Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 1:15 pm Post subject: Selling pups, and a gentle warning.
as most know, I recently had a litter from my girl. Homes have been found for all of them, but I had a friendly warning from someone last week, about a litter being stolen at 5 weeks old. It did appear in the ST magazine.
One person who contacted me wanted the full name, address, postcode, telephone number and a copy of the original pedigree from the KC. Now I am happy to give details, but at 3 weeks old the warning bells started ringing. My suggestion is for those looking at placing their pups to refuse the the address until you are happy that the caller is genuine, and certainly do not give them a copy of the pedigrees. That's how "fake" pups appear, and it's giving puppy farmers the details they need. In this case this potentail owner has been informed in no uncertain terms, he ain't having one of my pups, and no he's not haing the pedigree. He got a little upset.
I find this the hardest part, dealing with people!.....but I say no if I am not sure. I too was contacted before for the pedigree and I refused...much to their .! But hey ho, it didnt bother me!
In this case this potentail owner has been informed in no uncertain terms, he ain't having one of my pups, and no he's not haing the pedigree. He got a little upset.
I hope you were slightly more dimplomatic than you possibly sound here.
I understand it may be hard dealing with people but he may have been a genuine customer.
When I called up about pups whilst looking for a new dog (eventually getting Fern) one of my questions was....can I see the pedigree, I didn't ask this to all breeders I called. I probably looked at 300 litters online (champdogs, kennel club etc), called 20 and asked for more info from 2 maybe 5 of them. Some of them were miles and miles away and it would have been mad for me to drive all the way up there to find they were not what I was looking for. Ditto with pictures, I requested pictures of the bitch from 3 of them, I think and pups as well....the problem being when you ask someone does it have white on it etc, often the answer is...a little - well that could be anything, so I would ask for a pic before I got their hopes up by saying yes I am interested or not.
Only 2 litters did I follow up out of all of them (not the ones that had sent pics). One was a woman who was incredibly odd and when I said I would like to come and see them told me she had sold them all - despite the day before saying there were 3 bitches, so she obviously was not keen on me (I think I asked her too many questions, she asked me none, so it was not a match made in heaven ). The other had the litter after I got Fern, so I dropped the guy a line to say thanks but I have found my girl - he knew I was still keeping my eyes open as he may not have had enough girls etc.
Anyway my point is there are lots of dodgy people in the world but there are also lots of genuine people. If someone turned up and said I want to buy the whole litter - the obviously fall into the former category but if someone wants to see a pedigree, I don't think that necessarily makes them a bad person or someone who should be told where to go. I understand litters get stolen and I agree, giving out an address without a good conversation with someone first is mad but litters can get stolen by all manner of people....far more people will know you have a litter of puppies by word of mouth through friends, family, friends of friends etc than anyone prospective buyers who call up.
Please don't think I am interfering but after one of the LF member's experiences it would possibly be worth including a bit of wording on any paperwork to the effect that you reserve the right to recover the pup if you are unhappy with the way it is being treated/cared for (much along the lines we do with rescue adoptions).
" I have noticed a number of people on Champdogs have their addresses on their pages "
That was one of my issues with Champdogs in the 'old days' They insisted I put my full address on my champdogs page. I told them no chance. It contributed to them deciding I was not for them if I wasn't playing by their rules.
I realise we have them on kennel pages in yearbooks glaring for the world to see... but i think thats changing now a lot too, with so many less people WRITING to you these days there is just no need to put a full address on anything really that way orientated.
Di
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
" Please don't think I am interfering but after one of the LF member's experiences it would possibly be worth including a bit of wording on any paperwork to the effect that you reserve the right to recover the pup if you are unhappy with the way it is being treated/cared for (much along the lines we do with rescue adoptions). "
georgina its a good idea, but sadly one I don't think most buyers would sit well with. They are paying top dollar for a quality puppy and you have vetted them, maybe google earthed their property etc etc. I don't think folks would be altogether pleased to be 'tied' in that way... I know a dozen and a half LF pet buyers will counter that saying 'I wouldn't mind!' and you guys are GREAT, but whilst as breeders we can ASK them to look after their dog properly, feed and house it adequately, socialise it etc etc.... I don't think you could insist. As one persons 'inadequate or wrong' is anothers perfectly fine.
Even the loveliest buyers look slightly sideways at you when you start to speak about the 'progeny not to be registered' endorsement, which is purely to do with them breeding from the dog and not anything to do with the generalities of how it is kept and looked after day to day. They generally are fine once you have explained, but every litter there are always a couple you think 'you aren't comfortable with that are you? You think I'm just trying to be a control freak...' even though they nod and smile and agree, you can see their eyes aren't where their mouth is on it.
I think most of us in our puppy packs.contracts ask owners raise the dog well but I don't think you can make a 'reclaim' clause under any circumstance, from experience of the public, even the best of the best of them!
Di
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
I do, I endorse all my pups that go 'Progeny not to be Registered'. Every one, boys, girls and also what I have kept. I think its been about 8 years I've done this now. Long before I was in the ABS. Ever since I got a BRS through showing a bitch I sold as a pet had had 6 litters by the age of 5 and a half. I nearly went and killed them. So because I didn't fancy jail, I started endorsing everything instead.
Its always adhered to now, but the odd person does feel its a 'fingernail hold of control too far'. I know that. Even if they agree on paper to it.
Di
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
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.! But hey ho, it didnt bother me!
). The other had the litter after I got Fern, so I dropped the guy a line to say thanks but I have found my girl - he knew I was still keeping my eyes open as he may not have had enough girls etc.
