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local breeder vs remote breeder

5K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  JE-UK 
#1 ·
Hello all,

A new member to this forum here. I haven't owned a dog (except when I was really young), so I am a total novice when it comes to dogs.

I'd like to own a poodle in a couple years from now and meanwhile I want to learn as much as possible about the breed and raising a dog in general. I've been a silent visitor for months and see great postings. Hope I can learn a lot from many experts here.

My first question is: what do you think about getting a dog from a remote breeder by shipping the dog? Of course, it would be great to find a reputable local breeder, meet puppies and their parents, talk to the breeder in person, etc. But if they don't have any that is suitable for me or I can't find any good breeders locally, I guess I'll have to broaden my search including remote breeders.

Should that situation occur, my biggest concern would be getting a dog without meeting it in person. And this will be my first dog. So would you still recommend? What should I know if I decided to do that?

I think finding reputable remote breeders who ship their dogs is not a big issue since this forum is such an excellent resource. I've already seen several breeders highly praised here.

FYI, I haven't decided which route to choose yet between a breeder dog or a rescue. So all my questions are 'what ifs'. :)

Thanks!
 
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#5 ·
Thanks for one assuring answer. :)

I'd love to find a local breeder and visit first. But I also noticed that good breeders are relatively rare and even if I locate some near me, they may not have puppies all the time and the wait may be long. I am also interested in getting an older puppy or even an adult and it looks like they are even harder to find if I want them from a breeder. Hence the question. :)

Thanks!
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the good suggestion. I live in San Jose, CA. I don't know what size I will get yet, though. I love big dogs and am more interested in standard poodles but the rest of my family likes smaller dogs. So probably a miniature but I won't rule out a standard yet.

Thanks!
 
#9 ·
I have done both, had puppies shipped and gotten them from local breeders and both worked out well. I agree with previous poster, find the breeder that will work with you, and that you are comfortable with. The breeder who shows, health tests and who puts their puppies first. I want a breeder that raises the puppies in their home, not a kennel so that my puppy gets the right start in life.
 
#11 ·
I will comment on here, although I am in the minority. First of all, the breeder from whom I got Sunny, assured me she ships all the time -- has for years and had her carrier of choice, etc. (actually only one) and she is in Saskatchewan and has routinely shipped to U.S. (Florida) and other areas in Canada -- no problems -- until the Sunny ship.....Murphy's Law -- everything that could go wrong, did go wrong on the flight, etc., and there was no way the breeder would have known, etc., but it was a nightmare and I would not ship again for that reason -- but, again, that's me and my experience. Even if 99 out of 100 times it was smooth, the 1 time (me) was difficult on the poodle, and well, I think that may have some implication on why it's been harder for him (we are getting much better though). And, to reinforce that, many of my spoo owner friends have gotten their poodles from a NJ breeder, and all have opted to fly out and drive back rather than ship. Reason is one of them had gotten a poodle pup from a Canadian breeder (not mine) years ago that assured her all would be fine. Well, I guess the plane hit turbulence or a thunderstorm, and she said the dog was always petrified of storms, thunder, etc., and she wonders if being in cargo during it as a pup had anything to do with it. IMO it does not matter if everyone here weighs in that (1) the flight of Sunny to me had nothing to do with his difficulty in getting comfortable in his rehome situation and (2) that the storm, etc., when the puppy was in cargo shouldn't have had anything to do with the dog being afraid of thunderstorms -- after all poodles are resilient, right?

I know I would never ship a dog again (and may be missing out on great ones), but it is a personal choice based on my experience and that of a close friend of mine.

I know everyone on this forum, especially the breeders, will disagree, but I want you to know there are a multitude of opinions out there. If I was getting a dog from a breeder far away, I'd find a way to fly there and drive home, if possible.
 
#12 ·
If you have a caravan or can borrow one (I think a caravan might be called a 'trailer home' in the USA, but I'm not sure) you could pick up a puppy from a distant breeder and have a motoring holiday at the same time.

Look up some breeders and get in touch. It's cool to get opinions and feedback and good to do research, but in the end you should pick the breeder you like and who fits with what you are looking for, wherever and whomever that may be. Don't base your decision entirely on what some people on the Internet think. ;-)
 
#13 ·
It is interesting that shipping or not shipping a dog varies by the breed of dogs you are looking at. For example, most reputable Havanese breeders will NOT ship their puppies, period. The welcome you to fly out and pick a puppy up yourself and take it on the plane. Many will offer perspective buyers to stay with them or come and visit their home and see the way the puppies are raised. Some will fly out with a puppy for an extra fee. Maltese breeders for the most part will ship you a puppy from anywhere, as will most, but not all poodle breeders. I find that very interesting. :)
 
#14 ·
Thank you all for the great answers. I checked the websites of suggested breeders near my areas and their poodles look great. It looks like most of them do black and white poodles so if I want a different color I may have to extend my search. Color is not really important to me but it might be to my family. Haven't asked them yet.

I'd like to avoid shipping the puppy/dog if possible. Glad to know that there are excellent breeders within driving distance.
 
#16 ·
Welcome! In September I got my first dog ( a spoo) and found a breeder 6 hours away. I never met her but spoke to her weekly from the time the puppies were 2 weeks old until I got him. This breeder's policy was not to ship however she drove and met me so I had only a 4 hour drive each way. She got to know me and together we chose the right puppy for me from the bunch and I can tell you that it has been awesome. SO, I also agree to go with the breeder who is right for you. By the way, my puppy is 7 months now and he has been easy to train and just an absolute joy.
 
#17 ·
I've never had a puppy shipped to me. I think that if you are someone highly knowledgeable about breeders and their lines that can be a great way to go. I am not that person, so I want to visit the breeder and see their dogs. I want to see the conditions that the puppies are raised in. I would rather drive several hundred miles, and stay overnight if necessary. It's so easy to decieve on the web. That said, if you find a distant breeder that you might choose, post on this forum and you will get a helpful assessment.
 
#23 ·
I'm with liljaker ... I'm not convinced of the safety of flying a dog, plus I think the airlines are patchy in the quality of handling.

Not a great sample size on which to make a judgment, but my dad had a Beauceron pup shipped from France (years ago), and she was always an anxious dog.
 
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