Posted on 04/18/2009 5:16:40 PM PDT by Onelifetogive
Take someone emotionally uninvolved with you to see the puppy.
Take someone who has no stake in the decision with you to see the puppy. Take a sibling, a parent or a friend. Give them veto power. If they say no to your buying that puppy, back away from the purchase. Take them aside and listen to why they are uncomfortable. Making a good decision to buy a puppy means putting aside emotions and looking at facts. Someone uninvolved can be a great help in doing just that.
I have seen many people who are otherwise very rational become very irrational when the holding a cute, loveable little fur-ball. You will be living with this puppy for more than a decade if things work out well. Saying NO to a few puppies before you say YES to one is a great idea.
The opposite of taking someone emotionally uninvolved with you is taking kids with you. The puppy could have three legs (all in the front) and the head installed backward and the kids would still fall in immediate and permanent love with it. Show the kids the puppy AFTER it passes your test. If possible, show it to them AFTER it passes the Vet Check. Why get them emotionally attached only to find that it has a heart condition, or a kennel-disease? (You should avoid getting emotionally attached, too.) At this point, it is just a candidate. There are hundreds more out there just like it and more are being made everyday.
I know it sounds cold, but buying a puppy has to be an unemotional business decision. Once the deal is done and the puppy passes the vet check, then you are REQUIRED to fall head-over-heals in love with it, but not a minute before.
RDO Woof
Excellent point. The breeder knows when he has to give and when he doesn't...
My emotionally uninvolved person serves a similar (buy opposite) role. That person provides you a sane sounding board, and lets the breeder know that you will not be an easy sale.
Guilty. There wasn't much traffic then, and I wanted to discuss it. I also moved it from Blogger to Chat. At least I didn't post it in "Breaking News"...
I appreciate your input, but not getting taken advantage of by a breeder does not have to be mutually exclusive with having chemistry with a puppy.
I am trying to provide advice to people to keep them from being cheated.
Go to gun show; do not make it into the building before falling in love at first sight with a German Shorthair pup. Trade in gun for money to buy the dog.
Call wife and tell her to await a "surprise."
Stop at pet store on the way home, since no one had even discussed buying a puppy...obviously there are no puppy supplies at home.
Go home to a very genuinely surprised wife!
Fortunately, she is a wonderful dog...the hubby's not too bad either.
I'm guessing that this was not the only time you has been so suprised...
Let us just say that I tend to be a "planner" and I married a spontaneous guy. He's gradually bringing me around...LOL!
I appreciate your input, but not getting taken advantage of by a breeder does not have to be mutually exclusive with having chemistry with a puppy.
I am trying to provide advice to people to keep them from being cheated.
I was “ripped off” by a “breeder”.
I made allot of mistakes such as not seeing the “mother” of the kitten. She was in the house. I let it slide. The “chemistry” was there. I had done my “research”. The only problem is that with Siamese cats (apple face, the breeds look similiar when they are babies. It is after time that the “points” come in.
I thought I had purchased a chocolate point. In reality I had purchased a seal point. Yes, I was angry before I called the breeder back. She forgot she lied to me and confirmed what I had purchased. I didn’t bother to confront her. I loved the little one and had her for 21 years.
“Jenny” was brighter than any Obama person I know. Sure I was “ripped off” but she was worth her weight in gold. She was also the “runt” of the liter. She remained small and always looked like a six month kitten. I didn’t mind and neither did she. So yes, be wary of breeders. Do your research but don’t let the pedigree of lack there of stop you from the joy of having a pet.
Rescues are excellent places to get purebred (or not purebred, I know sometimes our golden rescue does take in dogs who are not quite all golden) pets. And ethical breeders support their breed rescues. Out here, there is much overlap in our golden club and golden rescue, we raise money for rescue and do whatever we can to help.
And of course, there are a lot of people who call themselves breeders, and they range from the family who happens to have a dog and wants to have a litter, to commercial puppy mills, to hobby breeders. They are not all equal in their knowledge, the care taken in finding a suitable breeding or the care of the puppies, and most importantly, what they will do for you after the sale.
I not only have a vet look at my puppies before they go home, I request the family have THEIR vet look at the puppy within the first few days, and if they find anything that they think is a problem, they can bring it back for a full refund.
Awww sometimes dogs just happen! Good for her that she ended up on the right porch! I wonder if she was lost by someone traveling thru the area?
I won’t sell a puppy to a family with kids until I meet the kids. Of course, I don’t let the kids pick the puppy either, they are notoriously bad at it....
Yes, and I want the people to hopefully see the puppies several times before they are ready to go home. I get a better idea of which personality will fit them and a very good idea of what sort of dog owners they will be. I try to place puppies forever, since I take them back if they don’t work out. It’s a big motivator to get it right the first time! ;)
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