Purchasing a Puppy On-line (or
otherwise).
Oprah Winfrey aired a very eye-opening
and disturbing program about puppy mills.
At the end of the program, she advised the audience to never buy a puppy
online. I disagree with that, it is perfectly okay to purchase online. As long as you know how to do it safely.
Even as a Breeder, I have had less
than desirable or downright disastrous experiences buying puppies online when I
wasn’t fully apprised of the policies of the breeder. I think it’s important to keep in mind that
just because someone has a beautiful website, with glitter and music and fancy
graphics, and enough information to publish their own encyclopedia, it doesn’t
mean they are a reputable breeder or that they raise quality puppies. Some steal pictures from other’s websites and
use them on their own site. Also some
breeders can be deceitful about the quality/size of the puppies they produce. The
ways you can be deceived are many and it just takes a few unscrupulous breeders
to spoil it for the rest of us
There are many sources you can check
before you buy. Start with the local or
national breeding club. Contact the
Better Business Bureau in the state the puppy is located in to see if any
reports have been filed. Check with
other breeders that you know and always ask for 2 or 3 references.
Here
are some suggestions that may help when purchasing a puppy online:
The
Deposit. Even if the Breeder tells
you that SEVEN other people are looking at the same puppy and your heart is
pounding and your palms are sweating and you can’t log into Paypal fast enough
because you are TOTALLY freaking out and want to get that deposit in at the
speed of light, and you know you can’t possibly LIVE another minute without buying
that puppy, and you will surely DIE if someone else gets it, make sure you understand the Breeder’s
policy on the refunding of your deposit and GET IT IN WRITING, even if its
just an email confirmation. Some of the biggest mistakes people make is impulse
buying. If all else fails, it never ever
hurts to “sleep on it” – if that puppy is gone in the morning, then it wasn’t
meant to be right?
Most breeders (myself included) will
refund your deposit if your puppy dies or if a congenital defect is detected
before delivery of the puppy to you.
Many breeders will offer a replacement puppy. This is fine but you need to make sure the
replacement puppy is of a value and quality equal to the puppy you picked
out. If the Breeder doesn’t have a
suitable replacement, they should be willing to refund your deposit in full. Many breeders may have different policies on
refunds of both deposits and purchase price of a puppy. I can’t stress enough, MAKE SURE YOU
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BREEDERS POLICIES ON REFUNDS ARE BEFORE YOU GIVE THEM MONEY
and GET IT IN WRITING!!!! Some breeders may hold your deposit in a special
account and not expend the proceeds until you have received the puppy in your
arms and it has had a health check with your own vet. Please be aware, that if YOU change YOUR mind
and for what ever reason decide not to get a puppy from this breeder after you
have given your deposit, you most likely will NOT get that deposit back. The purpose of a deposit is to put a “hold”
on the puppy of your choice. Once the
breeder “holds” that pup for a period of time, they have more than likely
passed up the option to sell that pup to someone else several times over, and
if you change your mind, they have to start all over re-listing that pup for
sale. Holding a pup costs the breeder money and if you back out, most will
NOT refund your deposit.
Written
Purchase Agreement. Make sure you
get a Written Contract or Purchase Agreement signed by both of you before you
seal the deal. A replacement puppy
should always be offered, that is of equal value and quality to the one you
purchased, if your puppy dies of a congenital defect. Some breeders will try and pass off their
less desirable puppies when doing a replacement since it is costing them money
out of their pocket. Make sure it is clearly written and you understand who
pays for the shipping of the replacement puppy and who is responsible for the
vet bills of the deceased puppy. Find
out what reports are necessary, typically a necropsy must be performed by your
vet and the report sent to the Breeder or her vet, normally at the Buyer’s
expense. This replacement guarantee should
always be in writing.
Parentage/Pedigree. If the Breeder does not readily provide
CURRENT photos and pedigrees of the
parents of the puppy at your request, this is a red flag. The breeder should know the parentage and
lines of the parents like the back of her hand.
She should be able to provide current photos and pedigrees for viewing. Most online breeders have this on their
websites or available to e-mail you. It
is a good idea to get a CURRENT photo of the puppy with the date on it. Then you know the picture didn’t get stolen
from another breeders’ website. Make
sure the parents of the puppy are in good standing with AKC or other registry. With the DNA testing uncovering so many
parentage issues, it might be worth a call to the AKC to check the status of
the parents.
Health
Records. I suggest that you ask the Breeder for the health records of the puppy,
BEFORE DELIVERY. If they are not willing
to provide this, it’s a red flag. Ask
yourself, “Why would any breeder NOT be willing and happy to provide this
information?”
Communication
is Vital!! If the Breeder
does not respond to your phone calls or e-mails within a reasonable amount of
time and evades certain questions
regarding the size, health and temperament of your baby, red flag again. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK DIRECT QUESTIONS! Don’t worry about offending the breeder. An experienced breeder expects these
questions. You are paying top dollar for
your little puppy and have the right to know everything there is to know about
him/her.
Shipping. The Purchase Contract should specify who is
responsible for the shipping arrangements and costs. Some Breeders include it in the price but
most add it to the price and the Buyer is expected to pay it. Make sure the Breeder is willing to get the
puppy shipped to you in a timely manner and is willing to put herself out just
a bit to do it. Also ask the Breeder if
she ships the puppy herself or uses a shipping agent and if so, who she
uses. Question what other dogs the puppy
may come in contact with while in the custody of the shipping agent. Ask about delays at the airport and if your
puppy will be day kenneled.
Immunizations/Wormings. Make sure the Purchase Agreement covers
what shots and wormings will take place before you get you puppy. Some states have a higher incidence of
certain canine diseases and you want to make sure your puppy gets vaccinated
for diseases common to your area. Ask
your vet, and then make sure the Breeder is aware of any special circumstances.
Weights.
If purchasing
a tiny-type dog, remember size cannot always be determined at a very young age,
but when a breeder says that pup is 2 pounds at 8 weeks old, and that pup gets
off the plane the next day and is really 2 pounds 8 ounces, this can make a
difference of typically 1.5 to 2 pounds in the adult weight. Why not take the opportunity to ask for a vet
certified weight on the puppy, even at your own expense? Most vets will not
charge to weigh a pup as long as it is being done with the flight certificate. This
protects you and the Breeder. Adult size
can be difficult to predict and most breeders do not intentionally sell you a
puppy knowing it is going to be too big.
Unfortunately, some do. Advise
the Breeder that if they provide you with a vet certified weight then no false
claims about the size of the puppy have been made by them before it leaves their
possession. You know what you are
getting before you get it and can’t complain later. In addition to your typical quickie flight
certification visit, ask the breeder to have the vet do a COMPLETE exam
including weight, testicles (for a male), check for hernia, open fontanels, ear
mites & worms and anything else you may want them to look for. They can fax the results to you or your vet. The
cost is minimal compared to what you are spending on your puppy.
It is always better to be safe than
sorry.
Anne Wieben - www.babydollshihtzu.com