Just had a phone call from a lady wanting 2 male pups to go together from the same litter. I have said no as I feel it would be double trouble ! the dogs would pay more attention to each other than the new owner and advised her to have 2 from 2 different litters with at least 2 years apart. She had a right go at me !! and said if she wanted 2 from the same litter she would have 2 regardless of what I thought ! I have always belived this and feel I am right in saying no, what do you think ??

Hi chloedog, I think you are right too, unless the person is a VERY experienced dog owner, is known to you personally, and is VERY experienced in your particular breed. Good for you for sticking to your guns.

Think your right too Chloedog, it is not natural for 2 males of the same age to live together without a top dog to keep things in order and it needs a strong and experianced owner to handle it with out problems in the teenage stage. Much better to have a dog well established first before bring in another dog. Jackie

Completely agree with you Chloedog. If she feels that strongly about it then she can have two. . . . From someone else if she can find someone to sell them too her! From your point of view, better to not sell them to her than to have them back in the near future and have all sorts of problems to sort out and then hafe to start looking for new homes for them.

Regards, John

I wouldn't even sell this person one after showing an attitude like that - it just continues to show how people treat buying puppies as if they are bags of sugar.

They are your puppies - no one elses untill you sell them. It amazes me the attitude some people have - I was so grateful to the breeders of my two boys for honouring me with their trust in having the right skills and ability to learn to do the best for the boys. The breeder of my first boy refused to sell us two - long story - basically his little sister from the litter was very ill but the breeder gave her every chance including surgery and my husband just fell for her. The breeder understood why we wanted her but explained it wasn't best for them - so my best friend got her instead:D so for us it was happy - but even so - we fully appreciated why she said no. Some ppl haven't a clue

Pam n the boys

Thankx for your replies. I 'm glad you all agree, I do only have the one puppy left now as I have decided not to keep him, I think because he is gorgeous and small I will regret it later, I have always said I would never keep an un-nuetered male and female together especially mother and son. So after a long discussion with my partner he is for sale.
I got the impression the women thought I was only advising her not to have 2 as I only have the one available ? and I hope who ever else she approachs tell her the same.
I have been really lucky with my new owners they are all fab, I have only had 2 idiots, (the 1st never did get back to me luckily !)
I do think people reckon if they have the money they can automatcially buy a pup, regardless of whether they are actually in a suitable positon to own one !
nevermind !! (I defenietly have benefited from my assertive course at work !!!!)

I agree with what you've done- your points are what I was trying to make on a different thread- I just couldn't find the right words- I ought to go back and tell them to look here:)

Stacey x x x

You did the right thing Chloedog. Some people are so ignorant. You would think a perspective buyer would want to take the advice of someone experienced in the breed, but no they must remain ignorant.
She probably would have let the dogs stay intact also, what a mess that would have been.

Carissa

Hi,

I think you did 100% right Has she had boxers before I cna't inagine trying to train 2 puppy boxers at the smae time LOL.

Cloe they are still my favorite..

Kisses to the babies..

I could eat puppy boxers.

Pam

Hi, I thought I would reply to this cos as you probably know I have just purchased 2 bitch puppies. Let me explain why, I already have a male dog of 11 months old, I have kept in constant touch with his breeder and have discussed breeding in the future and asked her to let me know when she had a suitable litter available, this happened sooner than I thought, but I didn't want to miss out.
She will not normally sell two pups together for the reasons you have stated but as she knows me and knows that I am not stupid and I am willing to train them all separately to maintain Shadows training and train the pups to be obedient, happy dogs to be proud of.
I didn't buy them to put outside as just breeding stock or as a pack to run wild.
Touch wood they get on fabulously up to now and Shadow goes round with a smile on his face constantly, he does a brilliant impression of a mother hen. It seems to have made him so grown up all of a sudden.
The only trouble is if you shout one dog they all come!!!!!!!!!
Not a bad thing when we start to go out though.

Lynne

Lynne, I've both bought and sold two siblings together :-) The pups I bought came from someone who knew me, my home and my hounds well and I knew the person I sold the pair to in a similar way. Also mine is a breed where, handled sensibly, two do very well together and they seem to bond just as well with the owners as would a singleton. That said, I think all the opinions given here have been very sensible. A pair of pups can work out very well in the right hands, and (perhaps?) if they are the right breed, but selling two together certainly isn't something I'd do lightly, or at all to someone inexperienced or that I didn't know well.

I too have gotten two bitch pups together from the same litter, and it worked out marvelously.My breed bonds strongly to people, and like others have pointed out, if you have the time and sense needed, it can be done. But it does matter on the breed and persons dedication.

Carissa

hi,
what sort of dogs have you got and how did you introduce the pups to the older dog? I am interested as i have a 10 month bitch and on saturday am picking up a dog puppy.

Hi Jessie,
I have shelties. I think it really depends on the breed on how you should go about introducing them. Are the two of the same breed? And what are they? More info . would be great!

Carissa

Hi,
No I'd not be happy to sell to pups together.
As has already been pointed out, they tune into one another,
two Boxer pups would be double trouble, as they'd egg each other on!!
Even the adults and pups can still get up to mischief together ;)
The persons attitude well leaves a lot to be desired.
I know of two friends that have let pups go together.
One let two males go together. Never had any problems whatsoever.
BUT the people are home all day, they devoted time to train them both at
obedience classes, and they already have 2 other Boxers. They live the life of Riley.
The other let two bitches go together, one she wanted originally she wanted the tail left on (she had advance payment in full). The other a white she fell in love with and took her too. Then a few months later the lady brought the one with the tail back. She couldn't cope with them both. This breeder has vowed never ever to let two go to the same home again.
I think you have to go with your gut feeling, you know if the person calling isn't right. Crikey if she's that demanding think what she'll be like with the pup if it does anything wrong!
Kind Regards
Kirstine (Boxer owner)

I must agree, i wouldn't sell the woman two pups from my litter either.
Usually we advise they buy one at first and then when they realise the amount of work involved, consider buying one a few months later out of another litter.
However saying that, I would sell two pups to someone I know (in the breed) and I would be really offended if I went to see a litter and the breeder refused to sell me two!!

Hi there a lot depends on a few things,
The breed some breeds are dom other not
The owner have they owned dogs befor?
The other one is if they wanter one of each sex?? then wot?
I breed Standard Schnauzers and would not let a male go to a home with another std Sch male in it as they are very dom,saying that i have kept two males togater but have been around dogs a long time and know my own dogs.The collies was great togater and also the basset males.
Also working with other peoples dogs (kennelsitter) get to see how other people keep there dogs and find almost all my cliants males all live happy togather ecept the Sch kennel i do where the male never meet,Oh and Bull terriers never mix any togather.

I have 5 Bull Terriers, 3 bitchs and 2 dogs and all mix well together.
I think it all depends on each dogs personality and the level of commitment the owner is willing to put in as to whether they live together amicably.
I would recommend that most pet people (who want two)either have one of either sex or two bitchs, as generally it is easier.

Hi

I breed Golden Retriver pups, last year my dog (Holly) had 10 pups (it was such a shock).

I sold these mainly through the kennel club as these were registered by myself before they were sold.

I had one couple that had the last 2 dogs, they seemed really a nice couple that would look after these properly. Before they left the last thing I said to them was that if they had any problems at all with them, they were to bring them back to me so that I could organize another home for them, of which they did not do.
They swopped the 2 retrievers for a boxer, then found that the boxer was too much for them, so they no longer have any.

I am seeing the people this friday and want to know where the dogs have gone, just to make sure that they have gone to a better home.
This really upset me as you do really get attached to them. The other 8 pups have got fab homes and come and visit us quite often.

Regards Angie

Angie
Am I to take it then that of a litter of 10 pups your bitch produced you didn't keep any? If that is the case why did you have a litter? I would never, ever have a litter unless I want a puppy.
Also it must be said that to let 2 pups go together is not advisable, as your experience tells us.
You are continuing to promote the Kennel Club puppy site despite the fact that this awful *swap* took place with people I assume were sent to you by the KC. Don't you homecheck? Don't you ever have bookings before you commit to a litter?
Sorry if this all sounds a bit harsh, but I have read all your posts today and they all raise serious questions, particularly your advice to a guest that *all bitches should have at least one litter*.
Nicky

I believe the kennel club list is a perfectly reasonable means of advertising puppies available. This list is for pedigree dogs who must be KC registered which eliminates those breeders who breed from bitchs who are too old, too young or who are bred too often.
Ted

I agree Ted, the reason I like enquiries via the Kennel Club is it indicates that people at least done some research in narrowing it down to a breed and locating the Kennel Club as it happens I have found the quality of enquiry for them very good although of course the usual vetting procedures apply.

Hi Isabel & Ted
I didn't mean that the KC puppy site is no good. On the contrary I feel it has a valuable role to play in matching homes & breeders. :) The point I was trying to make to the poster was that although they had people sent via the KC they didn't *vet* them themselves to ensure a good home. :(
Sorry if I didn't express myself properly.
Nicky

Well I don't know about the kennel club, but some people on here sell their puppies via puppy sites on the internet so I think those people should listen to their own advice.

I don't think it matters at all where you advertise puppies, what does matter is how well you vet the prospective purchasers and the checks you make to ensure your puppies are going to the correct home. Similarly when buying a puppy it is up to you to check that it comes from a 'good' breeder who has given the puppy the best possible start in life.

The Kennel Club Puppy list is absolutely fine as long as the purchaser realises that the KC name is not a guarantee that the breeder/pup is ok, the purchaser still needs to do all the checks they would do if responding to an advert elsewhere.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

Trouble is an awful lot of purchasers don't realise that. They see Kennel Club and think that the breeder must be ok, so don't think they need to do any more checks. That is when people who are not good breeders etc. get away with passing unhealthy puppies off on unsuspecting families. I talk from recent experience. Surely if the breeder had a good name they wouldn't have to resort to using the internet etc. to advertise their puppies. From what I have learned in recent months, reputation and the breeders clubs will sell a good litter of puppies.

Branched topic ~ Internet Puppies

As a breeder of the occasional litter I have been known to advertise. You can't expect to have the breed club supply you with puppy enquiries.

Judging by the number of posters who have never even thought about contacting a breed club, or even know that they exist, then advertising is neccesary to reach some would be perfect home, that may go to a Pet Store or large scale breeder, for lack of knowing where to go!

I have even in 7 litters over the years found 4 excellent homes in the Free ads papers. One has to be extra strict with the enquiries one gets from a media that reaches a wider audience, but have found that any pups that have come unstuck have actually been the ones coming from breed club or recomendation, so it doesn't follow.

" .... reputation and the breeders clubs will sell a good litter of puppies."

Debbie, yes you can sell a litter through the breed club/word of mouth, but in the numerically small breeds the best way to sell a litter is to have a litter - inquiries go on for a long time after all of the pups are placed. That's fine if you breed reasonably often and/or keep a waiting list, but the occassional breeder who only has a litter when they want a pup themself and who doesn't have a waiting list because the next litter may be a couple of years down the line can find that the bulk of the inquiries via the breed club arrive after the best age to let the pups go to their new home, and long after the pups are all spoken for.

It also depends to an extent on what part of the country the breeder lives in. With a relatively rare breed many people are willing to travel, but the breeder may want the pups to go reasonably locally. Its much easier for the breeder to follow up if the pup is within a couple of hours driving distance. Also it isn't always reasonable or even possible to expect someone 5+ hours away to visit the breeder & pups several times, but many breeders much prefer that they do, both to have the prospective new owners 'involved' in 'their pup' from conception until the get it, and because it allows the breeder more time to assess the prospective puppy owner.

So for the occassional breeder a combination approach may be best, using the breed club, the KC list, the local and regional papers - and yes, somewhat to my surprise, the internet :-).