I was just wondering if any of you bought a puppy from a good breeder and after you brought it home, he/she became ill. Can you share that experience with me please?
2007-09-29 22:50:12 · 7 answers · asked by Jo 5 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Yes. First of all, I AM a reputable breeder and only buy my show stock from other reputable breeders. However, there was a case where even I was shafted over a puppy. I waited 2 years on this breeder's list for a show puppy. The litter came and I was sold a female chow who's parents and all members of her line were OFA good or better (OFA is the hip registry in the US). By 6 months old, this little girl who had excellent care.. had severe hip dysplasia. My contract gave me the option of either sending her back and getting a replacement or refund OR keeping her and sending a spayed certificate to breeder and getting replacement puppy. This is fairly standard because as breeders we know that some people will want to keep the original puppy. Sounds like I would have a story end right there, right? WRONG! This breeder had some problems sometime after I bought my pup and decides that she will no longer honor any contracts.So I was stuck with a $2,000 puppy that could not be shown or bred.. and as time went on, ended up with a few more health issues and died before age 5. I have been showing/breeding/ and rescuing my chosen breed for over 15 years and this is the 1st time a reputable breeder did not follow their own contract. SO, be aware that this story is not the norm... usually if you have a contract and there is a problem that is covered under that contract.. it WILL BE HONORED. Also, most reputable breeders ask that you take your new puppy to a vet for a health check within 72 hours of getting the puppy. This protects both of you so that you know they sold you a health pup at time of purchase. If you follow the shot and worming schedule and watch to make sure puppy does not get into anything hazardous to it's health, then it should be fine. Also, just because the breeding stock has their health testing done and cleared, it does not mean that all puppies from a litter will be 100% clear from that disorder. We test so that we do not purposely breed afflicted animals. But just like humans, sometimes there can be a problem with the offspring while the parents are healthy. I would advise you to read the contract carefully, then call the breeder and let them know of the problem. Sometimes they are willing to help with vet bills even though it is not always in the contract. It never hurts to ask.
For anyone interested in buying a pup... Please see where the pup was raised and look at all on site relatives of the pup. Do NOT buy if the place is not clean and animals are dirty. Do NOT buy if breeder cannot show you pedigrees, health clearances and shot records of animals. Do NOT buy a puppy that has watery eyes, runny nose or dirty ears or tail end. These are all signs that the breeder is not reputable and/or giving the proper care for their stock. Also.. if the puppy is AKC registered.. the papers go with the puppy, you do NOT have to pay extra to get them from the breeder. You do have to pay to register with AKC, but do not pay the breeder a few hundred more for something the puppy owns.
2007-09-29 23:36:26 · answer #1 · answered by Rogue 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
In my case the dog developed addisons at age 4 - it is believed heritatary but not considered proven so. In my boys case his litter brother was diagnosed about a year after he was and their sire year after that. Nuimerous other relatives were also dignosed- ALL AFTER my boy was born- for that matter the paper indicating heritatary was after my boy was born. There are no guarenttees in life and even the most reputable breeder can be caught by an unknown - Remember these are living things not something manufactured, many screening tests (such as OFA hips) detect nonovious affected -NOT always carriers - most of the time the only way to know of a health problem in the line is to have an affected born!
heck my breed has a resessive that we know for sure exists only since last May - with few exceptions we have no idea what dogs carry it (two affected dogs have been born on the entire east coast).
As for contagious problems - I have heard of folks downridding a breeder for coccidia (which in my area almost all pups get untill they get imunity) and for things like parvo when the pup was sticken when they had it well past the incubation period meaning it got it when they had it.
PS I never asked for a refund of purchase price partly because I still have (and continue to treat) the dog six years later - and the primary reason I never got another pup from that breeder was her breeding program started to breed for qualities I didn't want and not for what I do want.
2007-09-30 01:40:46 · answer #2 · answered by ragapple 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I have a female Saint that was a beautiful pup. By six months old it was obvious she had some conformation problems. Then her hips were horrible. I called the breeder who offered to take her back and give me pick of a future litter. I knew she would be put down so I just had her spayed and she became a family pet. When I get a dog, unless it is an aggression problem I keep it for life. While I know unforeseen problems happen, I did agree to keep the dog for life. Just me?
Even dogs bred from champion stock do have problems at times. That's why there is a sales contract, with all the WHAT IF's included. That's what a reputable breeder does.
2007-09-29 23:00:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
I dealt with a breeder who was well known and who knew me personally. She knew I showed my dogs in obed, conformation and trained in Personal Protection and when I bought a Rottie pup from her said the hips were OK. I found out later she and a Pro handler both had been told the litter had bad hips.The Pro handler evaluated the litter when 8 weeks or so and my male when he was almost a year. She said he needed low jumps to build up his hips. When I went to OFA him he had severe HD and when I told the breeder she said "Well, he WAS sold as pet quality." He went to live with a friend and became a housepet. I was given a Dobe sired by the Pro handler's Ch.Dobe as a gift and he is fine but I would never buy from her and tell everyone not to trust her or the other woman. But the other breeders I have dealt with have been better, they encourage contact and visits, not like the Dobe breeder or the handler.
2007-09-30 00:08:39 · answer #4 · answered by ginbark 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cons basically interior the minds of the mis/ill-pronounced and the cheap a million. fee - in case you like a properly bred canine you will desire to be keen to pay for it. some breeds will fee into the 1000's and 1000's some under that 2. The screening technique - basically people who're used to easily being given a canine as a results of fact they have money seem to have a issue with this one 3. The wait - reckoning on once you're making touch with a breeder, their breeding application etc you will desire to be on a waiting record for somewhat as some months to three years. 4. buying from a breeder kills a canine in a safeguard < utter bullshit. canines die interior the shelters familiar. no longer buying from respected breeders won't exchange that 5. settlement situations. easily IMO there are not any valids cons whilst handling a good breeder in case you're after what you like one hundred%
2016-10-10 01:17:41 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i bought my rottweiler from a breeder.when my dog got older,he was diagnosed with epilepsy.
2007-09-30 00:15:13 · answer #6 · answered by babygirl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it happens some puppies are weak , maybe yr not feeding it properly , they need milk , nothing heavy
2007-09-29 23:06:03 · answer #7 · answered by likeminded 3 · 0⤊ 10⤋