The Pit Falls of Buying a Puppy

Last week was the first anniversary of the day I brought Brae home from the breeder in Doncaster (15th June). She was the first dog I've owned that I've intentionally gone out and bought. Before that I always swore that I would never own a dog that I hadn't rescued and that I would never give money to a breeder for a dog.

When I worked at PDSA you only really saw the bad examples of breeds, the back yard breeding and the problems that came with such things. Shar Pei's were prolific and many people bought them with the intention of using them as puppy machines. Many shar pei's were so badly bred that they needed eye tacking surgery (tacking up the loose skin from around the eye so that the poor puppies could actually see!) from as young as 8 weeks old and ear surgery to open up the ear canals. In extreme cases the entire ear canal would be removed as they were so prone to infection. Most shar pei's were never properly socialised and would be dog and people aggressive. 

It was a sad sight to see and there was nothing to we could do to stop it. One client even said that the breeder has specifically said that the shar pei puppy they were buying would need eye and ear surgery! When the client said they were PDSA clients the breeder said "Oh well, it'll be free then".

For those of you who don't know what the PDSA do exactly, it's a charity vets who cater for those on means tested benefits. They try and promote good pet ownership by having a '3 pet rule'. This means you can only register 3 pets and then have to wait 6 months after removing a pet before you can add another one. This is a great idea in principle but is widely misused. They also have a rule that if you have intentionally bred your dog that they will not offer any services to do with the care of that pregnancy. This again was widely misused as most people knew that if they turned up on the doorstep with a dog that was struggling in labour, we were obliged to help. This usually would result in a c-section which can be a long and complicated operation. The "breeder" could then say that they did not want the bitch spayed after the section so that she was fit to carry more pups in the future. Breeder got a free c-section that would have cost them hundreds of pounds at a private vets, they got to take home an entire bitch and 5, 6 or more pups that they planned on selling for 'X' amount of money. PDSA would receive a donation of perhaps £20 (if that) and the system was absolutely abused. After working there for 4 years I was completely jaded and cynical, but those stories are for another day!!

Back to the subject. After leaving PDSA to move down to Barnard Castle I had set ideas about breed specific genetic issues, bad breeding, aggressive dogs due to lack of socialisation and greedy breeders who didn't care about the welfare of dogs. I even had a dislike for a lot of collies, as most of the ones I'd seen were aggressive and unpredictable due to bad breeding, lack of training, exercise and socialisation.
I moved to Barnard Castle in March 2010 and started agility lessons in April 2010 with Brenna. This was where my eyes were opened to the possibility that not all collies were aggressive and unpredictable!! Watching a well trained border collie negotiate an agility course is an amazing thing and I was quickly addicted! My trainer has a blond Merle coloured collie called Moxie, and he is the nicest dog I've ever met. In the agility training area he mostly ignores other dogs and people as he is so focused on working, but out of the agility area he come and sees you, gives kisses, sticks his nose in your pocket after treats and is generally just gorgeous! He's an absolute star when it comes to agility and makes me feel that I'm in good hands at that club as he is so well trained.

As I met other collies who were well trained, well socialised and well bred, it didn't take long before I was well and truly bitten by the agility bug and had a seed planted in my mind that I wanted a collie pup. This was a difficult idea to come to terms with as I was so against breeders and paying money for a puppy. I felt guilty as there are so many dogs in rescue centers that are in need of loving homes, and there I was thinking about adding to the whole problem of breeders.
Graeme was not at all keen at first on the idea of a puppy. He's always had collies but they've always been rescue dogs whom he'd acquired as quite well trained adults. I explained that I wanted a puppy to train from scratch without the problems of a rescue dog. Brenna was doing well at agility but she came with her own set of issues and problems which can be hard work.

Eventually Graeme said that he would actually quite like a puppy, which was all I needed to hear and I started searching for a suitable puppy! I was adamant I wanted a well bred, well brought up dog whose parents had been eye tested, had good hip scores and were well looked after, so I started my research. I got in touch with local collie breeders, most of which were agility people, but there were no litters available, or if there were they only had dogs left and I wanted a bitch. I also had an image in my head of what I wanted the puppy to look like. I wanted a classically marked black and white bitch, with more white on her around the shoulders and face with a good stripe on her forehead. I never thought that I'd actually find one that perfect, but I could hope!

I started looking on the Internet for litters that were almost ready in the north area. I picked a few out, called to inquire and organised a visit. This was the point I realised how many unscrupulous breeders there are out there. I had my questions ready about the parents, tests done, worming history, environment the puppies were brought up in, etc. I was armed with information about collie eye anomaly (CEA) and hip dysplasia among other known border collie problems. If I was paying money for a dog I wanted a genetically healthy one!

The first litter I went to see were in Mexbourgh in Doncaster, and were about 2 weeks old. We arrived in a rather rough looking council estate to a house adorned with England flags and football paraphernalia. Now I have no problems with council estates for I myself was brought up in a council house and in fact my dad still lives there now as a council tenant, but this did not fill me with confidence.
We were greeted at the gate where a blue Merle border collie was barking furiously at us. This was the father of the puppies. He was nervous of us, growled and backed away. Not really a good role model for developing pups. His nervousness and furious barking at strangers would imprint itself to some extent upon the pups and there was your first problem to deal with in your new puppy.

Mummy dog was much calmer and greeted us well, which was a good sign, however if she was a full breed border collie, I would eat my hat, as they say! She was very short legged and had an odd shaped head. No doubt one of her parents was a collie, but I wouldn't like to guess at what the other one was! I know there is a big variation in the looks of collies, but this to me was a cross breed and Graeme had the same thought. The lady of the house assured us she was a full collie but had no proof. The dogs were not KC (kennel club) or ISDS (international sheep dog society) registered, there was no tests done, they were a bit vague about the worm and flea treatment, but wanted £250 for the puppy! We were told they would be ready at 6 weeks old, but any decent person know that puppies shouldn't leave mum until 8 weeks old. Puppies and mum were in a crate in the hallway by the door, the house was filled with the smell of smoke and the sound of football anthems and alarm bells were ringing in our heads!

We politely said we'd think about it and let them know and left in a hurry! On the way back from Doncaster we stopped off at Leyburn, North Yorkshire, where we had an appointment to see anther litter. So we arrived at a farm and were met by the owner. All seemed well until she took us out the back to see her dogs. She had several collies, miniature pincher's and Pomeranians. The collies were working dogs, others were for breeding and showing apparently. Most were barking and some were growling.

We were shown a mother dog and her pups who were 8 weeks old and ready to go. The mother dog was agitated, panting and walking around in a circle. She'd been pacing so much that she had a path worn out in the grass. This of course did not look good to me and I was instantly on edge. In the next part of the paddock there was older collie pups running around and more miniature pincher's. I asked why the mother of the 8 week old puppies was pacing in a circle and was told that she'd always done that after starting off her life in a small flat where she never got any exercise. The bitch was then re-homed to the lady with the farm and was used for breeding. This was enough to make me think that any puppy I got from here would be riddled with behavioural problems already. Can you imagine what those puppies had learned from their stressed and agitated mother? There I was holding an absolutely gorgeous 8 week old puppy and a part of me wanted to take it, just to get it away from this environment, but the other, more sensible part was saying no.
I asked about worm and flea treatment, yes that was done, no, the parents weren't tested for hip dysplasia or CEA, yes they were KC registered but weren't willing to show us papers. More alarm bells. When I asked to be reminded of the price of the puppies I was told £400, however they had been advertised at £250. More alarm bells. The lady then said that she would let me have the bitch I was holding for £250 but I'd get no KC papers. That was enough to make me put the poor little puppy down and leave.

Graeme couldn't believe that I'd had the will to say no to a tiny puppy and walk away, but the feeling in my guts told me not to get a puppy from here unless I wanted a long list of problems to sort out. In short I believe it was more a puppy farm where they were just churning out puppies and selling them to anyone willing to buy. So far no one had asked if I'd had a collie before, what exercise I would be able to give it, whether or not I'd be leaving it for hours a day or if I intended working it or not. These are all questions I would certainly be asking any prospective owner of any puppy I bred.

So we returned home and felt a bit disheartened. My worst fears about breeders had been realised and I wasn't sure I'd ever find a decent one.

The following weekend we went to see some more puppies at a place near Consett. We arrived to a farm house and yard to find 20+ kennels in this large yard, every kennel having 2 or 3 collies in it. I couldn't believe my eyes. The lady who owned them ran a B&B from the farm house, worked part time as a cleaner and apparently still had time to walk and see to 40 plus collies. The noise was unbelievable and most looked frantic in their kennels. I asked the lady how long she'd been a breeder and she said "oh, I'm not a breeder, these are all pets". I was not convinced. She had a black and white bitch for sale, about 12 weeks old. She said she'd had this litter as she was desperately trying to breed a red Merle collie. Perhaps that's why she had so many! No vaccinations, no KC or ISDS reg, no worm and flea treatment, no way was I taking this puppy. She wanted £250 for this cute little black and white spotted girl but said if she didn't sell her she'd use her for breeding, again trying to get that elusive red Merle collie.
I left there pretty angry that all those dogs were destined for a life of being in a kennel breeding. Again no questions were asked about my intentions and capability of owning such a demanding breed. I reported them to the website I found them on for being a puppy farm.

(I realise that this post is quite a big read and I apologise if I have bored you! I just feel this story should be told!).

So again we returned puppy-less. I was fed up by this point. We looked on the net again for any suitable puppies. There was one advert I'd by-passed several times as I thought the price was too high at £350. I didn't want to spent that much (again the feeling that I shouldn't be giving money to breeders!) but Graeme reminded me that you get what you pay for and perhaps this one was worth the money. The picture on the advert certainly had caught my eye and the puppy looked stunning and just how I had imagined my dog would look. There was two pictures, one was a bitch, one was a dog and I hoped the perfect looking puppy eating a chew was the bitch. The description was encouraging, the parents were KC and ISDS registered, they had been hip scored, eye tested and mum had been kept up to date on worm and flea treatment during pregnancy.

Graeme encouraged me to call the lady up and inquire so I did just that. The lady sounded lovely and was called Linda. Yes the female puppy was still there as she had been promised to a lady in America but Linda was having second thoughts about shipping the puppy off. The gorgeous picture of the puppy eating a chew was indeed the bitch! Linda said she would give me a ring when it was decided what was happening. The next day I sent her a text saying that I was very interested and would love to come and visit the puppy. Not long after that I got an email saying the puppy was mine if I wanted her after a visit, as the journey to America would be too stressful and too hot for the puppy. I was so excited! The next day Graeme finished work early, I prepared the house for the arrival of a puppy and felt absolutely positive that this one was the one for me.

We traveled down to Sykehouse in Doncaster to visit the puppy. The house was beautiful and a working farm. The parents of the puppy were in the yard and the two remaining puppies were playing in the garden. They were stunning looking puppies, with the male puppy being a lovely chunky boy! The bitch was smaller but beautiful. We took the female pup into the house and I started with my questions. Everything I asked there was a good answer too. Linda got out all of her paperwork to do with the parents. I saw pedigree papers, hip scoring results, eye test results, ISDS papers and a family tree of each dog. A lot of the puppies she had in the past went on to be working dogs, flyball dogs or agility champions. I was asked questions about my house, the garden, my job, my intentions for doing agility etc etc. I was there over 2 hours and I think we both ticked each others boxes when it came to questions and answers! The puppy did sleep in a kennel but was in the house during the day and house training had started. She was up to date with worm and flea treatment and had met lots of people and different animals. I was satisfied that she was the one for me and said yes, we'll take her! We filled in the paperwork and Linda took a picture of us with the puppy. She said she liked to have a reminder of the people who had taken her pups. We now have  copy of one of those pictures in a frame in the living room. Linda sent us it when she sent Brae's ISDS registration.

Brae looking adorable!

 

So that was that. We took Brae home the same day. We were given a bag of food that she'd been on mixed with natural yogurt and egg. The pups had had a very varied diet! I was reminded that not all breeders were just in it for money and that some care deeply about the puppies and the homes they go to. I still send Linda updates every now and then to let her know how Brae is getting on.

I was inspired to think about this again after keeping up to date with A Sheep Dogs Diary's blog (http://asheepdogdiary.blogspot.com/) and updates on Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/asheepdogdiary). One of their collies gave birth to 8 puppies on 5th May 2011 (the octopups!) and since then the blog and Twitter updates have been inspiring. The lady behind it all is so utterly dedicated to those puppies and when mummy dog struggled to feed pups after she was ill, she spent long hours hand feeding the puppies day in day out. The puppies have listened to a CD of traffic noises, been out in the car over cattle grids, met other dogs, met lots of people, met other animals and have been well handled. They were introduced to a collar and lead recently and already have started house training. Those puppies had homes set up and they will be leaving with the best possible start, all wormed and ready to go!! Anyone getting one of the octopups will be very lucky. How many breeders would do half of those things with their puppies? Not many I bet. It's been a lovely reminder about the good people in world who love their dogs and will make an extra effort to make sure that those puppies go out into the world with a good level of socialisation and training.

My faith has been restored and if I ever did decide to have puppies from Brae I will try and be as dedicated and knowledgeable as A Sheepdog Diary has been.