Puppy Meet-and-Greet Cancelled

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

The breeder just posted some updated pics on Facebook.

OMG.  I do NOT need a Meet and Greet. He is absolutely freaking adorable.  He has finally grown out of that newborn-fetal-looking puppy stage and is getting all fluffy.  

OMG.  SOLD!!!!!!!!!!   

[financialpeace]

 That sounds great!! You need to post pics once you get him.

[milee]

Jan 2, 2014 18:01:33 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

The breeder just posted some updated pics on Facebook.

OMG.  I do NOT need a Meet and Greet. He is absolutely freaking adorable.  He has finally grown out of that newborn-fetal-looking puppy stage and is getting all fluffy.  

OMG.  SOLD!!!!!!!!!!   

Yes, it's a good thing you didn't let the overly emotional son make this decision. 

[Spellbound454]

Having got a beautiful fluffy pup 6 months ago.....the mention of fluffy fur made me think of all the pee I had to wash out of it for the first few weeks.
and the floors.....the steam cleaner was in overdrive.

Still they are gorgeous....best wishes to you and your new family member.

[Deleted]

Jan 2, 2014 18:31:31 GMT -5 milee said:

Jan 2, 2014 18:01:33 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

The breeder just posted some updated pics on Facebook.

OMG.  I do NOT need a Meet and Greet. He is absolutely freaking adorable.  He has finally grown out of that newborn-fetal-looking puppy stage and is getting all fluffy.  

OMG.  SOLD!!!!!!!!!!   

Yes, it's a good thing you didn't let the overly emotional son make this decision. 

LOL

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Jan 2, 2014 18:31:31 GMT -5 milee said:

Jan 2, 2014 18:01:33 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

The breeder just posted some updated pics on Facebook.

OMG.  I do NOT need a Meet and Greet. He is absolutely freaking adorable.  He has finally grown out of that newborn-fetal-looking puppy stage and is getting all fluffy.  

OMG.  SOLD!!!!!!!!!!   

Yes, it's a good thing you didn't let the overly emotional son make this decision. 

[mlbane]

I've never met any of the dogs I've gotten either from the rescue I got them from or in the latest addition the breeder I bought him from.  I've never had any issues with any of the six of them but I also only take puppies under four months old.  Breed and parent temperament are all fine and dandy but I've always held that training and proper socialization can weigh equally to the adult dog you get.  

In my case, some of the dogs never really grew out of their chewing I had to redirect what they would chew on to things like antler so I didn't have to worry about what they were ingesting.  None of them liked shoes, cords and electronics though were high on the list.. 

[Gardening Grandma]

We got our first dog from a breeder.  Before putting down a deposit, we went to the breeder's home and met the pregnant mom to be.  We fell in love with her.  A week later we went to a dog show to see the father.  After the pups were born, the breeder hosted two puppy meets where we all met all the puppies. At that point no one had been assigned a puppy yet.  Puppies were chosen on a "first deposit, first pick" basis and we were in the middle.  On the day we went to get the pup, we were shown the remaining 6 and told we could choose. I asked the breeder to make the choice for us specifying I did not want an alpha and I trusted that she knew the pups far better than we could after just a couple of meetings.

We brought home the pup she recommended -that was nearly 13 years ago and the breeder still hosts a birthday party for the litter.

[ginpin]

I made the mistake of buying a fawn Doberman from a BYB (back yard breeder).  I asked for the 'pick' male. The breeder brought the puppies to a common area for all the buyers to pick up. Our 'pick' puppy was the one that cowered in the corner. I should have known better, but I took him anyway. He was always skittish and shy around people, not a good representative of the Doberman breed. He was gorgeous, but I definitely learned my lesson. 
That being said, I would trust a good breeder to pick a puppy for me.  A good breeder knows the breed standard, does health testing, doesn't breed for profit, and normally has a waiting list for the puppies before they are born.

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2014 23:54:36 GMT -5 ginpin said:

I made the mistake of buying a fawn Doberman from a BYB (back yard breeder).  I asked for the 'pick' male. The breeder brought the puppies to a common area for all the buyers to pick up. Our 'pick' puppy was the one that cowered in the corner. I should have known better, but I took him anyway. He was always skittish and shy around people, not a good representative of the Doberman breed. He was gorgeous, but I definitely learned my lesson. 
That being said, I would trust a good breeder to pick a puppy for me.  A good breeder knows the breed standard, does health testing, doesn't breed for profit, and normally has a waiting list for the puppies before they are born.

if you are a reputable breeder you don't make money because it costs a lot of money for vet care for the mom and vet care for the puppies. 

[Deleted]

A friend of mine got a mini Australian Shepherd pup sight unseen a while back (I think I mentioned that earlier).  It was from a highly reputable breeder and the pups are always spoken for before birth.  I don't know how much she paid, but I'm guessing by the way she won't say beyond "a lot" that it was a small fortune, because I know what she's paid for dogs and horses in the past.  Well, I met him for the first time Saturday (the puppy) and I would not have been happy with him.  He is very nervous around people and has the horrible "stand back and yap" trait that drives me nuts. I need to have a puppy that just pounces on you and wants to play.

[shanendoah]

All of our dogs have come from shelters. We are currently looking at a 3rd dog (very possibly coming from one of the prison dog programs, which I LOVE) for the roommate.
That said, if your goal is to not just get dogs out of shelters but to keep dogs out of shelters, then it's not enough to find dogs a good home, you have to find the home the right dog. And if that means going to a reputable breeder who can help you understand the common health issues or behavioral problems, then so be it.
Personally, I think most first time (or not in a long time) dog owners would be better served by going with a reputable breeder who can help direct them to appropriate resources than getting a dog from a shelter or a rescue group.

I am forever grateful that I worked with a wonderful rescue that would have taken that 13 year old pug, and instead of trying to find him a "forever" home, would have found him a "final refuge" home- basically a foster home that understood his needs and was willing to take them on, while the rescue continued to pay his vet bills. We were a "final refuge" for the Howie monster, and were trusted to make care decision (including the final decision) for him, while the rescue paid for all the bills.

All that said, GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl, if all you were really worried about was how cute your puppy was going to be, then definitely, no meet and greet needed. The doodle breeds (or Muppet dogs, as we call them in our house) are all pretty darn adorable. I am thrilled that your entire family is so excited about your new member and can't wait to see pics.
C loves the Muppet dogs, and it is very possible that we will someday decide to get one from a breeder, despite our comfort level with getting dogs from shelters.

That said, there can be behavior/temperament issues no matter how good the breeder or how young you get the dog. C's grandmother bred Scotties. In her last litter, she had one male dog that disliked all men. She bred the dog. He was not abused by any men. He was exposed to good and gentle men and boys (including C), but for whatever reason, he never like men. She refused to sell him, even as a "pet quality" dog (she was a known breeder of show dogs), because she didn't want her kennel, even as she was closing it down, to have a reputation for selling problem dogs. But this was not a case of the dog having been abused by a man leading to it disliking men. It just disliked men from the beginning. None of the other pups in the litter had this problem.

[doxieluvr]

Jan 2, 2014 16:11:14 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

In the end, we want a successful result for the dog -- and for our family.  We want a dog that will successfully merge into our active (physically, socially, etc.) family.  

Dogs are as different as snowflakes and humans.  We've met several wonderful labradoodles that have successfully merged into families similar to ours in lifestyle.  I don't think it is wrong or selfish to want the same result.  If the match between the dog and our family is poor, neither the dog nor we will be happy.  

Other families have different lifestyles and would be successful placements for timid/aggressive/lazy/show dogs.  But, not us.  

Good luck with the new pup. 

i just want to put it out there to establish rules early on. As puppies, I trained my dogs to keep all four feet on the ground and to not jump up on people. Another biggie is my dogs were taught not to take food from the kids. This is probably not as important since you have no toddlers. Whatever you decide to teach or not, "drop it or leave it" will be by far the best command you can give. I use it when they go to grab something and I don't know what the something might be. 

for instance my mom dropped a pill she was taking and as the dogs lunged to scoop it up, I said "drop it" and they all knew not to pick it up. I was able to grab the pill before anyone sucked it up. 

[sunshinegal1981]

Jan 6, 2014 16:06:27 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Jan 3, 2014 23:54:36 GMT -5 ginpin said:

I made the mistake of buying a fawn Doberman from a BYB (back yard breeder).  I asked for the 'pick' male. The breeder brought the puppies to a common area for all the buyers to pick up. Our 'pick' puppy was the one that cowered in the corner. I should have known better, but I took him anyway. He was always skittish and shy around people, not a good representative of the Doberman breed. He was gorgeous, but I definitely learned my lesson. 
That being said, I would trust a good breeder to pick a puppy for me.  A good breeder knows the breed standard, does health testing, doesn't breed for profit, and normally has a waiting list for the puppies before they are born.

if you are a reputable breeder you don't make money because it costs a lot of money for vet care for the mom and vet care for the puppies. 

Yes, but there's probably more to being a 'reputable breeder' than failure to make a profit.

[mmhmm]

Sounds good to me, GRG.  I'd also really try to get the meet and greet on the same day you go to pick up the pup.  That way, you don't have to make two trips and you can bring the pup home to your son almost like a surprise gift (if you decide the pup is the right one for your family) by letting him believe it's just a meet and greet.

[Deleted]

Jan 7, 2014 1:44:03 GMT -5 sunshinegal1981 said:

Jan 6, 2014 16:06:27 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

if you are a reputable breeder you don't make money because it costs a lot of money for vet care for the mom and vet care for the puppies. 

Yes, but there's probably more to being a 'reputable breeder' than failure to make a profit.

I realize that but the point was that a true breeder, who does it for the love of the breed and to continue to line, isn't making much money, if any at all....as opposed to backyard breeders who are only in it for a profit.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Thank you for all of the replies.  Lots of good info, food for thought, and good wishes -- love these boards -- they're a smorgasbord!!  

Just wanted to point out something about our breeder:  she has a very active Facebook page -- many comments from current and former owners of her dogs -- haven't found a negative comment yet about her or her pups.  

But, what I find most interesting is that she NEVER responds to anyone who posts a "how much for the puppy?" (and she most especially never responds to those who ask that question repeatedly).  Yet, folks who describe themselves, their family (if any), and the type of dog they are seeking are responded to fully.  I ran into one of YDS's friend's mother yesterday (they welcomed one of the breeder's pups into their family last Spring).  This parent is a teacher and school administrator -- very practical and factual -- she nailed it in describing the breeder -- she called her an "earth mother".  

So, 11 days to go.  I am hard at work getting the house ready for puppy -- moving dangerous items (chocolate, onions, laundry detergent, etc. to secure locations), getting ready to install pet gates on some doorways to keep some of the house off limits for now, getting some household projects off my to do list, etc. YDS, who is not prone to exuberance on a good day, is 15 so exuberance isn't even in his repertoire anyway, LOL.  But, his general teenage mood has absolutely lifted over the past couple of weeks.  He has been quietly counting down the days.  It's heartwarming to know that my darling little snuggle bug is still alive deep inside that hard teenage shell.  Although it will be a *family* pet, I suspect we'll be negotiating with YDS to get our own time with the puppy.  

[milee]

Jan 7, 2014 11:57:59 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Just wanted to point out something about our breeder:  she has a very active Facebook page -- many comments from current and former owners of her dogs -- haven't found a negative comment yet about her or her pups.  

But, what I find most interesting is that she NEVER responds to anyone who posts a "how much for the puppy?" (and she most especially never responds to those who ask that question repeatedly).  Yet, folks who describe themselves, their family (if any), and the type of dog they are seeking are responded to fully.

Off topic here - not at all to do with your puppy.

FYI - people do have control over what is posted on their Facebook page and smart businesses actively manage that.  Good businesses remove negative comments. They also use the page to highlight what they want to highlight, such as responding in full and publicly to certain queries and responding privately to others.  She uses certain questions as a springboard to give public, positive response.  Just because she doesn't post the responses to the queries about how much a puppy costs doesn't mean she's not responding to those, too; she's simply responding privately to keep the information private. 

I'm not saying this person is not a good person or a good breeder, just giving a little public service announcement about what you can and cannot conclude based on a Facebook page.  FB is not a third party, independent source. Relying on a FB page for a complete picture would be like saying "I read that person's billboard ad and there was nothing bad on it - it's all good!"

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Thanks, Milee.  I didn't have a Facebook page until I created a very blank one to connect with the breeder, so I truly don't know how it works.  I didn't know the page owner could delete other people's comments -- good or bad.  Good to know.  

[milee]

Jan 7, 2014 12:08:32 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Thanks, Milee.  I didn't have a Facebook page until I created a very blank one to connect with the breeder, so I truly don't know how it works.  I didn't know the page owner could delete other people's comments -- good or bad.  Good to know.  

Not only can you delete comments, but you can choose how to respond to any comment that comes in.

Comment that asks a question that helps you market your business - respond publicly so that you can spread that information in a way that looks like a response, not advertising.  Very good for your business.

Comment that asks a question that you want to keep private - you email/PM them back through Facebook with your response. That way you aren't disclosing things you don't want to publicize. Like how car dealers don't tell you what the last guy paid for his car; allows her flexibility to change prices as needed.

Comment with negative info - delete.

Some businesses even have friends or family ask fake questions or post fake good feedback.  You have no idea if the compliments are genuine or not.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Wow.  I had no idea.  I was never a fan of Facebook anyway (because I don't want to be connected to 3rd cousin Larry who posts rants and inappropriate pix of himself).  As the parent of teens who I have to constantly guide in their social networking forays, I have been more focused on making sure that they don't post something simply stupid that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.  Now I've just completely ruled it out.  (Although, I guess I do like the fact that I could delete 3rd cousin Larry's posts.)