disreputable seller

nau

Hi there. Want to share my story with you. This happened today.

I was looking for a Bernese puppy for a long while and finally found this advert . I rung the seller asking whether I could come and see puppies and parent(s) but got answered that there is only one puppy left and she could bring him to meet me somewhere near Waterford. And I must come with cash. Hmm ...

But I was looking for this kind of puppies for too long so I decided to come and see the puppy anyway. We agreed to meet this morning.

I called her in advance confirming our meeting. Then I spent 2h driving from Cork to Waterford. Then she gave me a direction from Waterfard to New Ross. And when I was about 10 minutes to the end point she called me back and canceled the meeting with no explanations and even without saying 'sorry'.

We were shocked. When my friend called seller in 10 minutes time inquiring about the adver she answered she did not dial with dogs at all and did not make any adverts.

The seller name is Sheila from Carlow and her number is 085 1769987.

Does anybody know what could this mean? Was anybody ever come across anything like this?

And, more importantly, can anybody recommend a good Bernese breeder?

junkyard

There's a breeder for Burmese mountain dogs in Newcastle in co. Limerick, I don't remember his name but he also breeds Cocker Spaniels. I got my dog from him and he really looks after his dogs. If you look up the Cocker Spaniel breeders association website for the U.K. this breeder is the secretary for the Irish branch. If you can't find his name P.M. me and I'll find it for you. Lovely dogs though.

luckat

Sounds like a puppy farm, though of course it may be perfectly innocent - so you should call the DSPCA and let them and the Guards sort it out.

karlin

Nau, you generally never want go to meet a breeder somewhere away from the home, where you cannot see the mother and puppies together, and where you cannot inspect the proper health clearances for the breed and verify this is a quality breeder. No reputable breeder would sell a dog in this way (and proved it by cancelling out on meeting you, which must have been very frustrating).

This is the classic way that puppy farms operate or brokers for dogs from such farms. They do not want you to see that they have dozens to hundreds of various breeds of dogs in cages (at best) or filthy outbuildings or, as in the recent raid in Wicklow, boxes and holes in the ground in total darkness. See: http://dspca.ie/news_item.php?number=250&type=News&archive=No

Bernese are a breed with MANY serious potential health issues and you want to be sure you understand what to ask a breeder about the parents, the health clearances, and the qualifications of the breeder. This breed is among other things prone to hip dysplasia which can be crippling and cost you thousands in orthopedic surgery to try to fix. A breeder shoyuld at least be able to show you the xrays and hip grades from a vet for BOTH parents and know he parents' lineage's health history for several generations.

The way to find a good breeder is to do extensive research on the breed and what to ask a breeder about; then call the breed club secretary listed under breeds on www.ikc.ie and ask for the puppy referral coordinator to get a list of breeders that at *least* are IKC registered. Then do the interviews with the shortlist and go from there. Good breeders tend to have waiting lists and there are only a small group of reputable breeders for this giant breed in Ireland so it will take some time; and the breeder should want to interview *you* as well (this is a good sign when they do this!). Getting a puppy from a puppy farm, backyard breeder or someone not focused on health can be extremely expensive for the owner. Such puppies WILL be more prone to problems.

Here's info on how to avoid a puppy farmer: http://www.dspca.ie/prevent_cruelty_to_animals.php?number=120&sectionnumber=13

Here's what one reputable breeder in Canada says about this breed and the key health issues:

Health Issues:

Unfortunately, the Bernese Mountain dog has a relatively short life expectancy with the average being 7 to 8 years. However, there are some who live 10 years or longer. The Swiss say: "Three years a young dog, three years a good dog, and three years an old dog...all else, a gift from God." [Quoted from the BMDCSEW Puppy Buyer's Guide.] Some of the health issues affecting this breed include hip and elbow dysplasia, cancer, bloat, sub-aortic stenosis, autoimmune diseases, thyroid disorders, eye diseases, and skin and coat problems. See the Bernese Mountain Dog Health document for further details.

If you are considering the adoption of a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, or any breed, it is very important to be selective in choosing a responsible and reputable breeder. Ensure that the prospective puppy's parents have all health clearances. This should include, among others, hip and elbow x-rays to exclude hip and elbow dysplasia and eyes should be checked to see that they are normal and PRA clear. (For more information on selecting a breeder, see the articles on the main Breed Listing and Breeders page.)

There's a lot of great info on this site and it would be a good starting point for research. Good luck in finding the right, healthy puppy!

http://www.canadasguidetodogs.com/bernese.htm

nau

junkyard, thanks, I'll try to get it

nau

Thanks, All!

I was very suspicious about this sell from the very beginning so I asked my friend to come with me. During my last phone call to the seller I mentioned I'm coming with a friend. It sounds like she canceled the meeting after she understood I had a witness.

I think you all are right about the puppy farm. I've never heard about that before, so thanks a million for the info. I think I'll contact DSPCA

andrawolf

my friend bought her bishion that way and the people sead they would send his papers on and they never. If you are really that keen find out the show times in dublin and go and see the people in person and give them your details. I have met many husky breeders that way. they may be from england but with them traveling for shows they my be able to bring it to youand you will see the dogs first hand:D