Where do you advertise your puppies for sale, if anywhere except Champdogs and the KC? Looking through all the other sites available online there are a lot of clearly dodgy adverts and low prices, which I assume are for puppy farms. Is it irresponsible/counterproductive to advertise our properly bred and cared for puppies on there?

Also, what do you look for in buyers to be sure they are really interested / good homes (besides the questions about their homes, lifestyles and making sure they are prepared for the responsibility of a puppy)? Is it likely that I would get people pretending to buy the puppies for loving homes but really for other reasons - I can't think what really, just checking. I'm preparing myself in advance for dodgy calls / spam emails, if I should get any.

Spending the day looking into getting the puppies registered, advertised and preparing for buyers has made me really face having to let them go to other people :(  Only 4 days old and already I want to keep them all instead of just 1.  This is going to be so hard.

Nothing beats having the pups booked before they are born which you can achieve by advertising the planned mating long in advance (I would normally start a year in advance, at least), and obviously using really good quality parents with a good record from shows or any form of working, so that people are prepared to go on a waiting list for a quality pup. I find the people prepared to wait are almost always the best buyers, as they are the ones that have planned ahead and are not making rush decisions. Of course, you almost always end up with some (or many) people pulling out, but those that stay on a waiting list tend to be well worth it. I had 11 pups wanted from my last litter and 7 pups born, so could take my pick. For my next planned large breed litter I currently also have 11 pups wanted, and the bitch isn't even in season yet.

When it comes to having to advertise pups already born, I find it is a lot harder -but of course it can vary from breed to breed. At times when I have been desperate (such as the time when I had NINE people pull out after the bitch had been mated) I have advertised everywhere, good and bad places -but I only got decent responses from CD and the KC plus above all my own website. The dodgy sites brought either no enquiries at all or dodgy ones.

Then of course there is your breed club's puppy list -most breed clubs tend to have puppy co-ordinators.

As for what to ask of potential buyers, I find the best approach is often to ask people to tell me about themselves and in particular about any dogs they already have or have had before, and explain what got them interested in my breed. When people tell you about other dogs they have had it seems to give a lot more than if you just ask questions, as you can tell quite easily if they had a much loved dog or not. If they have never had a dog before then for my breed I would not let them have a pup as my main breed is not for novices, for easier breeds I suppose it comes down to asking more questions. Also I find what works better than anything else is making sure to tell them about your breed's BAD points as well as the good ones. If people are not put off by destructive, energetic, noisy dogs that need a lot of training, then they are usually good ones. :)

And finally, another reason for preferring to have a waiting list is that people can come and visit you BEFORE you have puppies. Walking in here they will be met by 7 little and 4 large dogs (the rest of mine do not mix with that lot and tend to spend their days outside so are not near the front door) that bark and jump and end up on people's laps, and how they deal with THAT also says a LOT I find. :)

I helped someone who had used one of my dogs to place the couple of puppies that weren't already booked - it was a larger litter than we had anticipated. We advertised on the KC site. I got one phone call - from someone was just wanted to know the price of the pups as he had a litter too! We also put a VERY carefully worded ad on a free ad site. I had some really lovely enquiries. People commented on the content of the ad - health test results, show results etc, as against the usual "lovely pups for sale, deposit secures" type ad.

Very much like Marriannne.

Having a waiting list and your own website, so that people contact you long before any pups are on the ground, giving you opportunity to arrange to meet them at shows and at home without the distraction of puppies.

Hate having any unspoken for pups, as then you have less time to get to know the new owners.

I advertised my litter on my breed club list, Champdogs, the KC, and a free ad site, and I found the best owners (some useless ones too, who were declined!) came via the free ad site. I'd say get them advertised as soon as possible - worded something like "Waiting List now open for a quality litter of XXXXXX puppies" - so that you only get inquiries from people who are prepared to wait, and give you plenty of time to get to know them.

Although I would be very reluctant to advertise on some of the sites other than Champdogs and KC, and thankfully didn't need to, I do think it could be a good idea.  A well bred litter would stand out on a free ad site etc. and it also shows others looking what they should be looking for (ie health tests etc)

Could also work against you too, I personally hate those websites and it's never occurred to me to ever look there for a puppy.
The dross on their is shameful and while a good well bred litter might stand out I wouldn't personally want to be mixed in with that, far too many people want a bargain and against the cheap pups the well bred litters will be ignored and for me for good reason.
I wish those sites would have standards to advertise and then maybe they would for me be credible.

I didn't look anywhere else other then Champdogs and the KC website.
I would find it difficult to trust free ad sites and the like.

Certain breed clubs may have or put up lists and also breed associated sites I'd look at too, but yes CD, KC and breeders websites are the main places I would look, actually people's own FB pages are good for adverts. 

>The dross on their is shameful and while a good well bred litter might stand out I wouldn't personally want to be mixed in with that, far too many people want a bargain and against the cheap pups the well bred litters will be ignored and for me for good reason.

but genuine people will never have the chance of a decent puppy if none are ever advertised.

When researching puppies they will inevitably find those sites first.

My breed has few litters but most of our breeders have a breeder listing with all the puppy sites.

I look on it as an opportunity to educate, but have rarely actually advertised a litter on any such site.

I just wish they personally didn't exist or they had requirements like CD in order to advertise. Wishful thinking on my part I guess

but genuine people will never have the chance of a decent puppy if none are ever advertised.

When researching puppies they will inevitably find those sites first.

Unfortunately I don't think people like us WILL stand out in the way we like to believe. We will mention hip scores (so the dogs must have hip problems) and show wins (and showdogs are unhealthy, and all they want is a pet) and we DON'T say that the pups have been flea treated and had first vaccination, so we're obviously trying to save money..... Those that understand what matters also understand WHERE to search for pups. These days the majority of my enquiries come from my website and via the KC website, as in the ABS listing.

>These days the majority of my enquiries come from my website

Ditto and breed club as we hardly ever have any listed on KC site and most of our breeders are letting their ABS membership lapse.

I think we have to accept that most people nowadays just Google for what they want. And the free sites come up first. If people don't know better, that is where they will look for their puppy. I think if good breeders advertise on these sites and have carefully worded ads then at least it gives people the chance to end up with a well bred puppy. If we don't advertise there then a high percentage of people looking for a pup will only have the choice of poor breeders :(

This is going to sound very big-headed, but in all honesty, only once have I had to advertise our puppies.   Truly.   I have had occasions when, once ready to be viewed, I've phoned people on my waiting list, to be told, frustratingly, that they'd bought elsewhere, sometimes even another breed!   I tended to look on those as 'not committed' to mine or my breed in the first place!!   The one time I found the market a tad sticky, I listed my litter on the KC website, and to my horror, found myself listed along with known puppy farmers!!!  Never again.

If your Breed Club has somebody keeping lists of people with puppies available, I urge you to get on that list because many people looking for a specific breed, start by approaching the Breed Club.

I have lately seen a few more recognisable breeders in my own breed, listing on some of the more dubious puppy/adult sale websites.   I guess that may be because the market is slow, but it surprises me to see some people I know well, resorting to listing on such websites.

How to not get caught?   Difficult, but I can only urge you to go by your first gut feeling.   I would just say it can happen to the best of us (and I suppose the only way to avoid your precious puppies falling into the wrong hands, is to do a home check like Shelters do!!).   The breeder of my foundation bitch back here in the UK - and she'd been in the business for decades before this happened - sold a puppy to what appeared to be an ideal family.   They took the puppy out to the car but had left something behind.  By chance she found it and rushed to the gate to find her puppy being put in the boot of the car ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHERS OF DIFFERENT BREEDS!    Horrifying or what.   Needless to say she took her puppy back and made a refund!  If you are in touch with your Breed Club, word can get round about dodgy people buying up puppies of that breed.

They took the puppy out to the car but had left something behind.  By chance she found it and rushed to the gate to find her puppy being put in the boot of the car ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHERS OF DIFFERENT BREEDS!    Horrifying or what.   Needless to say she took her puppy back and made a refund! 

Wow, talk about getting lucky!

My first ever litter was an accidental crossbred one, no Alizin back in those days so I opted for the pups to be born. I was duped by one woman who told me a story of how she had just lost her 14 year old GSD and wanted a new dog. She explained in detail everything she would do with her pup, which she said she could not afford to pay for as she had no money for that, but she assured me she had enough money to care for a dog. I didn't know any better, gave her the pup for free (back then crossbreeds were worthless), and days later it was advertised for sale in a free ads paper. I traced her online and in various free ad papers for YEARS (kept copies of all adverts from her I found) and she did this ALL the time, with both cats and dogs, got free or cheap animals and sold them on for a profit. I never managed to find my pup. She was not at the address she had given me. Huge lesson learned.

Just a note from a very new owner. When I made the decision to get a dog after months of thinking about it, I did what most people who are not the the doggy world ( so to speak) would do I googled the breed and yes it came up with the free sites. I did buy from a breeder on there and it was only when researching the breeder I came across Champ Dogs, he is also on here so that good. I hope with all my heart that my breeder is all that I expected him to be and I'm sure he will be. It's a shame that for people not in the know like me we only get onto these wonderful site after the event.

I too never advertise my pups, I no longer have a waiting list as I find them time consuming to get back to people who a) found a pup elsewhere. b) circumstances have changed meaning found a pup elsewhere.
I now ask people to get in touch nearer the time, which works well for me. Had to let 5 people down on this litter as whelping problems left us with only 3. All reserved at birth and doing really well.
I do give preference to repeat buyers, as a breeder of toys get many of those.
I do give advice to enquirers in respect of buying from a reputable breeder, not from the free ads and tell them to call back if unsure. I will always advise the best people IMO to buy from. This benefits me as a breeder to know that the best homes are available to mine and other rep breeders puppies.

They took the puppy out to the car but had left something behind.  By chance she found it and rushed to the gate to find her puppy being put in the boot of the car ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHERS OF DIFFERENT BREEDS!    Horrifying or what.   Needless to say she took her puppy back and made a refund!  If you are in touch with your Breed Club, word can get round about dodgy people buying up puppies of that breed.


WHY? Why would people do that - pay for so many dogs and treat them badly?

WHY? Why would people do that - pay for so many dogs and treat them badly?

Heaven knows what was intended for this, and the other puppies!!  The puppy Basset was hardly 'cheap' but perhaps there was still a profit there???  Horrific isn't it.

WHY? Why would people do that - pay for so many dogs and treat them badly?

A few bitches, one litter from each every season until they drop dead -nice little profit for those who don't care about the dogs........

All we can do is recommend champdogs breeders to colleagues and public who ask where you got your dog. I always say via champdogs. (Not the specific breeder) I also recommend the forum. What I love is you have your own breeder and then all these others breeders advising etc.

I ende up at  a couple of right dodgy bybs puppy farms via the other sites

Just tagging on to the end here, not replying to anyone. I do think that the ABS is helping and that more average people are hearing about it. I have found I am getting more and more phonecalls from people wanting ADVICE rather than wanting a pup. This evening I had a phonecall from a man who was interested in my breed, had found me on the KC website as an AB (I have no pups and do not publish my phone number elsewhere) and he had a whole list of very sensible questions about the breed. He was researching properly before making a decision on whether to get one in the future or not. I have to say three quarters of the calls I get are like this. Which is great -I'd MUCH rather people asked advice before jumping into anything. And it seems to me Joe Public do use the ABS listings this way.

Couple of other points. One of these "free" sites actually asks you for a 10.00 fee if you want the contact details for an ad under 10 days old. Invariably people end up paying. I didn't as I was looking for a good year before I decided I was ready to go ahead and that the future without a dog was for me worse than the thought that at some point in the future you will lose your beloved pet. But champdogs doesn't charge it just doesn't pimp itself out as a free site and regurgitate the same photos of the same pups again and again. (The shih tzu from Carmarthenshire is probably still on there today even though by my reckoning it would be about 2.5 years old now). I would happily pay a fee to champdogs breeders as the information and advice I have recieved has been interesting informative and expert.

I was lucky in that having doubts about another suspicious council licensed breeder I stumbled across champdogsinformationexchange. I was quickly put right on a number of misconceptions I had and just as quickly realised I had found a site that gave you the facts not what you wanted to hear.

They told me if I was serious I would have to wait and face an in depth interview process from any breeder worth their salt.

They were right but with that came a confidence I never had with the "free" sites.

I found my breeder on champ dogs and I just clicked with her. I was actually scared as she had just had a litter. I was worried I wasn't ready until we started visiting. I was approved and after 8 weeks and we decided we didn't want to miss out on one of the pups. ( I had fallen for the mum by this point) I am happy to say my pup is a real chip off the old block. Again my breeder matched me with the most robust, confident puppy as she knew my history. None of this I would have got from any of the other people we contacted or visited. I believe this because the difference was worlds apart in terms of the experience and dedication of the breeder.