Has anyone bought a dog from nextdaypets.com?

Question

I'm thinking about buying a puppy from nextdaypets.com, but am very apprehensive. I've been in constant contact with the breeder and they seem respectable, yet, I just am not sure - I don't want to support puppy mills and I don't want to receive a new puppy who is unhealthy.

I'm looking for any feedback - positive or negative - on anyone's experience with this site. I've heard good and bad things about buying a dog online so any more research I can gather is helpful.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Agree with the others. Evidence that you're dealing with Backyard Breeders and Puppymills on this site:

1. Dogs registered with multiple "scam" registries (i.e. NKC, ACA, ConKC)

2. No discussion of genetic testing. -- One ad for my breed said nothing about testing for genetic disease, but emphasized that the puppies were "weighed from the moment they were born and every day after that"...which means, what? Proof that they grow? Why advertise that? GOOD BREEDERS TEST THEIR DOGS.

3. Basic ignorance. -- Puppies listed as NO champion lines and NO champion sires, but were also listed as having "Show Potential". This person has no idea what they're doing, or what's in their dogs' pedigrees.

What kind of dog are you looking for? You'd be a lot better off going to that breed's Parent Club website and looking up breeders there.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I have never dealt with them, but out of curiosity, I went to the site and looked up Shih Tzus. (I breed Shih Tzus myself.) Everything that I saw, is nothing I would want. I saw listings from puppy mills and from BYBs. (A "purse puppy" my back end! Just another poorly bred runt, that will probably have major health issues!)

Try the AKC website. www.akc.org. They have a breeders classified section where they list puppies for sale. Also, you can try www.puppyfind.com. Be very, very careful about that site. There are too many puppy mills and backyard breeders that list on this site, just like nextdaypets. However, if you know what you are looking for and the AKC standards for the breed, then you should do just find there, as long as you ask the right questions!.

Here are some of the questions that you need to ask the breeder before you agree to any puppy:

1. Do you have both parents on site? -- This lets you see both parents and see how they behave. This is a good indicator on how the puppy will act.

2. Are the parents and puppies AKC?-- If not, run!!! AKC has some of the strictest guidelines of any of the registries. Most dogs that are not AKC (and even some that are) should never have been born because they are very poor quality.

3. Are the parents current on all shots and are currently on Heartworm preventative? -- Shows that the parents are well cared for.

4. Have all of the proper genetic tests been done on the parents before mating? -- Shows if there are any potential serious genetic defects in the lines.

5. What type of health guarantee does the puppy have? -- Most reputable breeders have a return or refund policy if the puppy has health issues.

6. What kind of contract must I sign to get the puppy? -- If there is no contract, RUN! This shows they really don't care who gets the puppy as long as they get money!

7. Will the puppy have its first shots and be wormed? -- This is a MUST!

8. How many litters has she had? How many litters do all of your dogs have per year? -- If she has had more than 4 litters, I would be concerned. If she has had more that 3 litters in two year, Backyard Breeder, RUN! If she has several litters a year out of very few dogs, STAY AWAY! Use some common sense. A dog really shouldn't have more than one litter a year. However, accidents happen, but more than three in two years means she was bred every time she went into heat.

9. Are the parents considered pets? Do they have free run of the house? -- If they are outside only, or contained to a small area of the house, they may not be well socialized. I would be very wary.

10. So you have references from your vet, neighbors, and people who purchased puppies from previous litters? -- References are so important, so that you know how others feel about the breeder. If the breeder refuses, then you should stay away!

Finally, make sure that you inspect the property where the breeder has the dogs. See how they interact with other animals, and yourself. You can tell by looking at them and interacting with them if they are well cared for.

Also, don't be surprised if the breeder asks you for some things too. I always ask for references, a letter from the landlord if they do not own their own home, if they have done their research, how they plan on house-breaking the dog, and who would be their primary vet.

Good luck! If you have any more questions, feel free to e-mail me!

Answer 3

Do not buy a puppy unless you have met the mother and can see where the puppy is living.

Online sites are just storefronts where people can post and say anything they like. I have seen some sites where the photos are re-used. So a "breeder" used a photo of a pup called "Sally" at 8 weeks old in July, then in November is using the SAME photo for a pup called "Snowflake" at 8 weeks old.

You have no idea what you would be getting---just because you saw a photo doesn't mean that is what will arrive. I have heard horror stories of people who have gone to get a pup at the airport and gotten a pup that looks close---but not the same and isn't the same as they one they picked out online.

Shipping pups at this time of the year in the US is also very risky for the pups----all you need is an airport shut down and the plane re-routed and your pup is freezing to death or in route for an extra couple of days. Not good.

My advice: Find a breeders, shelter, rescue or someone near you to find your pup. Go to www.petfinder.com to find a shelter or rescue and www.akc.org to look up breeders.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Althouhg I have had no experience w/ this sight, I work in the Animal Welfare field as an Animal Cruelty Investigator and can tell you first hand there are far too many puppy mills out there to count. Sure, this may be a well known or respectible breeder....but what about all those puppies / dogs available for adoption from local shelters? We just rescued 57 puppies and dogs from shelters in Kentucky that were slated for euthanasia if not saved from the deplorable conditions. Euthanasia can be anything from a gunshot to the head, in hopes they die immediatly, to hundreds of animals loaded into a tiny chamber, packed so tightly it's hard to breath and then when it's a convenient for them to do so, they turn on the gas so they all die. Some quickly, some not so quickly as being packed as tight as sardines means the gas takes longer to get to them. Imagine how scared these poor animals must be. Frightened beyond what we could imagine.

There are MANY "Class B" dealers out there who only care about the profit. They sell the puppies to companies for testing purposes.

Please just do your homework, You are correct in being skeptical about buying from an internet breeder....any breeded for that matter. If they are reputable, they will be willing to accomidate any question you ask. Can they give you any references from others who have purchased from them?

Sorry to sound so harsh. I've just seen an immense amount of pain and suffering that didn't need to happen.

If you're interested you can google CC Baird - Class B dealer to learn more.

~ Michelle

Answer 5

Agree with many others here, this kind of site is a puppy mills dream. Puppies that are sold, sight unseen, nor can you see the living conditions of the litters and mom. Since puppy mills are notorious for having poor living conditions, it's a bonus to them to sell via the net.

Any time you are considering any puppy from a breeder, you should always be able to see where the pups are raised and at least see the mom (reputable breeders looking to avoid inbreeding and expand bloodlines don't always have dad on premises, but will have good photos). The following link is to the akc website that details ethical breeding practices. For me, I wouldn't work with any breeder who didn't adhere to these guidelines.

http://www.akc.org/breeders/resp_breeding/Articles/breeder.cfm

Answer 6

Please! Try finding out about any local adoption groups or humane societies in your area. There are usually so many choices - big or small, puppy or adult, male or female, etc. enough of a selection to find the right companion for you.

Just because a dog is there, doesn't mean he/she is a reject. Many times people get sick, lose their job, or move away and cannot take care of their pet anymore. And most times, they can provide you with a history on the dog, i.e where and why it came from, housebroken, good with children or other pets, its vaccination records ...

Some distinct advantages:

1. You get to choose the dog hands-on.

2. The adoption fee includes any initial
vaccinations already done or needed, and a
spay or neuter if not performed yet. I also
believe that part of the adoption fee might be
tax-deductible (ask when you visit).

3. Most importantly, you are saving a life. We
already had a little chihuahua who was lonely
for a friend -- so we adopted a small mixed
breed, and the 2 are now fast friends!

Answer 7

Personally, I won't buy from anyone who I can't go and see puppies, living conditions, etc. That means no puppy websites! You can't tell by email if the person is for real or not.

If you are looking for a specific breed, go to akc.org, go to the page that lists the websites and contacts for the breed's parent clubs. Contact the club and get recommendations of breeders there. Find a breeder who you can visit, don't buy the first puppy you see and yes, do more research.

Answer 8

If the pup is somewhere that you can't drive to and inspect, don't do it!

Websites are often used as a front for puppy mills because they can ship directly to people who will never be able to see the conditions the pups were raised in.

Please, only buy from respectable breeders and only from those that you can meet in person. I'm glad that you are conscientous of puppy mills and are trying to make the best choice possible!

Answer 9

All I've heard are bad things during my research on puppy mills:

Next Day Pets--www.Nextdaypets.com

This site allows advertising by a huge number of breeders but takes no responsibility for problems that you may have with the puppies. From the site: "Next Day Pets accepts no responsibilty (sic) for the dog breeders said commitments, guarantees, reputation or quality of service."

Note: nextdaypets.com also advertises some rescue groups, which is a good thing. If you are unfamiliar with the term rescue group, please see our FAQ, question 10.

Next Day Pets (www.nextdaypets.com)
Breeders: Tim and Stacy Brock, Rocky Comfort, MO - 43A-3120 Cock-a-poo arrived with Upper Respiratory Infection, Hookworm, Coccidia, ear mites and runny eyes.

This website, like many other puppy sale sites on the internet is nothing more than a place for sellers to post their puppy litter ads and websites. We have looked up the names of a number of breeders selling on this site on the USDA breeder and dealer directories, and most of them have USDA licenses. This means they are puppy mills that supply puppies to the pet shop industry. These are the types of facilities that CAPS investigates on a regular basis.

Answer 10

I looked @ many sites like those when I was looking for a puppy and realized why should I have to pay money to get a puppy. The amount of money I spent to try to find a puppy on that site I can use elsewhere such as toys, food, part of a vet bill for the dog. Plus to me I read stories about people who purchased dogs online and never recieved the dog. In the end I trusted my instinct and did not continue on with the site. Instead I hounded sites like Petfinder.org and AKC website for dogs.

I also learned that there are key things to doing when getting/adopting/purchasing a dog which were to visit with the dog to see if you got along with the dog, to see the dog's enviorment, to see the mother of the puppies to see her condition, and to be able to sit down and talk with the breeder/shelter face to face and the most important be able to have the vaccinations information as well as be able to take them to the vet to get an exam. Those to me are KEY when looking for a puppy/dog.

Many of these dogs I see on here are not AKC registered or the litter is not registered because AKC has their own classifies to look for reputable breeders who post their litter up on this website. I also looked up some litters of dogs through AKC and found out that there are a handful of listing (not even that) of actual min pins. In the end I end up adopting a dog that I feel in love with on Petfinder.org @ first sight (yes love @ first site is true).