Hi All

We had our second litter of 12 (!) which are due to head off to homes on 22nd November, but we still have 6 lefty to sell. Starting to get very worried as we have had literally no inquiries in the past 2-3 weeks. Any advice on what to do would be much appreciated as they are getting big! They are currently advertised on Champdogs, KC, Pets4homes but no inquiries anywhere. Many thanks

If they are a well bred litter then perhaps your breed club will have a list of people looking for a pup.

>....... perhaps your breed club will have a list of people looking for a pup.

Breed Clubs used to have somebody keeping a record of available puppies.   At least it was the case with my main breed.  I don't know whether this still happens.  We are into hard times and I think people are having to be cautious about their outgoings.    There was a year, ages ago, when sales had slowed right down and I had to list mine with the Kennel Club on their lists.  Unfortunately this was the only time I did this, having seen I was listed alongside known puppy farmers.  All you have to do with the KC listing is register the litter, and pay the fee!  Never again.

Was the sire of your litter your dog because if not, might the owner of the sire help - after all any offspring is 50% the 'responsibility' of the sire!   I know I was always there for the result of anybody who used our studs.

I've heard this a lot, it's down to the downturn since covid when everyone had to have a dog and the rescue centres are now overflowing and still people are giving up dogs/puppies..

I'm sure someone will come along and say why didn't you have a full waiting list, sometimes you do think you have and people pull out or you end up with more pups than expected.  Never helpful this comment, so I'm gonna say it now..

I would get word out to other breeders too, so if they get enquiries they can pass your details on. This I have seen work very well

I've heard this a lot, it's down to the downturn since covid when everyone had to have a dog and the rescue centres are now overflowing and still people are giving up dogs/puppies..

I'm sure someone will come along and say why didn't you have a full waiting list, sometimes you do think you have and people pull out or you end up with more pups than expected.  Never helpful this comment, so I'm gonna say it now..

I would get word out to other breeders too, so if they get enquiries they can pass your details on. This I have seen work very well

If I were buying a pup, from a breed I did not have links to or old links I would go through the breed club so maybe list with them? Maybe also an advert in your vets or let the word be known in your breed you have pups on the ground? 12 is a big litter though good luck.

I think the economic! downturn for want of a better description could have made people think once twice and then maybe thrice before stepping into the "puppy owner arena" even rescues are struggling and closing doors

Sadly rescues are even getting entire litters of pups, that's how bad it is.

Obviously it's breed dependent but it might be worth looking into if any charities like guide dogs, hearing dogs, other assistance dogs or the police would be interested in testing the pups for suitability and accepting them as a donation.

I don't think many of the services like the police take random puppies as general purpose dogs, most breed their own, buy in from proven lines & breeders or buy in fully trained from the continent. I know the police need to know that puppies come from fully health tested & high working drive parents.
In recent years GDBA have been buying in dogs to be trained up or to be bred from, they have a good few Labs registered as Guidewell on the activities register & they appear to no longer put their dogs through the BVA/KC health schemes.

I don't think many of the services like the police take random puppies as general purpose dogs, most breed their own, buy in from proven lines & breeders or buy in fully trained from the continent. I know the police need to know that puppies come from fully health tested & high working drive parents.

No that's not correct. I'm involved with two breed rescues (BSD) and they have had police take on several rescue dogs with unknown background. The story of one dog who qualified as a police dog after having been rescued and rehabilitated by breed rescue was in Our Dogs a few months ago.

A quick Google of your local police dog section should (in most cases) find relevant info. Here's a quote from one:
Historically we bred from our own puppy scheme however we now source dogs from a variety of breeders, charities and we still accept gift dogs from members of the public.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/09/pictured-puppy-dumped-roadside-becomes-police-sniffer-dog/  coincidentally saw this.

Well the four forces around where I live certainly do not accept gift dogs nor dogs from rescues, due to the high failure rate both in health & ability. One's preferred source is fully trained dogs from the Netherlands or Germany, none has failed health testing not licensing as police dogs.

That dog is not a licensed general purpose police dog, which are breeds like GSDs or BSD(Malinois) with a few RBT, Rottweilers & Dobes)

Drugs, explosive, currency dogs are usually termed"sniffer"dogs & are usually Gundogs or Gundog types

They do take ‘gifts’ locally, I only know as my boss is a recently retired police dog handler and we had someone phone us recently trying to rehome a 1yo GSD and he was talking to me about how if they’re adults they prefer to take them at certain times of year because of when the training courses are run.

That dog is not a licensed general purpose police dog, which are breeds like GSDs or BSD(Malinois) with a few RBT, Rottweilers & Dobes)


As we have no idea of what breed the OP is trying to find homes for, I mentioned several possibilities such as hearing dogs and the police and a few more - because that will cover several different breeds and sizes.

The rescued and rehabilitated Mali I mentioned is a GP dog. The great majorities of rescue Malis are not suitable for the police, but the breed rescues do have plenty of police contacts that will come to assess a dog that rescue has deemed promising and several have gone on trial and although not all have been cut out for the role, there have certainly been rescues that have become GP dogs this year.

PD Zayah is that rescue in this link. She'd been in several homes, passed around for free on Facebook, and was a bitey 15 week old pup. She was fostered by a wellknown dog exhibitor (for the main breed club's rescue) who said she was the hardest dog she'd ever trained but also the most rewarding. Arrived at 15 weeks, passed as a police dog at 15 months.
https://www.facebook.com/dorsetpolice/posts/pfbid0mx7TAP3pEnGEkVsofpEoxbGHRfQAXTgmgGG84LH3A2sTB3QwV7jf7fcLoVWQib2Ml

I do love these stories goldmali . There is a staff that was a rescue who has just retired after being taken and trained by the police and has been incredibly successful .
It would be lovely to think the police amd other services charities are in touch woth rescues to see if there are dogs suitable for working in one way or another

I really wouldn't be breeding at all at this time. There are far too many puppies available and unwanted dogs around. Rescues are overflowing.

The best thing to do with any pups left, is to socialise them as if they were your only pup, vaccinate them, and communicate the benefit of having a slightly older pup in ads (ie toilet training done, puppy biting reduced etc)

We seem to have lost the original poster but with 6 at least puppies on the ground I suspect they are busy. Not knowing what breed hard to suggest; but lots of rescues as has been said are taking in whole litters or those remaining. A rescue close to me took in 5 pups who were almost 5 months old the breeder did not offer any support monetary or similar but had sold "8 pups" and took to rescue as they did not want to accept less than £500 for them. So now the rescue has 5 supposed German Shepherd/Working Collie X Alsatian/Tervuren's pups on their hands, I suspect they will be a work in progress for a while the rescue has no available foster homes. They are like many closing their doors to newcomers very soon.

Hello,

Where can I find some more information on your litter (breed, age, when they'll be ready to go to a home, price, any requirements for the potential new home)?

Many thanks,

Cilla

Try private messaging the op .click on their name and send message

Cheers for the pointer! Sorry, new to the board

No problem I am sure u will get the hang of it

How cilla

Oddly soon after posting this message I had a flurry of inbound inquiries and they’ve now all been sold.

Best wishes

Tom

Hi all sorry for the silence. Busy here this last week! Last pup was sold today. The oddest thing but after having no inquiries for weeks we had a flurry of them last Sunday and the last 6 went throughout this week.

I appreciate many would say it was irresponsible to breed with so many puppies out there but this is a German short haired pointer and they are not that common. We had no trouble last year selling her 12 but this year was a little more stressful. They’ve all gone to great homes and many thanks everyone for help and suggestions.

Tom

Good news - just spent some time on Pets4 looking at the adopt a pup section and it's soooooo depressing to see how many people are now saying 'it breaks my heart but I have to find another home because I can't give (puppy) the time he needs ....'  Unfortunately so many of these pups came from BYBs during the lockdown and those breeders are not interested in taking the puppies back as a reputable breeder always will.

I guess with your breed, it's not one that everybody wants to take on.  So I think you are lucky to have found homes for all of them now.  I bet the house feels empty now.

No worries ! Thanks for letting me know and really glad they've all gone to good homes My search continues

I have been considering getting a new dog for almost 3 years now but firstly Covid, then my health and now the cost of living crisis have stopped me.

Even if someone was giving a dog away free, I would have to think about it. It is not paying for a dog that puts me off, it is the ongoing increasing costs like food, insurance, and vet bills. One of my dogs weighs 35kg and her recent booster cost pennies under £50. A few years ago they were £30.

My eldest dog died in January, she weighed 39kg, but I am spending more on food for two than I did for three dogs.