Puppy woes... any advice?

[mmsmom]

Agree that any place that will not allow you to visit is a huge red flag. Definitely stay away. A reputable place should want to meet you as much as you want to meet them.

The health of a puppy is never guaranteed- even from a reputable AKC breeder. I had a Golden Retriever from a reputable, well known breeder (who required 3 visits to her place before deciding if you would get a puppy). She had heart tests, hip tests, eye tests- all the things that were recommended. Our puppies grandfather won best of breed at Westminster. However at 9 years old he died from Lymphoma which can be an inherited trait. So you really just never know so I would encourage finding a rescue puppy. We now have a rescue we got as a puppy and the one thing we experienced which I think is common for those that come from shelters is that he had various worms/parasites that it took a few weeks to get rid of. But he is now 7 years old and has been healthy ever since.

[mmsmom]

Agree that any place that will not allow you to visit is a huge red flag. Definitely stay away. A reputable place should want to meet you as much as you want to meet them.

The health of a puppy is never guaranteed- even from a reputable AKC breeder. I had a Golden Retriever from a reputable, well known breeder (who required 3 visits to her place before deciding if you would get a puppy). She had heart tests, hip tests, eye tests- all the things that were recommended. Our puppies grandfather won best of breed at Westminster. However at 9 years old he died from Lymphoma which can be an inherited trait. So you really just never know so I would encourage finding a rescue puppy. We now have a rescue we got as a puppy and the one thing we experienced which I think is common for those that come from shelters is that he had various worms/parasites that it took a few weeks to get rid of. But he is now 7 years old and has been healthy ever since.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I agree with the suggestion of the older dog. You’ve mentioned financial stress before. An older dog will have the costly puppy stage over and cost less. Plus you won’t start off already in the hole a few thousand dollars. I imagine pets are hard to come by now but I think an older dog is a great option. You’ll really have a better sense of their personality too.


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[HannaAddict]

Umm, all “doodle” breeders are backyard, for-profit breeders. And if they have multiple litters available at a time, they are puppy mills. Pure and simple.These are not real breeds and there is no breed standard. Don’t be fooled by slick websites. They often sell dogs with health problems or poor breeding for very high prices.

If you want an excellent medium-sized dog that is more hypoallergenic, find a reputable Portuguese Water Dog or Wheaten Terrier breeder in your area. Reputable breeders generally are members of their state/regional breed club and show their breeding stock in AKC recognized shows. They generally have 2-3 litters at most per year.

A good breeder asks you tons of questions and checks you out to make sure you will provide a good home. They are not just about getting your $$. I would run away from that situation.

Wheaten Terriers are fabulous dogs and so are Portuguese Water Dogs! If you really can’t handle a rescue (mixed breeds from rescue have been hardier by far in our experience), those are two great breeds to check out.


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[#2ontheway]

Wheaten Terriers are fabulous dogs and so are Portuguese Water Dogs! If you really can’t handle a rescue (mixed breeds from rescue have been hardier by far in our experience), those are two great breeds to check out.


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Totally agree with both of these breed recommendations. We also have not had good rescue experiences, unfortunately. It's hard, but you should really be brutally honest with yourselves about what you can handle before you sign yourselves up for what could be a really heartbreaking experience.

[zukeypur]

Wheaten Terriers are fabulous dogs and so are Portuguese Water Dogs! If you really can’t handle a rescue (mixed breeds from rescue have been hardier by far in our experience), those are two great breeds to check out.


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Do they bark?

[zukeypur]

Wheaten Terriers are fabulous dogs and so are Portuguese Water Dogs! If you really can’t handle a rescue (mixed breeds from rescue have been hardier by far in our experience), those are two great breeds to check out.


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Do they bark?