There must come a time when breeders don't find homes for every puppy no matter how good the breeder or how good the puppy.   What happens then?

The one I couldn't sell is still here, nearly 14 years later!

One would hope the reputable breeders would keep them until a home could be found or they stay with the breeder as JG did above.

I'm sure the less reputable would give away, sell to anyone to get rid, pass to rescue or dare I say it cull them :-/

A good breeder would keep until a home could be found a bad breeder who breeds for money would do just as suejaw says.

I came across a website for some one in April, they had older puppies available who were ready in March but had not sold. They had 'March Madness' advertised, grab a bargain price older puppy. :(

> I came across a website for some one in April, they had older puppies available who were ready in March but had not sold. They had 'March Madness' advertised, grab a bargain price older puppy.

So what would a good breeder do if they had several puppies left and could not sell them? There is a limit to how many can be kept.

You have to bite the bullet ....and keep them until you have the RIGHT homes for them.   

This is why people should think very, very carefully about the whys, whats and whens of breeding.   Once you arrange the mating, the responsibility for the outcome is all yours!

So what would a good breeder do if they had several puppies left and could not sell them? There is a limit to how many can be kept.

Certainly NOT advertise puppies like they were a pair of shoes on offer for the month that's for sure. I don't know of a good breeder who would advertise with the words 'grab a bargain' It would attract impulse buyers for a start.

I keep the pups if not sold by 6months then they still here for life, they did not ask to be born.Even if you have a waiting list that does mean you sale them all buyers back out at the last minute.

Honestly never had that problem, I've never bred a litter without a full and overflowing list first, I know people drop out and I guess even good reputable breeders can unfortunately get caught out sometimes through no fault of their own, but unfortunately so many people breed first....... and then do their list when the litter is on the ground, it just isn't the way to do it.

If most breeders BYB's and puppy farmers being the worst had their waiting list prior to mating there wouldn't be such a problem where pups are given away two at a time or to anyone with a wallet when suitable owners are not forthcoming.

However, if I were in that situation first thing I would do is contact my previous puppy owners as I already know them and very likely would find a home that way or contact others in my breed I know with lists to see if they had anyone suitable or keep the pup/s myself. :-)

Never happened in 30+ years. Could sell them 10 times over and it's great to be able to be super, super picky.
Perhaps I've got something right :-)

They stay until the homes are found. 

For many a slightly older puppy from a decent breeder who will socialise the pup as appropriate for their age, is an advantage, pup already vaccinated, lead trained, perhaps even house-trained.

In a breed like mine that are puppies to the age of two and are not a one person dog, an older pup is closer to the finished article.

Personally if I didn't breed my own, I'd happily skip the baby puppy stage altogether if I could get a quality 4 - 6 months puppy from the kind of breeder I have dealt with, or try to be myself.

Again have never had an unsold puppy past 8 weeks of age, (though ahve kept pups for new owners longer) usually most booked by birth.

You have Tooolz, :-) and that is what should happen with all reputable breeders people who have our pups generally spread the word and pass our details on, or want to come back time and time again and others in our breed should also recommend us.

Many people who buy pups today would not return to said breeder or recommend them to others. :-(

No indeed.
Most pups are semi disposable these days.
Sadly I don't breed my larger breed any more, but still get people ringing to replace their oldie.

>There must come a time when breeders don't find homes for every puppy no matter how good the breeder or how good the puppy.   What happens then?

I have recently seen a breeder offer both puppies and stud dog services on 'instalment plans'. Maybe this is the "realistic" future of dog breeding when puppies are demanding in access of a £2000 in certain breeds. You would not think twice (or most people wouldn't) at taking out a bank loan to buy something 'expensive' so I guess it was only a matter of time before you could purchase puppies in this manner.

> at taking out a bank loan to buy something 'expensive' so I guess it was only a matter of time before you could purchase puppies in this manner.
>Maybe this is the "realistic" future of dog breeding

Hopefully not !

I would only ever take out a bank loan to buy something absolutely essential and a dog doesn't come into that category IMO :) If you can't afford to buy a puppy, then you can't afford the upkeep of it. Someone who is prepared to save up is someone who is financially stable - taking out a loan for a non-essential is someone who is of the 'must have it now' culture :( :(

I remember my mum telling me that she got her first dog, a Rough Collie,  over 40yrs ago on 'terms' - paid it up over some months and then waited for a suitable puppy and this was from one of the most famous kennels of the time. 

Suppose back then puppies were, comparatively, expensive. 

> Suppose back then puppies were, comparatively, expensive.

Certainly in my own breed I think puppies have basically been similar price as compared with earnings.

Looking at old club journals I note that pups were similar price to a couple of weeks wages.

When I bought my first dog it cost me around 3/4's of a months salary, and now my daughter in a similar office job earns around £1000 a month and pups in my breed are around £700.

I too agree a pup can be saved for, it should not be a rash purchase, going onto a waiting list several months before, and research time should be enough. 

With my first dog I did pay for it in instalments, so she was payed for before collection (she had already been born).  Of course I could have waited but I was afraid I might did into the puppy fund ;)

With my first in my current breed I purchased after the sudden unexpected death of the first so short notice, but I still used savings (dogs vet account), or would have waited until I had saved it.

A pet is a luxury, same as many other items people think they need, but really only want.  People (maybe the country) would be a lot better off if they realised this and didn't use credit for non essentials.

>People (maybe the country) would be a lot better off if they realised this and didn't use credit for non essentials.

It wasn't for no reason that the old Hire Purchase was called the 'never-never' :) :) For many people, particularly my parents' generation, borrowing money (apart for a mortgage) was a sin.

I remember when my first ever dog died, we found a great puppy about two weeks later. At the time my Mum had put money aside from their wages that week to buy a new washing machine as the washing machine was on it's way out... instead that money went on the puppy!

> For many people, particularly my parents' generation, borrowing money (apart for a mortgage) was a sin.

I still feel this way, and I'm a child of the 60's..

There must come a time when breeders don't find homes for every puppy no matter how good the breeder or how good the puppy.   What happens then?

You and the stud dog owner share the pups. That's it in a nutshell. In my main breed it's almost unheard of these days to be able to sell an entire litter. (In my second breed you never have enough pups.) Most keep 2 per litter (not from choice) and I know of several that have had to keep 3, even some that have had to keep 5. For some breeds it is possible to consider donating pups to guide dogs, hearing dogs, assistance dogs, police dogs etc -but if after everything the pup turns out to not be suitable, you could instead end up with it coming back to you when adult or almost adult.

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">I came across a website for some one in April, they had older puppies available who were ready in March but had not sold. They had 'March Madness' advertised, grab a bargain price older puppy. :-(

How very sad for those puppies. :(

> I still feel this way, and I'm a child of the 60's

I too :)

I hate Facebook Pets for Sale pages and have to stop myself from shouting at the PC over some of the posts and comments.

I have seen the prices of puppies fall by half in just a few weeks - and in one case a Whippet was advertised free as it was the last one in the litter, and it did not look very old!

Personally, I would prefer a elder puppy at 3-4 months old, especially if the breeder has socialised it and done some basic training. I would definitely not like a puppy from most breeders who advertise on FB