Okay so bear with me. This is kind of a nutty story. Also hi, new here! I'm part of a few FB groups that are generally used for things like accidental liters. Lots of mutt puppies. Kind of like the olden days of standing in a parking lot with a box. I have been searching for a puppy since I lost my dog to cancer, and it's been super lonely around here. I haven't been looking at anything in particular, mostly wishing to adopt one in need. There was a lady that had a lab puppy I asked about, but she told me someone else was coming to get her. I'm going to call her B. A few hours later I contacted a lady that had some puppies (I'm going to call her M), but she only had boys left (I'm looking for a girl). They were just really mixed puppies, the parents were several breeds each. In one of the photos, I had saw a chocolate puppy and asked about it. M told me that one was gone, but she had saw the lady (her friend, B) was now trying to rehome the puppy because of her baby. So, it turns out it was that same lady I had asked earlier. I told M oh, so she is a puppy flipper? She told me no not at all. She is just a really young inexperienced woman with a newborn. Here is the story that this women (M) knew about the history of the puppy. The woman that currently has her (B) originally bought her from someone that was "selling purebred labradors" for $150 (Unlikely!), and he was selling them early (4 weeks) because the mom got hit by a car. B bought the puppy at this time and her friend, M, begged her to give her the puppy and let her mama dog foster it. Which she did. The puppy settled right into that liter and she had lots of videos/photos of her that she let me see. B took the puppy back at 7 weeks. Now, a week later she is trying to get rid of it, because she has a newborn and completely underestimated it. This poor puppy just keeps getting passed around. She was originally spoken for, but that person never showed up. So I was contacted because I had asked about her. My only concern, really, it was originally a BYB with very unhealthy parents. If she is a purebred pup I could be setting myself up for heart breaking eyes/hips/kidney problems. I also wonder if she is even purebred? If she's not thats fine too. I feel she looks a bit small, especially her ears. I'm going to put down a few photos, likely she is 6-7 weeks in these. The photo, with the puppies in the background are from the lady that was fostering her with that liter. So, she was 4-5 there. The others I believe are once she went to B.
Welcome to the forum I'd say purebred but a working type strain. Chocolate genes are recessive and it'd be unusual to get a solid chocolate dog from parents that weren't the same. But being pure bred or not pure bred won't determine whether there are major health issues - being from a puppy farm (most likely) is a big warning sign as far as health goes, however. It all depends on how willing you are to take a risk. If you want to rescue a dog of unknown origin then an adult of a year or so of age would be a somewhat lower risk (at least any major issues might have shown up). If you want a puppy then one from a known breeder that health tests the parents and where you can at least meet the mother - that's a lower risk. But if your heart is set on this puppy and you're prepared for whatever comes then go ahead. There is never any kind of guarantee with any dog...
Hello there, and welcome to the forum! I think if you take a 'rescue' puppy, then you have to accept that you might get lucky, and end up with a wonderful healthy dog, or you might go through an awful lot of financial and emotional trauma with a dog that's not in the best of health, or has problems because of a lack of early care/socialisation etc. If you want to really minimise those risks, then buy from a good breeder, with health tested parents and give a puppy the best start in life. There are advantages and disadvantages either way, upsides and downsides, and never any guarantees of anything. Best of luck with it!
You could buy a 'well bred' Lab and still have health problems. She looks as if she was well cared for in home B. I am a softy and would have her!
It your decision but i would make sure she is fully insured with a for life policy with a good company. Things can happen to dogs who come form healthy parents its just with this pup the dice is very weighted towards problems. I'm a softy too so i would find it hard. From my own experience I did have to return a rescue dog because it had neurological problems. Already having one disabled dog and one healthy one I could not cope physically or finacially with serious health problems in another dog. The rescue group had lied about this dog and its problems at least you know a lot about this pup. It broke my heart but I had to walk away for the good of my other dogs.
Bless her. If I could afford her I would have her, bearing in mind she could cost a lot over the years xx .
Head or heart?? That's the issue... I know what I'd do, but I am a complete softy. My OH would definitely say no.
Oh dear, a real dilemma , I feel for you . I know that I would find it very hard to walk away , this poor little soul has not had a good start in life, but she is still very young so any trauma she has suffered could be put right . Re the possible health issues , as already said , you could have these in a litter from tested parents, its never a guarantee, but does cut the odds . I wish I could advise you , but loads of luck whichever decision you make
I would have serious doubts on any purebred pup being sold for $150, and the 'mom was killed' is a common reason to justify selling a four week old puppy from unlicensed puppy farms etc. All puppies are cute and hard to resist, but I, personally, would walkaway from this one
Thank you everyone. I didnt get her -I wanted to, I really did! I feel like im blaming the puppy for what could be, but alas... Things work out sometimes. I HAVE come home with a puppy today that we got to adopt. We believe she is a lab/golden mix, so I hope we're welcome here! You guys have been really kind I shall make another thread soon to introduce her!!
It sounds like you put lots of thought into your decision. Welcome to your new puppy - I'm just catching up on a weekend's worth of posts and so look forward to reading her intro thread as I plough through - I hope I will find lots of photos
