Beware Buying Puppies Online/Breeders

We, at World Anatolian, would like to share our knowledge and some painful lessons learnt with all of you to avoid pitfalls. 

Buying Puppies From Overseas’ or Local Breeders

Before we highlight some pointers, first and foremost, beware of internet scams. They are everywhere and all out to cheat your money. The scammers will hurt the honest breeders' credibility and the buyers’ dream for having a purebred canine. 

Please remember that most scam artists are accepting payments via Western Union. Responsible breeders and reputable companies should be able to accept bank wire. A valid business must have a bank account. 

You may also file a complaint at the Internet Fraud Website - http://www.ic3.gov/  If you have been contacted from anyone conducting a scam or if you are a victim of a scam.

Remember This: Seriously not all breeders are created equal, and neither are the puppies they produce. Keep in mind that, by definition, anyone who owns a female dog at the time she gives birth is a "breeder." It is not always easy to tell the difference between a good breeder - a responsible hobby breeder, a tender loving care breeder - from an unknowledgeable "backyard breeder" or a commercial "puppy mill" breeder. 

Think twice before you contact a breeder by email, and buy the cutest looking puppy shown by him over his website or sent to you by email! Chances are that the puppy is unwell, not cared for and will die soon after reaching to your home. Not all breeders are unscrupulous, but there are plenty that are.

They are many honest reputable and famous breeders out there for you to choose your preferred breed but do you know how many of them ARE NOT honouring their words. We called them the “infamous” unscrupulous breeders. We hate all these so called famous breeders, they are just another con artist. That’s why in our previous article, we mentioned “What You See Isn't Necessarily What You Get”. They will ship out pups with physical related issues or illnesses. 

How knowledgeable is the breeder about the particular breed you are interested in? Are they familiar with its historical origins? Can they educate you about the breed's disadvantages - especially genetic predisposition to health problems and characteristics like shedding, slobber, dominance, inter-dog aggression, etc. that may make owning the breed a challenge? Beware of anyone who sounds like a salesman and tells you that their breed has no disadvantages! Good breeders will play devil's advocate.

A good breeder will welcome your concern and be glad to offer whatever requested information - beware of anyone who is defensive! An excellent breeder will candidly discuss the health of their line of dogs, including the problems that have cropped up. Even good breeders can produce unhealthy dogs on occasion. The difference is that the good breeder is on a mission to find and remove those genetic influences from their breeding lines. The irresponsible breeder approaches health in a haphazard manner.

You need a breeder who loves the breed to breed, not someone who loves to breed.

A good responsible breeder may breed one or two litters from the same bitch, or may not breed at all for a year or more between litters. More is never better. Anyone who is producing a large number of dogs is probably doing it at the expense of quality.

Any responsible breeder will want to keep in touch with you and be informed if your dog develops health problems.

A good breeder will be very interested in who you are and somewhat choosy about whether you are able to provide an adequate home for one of their cherished pups. A breeder who wants to see your home, your kids, your spouse, your other pets, proof of your fencing, or talk to your veterinarian is simply trying to make sure that you will take good care of their pup. Do not resent this. Good breeders want to keep in touch with you after you've purchased a puppy and will be there for you with support and advice later on. Avoid breeders who take credit card orders over the internet and ship puppies to anyone who wants them. NO responsible breeder will sell a puppy to a pet store or other broker for resale.

Good breeders think ahead and make reservations in advance for the puppies they will produce. You may have to wait for a puppy, but that's not a bad thing. Beware of someone who first creates puppies and then worries about how to disperse them.

Do you like the temperaments of the puppies' parents? Remember, temperament is genetic! Avoid puppies from bitches that demonstrate any aggression or shyness. Specifically inquire about possessiveness (food and object guarding), inter-dog aggression, defensiveness about being handled, etc. Accept no excuses for undesirable behavior. Don't be afraid to ask the breeder to demonstrate the bitch's good temperament to you.

A good breeder should make the effort the know other good breeders (especially of their own breed). It is important for a breeder to strive to improve their knowledge and understanding of their breed and submit to peer critique, even if it is not necessarily formalized.

Often overlooked, but important - do you like the breeder? Will you feel comfortable relying on this person as a resource to help you if you ever run into problems with your pup? If you feel that the breeder is abrasive, rude, ignorant, or otherwise disagreeable, look elsewhere to buy your puppy. One of the greatest advantages of buying from a breeder is the support and assistance they can offer you throughout your dog's life.

Finally, if you have had a bad experience with any such unscrupulous breeder, make a noise, spread the word of your bad experience with the particular breeder through the email network, internet blogs so that others do not fall into the trap.