Instant Gratification

[Clodagh]

Got a message from an acquaintance yesterday, looking for a working Labrador, can I recommend a breeder.
I recommended two local litters, one on the ground and one scanned in pup, both people I know and would vouch for.
So they went and bought a show bred goldie from a dodgy ad on Gumtree because they could get him today, he was the last one left, special discounted price but had to decide immediately as someone else wanted him.
No health tests from either side either. But they are health checked. ?

 

[Clodagh]

Well they haven’t picked it up… they are having a think after I bombarded them with negatives.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

What do they want to do with their dog? I'm not sure why, if they wanted a working Lab they have settled on a Show-bred Goldie? There are plenty of Lab pups (mostly overpriced) on Preloved. Some of the descriptions beggar belief, mind!

 

[Clodagh]

Son loves shooting and is off to local agricultural college. He wants a dog to take beating. ?‍

 

[SilverLinings]

I would be a good idea to make it compulsory for purchasers of pets to have to go away after viewing and wait a week before they can collect the pet they have chosen (I realise this wouldn't work for sellers in practice). Another sentient being really is the last thing that you should be able to buy on a whim, especially as so many of the people who buy dogs like that seem to be the inexperienced novice owners who haven't actually researched/thought through dog owning properly (and who give the dog away a few weeks or months later).

It's good to hear that your acquaintance might now be listening to your advice Clodagh.

 

[Clodagh]

Tbh it would be a good home, they have a retired guide dog who has a fantastic life. But they want a dog like mine.
Like they just appear like that ?

 

[FestiveG]

Ah you mean one of those that turns up ready trained, and understanding every command. The ones you were "lucky" to find! We have a couple of those....

 

[SilverLinings]

Tbh it would be a good home, they have a retired guide dog who has a fantastic life. But they want a dog like mine.
Like they just appear like that ?

Sorry I misunderstood; it's great that they would be a good home, but a shame they didn't listen to your advice before looking and that they weren't prepared to wait a little longer for the right dog for them. If they decide not to go ahead with the Gumtree dog then hopefully your advice has set them up to succeed with the next one they look at

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Tbh it would be a good home, they have a retired guide dog who has a fantastic life. But they want a dog like mine.
Like they just appear like that ?

I guess the retired guide dog did appear just like that!

 

[Clodagh]

Ah you mean one of those that turns up ready trained, and understanding every command. The ones you were "lucky" to find! We have a couple of those....

Spot on. I’ve been very lucky over the years ?

 

[Clodagh]

I guess the retired guide dog did appear just like that!

Well yes fair point ?

 

[honetpot]

I will admit on wanting one 'today'. I booked to see a pup two days before I collected it, as for me, it's a bit like buying horses, I see it, I pay cash and take it away. I know that breeders do not want to be left with a litter, but handing a deposit over when they are very small and one bundle of fluff looks very like another and then having to argue that that is not the pup I had chosen, is not something I want to chance. Also, I like to see the pup, when its personality is more obvious.
I waited over nine months before I replaced my last dog, I trawled the Internet, someone tried a con, was astounded at the prices, even with no papers, and got almost exactly what I wanted at a price I could afford.

 

[Prancerpoos]

My brother bought a Gumtree golden retriever, it was obviously from a puppy farm, but he still bought it. They spent thousands on vet bills in the first few months and she is very undersized, but I admit that she is an absolutely gorgeous, lovable girl with a great temperament ad is now 10. I do seriously question whether he is actually my brother sometimes though...

 

[KittenInTheTree]

I'm planning on having the owners of my litter take the contract of sale away to their vet to have it stamped before they can collect their pup. They'll also have to get a dog licence from their local authority (legal requirement here in NI). Anyone not willing to do those things isn't getting a pup!

 

[Clodagh]

All of mine have been names put down and wait a year or more. My next one I have been on the list for 2 years and she’s hopefully having a litter next year.
But I do understand wanting one now. But do t just go and get the first bundle of cuteness you see. All puppies are cute. Do a smidge of research and if the breeder is happy for a random to turn up and grab a puppy are they a breeder you want to buy from?
I’m used to references and questionnaires. They settle me as much as the seller.

 

[honetpot]

All of mine have been names put down and wait a year or more. My next one I have been on the list for 2 years and she’s hopefully having a litter next year.
But I do understand wanting one now. But do t just go and get the first bundle of cuteness you see. All puppies are cute. Do a smidge of research and if the breeder is happy for a random to turn up and grab a puppy are they a breeder you want to buy from?
I’m used to references and questionnaires. They settle me as much as the seller.

The scammer actually sent me a questionnaire, that is when I clocked it was a scam, it was a cut and paste, and was full of, we want them to have a knowledgable home, how long will it be left etc
I could not breed dogs, there are just so many people who say all the right things, then for some reason they can not do all of this, new job, new baby or just do not have the time because..., and yet seem to wonder why the dog is wrecking their house, and has separation anxiety when they leave it alone all day on its own.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Tbh it would be a good home, they have a retired guide dog who has a fantastic life. But they want a dog like mine.
Like they just appear like that ?

I’m appalling, I know, I mean we went and got Bear and Zak from a definite byb, no health tests, impulse buy and while I can’t, looking at snoring Bear next to me, regret it, I wish I had gone for working lines again. I’m finding the little ones so ridiculously responsive, it’s bonkers. (Another impulse purchase ?) I’m already thinking we’d go back for the next lot. I’m praying Goose stays small, he’s adorable.

I don’t know why your acquaintance would ask then ignore the litter on the ground. I’d be delighted if I was told of a good litter.

 

[Clodagh]

I’m appalling, I know, I mean we went and got Bear and Zak from a definite byb, no health tests, impulse buy and while I can’t, looking at snoring Bear next to me, regret it, I wish I had gone for working lines again. I’m finding the little ones so ridiculously responsive, it’s bonkers. (Another impulse purchase ?) I’m already thinking we’d go back for the next lot. I’m praying Goose stays small, he’s adorable.

I don’t know why your acquaintance would ask then ignore the litter on the ground. I’d be delighted if I was told of a good litter.

Was too expensive. Beautiful health tested breeding and would probably work with no training at all.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Was too expensive. Beautiful health tested breeding and would probably work with no training at all.

I think price is sometimes a factor, particularly for people who haven’t had a dog before or don’t care about health tests etc. They see an unregistered lab on Gumtree and think £800 is reasonable. I bet the litter you know of is considerably more. For some reason, being KC registered puts on a few hundred, which I find odd given how much it is to register dogs and there’s no-one standing there ensuring it really is the right dam/sire. I do like having history and being able to look up generations, some people may not be bothered.

 

[Clodagh]

If I hadn’t been asked to recommend good breeders who I trusted I’d have been fine, the pups are £1600. It’s a lot but not much per year, God willing.

 

[Clodagh]

The gumtree goldies were £2000! Discounted to £1200 because… and then £1100 an hour later.

 

[Ratface]

Got a message from an acquaintance yesterday, looking for a working Labrador, can I recommend a breeder.
I recommended two local litters, one on the ground and one scanned in pup, both people I know and would vouch for.
So they went and bought a show bred goldie from a dodgy ad on Gumtree because they could get him today, he was the last one left, special discounted price but had to decide immediately as someone else wanted him.
No health tests from either side either. But they are health checked. ?

As my dear grandmother used to say, "Where it ain't, you can't find it. "

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

The gumtree goldies were £2000! Discounted to £1200 because… and then £1100 an hour later.

Blimey, let’s use our dog’s uterus to generate the annual income! For £2k, I’d want Crufts champion, entirely red pedigree, FtCh etc. I often browse adverts and am regularly amazed at the prices.

 

[CorvusCorax]

What I always hear is 'back in my day/a few years ago' etc etc etc

Someone who I thought was a friend didn't want to pay to use a well bred, health tested, internationally accomplished dog because we were mates, I had no more room for a pup in lieu and it was immediately assumed I would sack off my existing youngster because this would be a 'better' litter, when I asked how much they would charge for pup 'they just wanted to breed something for themselves' so I assume the rest of the litter would have been given away for free?
'When my father was in gundogs it wasn't this expensive' was the refrain.
Yeah well neither was dog food, vet bills or fuel to take them places, everything else has gone up and I'm not a charity.
Same person bought a rare trailing type breed for their kid and I'm assuming that didn't cost 200 quid.

 

[Moobli]

There’s a good reason there is the old adage “buy in haste, repent at leisure”.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

What I always hear is 'back in my day/a few years ago' etc etc etc

Someone who I thought was a friend didn't want to pay to use a well bred, health tested, internationally accomplished dog because we were mates, I had no more room for a pup in lieu and it was immediately assumed I would sack off my existing youngster because this would be a 'better' litter, when I asked how much they would charge for pup 'they just wanted to breed something for themselves' so I assume the rest of the litter would have been given away for free?
'When my father was in gundogs it wasn't this expensive' was the refrain.
Yeah well neither was dog food, vet bills or fuel to take them places, everything else has gone up and I'm not a charity.
Same person bought a rare trailing type breed for their kid and I'm assuming that didn't cost 200 quid.

Well yes, breeding costs have increased but there is no way that I am paying £1k for cross-bred pups. And I'm not talking about poo types, I mean labxmastiff X RottxLab and similar.
We bought the current Labs in an 'emergency' when we needed something to take the Rott's mind off the loss of her sister. They did need to be able to do that specific job but otherwise only to be Pets. I quite understand why people who want to work their dogs look for specific breeding but actually I like to be able to compare ads, rather than putting my name down for a future litter and being committed even if I don't like the look of the pups when they arrive.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I was asking much less than that for a stud fee and even the 'mates rate' was too much.

 

[skinnydipper]

If bred responsibly, both parents of hybrids should be screened for genetic disease and known health problems of the respective breeds. This will be reflected in the price of the pups.

 

[Moobli]

The puppy market seems to be completely saturated as I’m seeing even well bred litters from health tested/titled parents from good breeders being left with one or more pups to find new homes after the usual homing age of 8 weeks. In the sheepdog world, prices for pups in most cases have returned to a more affordable price than the £thousands over lockdown.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

If bred responsibly, both parents of hybrids should be screened for genetic disease and known health problems of the respective breeds. This will be reflected in the price of the pups.

We paid £800 each for our Labs who are now just 3 yrs old. I thought it was plenty ( actually it might have been £850).
I really can't see the point of breeding hybrids unless for a specific purpose. And I wouldn't expect the breeder to need to advertise the whole litter if they had been bred specifically.