Pros and cons of buying a puppy off Craigslist..

[Disneyland1084]

I lost my dog of 15 years this past January. DH, my two DD's 12 and 8 and I are in the process of getting a new puppy. Ideally we would love to get one from the humane society. We're in no rush because we want to make sure we get the right one. It's going to be a lap dog, and we're pretty flexible on the breed and would be happy with a mutt. Our humane society doesn't get puppies very often which makes me think Craigslist will be our best bet. I'm wondering what the pros and cons of that are. What should I look for in making sure it's not a scam? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I look online every day on Petharbor and Craigslist. We're not going to actively start looking for a dog (as in going in person every day to the humane society) until the summer's over.

 

[smiths02]

Have you looked into rescue organizations in the area (vs. just humane society or animal shelter?)

ETA: I know in our area, the local Pet Co. has animals from the rescue organization out every weekend. There are very often puppies.

 

[wgeo]

After trying to get our last puppy from the humane society or local resuces we finally gave up. The only dogs they had tended to be large breeds and dogs that shed such as labs or retriever mixes. Beautiful dogs but we needed one that was smaller and non shedding, and it seemed like if you didn't volunteer there you didn't get the lap dogs as they were scooped up very fast. So I looked at a lot of breeders online and at craigslist. I interacted with a few people on craigslist - the up and up people would immediately provide their full names, plenty of info about the parent dogs, access/information of the vet they used to get puppy shots etc. We got our dog off craigslist in the end and went to the breeder's house, saw both parent dogs, saw their vet records as well and spent some time playing with the puppies she had. Our dog was 3 months old as she was one of two puppies that didn't get sold from the litter.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I lost my dog of 15 years this past January. DH, my two DD's 12 and 8 and I are in the process of getting a new puppy. Ideally we would love to get one from the humane society. We're in no rush because we want to make sure we get the right one. It's going to be a lap dog, and we're pretty flexible on the breed and would be happy with a mutt. Our humane society doesn't get puppies very often which makes me think Craigslist will be our best bet. I'm wondering what the pros and cons of that are. What should I look for in making sure it's not a scam? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I look online every day on Petharbor and Craigslist. We're not going to actively start looking for a dog (as in going in person every day to the humane society) until the summer's over.

I would be concerned about the health of the puppy, and would make sure the pup is up to date on parvo and rabies vaccines, and ready to be licensed. It would be helpful to have a note from a veterinarian as well. Does your humane society offer health screenings and/or vaccinations?

 

[because]

I lost my dog of 15 years this past January. DH, my two DD's 12 and 8 and I are in the process of getting a new puppy. Ideally we would love to get one from the humane society. We're in no rush because we want to make sure we get the right one. It's going to be a lap dog, and we're pretty flexible on the breed and would be happy with a mutt. Our humane society doesn't get puppies very often which makes me think Craigslist will be our best bet. I'm wondering what the pros and cons of that are. What should I look for in making sure it's not a scam? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I look online every day on Petharbor and Craigslist. We're not going to actively start looking for a dog (as in going in person every day to the humane society) until the summer's over.

The only "pro" I can think of buying a puppy off Craigs List is that you will get a puppy.

The Cons are huge.

Buying from a backyard breeder can have a major hit to your pocketbook long after you buy the puppy. Dogs on Craigslist are rarely dogs that are carefully bred with the research needed to produce a healthy puppy. It is usually someone who wants to make a quick buck or something dumb like wanting their children to witness the miracle of birth.

We have several friends that did not do their research and are now paying the price. The dogs have major health problems due to not being bred well. One friend spends over $6,000 a year in specialized medicines because their puppy they impulse bought has so many allergies it can't function without a pharmacy of drugs. Another has a dog with several congenital defects because the "breeders" had no idea you couldn't breed A to Z without running the chance of expressing those recessive genes.

I can't count how many friends' labs and goldens developed hip dysplasia early on and required either expensive surgery or putting down a young dog.

If you are going to buy a dog, take the time to put the research in. It will save your pocketbook in the long run. Make sure the breeder has done all the health testing of the parents. And that is not just seeing vet records. At a minimum, you need to see the OFFA or PennHip testing that the hips and elbows are rated good to excellent on both parents. If it is a breed or a mix of a breed that has heart disease in the breed, make sure you see the cardiac results of both parents. Another big thing is to see the DNA test that the parents are not carriers of Degenerative Myelopathy. That is a horrible spinal disease you won't see until the dogs are advancing in years. Looking at young parents will not tell you if they will develop it or not, but a simple DNA test will tell you if they are DM clear or a DM carrier.

Google what makes a responsible breeder and you will find a bunch of questions to ask a breeder and what you should be looking for. Don't believe that mixed breeds are healthier dogs, hybrid vigor is only a thing in the wild, not for interbred dogs. If you breed a poorly bred dog to another poorly bred dog, you are going to double those problems.

 

[jrmasm]

Petfinder. I bet there are tons of shelters and rescues in your area.

 

[wgeo]

I tried all the petfinders and searches out there, looked for months and saw 2 of the breed we were looking for show up at rescues during that time period. And they both were gone immediately. I will say that there are legitmate breeders who do post on craigslist - it is not all bad backyard breeders. As with every major purchase you need to do your homework, we were able to look into the health history of both parents and that satisfied us and our dog is very healthy. Buying a dog is always a gamble, even a dog with healthy parents can end up with problems, and when getting from a rescue you often get no clue as to the parent's health at all anyways. There is no foolproof method to a perfect dog.

 

[dakotix]

Petfinder. I bet there are tons of shelters and rescues in your area.

I agree. Try to find more rescue organizations. There are a ton out there. We bought our dream dog from a breeder and it hasn't been the best experience. We've always adopted a rescue, he was the exception. We love him but he's been nothing but trouble. We're convinced he has a defect because he can't hold his pee to save his life! Yes, we've had him checked out and there's no glaring medical issue. He was just born with an abnormally small bladder. Sweet dog but the peeing thing drives us bonkers. Mixed breeds are healthier in my opinion.

 

[Valbot]

Besides all the reasons listed. Many of the dogs on craigslist are actually stolen dogs. In my area there was a rash of people taking dogs out of the backyard and re selling certain breeds.

I would go the route of humane society or a local shelter. If not research a breeder and go see the dogs in person.

 

[Disneyland1084]

Have you looked into rescue organizations in the area (vs. just humane society or animal shelter?)
.

All the time. Most of the ones that are available are older dogs or breeds I don't want.

 

[aprilchem]

Petfinder. I bet there are tons of shelters and rescues in your area.

In my area, it is almost impossible to rescue a puppy unless you are willing to adopt a pit bull or pit bull mix puppy. I looked at rescues, SPCAs, and animal controls in our area for over a year after our lab mix (who we adopted as an adult) passed away, because our remaining dog (also a rescue) really needed a companion. We cannot have a pit or pit mix (our homeowner's insurance won't cover us for that breed and several others) and was never successful finding a puppy that wasn't at least part that breed.

We ended up going with a reputable breeder, and it was a good choice for us.

 

[sam_rogers]

I'm assuming Craigslist is similar to a site in the uk called gumtree and is just a buy and sell website. I work as a vet tech in the UK and the majority of dogs I have seen that have been acquired from websites like this have health problems (tummy upsets, bad skin etc) that the new owners then have to deal with. Many have no vaccine record even though the owners have been told they have had their initial vaccines and some have even been silly enough to meet the breeder somewhere to collect the puppy so that don't meet the parents. I'd be very wary of puppy farming, these dogs live in horrible conditions and the puppies will usually have problems. Tread carefully buying a puppy from a site like this.

 

[katie01]

I was about ready to give up on trying to find a dog through a shelter or rescue because of similar issues mentioned (not finding the right "fit" for the dog or our family, or not fitting some of the stringent requirements like "One dog parent must sign a contract to stay at home full time with the dog and not work (yes, really!), or to feed the dog only raw food, which I would do if I had to for medical issues, but I think it's a bit restrictive as a blanket requirement for all adopters), and things like that, but I finally found our dog through a really great rescue that I hadn't initially heard about. As an added bonus, they only charged $200 per adoption as opposed to $500 for most rescues. I would have paid the $500, I knew dog ownership is expensive, but at any rate I won't complain about the money saved, more to spoil the dog with Vaccinations and spaying was also provided by the rescue, which is a huge savings, and another bonus was that all the dogs with the rescue are in foster care, so we had an idea of temperment and all of that beforehand. That was important to us because we wanted it to be both a good fit for the dog, and for us. We were looking for a dog that would be happy with being around our kids and our other dog, and vice versa, and it was a great fit. So I would say those are the drawbacks of Craigslist, you wouldn't be saving any money on initial vet expenses the way you would with most rescues, and you'd have not a lot or maybe not accurate info about the puppy's temperment (although I guess that part applies more to adopting a grown dog than a puppy). Also I'd be worried about the dog through Craigslist having something fatal and awful like parvo Whereas the reputable dog rescues are going to screen for that. Also, it's just such a great feeling to know you saved a dog from maybe being killed, versus promoting backyard breeders on Craigslist. Our rescue organization took our dog out of a kill shelter, she was taken there and surrendered by her previous owners. I just look at her sweet face and can't imagine anyone leaving her to potentially die, she is such a gentle, loving soul. Not that looks matter, but she is also a strikingly beautiful dog that people comment on all the time (I am just saying that part because you said you wanted a certain breed. Our dog is not a purebred (but we joke that she should be cloned and needs to be recognized as her own breed because she's so cool looking lol), but the rescue groups in our area do have purebreds as well as puppies available.

If you want to I'd be happy to try to find some rescue groups in your area, if you feel comfortable messaging me where to look. I am sad that we are at our limit of two dogs, but I still love to see the dogs that are available and want as many as possible to find good homes

 

[Lilacs4Me]

Pros: none
Cons: Once you buy it, you've got to take it home and take care of it for the next 10-15 years.

 

[OneOftheB's]

I don't know that I would recommend getting a dog from a Craig's List ad, but that having been said, we did indeed get a dog from Craig's List several years ago. We lost our GSD after many years and knew that was the breed we were interested in again. We did not want a puppy and the ones we found at animal control or via local rescues either fell through or weren't appropriate for our home. After another dog we really liked was adopted by another family, I decided to look at CL.

Max's story, from what we could piece together, was he was adopted from the local animal control and dumped at the adopter's grandparents' farm. The grands did not want him, so another granddaughter took him home, but her house/yard/other dogs were too small for Max (96 pounds). We met him, liked him, he liked our existing dog and kids and seemed ok with cats, so he came home with us. The granddaughter we got him from asked for a rehoming fee ($100-150?) in the ad to discourage the wrong types. She ended up letting us have him with no money exchanged, actually giving us his food, bowls, collar, leash, flea preventative, etc. She just honestly wanted him to land in a good home.

If I were getting a puppy, I would want to see the mom and where the puppies were raised at a minimum. Good luck.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

My mom got 4 of her dogs from a shelter about 75 miles from her home. They are a no-kill shelter. She actually told them what breed she was looking for Boston Terrier or Pug and just waited. All 4 times they came through with pure bred dogs, a couple of which had been surrendered from back yard breeders because they were no longer able to breed.

They were lovely dogs, but had no real idea how to play, etc. None were lap dogs either. My mom would have been thrilled to sit with a dog in her lap and pet it all day, but the dogs didn't know how to do that. However, in many ways they were perfect for each other. She provided a wonderful home and they provided companionship, especially after my father had passed.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I'm not sure about where you live, but unless it's really rural, there are usually other shelter options out there. It just may mean driving a bit further, possibly going several towns over, or making it more of a day trip...but even smaller areas I've lived had a few if you were willing to drive a bit. Sometimes PetSmart and Petco will even do weekend events where they bring in animals from area shelters. Beyond that, you've got breed rescues. I used to volunteer at one of our local shelters and I can say that small breeds are in higher demand and small breed (even mixed ones) puppies are equally tough to come by. A rescue may mean driving a couple hundred miles, but it's worth it for the right dog.

Beyond that, if you're considering Craig's List...I'd consider a real breeder first. i.e. one who considers all of the health risks in their breed when producing litters and has a spay/neuter clause in your purchase contract for "pet-quality" puppies. I'd just be too afraid of getting a dog with all kinds of health issues if I resorted to Craig's List. I've just seen too many horror stories with irresponsible breeding. If you talk to some local vets, they might be about to give you some suggestions for reputable breeders.

 

[because]

I tried all the petfinders and searches out there, looked for months and saw 2 of the breed we were looking for show up at rescues during that time period. And they both were gone immediately. I will say that there are legitmate breeders who do post on craigslist - it is not all bad backyard breeders. As with every major purchase you need to do your homework, we were able to look into the health history of both parents and that satisfied us and our dog is very healthy. Buying a dog is always a gamble, even a dog with healthy parents can end up with problems, and when getting from a rescue you often get no clue as to the parent's health at all anyways. There is no foolproof method to a perfect dog.

I have shown dogs for 30+ years and never, ever, have I seen a responsible breeder advertise on Craig's List. Most responsible breeders don't breed a litter until they have people lined up for the puppies so there is no need to advertise on Craig's List.

 

[because]

I agree. Try to find more rescue organizations. There are a ton out there. We bought our dream dog from a breeder and it hasn't been the best experience. We've always adopted a rescue, he was the exception. We love him but he's been nothing but trouble. We're convinced he has a defect because he can't hold his pee to save his life! Yes, we've had him checked out and there's no glaring medical issue. He was just born with an abnormally small bladder. Sweet dog but the peeing thing drives us bonkers. Mixed breeds are healthier in my opinion.

There is a huge difference between someone claiming to be a breeder and an actual responsible breeder.

For anyone looking for a purebred dog or even a dog with that breed mixed in, the best place to start looking is the official breed club. So, if you want a GSD, go to the German Shepherd Club of America. Breed clubs usually have their own rescues and often rescue mixes of their breed. They will also be able to recommend responsible breeders to contact. Most of all, they have their finger on available dogs that need homes.

 

[Ephany]

I foster for a local shelter and we get first dibs on our foster animals. There's also a facebook page for fosters only so often puppies or kittens that will be available for adoption are posted there first. Our first foster was a foster fail and she just turned 3.