horsey person lol)
I have a lovely sheltie who is 8 this year who i love so my sisters turn lol (she got fish when i got my sheltie )

 

[CorvusCorax]

CC, that's incredible about that litter. Oh if only I could get a fifth dog

I thought the people were very foolish to bring the bitch over from Germany in whelp in this climate.

They are very, very, nice puppies and these people are newcomers to the breed and don't perhaps have the networks and did not source homes/do their homework, they got caught up in the idea of having a German imported bitch in whelp to a quite magnificent dog and thought the puppies would sell themselves.

They did start way too high, and yes, like the OP, they had a lot of timewasters, lots of people who asked to pay half this month, half next month etc, er, no.
Two longcoats were sold (they were on for a stupid price too) one has gone back to Germany, one is in partnership (swopped for a smaller breed pup, big mistake IMO!) one was sold to an elderly gentleman and they think they are going to run on three in the showring - lots of people struggle with two litter siblings, and they have been told, whether they will listen is another matter...don't know if they have learned anything from it, hey ho!
At least all the health tests are in place and the lineage is good, but it just goes to show....

ETA - Blackcob, I love a nice Standard Poodle too, can't see why people don't just go for a poodle myself!

 

[FrodoBeutlin]

Very sad £1200 (1300--1500euro) is normal price for a GSD pup here! And I doubt parents would be that quality.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yowsers! You'd only be looking that price for VA parents here, and even then I think that's ridiculous.

 

[Stroppy_mare 73]

Holy ****.

It's your money and all, but just to let you know, you're paying more for a crossbreed than someone paying for a dog with five generations of world class, health tested, proven, working-titled dogs behind them, all traceable and identifiable if there is any sort of health problems in the genes - out of a bitch imported from Germany, by the fifth best breed dog in the world.
Microchip, vaccs and insurance included.
But like I say, your money!

I agree!! Crosses, for many generations will throw up all sorts, and that includes health issues.. You just do not know what you are getting, and usually for a large sum of money.

You also have to ask what are the breeders trying to achieve?? Do they show, compete in agility or obedience???? Are they striving to improve their "breed", produce winners in whatever sphere, produce healthy, sound and well tempered pets in a sensible and limited manner?

Personally I am a cow to buy a dog from The whole family has to come & meet me & my guys, at least once before I will consider selling. You can learn SO much from seeing the kids with their parents & how they interact with my dogs. Once I have agreed to let someone have a dog, they invariably go on the waiting list... For however long it takes. Anything I sell, or re-home goes with contracts, legally binding, including such things as they always come back to me etc. As I said, I am a cow!

I always have a waiting list, but I do have a rarer breed, a very well known kennel & only breed occasionally. So perhaps it is a different situation for me? I know of some folks who breed who are struggling to find homes. Although luckily they've not had to suffer quite the level of rudeness that you seem to have!


someone is whinging for their bedtime Bonio.. Better got & attend!!

 

[jasmine]

I must admit with the shibas, we always have waiting lists.

What breed do you have Stroppy Mare ?