...How is it normally organised?

For instance, you are importing a pup from another country. You will go to meet and pick the pup but when it is actually coming to you, you will be collecting in your own country from ferry/airport/whatever. When do you pay the breeder? Is it too early to pay (ie not clever o advisable!) well in advance?

When I bought my pup from USA I paid for him when I 'bought' him, although he stayed there under the old rules for a while, with my pup from Germany this year, I went to see him and took a deposit and paid the difference when I went to collect him.  I'm sure it depends on trust and how well you know each other....

We don't know each other :) We are in regular contact etc etc and I know them from the show scene within our breed but that's it. I feel I would easily trust her but I am a trusting type so sometimes try to reign myself in LOL

I'd be happy to pay a deposit, say to cover travelling expenses and then hand over the rest of the cash when you collect your pup wherever that may be. I'd ask them if they are ok with that Arrangement too :-)

I didn't know the USA breeder until I went to collect my pup, but I did pay before then and after all she had to trust me too.  It was a huge thing for this person to sell me a pup and then keep him until nearly a year old... so a lot of trust either way.  BUT I met via a few friends/contacts, one British and her contact in USA so I did have confidence all would be well :-)

I met the breeder in Germany, we checked each other out and I left a deposit although none was required.  I paid the balance when I picked him up.

If it's in Europe I drive, I use the tunnel & just go & collect.

I've just read that you're expecting the dog to be delivered... I have only ever been and collected!

I will have been over and back to meet and choose etc etc but as a non-driver I can't ferry/drive to get him and since he can only travel as cargo into Ireland on a plane there is not a huge amount of point in me flying over just to fly back on the same passenger plane as him....he won't know I'm there as we'll be kept in entirely separate areas and it'll have cost another 500 euro for me to fly over and back the same day.

yes that's fair enough, just I've not done it that way... you can't fly into England either unfortunately only as cargo, which meant 1,500 mile drive for me on top of the flight, then with the USA vet mucking it up another 1,000 mile drive to collect him from Calais 6 months later :-( oh yes and a lot of money to keep him in a luxury 'kennels' for 6 months :-( at least now that wouldn't happen ... and they can come much younger :-)

God that's terrible Penny!! You must have gone mad :( Yes it is certainly easier now but still so annoying that you can fly so simply throughout Europe with a dog as 'excess luggage' yet Ireland and the UK force you to pay for cargo. I can't see what their logic is either :(

yes, it was awful :-( put him through so much, but he is now, thankfully, settled :-)  No reason for it unfortunately but if I get another from USA I would sail to Holland and fly Amsterdam rather than Paris - it's another long trip for the dog, but I wouldn't have to drive 1,000miles... unless I could get someone to pick me up/come with me to share the driving then we could do shorter crossing or tunnel - that's the trouble with living 'up north' ...

Yikes, still so far! Even if I could drive (I'm currently learning so don't think I'm able for the roads of Europe yet LOL) it'd be three hours to the ferry departure in Ireland, 3/4 hours on the ferry, 9 hours upon arrival in France..... I honestly think it'll be a lot easier for the pup to have a simple, 2 hour direct flight. Probably also more affordable by the time you factor in tolls/petrol :)

If I drive to Hull it's 2 hours, then overnight to Holland - then a drive to wherever... when I drove to Hannover I was away 3 nights but only drove just under 1,000 miles... need 3 nights as 2 on ferry and one in Germany... if it was closer to the ferry then could do it in 2 nights.... but couldn't drive to Hannover and back in a day in time to catch ferry.

Yes, driving on the 'wrong' side of the road takes getting used to... when I drove to Paris it was tough as I was on my own and I find roundabouts the most confusing - knowing where other vehicles are coming from!  Going to Hannover was better - I had a friend with me and a sat nav, although it did take us through the middle of Antwerp but other than that it was pretty good.  I asked my friend to remind me about roundabouts and speed limits - but thankfully they don't have so many roundabouts over there and the sat nav was a help with speed limits - Belgium was the worst place for speed cameras!

Good luck with your pup :-)  I'm now planning a visit to a stud dog in Holland in a couple of years :-)

I have used Paypal, paid for the actual puppy at 8 weeks, and then shipping costs etc as soon as costs known.

I suppose all the posts lately about people being scammed etc have just made me nervous. Even though I have no reason to even think like that as my breeder seems wonderful and is so committed to her dogs. It's just funny how nervous you get when you're excited for something!

i have researched all the shipping methods and settled with a company who seem great, and for a fair price. I got lots of quotes - one company wanted to charge 300euro for booking the flight for me! LOL

I suppose all the posts lately about people being scammed etc have just made me nervous

If you want peice of mind I suggest you check with the breed registration club of the country, do they have a web site? I don't know what breed you have but for my breed (& I think some others), a member of the breed registration club of each country in Europe is sent round to the owners premises, checks all the docs, the tattoo number on the inside of the bitches ear and then tattoos inside the ear of every pup to be registred, its been like that for most of last century & will carry on like that. The dog must also have a micro chip to import here to UK, so maybe check your rules, if your dog is microchipped ask them for the number so you can check it.

The other thing I forgot, are you up to date on what restrictions are in Eire before you can import? ours changed on Jan 1st this year but maybe yours are different.
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Oh yes, all that has been checked thoroughly. Thanks :)

When I bought my first import from a lady in Finland, I paid for the pup in full at 8 weeks and then paid for his board and show entries etc as we went along. But this was a lady I knew.

I have recently imported a puppy from Slovakia and I hadn't met the lady before. It was the first litter she had bred so she didn't have a long standing within the breed. I paid a deposit to start with, but I did pay for him in full before he came over.

Perhaps it would help with your peace of mind if she sorted out his export pedigree and put that in your name? She sent me the contract to sign before I'd paid in full. She took him to an airport and he had to fly as cargo and I collected him from Manchester airport.

Luckily it all went very well :) She'd done an excellent job breeding the litter and rearing the pups. My boy is just gorgeous :)

I paid for the kenneling via Western Union which was great, the pup in cash and my american pup direct bank to bank transfer - all very easy.

@Ridgielover, your situation is just the exact same as mine! Glad to hear it all worked out well. :)

I can recommend the shipping agent I used (Ladyhaye) and I can recommend the staff at the animal reception place at Manchester airport too :)

Thank you but we're not in the UK. I have found a company I am happy with though so it all should go easily from  hereon in :)

Good luck - hope you're as pleased with your import as I have been with my two gorgeous boys :)