Aja

2 minutes ago, sheena said:

Just asking as I might have missed it somewhere, but why are you only considering a small breed dog.  There are some lovely medium breed dogs that would be good with children

We have a very small backyard  which would not be suitable for a medium sized dog. ..

21 hours ago, DogsAndTheMob said:

Given the seller’s keenness to sell the dog interstate, my biggest concern would have been that it wasn’t his to sell - either that it was stolen or that it belonged to a relative or partner who didn’t want to part with it. There are so many people looking for small dogs that he should have been able to sell it locally. 

 

I wouldn’t assume that a purebred dog will be more expensive than a crossbred. Crossbred puppies are being advertised for outrageous prices, given the unlikelihood that their parents have been health tested. Breeders occasionally  need to part with adult dogs, and sometimes will reduce the price to place the dog in its ideal home. 

 

Rescue is another source to consider. The advantage of of getting a dog from a good-quality rescue organisation is that they assess each dog’s health and temperament before they place it.

 

Where-ever you get a dog, be careful. Look for documentation to support what you’re told. Breeders should show you veterinary certificates for the parents of a litter, depending on breed. Hip, elbow, eye and heart certifications are common for many breeds. Puppies should have been checked by a vet before sale - particularly small breed puppies which are prone to luxating patellas.. Rescue organisations should be registered charities.

That would be terrible if the dog was stolen or being sold without consent, I definitely don't want it then... But when I saw him, I kind of fell in love with him, he looked so sad and as one of my friends noted he looked neglected.. Unfortunately there are not small dogs in shelters where I live, I think they are in high demand now and probably being adopted before they are listed. 

I didn't realise luxating patellas is common in small dogs (just googled it) .. Is it something only a specialist can confirm, or would I be able to pick it up by looking at the dog? 

On 20/08/2020 at 8:55 PM, julesluvscavs said:

Its good you aired about it in here and got some wise advice,
Maybe contact breeders in the DOL breeders listings. If you don't mind a dog thats not a puppy but not old some breeders rehome their retired dogs to the right person/family. I've had 2 Cavs that way  Many breeders have brought their dogs up around young children also  

Many dogs can have dental issues, Cavs are predisposed to bad teeth. You just have to keep an eye on them and look after their teeth like we do with ours. Many smaller dogs dont chew on bones like bigger dogs do
All the best, something suitable will come along. Just don't rush into anything
Personally i look for Breeders that want to stay in touch and are happy to give advice etc when you need it, but thats just what i look for. If you get one through a rescue organisation some of them like to stay in touch too

Thank you for your kids words. Will continue my search and hopefully the right dog or puppy will come along soon.    I was also offered a completely deaf puppy for $1200, and although ithe price was within our budget and  she was super cute, I couldn't take her as we won't be able to provide the required care and training for a deaf dog..

If we finally find a dog, do you have any tips how to keep their teeth clean? 

On 20/08/2020 at 6:29 PM, persephone said:

If you are happy to - tell us yr budget and keep in touch .... D O L can be very helpful in all sorts of situations (but no promises) 

We can't really afford what breeders charge, our budget is up to $1500.. 

17 hours ago, sheena said:

Why don't you go for a pure bred Maltese or Pom?  There are a few litters advertised on this site

Pure bred puppies are too expensive for us unfortunately. 

2 hours ago, persephone said:

ask for scans..not just verbal comments. 
"should be OK with kids" wouldn't swing it with me .... so you bring a dog home who is unsure of kids ..or just does not like them . What do you do ? 
I know you are desperate - however, this is a total unknown ..and unlike a rescue/breeder, I BET this guy would not take the dog back if it was unsuitable..or help you with training hints! 

I just spoke with him, and it turned out he's been lying to me all that time...  He was meant to get the dog's health records from vet on Monday, then today, and this evening when I called, he said because he had moved, he couldn't access previous vet records, and that "I told you that before" (!). He said the only thing he could do is transfer microchip into my name and to give my address, but I said no thanks no deal..  

17 hours ago, julesluvscavs said:

Im hearing of others getting caught up in similar situations atm, they seem desperate to get a Maltese or Maltese X's .. and because small dogs especially are very hard to get atm (even from rescue places) they are being sucked in with online scams and dodgy ads.. and they have all been from interstate.. Probably not the same as the one you are posting about (as its been puppies they are wanting) but please becareful! Hope yours is legit! 

Thanks Julesluvscavs. What is happening in the market at the moment is crazy (or has it always been like this?). When someone lists a dog at a lower price, the ad is gone sometimes within the first 15 minutes of being posted. I submitted offers and sent many texts only to never get a response, or in the best case being let known that the puppy has been sold. 

5 hours ago, Powerlegs said:

It's possible the dog isn't chipped at all and hasn't seen a vet because it's so easy for him to go to his vet and get the info. Literally just a phonecall. Is he/she desexed or vaccinated? 

Yes you can ask, and he's not supposed to rehome a dog without one but it sounds like he's getting twitchy about you asking questions so that's a BIG red flag. So is the ultimatum of you paying $50 or he'll sell elsewhere.  

Yes, absolutely, toy breeds require regular dentals. Most of our rescues are over 7 at least and every single one of those has needed a thorough dental. If the dog is 'placid' you should be able to look at it's teeth, if not I'd be careful. Mainly because a) sore mouth and b) you're planning on adding dog + kids with a completely untested animal. 

I'm so sorry, I understand the kids will be disappointed but this is sounding more and more like you're better off starting your search again.  


  

Thank you Powerlegs, its a hard decision to make as I thought we finally found the dog for kids. Owner told me he would go to vet on Monday to get some records, and when I asked yesterday whether he had he said he would go tomorrow. So I am waiting to hear back from him, hopefully will soon have something to report back.

Yes I realised the dog may not be so kid-friendly, as I automatically assumed that being a small toy breed it should. When I asked the owner, he said he should be gentle with kids but to "watch them until they get to know each other". So not entirely sure now if he is the right match for our family. I wonder which smaller breeds are best suited to living with kids?  

And what does the dentals that you mentioned include, are they for cleaning tartar buildup, or rather removing/ fixing the rotten teeth? 

17 hours ago, PossumCorner said:

That is so difficult Aja, to take someone on trust with so much at stake. I'd be inclined to wave goodbye to the deposit, it's a lot to lose I know.  But this is also financially risky taking on a dog with no 'vet inspection' or background information, it sounds shifty at best.  I would love to be wrong and the little dog is a perfect fit for you, but so many warning bells.   

This is exactly what I am now considering PossumCorner, I realised I cannot really trust this person... 

1 hour ago, Tassie said:

Lots of good advice.   If you do decide to go and meet him, please make sure you have another adult with you .. just for safety's sake, and also, he's less likely to try to bully. you..  And yes .. I'm a worry wort.

 

Thank you for your advice. Yes I would have my husband with me if I were too go. But after all the helpful comments I think I might  need to reconsider

3 hours ago, persephone said:

@Aja
Did you ask why they are selling a dog that is only 2 years old an so cute looking ?  LISTEN CAREFULLY to the replies !!    have you seen any videos of it walking on lead or anything ? 

He told me he has another dog (chow chow) that bullies the little pomeranian. I just googled seller's phone number, and found a post on FB by the Dog Rescue of the town he lives in. In the post Dog Rescue provides his (Seller's) mobile number and name to call for private adoption of a dog (dated 2015). 

Thank you all for your replies. 

27 minutes ago, Powerlegs said:

Oops, I assumed they already had the dog 

Yes, smells fishy. 

I don't have the dog yet, but he spoke with me on the phone and gave his full name and I found him on FB (I could see friends, relatives and posts etc so it looked genuine) and later I messaged him on Messenger and he replied. The dog in located in country NSW 4 hours drive from we we live, so he suggested we meet half way in a country town McDonalds... But I am suspicious that he lost the registration record of the dog. And also insisted that I pay $50 deposit as otherwise he would sell it to someone else, so I did..  The dog is microchipped apparently, should I ask him to give me the microchip number? And what do I do then, where can I check the implantation date (or can it only be done by the owner)? 

 I was also told toy breeds get really bad dental disease once they get older,  I guess I won't be able to check his teeth as the dog won't let me?  

P.S. There is absolutely no dogs in shelters here, only couple of big ones and we can't really have a big dog due to our circumstances.  Thank you all for replying! 

Hi All! It is very hard to buy a dog where I live, so I posted an ad on Gumtree and someone contacted me from another state and offered to sell his dog. He said his dog is 2 year old (maltese x pomeranian), and sent me the attached photos (initially he wouldn't send the close up photo of the face). After we arranged a pick up, he said he couldn't find his dog's registration papers.. So he said he would go to the vet, and apparently the vet would have some copy of some record.. ? I showed the photos to my  couple of my friends and they said the dog looks older than 2 year old, and also looks neglected.  The owner also said he's a "placid" dog, so I am not sure if this could  be a sign of older age too? Please, any opinion and advice would be appreciated!  The dog is not cheap,  and I cannot afford to buy an older dog. And it needs to be a good companion for my active kids for many years to come.  Thank you