[TrinaJ]

I just thought i'd let you all know about what happened to me when i tried to purchase a new puppy after Shadow (my 4th Rotty passed away).

First I wanted to make sure that I was going to get a reputable breeder so i logged onto my Rotty Club and looked under 'puppies for sale'. Found a few and checked out their websites....wow, what wonderful websites, beautiful pictures and a plethera of information about purchasing a Rotty.

Made contact with breeder via email (there was no phone number) asking if they had any puppies available. Breeder came back with a tonn of questions (which i was glad about because i thought to myself, 'hey this person wants to make sure this pup is going to a good home'') I answered all the questions and was told that i'd make a great home for one of the puppies, could i come out over the weekend. I was so excited, I really missed Shadow and needed another dog around me (I have had dogs all my life never in my life and was never without one).

So we arrive at her place, she has several dogs around her house, all fenced off although she lets them out when we arrive (with my 3 year old VERY EXCITED son). That's fine, I guess she knows her dogs are okay with kids, although i keep my son beside me at all times around these dogs, i dont know them and neither does my son. Eventually i get to see the puppies which are housed in a barn (with a still, yup an alcohol still, the smell is quite strong).

We go inside, me, my husband, my son, the breeder, her son (also 3) and 5 of her friends! I am thinking to myself, hang on a second, i am here to see these puppies why are they all being held by her friends, when do i get to see them? I start asking her questions as she's preparing to feed them. I ask about the Dam and Sire (both of which are not there - she doesn't own them, other people do, she's just breeding them). Automatically i start to worry, i want to see parents. Therefore I cant tell the temperement of these animals she's breeding, nor can i tell what the puppies 'may' look like when they are older. I hang around for a little while longer, hoping to be able to interact with the puppies but to no avail. With my son running around (very excited because he's never seen so many dogs before in one place), her friends monopolising the puppies and her chatting away to my hubby about their Still there is no time for me. So I tell her I will be in touch, she says she wants to see my house (which is understandable), I give her my contact number and leave.

Hubby and I decide that this is not the breeder for us and we will continue our search.

Later that afternoon i make an appointment to meet with another breeder. We arrive at her house, which is totally unkempt and overgrown with weeds (not a very good first impression to me as I take pride in my home as it reflects on me and my values). There are 2 puppies left, both are bitches - 14 weeks old. I play and interact with them, both are cute, one is very weary, the other is bouncing all over the place. The bitch was on the smallish side, the sire was not present (he belongs to someone else). We talk about the puppies, how they are going while i'm playing with them. They are great around my son (no longer excited and acting quite normal now *grins*). Then she comes out with this. I am not sure which one i am going to part with yet. I have to get advice on which one to keep. I am thinking to myself at 14 weeks you should have made up your mind by now. But that's okay, i understand, its probably hard to part with them. She then tells me that they the registration is limited. I cannot breed with them and cant show them. Alarm bells start ticking over in my head and i begin to think BYB. I ask why, she says she was planning on breeding with the puppy she kept so I cant breed with the other one!!! This makes no sense to me whatsoever. This puppy is 14 weeks old and she's already planning on breeding it. I ask how old the bitch is and she tells me she's just 2 :( . I mention that i will want to show my dog and that i will need full registration papers. I am really starting to feel uneasy about this and tell the woman that its getting late and i need to get my son home to bed. I give her my number and tell her when she makes up her mind give me a call and we'll discuss things further. I get into the car with hubby and we both look at each other and say NO WAY.

So my day ends very disappointed. I continue my search on the net for reputable breeders and come up with one that's some 3 hours from my house. I call up and make an appointment the next morning. We can come up today, she has a litter of 4 week old pups and a couple of 14 week old pups.

We arrive to a place that is immaculate. There are a plethera of dogs, each in its own individual CLEAN run. Plenty of room and lots of wagging tails. Already i am feeling confident. The woman greets us at the door and she's, we meet the puppies, the bitches (Sire lives in another state but is one of hers, he's a handsome boy). Between the 3 of us, we decide that a 14 week old pup would be best and also a bitch (because of our son). She says they are very sound in temprement (this is proven by just meeting all of her other dogs and the bitch). So she picks out the 2 bitches of the litter and takes us off to an enclosed yard where we can sit and chat and play with the puppies. She brings out a questionnaire for me to complete and just talks with us as we play with the puppies. She mentions that after meeting with us she'd recommend the one with the blue collar. Not 5 minutes later, this little miss is sitting beneath my chair, poking her head up for a scratch. What a cutie. After spending over and hour and a half with her and the puppies we are told that we can have the pup but there are a few conditions. First off, if we eventually plan on breeding with her she'd like to have a say in who we breed with as there are a few unethical breeders who want to get their hands on her lines. I agree, I would appreciate her advice on this. So we hand over the money, complete the paperwork, she gives me the suggested menu for the puppy and i tell her of my previous days 'puppy quest'. She asked me about the first breeder, who it was. I told her the name and she smiled. She then proceeded to tell me that's one of the breeders she will not allow to have associated with her dogs. We leave her place and make our way home. Jett (that's our pups name) vomits 3 times on the way home, she's not used to car travel.

We arrive home and i send an email to the other 2 breeders, thanking them for their time and advising them that i have decided to go with another breeder (i didn't want them thinking i was taking one of their dogs and then having someone else miss out). BIG MISTAKE! The first breeder writes back to me and i am shocked and disgusted with the comments she makes. She attacks my husband and my son. (I am okay though, although i only want a 'garden orniment' and am very materialistic!). Stupidly i write back advising her I was just being polite and that there was no need for her to get so nasty and personal. Once again she attacked my son (he's 3 and toilet training and had an accident in my car). She said he did that out of retaliation to getting in trouble (for not listening to me) and that if he'd urinate in a car out of revenge (we are talking of a 3 year old here) that he would hurrt a puppy to get back at me!! OMG this woman is crazy, a 3 year old who is toilet training cannot does not 'do revenge'. He's a sweet little boy. At this stage i am shaking with anger, i turn off my pc and think to myself, i am glad i trusted my instincts. I dont think she liked being rejected.

The BYB (well i think she's a BYB) was fine, never got a reply back. I think i scared her off with me desire to show and have full registration.

So, to cut a long story short, when buying a puppy, trust your instincts. The breeder with the best website, all the information etc may NOT be the best breeder. Make sure you view the parents and make sure your breeder is well known (in a good way). Investigate, do all your homework and dont just go buy the first dog you see. Make sure you get a dog that will do this breed proud, get one that comes from a line of proven good temprements and obedience.

Thanks for listening to my little rant, i really needed to get that off my chest.

Trina