I'm planning to get a rottie in around 8 (minimum) months time (dont know if any of you will rememeber my previous post, but my OH is off to iraq soon so we'll get one when he comes home)

Anyway, was just flicking through the paper and spotted "pedigree rottweiler pups for sale parents can be seen £250" now I know its probably not a good idea to buy a puppy from an ad like this, but I'm more than a little curious, the going rate for rotties here is around £500 why would someone sell them for half that if they are pedigree? would a reputable breeder sell puppies so cheap? (they were also advertised as ready dec 12th, handy for chrismas methinks, think I just answered my own question there, duh!)

This is the cheapest I've ever seen rottie pups advertised, and they usually range up to £600, I'm just wondering what the risks would be of buying one so cheap (dont worry though I'm not about to!) it just seems a tad bizarre to me, especially if they were selling them before christmas they could have so easily put their prices up, I'm a little confused, think there's a question in the post somewhere! lol

Viv

No, a 'reputable' breeder wouldn't even have to advertise ;)  Just because the advertiser can show you two rotties of the correct sex, it doesn't mean that either of them is related to the puppies, who may even be rottie crosses......  And I'm always VERY wary of ads that claim to be able to show you BOTH parents, as the mating has probably taken place more for the owners convenience than any attempt to better the breed and compensate for the shortcomings in the bitch by using a male dog strong in her weak points...

bet they'd have had no health checks,no KC reg and def no thought into the matching of the dog and bitch. I would say it would be a false economy.
Archer

Whereabouts in the country are they advertised? 
You do see these adverts every week in either the local paper, Bargain Pages or Exchange and Mart.  The puppies may be KC registered but I bet their parents are not hip scored, the pedigree is a bit of this and that and you dont get any after sales service. Its best not to encourage these people and perhaps they may give up on breeding when they find that they cannot sell their puppies. The average price of a puppy is £500+ for pet quality - not show- although no one can guarantee that a eight week old puppy will turn out to be a top winner!

I know someone who in his wisdom decided to breed from his bitch and although I advised him against it, he went back to the breeder of the bitch to ask about breeding. She encouraged him to use her 'stud' dog and told him that he is a good show dog although she has never been in the ring and either has any of her dogs. She had a puppy bitch in lieu of a £500 stud!! The pedigree I am led to believe (although I have not seen it myself) is a made up of sister to brother matings down the line. Neither dogs are hip scored. He had a large litter of about 10 pups and still has 5 which are now aged 12 weeks or thereabouts. The breeder is not interested in helping him find suitable homes for the pups since she has just had two litters and is about to mate another bitch. She says she doesn't advertise at all but I've actually brought both Exchange and Mart and Bargain Pages and seen her advert in there!! I dont think he will be breeding again!

I have seen quite a few ads here in the northeast for the breed i wanted in the local paper and in pets at home, most were kc registered but not health tested if that helps.

I wouldn't go for a pup from this litter.  Lets face it anyone could put 2 pedigree dogs together but that doesn't mean that those dogs are compatable healthwise etc etc.....  I wonder if the parents have had their hips/elbows etc tested????

And also remember with a breed such as this, temperement is of paramount importance - it is because of careless matings by people who dont pick the right breeding stock and do proper research that Rotties, GSDs, Staffies etc have had such bad press over the years.