Micro chipping query

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Patchworkpony

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I am interested in a pup which I can have at about 9 weeks - however breeder refuses to micro chip as she doesn't believe it is healthy for dogs.

Dilemma - do I have it done myself or walk away? At what age is it illegal not to have a puppy micro chipped and does it affect insurance if puppy is not chipped?
 
I don't think breeders are required to have a litter microchipped. As long as it's a healthy, well bred pup there's no reason not to buy and have it chipped yourself by your vet.
 
^^ the above link is correct. Breeders are now obliged to chip between 6 and 8 weeks of age and have their details recorded as the first registered keeper. Worst case scenario - someone in an official capacity finds out, you as the new keeper will be served a notice requiring you to microchip the puppy within 21 days, a fine and/or seizure of the dog will follow if you don't comply with the notice.

In practice - no-one will ever check, just have the puppy microchipped with its next set of jabs. :)

That said... does the breeder ring any other alarm bells? It's a bit of an odd stance to have, that's all.
 
blackcob said:
She's a 74 year old woman with her own ideas - including never having a dog injected for annual protection but using homeopathy instead. She is beginning to make me feel uncomfortable as she loves to argue her point of view the whole time so I think I will probably give it a miss. Also too much line breeding in the pups for my taste.
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Wouldn't bother me if pup looked healthy, as far as I'm aware you as buyer wouldn't be committing an offence if you got it done instead.

A healthy pup doesn't need chips/drugs/whatever and you can do anything you want once it is yours.

Personally I find in/line breeding distasteful but most pedigree animals will have sickeningly narrow family trees if you look closely.
 
As blackcob says, you could have the pup chipped at first vaccination and probably no one would bother. However I would be concerned that if the breeder doesn't believe in vaccs she may well not have wormed, or health tested parents etc. I think I would walk away if I were you, there are plenty of well bred and reared puppies, from health tested lines, if you are prepared to look around and maybe wait a little while.
 
amymay said:
I don't think breeders are required to have a litter microchipped. As long as it's a healthy, well bred pup there's no reason not to buy and have it chipped yourself by your vet.
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Since April 2016 puppies have to be micro chipped by 8 weeks old or before they leave the breeder, unless they have a vets report to state that it is not in the puppies best interest to do so.
It would ring alarm bells for me op, will the puppy be vet health, checked, vaccinated and insured when it comes to you?
Just seen comments on line breeding, what breed are the pups? Cos without and Id chip are they even registered?
I love that she does not agree that vacs and I'd chips are not healthy but is happy to line breed what I presume are pedigree dogs!!!
 
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MurphysMinder said:
As blackcob says, you could have the pup chipped at first vaccination and probably no one would bother. However I would be concerned that if the breeder doesn't believe in vaccs she may well not have wormed, or health tested parents etc. I think I would walk away if I were you, there are plenty of well bred and reared puppies, from health tested lines, if you are prepared to look around and maybe wait a little while.
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Yes - she does worm, properly, both parents fully health tested and I know the breeding. Line bred back as far as grandparents and great grandparents. I think she really cares about her dogs but has a total refusal to chip which puts us on sticky legal ground. I don't disagree with her about the health risk to a small puppy - I don't like it either. That said I would rather she took the risk than we did. I half don't want to walk away as lovely looking pups but she is difficult to deal with. I don't want to say the breed as her daughter might pick this up and make a connection to us.
 
It would not bother me, I agree with her views on it tbh. As long as you are happy that the pups are well reared she doesn't need to have any input in how you raise it when you bring it home.
We don't vaccinate either, except for as pups, and only worm when necessary, we don't treat for fleas either. I am all for chemical minimisation. Would obviously worm puppies.
 
By law the first owner has to be the breeder.

I would be wary of her reason for breeding at her age - I an planning my last litter next year as it will be her age within the one I keeps potential lifetime.

Health tests require microchip identification.
Have you checked what tests have been done and you can look up the parents by name on the KC website
 
Patchworkpony said:
Yes - she does worm, properly, both parents fully health tested and I know the breeding. Line bred back as far as grandparents and great grandparents. I think she really cares about her dogs but has a total refusal to chip which puts us on sticky legal ground. I don't disagree with her about the health risk to a small puppy - I don't like it either. That said I would rather she took the risk than we did. I half don't want to walk away as lovely looking pups but she is difficult to deal with. I don't want to say the breed as her daughter might pick this up and make a connection to us.
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Not quite sure what you mean by line bred as far back as great grandparents, if this is the case then surely it goes back further ? I don't know if it is a toy breed because I think breeders do chip these later but then again they don't go to new homes till at least 10 weeks usually. Fwiw our Lancashire Heeler was pretty tiny when we got him and he had been chipped with no ill effects.
s4sugar makes a valid point about breeding a litter at 74, does she feel she would always be able to take a puppy back if need be. The main reason I stopped breeding was because I felt my circumstances meant that in future years I wouldn't be able to take back one of my pups if the need arose.
 
Have to say comments on her age are a bit off
1) she may well outlive these pups
2) she is selling them and pups VERY rarely end up back with their breeders in later life and if pedigree to some extent (and I'm assuming not staffies or similar) won't be hard to rehome elsewhere. I mean when do we hear that all people who sell horses need to be in a position to have them back for the next 30 years?!?
3) pensionable age people are being encouraged to work now to stay healthy/solvent/becasue the younger generations can't afford to support them, a bit of puppy breeding might make a considerable difference to an OAP's income
4) she has a daughter - might well be that she has plans in place for any dogs she has when she isn't able to look after them any more
 
ThursdayNext said:
Have to say comments on her age are a bit off
1) she may well outlive these pups
2) she is selling them and pups VERY rarely end up back with their breeders in later life and if pedigree to some extent (and I'm assuming not staffies or similar) won't be hard to rehome elsewhere. I mean when do we hear that all people who sell horses need to be in a position to have them back for the next 30 years?!?
3) pensionable age people are being encouraged to work now to stay healthy/solvent/becasue the younger generations can't afford to support them, a bit of puppy breeding might make a considerable difference to an OAP's income
4) she has a daughter - might well be that she has plans in place for any dogs she has when she isn't able to look after them any more
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Maybe you ought to look up most breed clubs codes of ethics where breeders are required to provide life long support. I know I have taken back a 12 & 13 year old when families needed to rehome ( not dog related- terminal illnesses)
Outliving the pups is possible but ability to take back is less likely.
Breeding dogs well doesn't give a reliable profit.
Are you the daughter the OP mentioned?
 
All decent breeders sell pups with a contract stating that they must be contacted if the new owner cannot keep for any reason and usually they will either have back or help with rehoming . It's not just a question of outliving the pups , it's being able to offer the right care . The breeder may have a daughter but that doesn't mean the daughter and is able to look after pups .
A breeder should not be producing pups to top up their pension !
 
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