My wife and I are thinking of getting a puppy so we bought this weeks ad paper. I noticed a big advert offering quite a few different types of pups for sale. at the bottom it says licensed rearer, what does that mean?  is it the same as a licensed breeder? I didnt notice it at first. I rang up and  made an appointment to see some pups later on today, but when I thought to ask, i rang back and havent managed to get the people on the phone again. Can anyone tell me what it means? thanks if you can.

Hi Guest

Never heard of a licensed rearer before - not in dogs anyway.  Probably a dealer that buys them in for resale rather than breeding them :-((

It is better to find someone who breeds ONLY the breed you are looking for, not only are the pups likely be healthier the breeder should be a lot more knowledgable about their chosen breed (or sometimes a couple of breeds) but you should get a lot more back up.

I would avoid anyone who breeds/sells multiple breeds...stinks of puppy farm
Archer

Have a nasty feeling it probably means that the person buys in puppies from who knows where and then resells them. I would steer clear of anyone who has more than a couple of breeds for sale at the same time. If you do go ask to see the bitch and the rest of the litter, ask to see the health certificates to prove the dogs being bred are not suffering from any problems and ask to see the registration from the Kennel Club, no one else, and then if you are happy to all the answers to your questions and happy with what you are seeing may be you can take the risk. You do not say what breed you are interested in, perhaps if you join we can help you find what you want from a reliable source.

This is likely to be someone who deals in puppies bought from irresponsible breeders. It has the stink of 'puppy farm' about it. Steer well clear - every puppy 'rescued' from people like this condemn another bitch and her litter to the same fate.

Always make sure you see the puppies with their mother. If she isn't there - then who knows what you're buying?

Always make sure you see the puppies with their mother. If she isn't there - then who knows what you're buying?

I was talking to someone last week about their puppy and it's various problems.  I asked them if they saw her Mum when they purchased her and they said that they hadn't but she did live there.  "She was out working was she? ;) " I asked.  " yes she was"  :(

Hi, did you mean a licensed Scottish rearing establishment, if so then this is the equivalent to a pet shop in England.  This means that the puppies being sold would have been bred elsewhere possibly in Ireland or Wales by puppy farmers and commercial breeders and sold onto the rearing establishment or pet shop.

Buyer beware comes to mind, keep away, you can do far better. Do not feel sorry for the puppies as hard as this may sound because for everyone sold another will be brought in to take its place. The only way the suffering and misery will end for the puppies and breeding bitches is if people stop purchasing puppies from third parties such as pet shops and Scottish rearing establishments - if you cannot see the puppy interacting with its mother, then walk away.  Do not get fobbed off!!!  You will not be saving the puppy you will be only condeming thousands more innocent puppies to the puppy trade.   

Pat,

I know thousands of people will have said this but it is just awful that the KC continual registers all these puppies.

The one I have came across this week has been doing it for years, they have several westie supplies from Aberdeen, they get the litters at abut 5-6 weeks then sell them on..

Huge ads in the papers.

Sick as far as I am concerned.

Unfortunately breeding and selling puppies in this fashion is perfectly leagel, as long as the taxman gets paid and the relevant licenses are paid.

We who have the welfare of our dogs, and breeds at heart view this as wrong, and morally and ethically it is, but it is just considered trade in a commodity by the powers that be. :(

The KC is in a sticky position, as thye cannot unfairly withold their services from those going about their legal business, as I understand it.

Brainless,

Correct me if I am wrong as I am not 100% on the KC rules and may be getting the breed club rules confused with them but I thought ( I stress thought) that is was against the KC rules for breeders to sell puppies to a 3rd party then them sell them on again? 

I know our breed club has this rule. It is as you say morally wrong.

( congrats by the way on the big wins this week)

Pam

It is part of the Kennel Clubs general code of ethics, but the only way to prove it is if the new owner can prove they didn't buy the pup direct as KC would have no way of knowing, as transfer would only show say breeder and new owner, if the pups are KC registered.

A breeder (so called) in Northern Ireland had their registraion priveledges taken away witin our breed, after a new owner who is now active in the breed made it known , but all that happened was the bitch got transfered to new owners, and had more registered litters, and after and between reaching the KC maximum of 6 litters had lots more with Dog Lovers registration.

Thanks that is what I was thinking.

I guess where there is a will there is a way. 

I think my breed ( WHWT) is a target for them also with them being so small and generally thought of as reasonably easy whelpers.

Hi Guest

Can you tell us which breed of dog you are interested in? There will surely be someone on here with that breed who will be able to point you in the right direction. Please don't buy from a small ad!