| Buying or selling a dog or puppy over the internet. | | | | arrangements. They should be able to give you |
| We have found that scamming has become a huge | | | | information about the breed and the specific dog such |
| issue when buying or selling over the internet. While | | | | as the temperament, health issues, exercise, how they |
| shopping for a purebred dog you will most likely shop | | | | get along with children and other pets. You may want |
| nationwide or world wide. We prefer to stay within the | | | | to ask about registration papers and if they can show |
| nation. If you shop world wide, look into quarantine | | | | you a copy of the parents pedigrees. You may even |
| laws. It is much harder to retrieve your money from | | | | get a registration number and look it up at the Kennel |
| someone in another country if you run into a problem. | | | | Club website. It may cost $10.00 or $20.00 but it is |
| Even if you are shopping local, we hope to help make | | | | worth it. Some sellers advertise that the dog has show |
| it safe and pleasant. | | | | potential. They may have, but most of the time it is |
| In our personal experience while shopping for our Bull | | | | because of the champions in the bloodline. There is no |
| Terriers, we were alerted to scamming from some of | | | | way to tell if a puppy will become a show dog much |
| the websites that we looked at and also from | | | | less a champion. Find out what airline the breeder ships |
| breeders stories that we came in contact with. Buyers | | | | by if shipping. You can call the airline or look on their |
| have sent money never receiving a dog, or it was not | | | | website, to find out the regulations. They all have |
| the dog they thought they were getting. Sometimes | | | | different rules. We ship with one, only because of the |
| the dog has obvious health problems that were not | | | | service we have experienced, not because they are |
| disclosed. We even drove several miles to pick up a | | | | cheaper. Some breeders say they won't ship at all. |
| puppy, were blown off by the seller and later found | | | | Don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you want. |
| out the puppy had been sold to someone else weeks | | | | Most likely if you are shopping for a purebred puppy, |
| earlier. We were given some ideas such as have the | | | | you are spending a lot of money. |
| breeder take a picture of your puppy with a sign | | | | While advertising to sell our puppies, we ran into |
| behind it with your name on it and e-mail this to you. If | | | | several scams by e-mail and phone. Most of the |
| you got the breeders name from a website that lists a | | | | e-mails would say that they are very interested in our |
| variety of dogs for sale, check out the reviews for the | | | | "item" and then would ask for our address saying that |
| breeder and even e-mail to see if they are as happy | | | | they would have their courier pick up the puppy or |
| as the review states. Some of these websites also | | | | "item". They would ask or offer to pay us more than |
| have ideas to use. Look at the breeders personal | | | | the asking price and send a money order or check. |
| website. We are leery of breeders who breed several | | | | Then we were to wait until the check clears our bank. |
| different types of dogs. | | | | What people don't realize, is that just because the |
| Also breeders who have to many. Ask how they | | | | check clears your bank, does not mean it is good. By |
| keep track of who breeds with who. Ask about the | | | | the time your bank finds the check or money order is |
| living conditions. Are they in the home, in a pen, in a | | | | a fraud, it is too late, then you owe the bank. When the |
| fenced in yard, or are they kept in a crate? Crate | | | | courier was sent to pick up the "item" we were to pay |
| training is a good thing. It can teach the dog discipline | | | | them with some of the extra money. Being suspicious, I |
| and gives him his own personal space but, there is | | | | would e-mail back with questions that would be for the |
| such a thing as to much crate time. Find out how the | | | | most part unanswered. Most of the time the spelling |
| puppy is socialized. Does it spend a lot of time with | | | | and phrasing is like that of a child or someone from a |
| family and other people? A few breeders, but not | | | | foreign country. A new scam is by phone. We get |
| many, will be licensed. You can call the city or county in | | | | phone calls from an operator for the deaf giving you a |
| which they are licensed and verify that they are | | | | message. This is so they don't have to talk to you and |
| legitimate. Call the breeder and keep in touch with | | | | answer questions. They are also playing on your |
| them all the way to the end. Have them keep you up | | | | sympathy. You can alert the operator and they can |
| to date with pictures as the puppy grows. The puppy | | | | give you a number to report it to. |
| should never be taken from its mother until it is at least | | | | Always ask questions. Become suspicious if they can't |
| eight weeks old. At that time, it should have its first | | | | answer them. Keep copies of the e-mails and |
| series of shots, be de-wormed, started on heart worm | | | | document phone calls. It is better to lose a sale or |
| and have a health certificate for shipping or health | | | | purchase than to take a chance on being ripped off or |
| record for pick up. Puppies should not ship without one. | | | | having your identity stolen. You can find agencies on |
| The breeder should be able to provide you with | | | | the internet that work with the FBI to report to. If |
| information about all of this plus, what kind of food they | | | | everyone reports these, it may help slow down |
| have been feeding, appropriate toys and sleeping | | | | scamming. |