Do I purchase one

[kehoracek]

Okay, here is my struggle and from what I have seen on here we have quite a few people that are enablers

We have a four Y/O female (spayed) GSD. We have wanted to get another GSD for her to play with and for us to love. I mean who doesn't love them right?

The breeder we bought Sophie from doesn't breed anymore. I've looked into a shelter dog and twice found one that I thought would be a good match. I've taken Sophie there for an introduction and the dogs just don't seem to get along. Sophie is pretty laid back. So I never got a rescue dog.

The other day I ran across a sign that said AKC/CKC GSD puppies. Of course I just stopped to look, only look! Here are nine, 6 week old puppies. I met mom and dad, saw papers, etc. I'm not showing so papers aren't that important. The lady doesn't seem to be breeder for anything much more than money.

My question is this, is it really that bad to purchase from someone like this? The puppies aren't in the greatest of conditions but fat and happy. I just kinda feel like I could get one of these puppies and allow it to have a better home that it might otherwise.

[Iwasbornonahorse]

I guess my only issue is that buying from people like that encourages them to keep breeding. After all you are rewarding them with money for their efforts.

Another thought, just because one rescue didn't get along with your dog doesn't mean they all won't.

[breburtch]

How much is she asking? Is it going to be worth paying x amount of dollars on puppies that aren't in that great of condition with the possibility of large vet bills or even possibly losing the puppy?
Also what if the puppy has some sort of illness that could be passed on to sophie?
I'd just be very careful buying from a person like this it can be very risky.

[alliebath]

Here is my two cents (and that is just what it is worth). You buy a puppy - as do 5 other homes. Great, those sold so quick, I will breed again. And again, and again. While you save that one puppy - you encourage this gal to continue to crank out puppies.

Have you contacted a local GSD rescue group? I did GSD rescue for years and we had lots of really nice, young GSD needing homes. Just another avenue.

[kehoracek]

She is asking $100 for the puppies. When I say they aren't in the greatest condition I mean that they live in a hog barn. They have about a 24x24 "pen" with straw in it.

The straw is clean. I saw the dog food that she was feeding it was Pedigree puppy food. Both mom and dad seems to be healthy and happy. When I stopped she was getting ready to give them their first shots.

I guess to me the fact that they were living in a hog barn with hogs was what I meant by not the greatest conditions.

I agree with the fact that buying one encourages her to breed more too.

As for the rescue part I have tried twice with finding a rescue and no luck. First, not that many GSD come up in our area so that's the first thing. Second, I kinda wonder what problems I dealing with when I get a rescue.

[breburtch]

I would look into this women somemore and ask alot of questions. Now are the puppies registered or registerable?
If so thats a good price for them especially if there show qaulity and if registered it shows some responsibilty and just because there raised in a hog barn doesn't make conditions poor chances are mom and dad are farm dogs and have been bred and raised and trained to work and gaurd the farm.
But stil be a little weary of buying from her and ask all appropriate questions and check to see if puppies will have all shots and be wormed etc before going to new homes

[alliebath]

Getting a rescue from a reputable rescue group will most likely result in many fewer issues then purchasing a puppy from a back yard breeder. When I fostered GSD's I knew so much about them before they were adopted - how they were with cats, other dogs, horses, children, house manners, on leash, possible allergies, etc.

If you have ruled out rescue, then you have a couple of options - purchase a dog/puppy from a reputable breeder (which will be more than $100), or purchase from a situation like you describe.

[farmergal]

I'm curious to know why she's selling them so cheap. What is the normal going price in your area? Does she have a return policy or are you stuck if things don't work out. Keeping in mind that Sophie might not get along with the new puppy.

[alliebath]

She is able to sell them so cheap because she didn't have to pay a stud fee, I would highly doubt that they have been shown (so no expense on her part) and I also doubt that they have had even one health clearance. GSD dogs used for breeding should at the minimum have hips, elbows and eyes. That is the bare minimum. And we all know that the papers are only as good as the breeder who fills them out. I don't know where the OP is, but CKC should be the Canadian Kennel Club which like the AKC is considered a reputable registery, or CKC could be one of the schlock pet registries.

I cannot imagine letting a stranger off the street come in and look at my 6 week old puppies when they just stopped by. Too many concerns of cooties being brought in my opinion. The whole situation teems of "you get what you pay for". Really, just my 2 cents. You might buy one and he/she will be a wonderful, long lived, health issue free pet. You roll the dice and you take your chances - whether from a back yard breeder or a respected one.

[kehoracek]

We bought our other dog for only $350 so she wasn't that expensive either.

Actually I did see the OFA certs on both of the parents and the puppies are registered now just that they can be.

I hear what everyone is saying. Its just so tough when you see them and feel that you could supply them a better place than what they will probably get but again, I hear you.

[Wendy F]

Originally Posted by breburtch

I would look into this women somemore and ask alot of questions. Now are the puppies registered or registerable?
If so thats a good price for them especially if there show qaulity and if registered it shows some responsibilty and just because there raised in a hog barn doesn't make conditions poor chances are mom and dad are farm dogs and have been bred and raised and trained to work and gaurd the farm.
But stil be a little weary of buying from her and ask all appropriate questions and check to see if puppies will have all shots and be wormed etc before going to new homes

Ditto!

[crittermom]

My 2 cents worth: I hear what people are saying about buying a puppy only encourages this woman to keep breeding-----however, in reality---she will most likely keep breeding anyway. If you want the puppy---buy it. Be aware that GSDs have hip issues etc. and you may not be getting one that has been screened for that. I once bought a Rottweiler that was so pathetic and full of worms just to get her out of the situation----I wish I could have taken the brother too. You can save the world one dog at a time.

[Shepdog]

Originally Posted by alliebath

She is able to sell them so cheap because she didn't have to pay a stud fee, I would highly doubt that they have been shown (so no expense on her part) and I also doubt that they have had even one health clearance. GSD dogs used for breeding should at the minimum have hips, elbows and eyes. That is the bare minimum. And we all know that the papers are only as good as the breeder who fills them out. I don't know where the OP is, but CKC should be the Canadian Kennel Club which like the AKC is considered a reputable registery, or CKC could be one of the schlock pet registries.

I cannot imagine letting a stranger off the street come in and look at my 6 week old puppies when they just stopped by. Too many concerns of cooties being brought in my opinion. The whole situation teems of "you get what you pay for". Really, just my 2 cents. You might buy one and he/she will be a wonderful, long lived, health issue free pet. You roll the dice and you take your chances - whether from a back yard breeder or a respected one.

As someone who's shown, worked, and loved my GSD's now for twenty years, I will totally agree with this statement. She's selling them cheap because a) she has no outlay into them, and b) there is very likely no health testing done or show/working effort put into the dogs. There's probably no research done on their lines as well - and with that comes the possibility of so many things other than OFA... and some of them are real killers. Epilepsy often doesn't show up until two or even three. vWD, DM, thyroid issues, megaesophagus (I went through this myself and it was heartbreaking to me and my family, and a horrible way to lose a dog. We still aren't over that one.) heart diseases...

That's not to say that a carefully bred puppy from an excellent breeder won't have it happen. Sometimes, well... things happen, no matter how much care you take. Genetics can do some funny things when you don't expect it, as most of us know.

I tend to think of it as odds, myself - you have better odds that you won't have an issue and have a dog that lives a long, happy life with you if the breeder has done their research and is careful on their selection of dogs.

Sometimes with one of these types of breeders, you end up with a lovely family pet. Othertimes, you're going to be in a health and temperment nightmare. That doesn't mean I don't understand that most people don't want a show dog, and I am the first to admit that the working lines are some of the hardest to handle in the breed.

This is a breed that I really feel gets a lot of damage done to it by this sort of situation. You may be a lovely home for this breed, you understand it, and you like it. The other people that just stop by and say, "I want" may never have owned it, and then the Shepherd gets turned into a rescue, or given away, and these dogs just have a hard time recovering from abandonment or being in multiple homes.

Sigh, I know that's off topic, but... I would personally not buy a pup from a situation like this. Not only because it encourages her to breed her dogs over and over, but also because man, it hurts so bad for you and your family if something happens that you have no control over, but might have been avoided through another, better breeder.

Good luck finding your pup a pal whatever you decide to do. I miss having two Shepherds at my house, this is the first time in a very long time, that I've only got one.

[karenf]

From any breeder, you should get a health guarantee against genetic defects.

One thing about getting a puppy is that they bond to you, and adapt to your lifestyle for better or worse. It´s not the same as a horse, which I prefer to have longer with its mother and the herd, as dogs look to you as the leader.

GSD are usually easy to find in the pound, at least in my area. Pound dogs are usually full of worms and come with kennel cough, so I am reluctant to bring them home to my animals straight away. With our fees, a pund dog costs more than $100. $75 to adopt, and then another 100 for the vet check with worming. I prefer to look at fostered dogs through club rescues.

[mandelyn82]

Can you find out how old the parents are? If they're over 3 years old and healthy that's a good sign. If they're under that, I would be wary.

Ideally I would like to see hip xrays from the parents... but usually on $100 pups the breeder doesn't have them.

It's risky with the health side of things.

But with the breed, I understand where you're coming from with aggression issues on the older rescues. But there's good young ones out there... if you contact all the ones in your area, and give them the stats on what you're looking for, one should come along.

Having the older female though, you'd want to look into a submissive type male. The girls are just so bossy! I've never had two girls get along perfectly, rescue or not. Boy-Girl worked the best, no issues there. Same with Dobermans and Cattle dogs.