To be fair, legitimate breeders may do some of the things I mention here, but I’m setting up this list of warning signs that can tell you something may be fishy. So, always trust your gut.
What can possibly be wrong?
They run a puppy mill. The pups could be sick. The pups could be stolen. They won’t deliver/ship the pups after you pay. They may bait you with a picture and deliver a completely different animal. And most certainly, wolfdog breeders can and very often sell you a $3,000 wolfy looking mixed breed dog of northern heritage, aka a mutt.
So how can you be sure?
There’s no way to be sure if you buy anything online or sight unseen.
RED FLAGS
They Don’t Ask Questions
Someone who cares about the animals they breed will want to screen the people they sell to. If you’ve done your homework on a particular breed, you ‘ll know what kinds of questions they should be asking. If you’re not sure, you need to do more homework.
They Won’t Allow Pre-Purchase Visits
Sometimes breeders don’t want someone in their home for various reasons, but it should raise a flag if you are not allowed to meet a pup before you purchase. A good breeder will want to see how you interact with a pup before they allow you to take it, and will arrange a place to meet you. Personally, I would want to see the home and one of the parents first. Note: Anyone can copy and print pictures off of the internet, and misrepresent those animals as the parents.
They Make Excuses
A bad breeder is secretive because they know what they’re doing is morally or legally wrong. They will make all kinds of excuses to keep you away from the pups and or them before a purchase. “I don’t let people see the pups because they haven’t had shots.” “I can’t get around much, so you’ll just have to take my word.” But... they’ll personally pack the pup in a crate and send it off across the country on a plane. As if there are no germs on planes.
They Rush You
They’re in a rush to find a buyer, so if it’s not you, you’re wasting their time... and time is money. They will tell you there are five other people who want this pup sight unseen, and ask, "So, do you want it or not?”
They Make Guarantees
Bad breeders need to make a sale. They will promise the impossible. “All my pups will have great temperaments, make great house dogs, and are great with kids... I bred them like that.”
They Make More Excuses
If a bad breeder does meet you with a sickly puppy, she will make claims that the pup is underweight because he was stressed on the ride, or all puppies have eye drainage, or bald patches. These are professional crooks who will count on your sympathy to take that pup with you no matter what.
They Must Have Full Payment Immediately
Yes, some breeders ask for deposits to hold pups and some will not breed unless they have a deposit on an approximate litter. But if they are asking for full payment immediately by PayPal, sight unseen, without even asking your address, then you may get scammed.
Spotting Bad Breeders Outright
Good breeders care about the animals they brought into this world. They want to know you, your lifestyle, and that you’d make a good match.
Puppy mill breeders and scammers only care about making money off of your ignorance or sympathy for the pup. They don’t want to know anything about you, and they don’t want you to know anything about their bad practices.
Con artists and bad breeders come in all sizes and shapes, and they even use front people to gain your trust, like sweet little old ladies, or smart looking women with twenty years of experience breeding show dogs. If you don’t feel right, follow your instincts, don’t buy that puppy, you’re just encouraging them to do it again and again.
For more see Megan Lindsay’s article “Why you should not buy from a puppy mill” http://wolfermagic.blogspot.com/2013/08/responsible-ownership-why-you-should.html
This link is for a wolfdog specific article about bad wolfdog breeders: http://texx-wolf-tails.webs.com/wolfdogbreeders.htm
Personally, I feel there are plenty of adoptable pups and adult dogs out there to choose from. The pups may not still have that milk fed puppy smell and the adult dogs may need a review of manners, but it’s a misconception that dogs in rescue or shelters are broken. They are usually there because the owner was broken and never considered a dog to be a lifetime commitment.
And where do these broken people get dogs… puppy mills and bad breeders.
Think about adoption first.
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