Animal advice/insight wanted

Leopoldstoch

Hey guys and gals,

Very off topic to the egg but looking for some insight and advice. Long story short, I had a lot of difficult times this past year and I’m looking to add a family member via a dog.

 I’m looking for a specific breed (French bulldog) which makes it difficult for me to rescue/adopt. I have been looking for roughly a year at rescue sights and adoptions because I would much rather help in that fashion if it would have been possible but it just hasn’t happened. I really would prefer for this not to turn into me being an ahole that I won’t adopt any dog. I have my reasons and I simply want a French bulldog.

With that being said, I still care like crazy that I get the dog from a responsible breeder. It would kill me inside to accidentally support a puppy mill or sh**ty establishment. I want to do everything I can to ensure I’m getting the dog from a family that cares about the breed and cares about the puppy.

I have a meeting set up with a breeder this coming week to meet 3 potential female puppies, and I will be bringing my dog along to see if they get along well or which dog he relates to best.

My questions or concerns I suppose are what are the things I should be on the lookout for to ensure things are on the up and up when I visit? What questions to ask? What to look for when visiting?

Appreciate any and all help/insight as this has been really causing anxiety on my end as I want to do the best I can!

Thanks!

DMW

I don't think I'd eat dog meat, even if it was cooked on an Egg.

Leopoldstoch

DMW said:

I don't think I'd eat dog meat, even if it was cooked on an Egg.

Thanks for that advice 

dmourati

Dog people have forums just like ceramic cooking people do. Find their forums, look for reputable breeders, and go from there.

Gulfcoastguy

The male may not be on the site but ask to see both of the parents AKC papers. Make sure that both were a full two years old before they were bred. Talk to a vet about breed specific defects to look for.

BugFreak72

Befriend the ladies at the local dog shelter. You would be amazed at what they call you about and find for you. One of our secretaries was looking for a small dog breed like that which are very popular down here but after meeting and talking to the shelter ladies they even drove to pick the one up for her special. Who knows you might get lucky too.

jeffwit

As a veterinarian, I would suggest a couple of things. First, get a written guarantee that would allow you to have the dog checked out thoroughly by YOUR vet and get your money back if there are major issues. Second, have the dog checked out by your vet as soon as possible, preferably before you get too emotionally attached.  Third, have a good look around the breeder’s facility. You can get a pretty good feel about how somebody takes care of their animals by how clean the place looks. Fourth, be prepared to say no. Don’t commit to yourself or the breeder to getting a puppy before you go. Trust me, a sickly puppy can quickly lead to heartbreak, both financial and emotional. 
Having said all that, congrats on deciding on a Frenchie. They’re one of my favorite breeds. 

Woodchunk

good luck and post up a pic of your new family member

kl8ton

A Co worker just got scammed while trying to buy a Bernadoodle. A hacker took over a reputable breeders website,  routed emails to himself,  changed the phone number,  etc. 

When shipment time came (after paying thousands) the scammer said dog couldnt ship without vaccines.  They send more money, now needs insurance. . . 1500 they would get back after successful shipment. 

my Co worker asked what the weather was  in Texas where the breeder supposedly was.  It threw the scammer for a loop.  Co worker lost about 4 grand I think.  

Be careful. 

mEGG_My_Day

The AKC has a rescue network for every breed. If you want to rescue a Frenchie, I would definitely check that first. 

Leopoldstoch

jeffwit said:

As a veterinarian, I would suggest a couple of things. First, get a written guarantee that would allow you to have the dog checked out thoroughly by YOUR vet and get your money back if there are major issues. Second, have the dog checked out by your vet as soon as possible, preferably before you get too emotionally attached.  Third, have a good look around the breeder’s facility. You can get a pretty good feel about how somebody takes care of their animals by how clean the place looks. Fourth, be prepared to say no. Don’t commit to yourself or the breeder to getting a puppy before you go. Trust me, a sickly puppy can quickly lead to heartbreak, both financial and emotional. 
Having said all that, congrats on deciding on a Frenchie. They’re one of my favorite breeds. 

Thank you for the input!

PoppasGrill

My wife worked at the local Humane Society for over a year and had many stories of people bringing pets in because there was medical issues due to inbreeding that they couldn’t afford. It is a no kill shelter so they knew the animal would be given any treatment the facility could give them.
The vet that worked there would go on puppy mill raids and always advised any that looked for pure breeds to meet the seller on site, not a parking lot somewhere, contact local animal control to see if that seller has been investigated for anything, and look at how clean the facility is. Reputable breeders take care of the puppies like they are their own pets.
Plus, as mentioned in another post, contact your vet to get any ideas of what Problem areas are consistent with , hate to say it like this, a lemon.