Regarding the ridiculously high prices being asked for puppies, pedigree or crossbreeds, I have just read a very interesting double paged spread on the subject in today's Mail newspaper.
One breeder (amongst others) is accused of profiteering and allowing gazumping. It seems 7 would- be buyers who went on the list before lockdown and before the pups were born, did not get their puppy despite being kept updated on its progress.  The prices of the puppies was in the meantime raised and all pups sold to others.
The 7 complaints are being investigated by the kennel club of which the breeder is a member (they are also on champdogs)) and has been temporarily suspended.
Mind you, I was surprised that this breeder allowed potential buyers come over and choose their puppy when it was only 2 weeks old. Not only choose one but allow it to be handled by them.
So here we have a breeder with all the credentials...not on "one of those sites" so despised by some.
And another place mentioned is "Raffles" cockapoos.
Worth a read maybe?

Raffles has had a whole heap of complaints and there's an FB group (Raffles - Have Your Say) with currently 2.3k members gathering evidence against them.

I have heard of the price hikes happening, there was an article about it somewhere some weeks ago.  A couple who had paid their deposit and signed papers, then been told that the price was going up and they'd need to pay an additional £400 to get their pup.  They refused and it was sold to someone else.  I don't think they got their deposit back either but I'm not sure about that.

Do you know what breed re the waiting list?  I ask as someone came to me asking about a breeder who had said pups could no longer go to pet homes due to lockdown, and then went on to try and raise prices, and I helped them report the breeder to the KC.  I hope they are now doing something about it.

The one mentioned in the original post of honeyfitz labradors. They are being investigated by the KC and have been removed off the breeder list for this site. Assured breeder as well apparently which lines up with your experiences sleeping_lion

Thanks, I'm glad it seems something is being done about this case at least.

They’ve been temporarily suspended by the KC too

Good!  Serves them bloomin' right!!

The 7 complaints are being investigated by the kennel club of which the breeder is a member

Do you really mean a
member of the Kennel Club or a member of the ABS the two are not the same. Very few breeders are members as there are only about 1,700 KC members, 200 of which live overseas & a handful of Honorary & Life Honorary members

I read the article and couldn't beleive she allowed someone to visit and handle puppies that were two weeks old. Plus what about social distancing?

Prices still don't seem to be dropping at all. I have even seen a Toy Poodle for over £4000 and it is over a year old. It's not even KC registered. They talk about their sorry seeing their beloved pet go and No Breeders but they are not getting her spayed first.

I have noticed even though puppy prices have gone up, stud prices have remained static

I had to look up ABS. How ignorant I am in comparison to you!
Kennel Club Assured Breeder.
Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention.

It started off as the Accredited Breeder Scheme, and then changed to Assured.  Unfortunately, although the sentiments behind the scheme are good, it's full of loop holes, and is absolutely not a guarantee of anything I'm afraid.

>Unfortunately, although the sentiments behind the scheme are good, it's full of loop holes, and is absolutely not a guarantee of anything I'm afraid.

So true, I've lost count of the number of times I have told people who tell me they have taken my details from the list of assured breeders on the KC website that there are others listed on there that I would never buy a puppy from. I then point them in the direction of the breed clubs and go on to outline what I consider a good breeder would look like in my opinion to give them an example.

Unfortunately, not all breed clubs are that good either.  A secretary of one got caught breeding doodles one season, and a KC registered litter the next.  All known about, just nobody wanted to blow the whistle.  I'd have rocked up with an orchestra but that's me, can't stand people who are duplicitous.

> I have even seen a Toy Poodle for over £4000 and it is over a year old.

There's a malinois for sale on preloved (or was a few days ago) for £4k.  About a year old I think, and pet trained - sit, down, stay, basic stuff which they seem to think will command that price.

He's already been on there for a month or so and he's come down £500 so far...

Someone on gumtree rehomed their 8 months old beagle puppy to a couple whom he thought would give her her forever home. She was obviously sold for a small price because then he came across her advertised again at a higher price on same website.  Poor dog, now on its third home. How bewildered she must be.
Her owner (the first owner) is desperately trying to get these people's address.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/dogs/beagle-puppy-bought-from-us-and-sold-for-profit-on-this-websie-help/1377279940

Hope someone can help. 

If she's still microchipped in the original owners name they could report her as stolen.
Otherwise not a lot they can do.

> If she's still microchipped in the original owners name they could report her as stolen.

They can't report her as stolen if she was sold? Lucy's law doesn't even apply as she's over 6 months old, so the dodgy new owners who sold her on have technically not done anything wrong, it's nothing to do with the original owner what happens to her now, they sold her.

Just had a message to say they have finally got her back. no other information. Just hope they are more careful where she goes.  But, like you say, what these people did is not illegal.  And there are many out there doing just the same thing because of the high prices. But if sellers do not match those prices then this is what happens. Catch22.
Crazy times.

Sell under contract of sale, pretty much the same as rescues do, ie if you can't keep the dog then it goes back to the rescue you got it from.  I had my contract of sale checked by my solicitor who said it was enforceable.

Everyone talking about finding a good breeder and going on a waiting list, my parents have just been gazumped and trying to find hard evidence to send to KC.

Been on a waiting list for another lab for 18 months, their last one passed away last year. They wanted this particular breeder as her dogs carried almost matching lines and they liked the idea the puppy would someway be related to their boy. Puppies were born, deposit paid and due to pick him up on saturday. Gets a call last week to say puppy has had an accident and not suitable for rehoming so refunded deposit. They were due to pay £1100 and on Monday saw an identical litter in terms of the info they have been told and the location of the breeder advertised on a pet website for £2500. Also a KC assured breeder.

So back to all the comments on finding a nice breeder and waiting a long time, sadly hasn’t worked out for my parents. ☹️

Well I'm really sorry about the situation your parents find themselves in, but in my books, that really is not a nice breeder, and I hope you do manage to report them for profiteering.  It's not the first case I've heard of an ABS member profiteering, and at least one has been found out and chucked off the ABS membership.  Could you get a friend to phone up about this 'new' litter, and find out details of the parents of pups?

Disgusting.

Interestingly have seen lots of pet breeders & puppy farmers advertising their BC pups & crosses at silly prices £2,500 for a collie x lurcher because they have blue eyes ???

On the otherhand have seen some nicely bred ISDS pups from ISDS members at the same prive as before Corvid19 !!

One litter of KC pups £1,800 from allegedly "champion"health tested lines whose breeder cannot spell the testing lab correctly & cannot give details of the DNA tests & clinical tests done. They also don't parental DNA tests the pups despite having multiple entire males & females in their kennels, pups on offer are blue merles yet neither parent is a merle !!

Agreed. And yes we have done but she has said she’s not willing to provide details of the parents’ registrations until she receives a deposit. So very suspicious in its own right, can’t believe anyone would part with money without basic info. But suggests to me something is being hidden. The lady gave a different name to the breeder my parents were dealing with. It’s also very possible that tragically their puppy did have an accident and the details on the pet selling site are coincidence, but in the beginning my parents were told the bitch had a smaller litter than anticipated on the scan, these puppies to our knowledge were never previously advertised so it really would be a coincidence the details were so similar (as a scammer would have had to lift them from somewhere). Will update on how it progresses.

I find that absolutely appalling and reportable in itself, how on earth are you meant to look up health tests of parents yourself if you aren't given the names of the parents of the pups available?  I smell a rat.

Agree Sleeping Lion

I am an occasional puppy buyer, not a breeder.   I always do my homework when looking for a pup and am always prepared to wait for the right breeder/litter.  I also understand the huge commitment and expenditure invested by good breeders and have always respected, without question, the prices they charge for well bred puppies. 

I wouldn't dream of trying to purchase a puppy from a breeder who would not give me information about the parents and their health tests and enough detail to check all this with the KC.

The fact some breeders are doing this suggests they are trying to hoodwink inexperienced buyers who do not have enough knowledge about the process - in other words people who are more vulnerable to being exploited and abused by profiteering.  It also shows their complete lack of concern about where their puppies are homed.

I have seen a litter of my breed (popular one) on this site for £2,500 per puppy - deposit of £500 required.  Admittedly thoroughly health tested parents, but last year the same breeder was charging £900 for each pup.  Absolutely appalling.  I feel so grateful and relieved that I am not looking for a puppy at the moment but I do wonder when and how this will all settle down.

My heart goes out to potential buyers who have been been cheated in spite of trying to do the right thing - and to the poor pups who in many cases are clearly now just money making commodities.  So very sad.

I hope at least some of these cases are reported and action is taken - not least from the HMRC.

Deposit taken then the sale should follow through as agreed.

Its up to breeders what they sell their pups for today and I can totally understand their dilemma (people selling their pup on for a profit) therefore, I would imagine many breeders are being forced to increase their prices as a consequence.