I am going to get a puppy from a breeder but i have concerns.?

Question

I have tried to adopt but most organisations won't rehome a pup with young children...I have 3. I want a dalmation and saw some advertised in a paper but when i called the bredder to enquire about it, he wasn't even aware that dalmations have problems with their hearing...also, he has another advert in the paper for a different breed of dog. What should i do?

Answer 1

RUN from this guy. At the least, he's ignorant. At most, he's a puppy mill. DO NOT BUY a puppy from this man.

Dalmatians are a high-energy breed, and it doesn't surprise me that they won't adopt an adult to a home with young children. These dogs require consistent training and exercise from the start -- otherwise they could unintentionally hurt a small child out of sheer exuberance!

Maybe now is not the time to have a Dalmatian?

ADDED:
Are you in the UK? Here is a link that provides lots of ownership information on the breed, as well as people to contact about breed information/puppies. These would be good breeders, who can help you determine if the breed is right for you at this time:

http://www.britishdalmatianclub.org.uk/ownership/index.php

Answer 2

I know this isn't what you asked, but I'd really consider getting an older dog with young children, even just a year old or so. Have you had any experience with whether these organizations will adopt out a more mature dog with your three children? Very often, rescue organizations can help find a dog that's an excellent match for a family, and it's true that puppies can be a real challenge with that many young'uns.

You may also have the idea that bringing a puppy into the family will ensure that the puppy grows up to love the children, but pups do take about two years to raise and train, and there's still no guarantee that you won't have problems. Adopting a dog that's 2 or 3 years old and tested with kids is a great way to take in a dog with a known temperament and personality.

In any event, I agree that you should run, not walk, away from this breeder. Well bred purebreds can be a delight, but poorly bred dogs can be an absolute nightmare. This guy sounds extremely irresponsible.

Good luck, whatever route you take!

Answer 3

Do not buy a dog from the paper or a pet store. It's as simple as that. Have you checked specific breed rescues? I've never heard of rescues not adopting to people with small children (unless it is a toy breed rescue) so that doesn't make sense. Try Petfinder.com and look at some of those, alot of the private rescues that not many people know about advertise there. Also, do you have a local pound? Sad as it is, most pounds don't even screen people who want to adopt but these dogs are in most need of homes because their time is limited there. If all of these for some reason are not an option then go to a GOOD reputable breeder. It may be expensive but if you by from a newspaper ad all you are doing is supporting backyard breeders.

Answer 4

You are right to have concerns, most people in the dog world are aware of deafness in dalmations.
I would stay clear, what would some one like this try to sell you? - temperament problems poor specimens or even a deaf one oh no keep clear!!
Dalmations are perhaps not the ideal dog around small children but you seem to have done some homework well done! They tend to be very active especially as adolescents and need a firm hand, have you thought of an older dog from a known background there are genuine cases of people needing to rehome try the dalmation rescue The kennel club site will give you contact details.
As I am sure you are aware adult or puppies should not be left unsupervised with young children until both learn to respect each other, silly actions such as poking a dog can bring disastrous results but if you are prepared to take the time and have the energy to cope go for it and dont rush in at the first opportunity.
happy hunting.

Answer 5

Do not buy a pup from this person. If he breeds more than one breed it is a potential problem.
If he has Dalmations and does not know that they can have hearing problems he is an idiot and should not be breeding dogs.
These are not the best dogs with children. They are very active and most will run right over the top of small children.
Our rescue will not place a dog with people who have children under five but we do dobermans.
Dogs and kids are not always a grea idea. Dogs do not take direction from children well all the time and kids do not mean to hurt the dog but they can and they get bit then the dog pays the price for it.
Think very very carefully before getting a dog with small children.

Answer 6

Do not get a pup from that man. He doesn't know enough about the breed. That means that he isn't a responsible breeder, and it may even be a puppy mill sort of situation. People like that should not be supported, you may feel like you are rescueing a puppy from him, but what you would really be doing was supporting him finacially and thus encouraging him to continue. If you want to find a good breeder, you can talk to vets, look up the local Kennel club in your area, or talk to the rescues.
Plus, there is good reason why ppl won't adopt a dog out to someone with small kids. A puppy requires as much attention as a small child to get them trained and socialized properly. Ppl will be worried that you wont have the time. puppies are also very fragile, i'm not saying that anything would happen, but ppl will worry that one of the kids may accidentilly hurt the puppy. You can't watch three kids and a puppy constantly. If I were you, I would concider getting an adult dog that is good with kids. Beagles are great for playing a snuggleing with kids, (but they have their own sets of issues to be aware of) there are other dogs known for being good with kids. Research the dogs based on personality, not looks, and you'll have better luck finding a good match.
Well i think i've gone on enough, I hope you understand that i'm just trying to give you good advice. I have no way of knowing your situation, and you may very well be able to handle a puppy.
but, back to your actual question, I wouldn't get a dog from this man!
good luck!

Answer 7

Yeah do like other people are saying, keep trying to adopt. Seriously, the best dogs by far my family has had have been strays. We had a stray terrier mix and a stray spaniel mix. Both were SUPER easy to housetrain and learned very very fast....I still have the spaniel and I can leave him in the house for 10 hours + and he won't use the bathroom in the house. (I don't do it on purpose :) ) Both are med-low energy and have had ZERO health problems. Both are good with kids. IN contrast, I also currently have a Yorkie puppy and not only did I pay $550 for her as apposed to getting a stray for free, but she has bad growing teeth which will eventually need pulled (about $200 or so), has nasty breathe from it, was very hard to housetrain, needs her hair constantly trimmed from her butt or she will poop in it and then drag it around...has diarreha a lot.....vomits a lot......I love her to death and she is the cutest dog around at 3 lbs, but if I could do it over, I would have adopted. I had a vet check her out before I purchased her, saw both parents and the woman was honest and a knowledgable breeder. Just goes to show that you never know what you'll get. Think about getting an older dog if you can't get a puppy........it's probably better for your kids. That way, you KNOW if the dog is good with kids, no surprises about size of the dog, already housetrained, among other things.

Answer 8

Do not buy from this person.

Reputable breeders know about common health problems in their breed.

Reputable breeders rarely have more than one breed

Another thing to consider, if the rescues won't rehome a pup with young children, it's probably because a dalmatian pup isn't suitable for young children. Maybe you should reconsider getting a Dalmatian at this time, or look at adopting an adult that has proven to be good with kids.

The website of the Dalmatian Club of America has lots of good information for potential owners and new owners. It also has a breeder referral list. http://www.thedca.org/

Answer 9

Basic Training of the Puppy - Read here https://tr.im/nycqQ

The new puppy is certainly one of the most adorable and cuddly creatures that has ever been created. It is the most natural thing in the world to shower it with love and affection. However, at the same time it is important to realize that if you want to have a well trained adult dog, you need to begin the training process right away. The dog, like its related ancestor, the wolf, is a pack animal. One of the features of a pack is that it has a single dominant leader. Your new puppy is going to want that leader to be you, but if you do not assume that role from the very beginning, the puppy’s instincts will push him to become the leader.

The most important thing to remember about training the puppy during its first six months of life is that it must see you as the leader of the family pack. The essential thing is gaining the trust and the respect of the puppy from the beginning. You will not do this by allowing the puppy to do whatever it wants to do whenever it wants to do it. On the other hand, a certain amount of patience is required. Most people err in their early training by going to extremes one way or the other. Although you need to begin the basic training process at once, you can not expect your dog to do too much at first. Basic obedience training is fine and should include simple commands like sit, stay, and come. Remember that trying to teach the dog advanced obedience techniques when it is a puppy is much like trying to teach a five year old child algebra.

It is also important to restrain from cruel or abusive treatment of the puppy. You can not beat obedience into your dog, and it certainly is not going to engender feeling of respect and trust. House breaking is an area where this usually becomes a problem because of the anger that is triggered when the puppy fails and creates a mess inside the home. Although this issue must be addressed without anger, it most be addressed. If you allow the puppy to eliminate inside the house, it will continue to do so as an adult dog. The same thing is true of other destructive or dangerous behavior such as chewing and biting. Do not expect the puppy to grow out of it. You are going to need to train the puppy out of it, but you should do so firmly but with a sense of play and fun using positive reinforcement and lots of love and praise for good behavior.

Answer 10

I am a Dalmatian owner and would recommend that you purchase from a breeder that deals solely with them. My dog has been brilliant and yes it is true about problems with hearing and my breeder has this done before you purchase the dog. I would thoroughly recommend where mine (Splash) came from. Here are the contact details: Mrs T A Page, Forty Acre Farm. Albyns Lane, Curtis Mill Green, Stapleford Tawney, Essex. RM14 1RT Tel: [phone]. Just one tip although very friendly and lovable they are boisterous and can be a handful, liking a lot of attention but then with three children that won't be lacking. Splash is now seven years old. You will find both Mr & Mrs Page extremely honest about the both the good and bad points of owning a dalmatian. Splash (not his Kennel Club name) can be viewed on my 360. Wishing every enjoyment with your dog, a friend for life.