Backyard breeding - the consequences

[luvmydiesel]

BOXR_LUVR_05: This won't be of any help to you now, but perhaps it is information that you might like to share with other Americans stationed in Germany (might save them a bit of heartbreak down the road). Your particular story is one we've heard several times before on BW...

Responsible German breeders won't sell their puppies to American military personnel. The reason is simple - they care about their dogs, and too many of their pups have been abandoned when people return to the US. Sooo - we keep getting threads here on BW about people who had to get their puppies from Poland, or Hungary instead. Those are the European capitals of puppy milling. Sad to say, but the problem is actually so large that not only does puppy milling make up a substantial portion of those countries' GDP, but there is legislation in place in several western European countries (Germany included) to keep prevent those pups being brought into the country/sold. That is why you had to buy your pup out the back of a car. A good German vet isn't "too expensive" - they would have told you what you were buying.

What can you do? You can make sure that it's well known - spread the word - and perhaps prevent the next military family making the same mistake and putting money into the pockets of the puppy mills. It just fuels demand, and condemns the next unfortunate generation. If you wonder at all what those are like, take a look at this site: www.prisonersofgreed.org

You are very right! I lived in Germany for 7 years (military) The German pounds won't even let Americans adopt their pets. See if the Stars and Stripes can put something in their paper so that other people looking for a dog can be aware of this kind of horrible thing.

 

[JägersMom]

Beware of Backyard Breeders

Sorry it's a long one:

I made the mistake of choosing a backyard breeder to purchase Jager, my now 5 month old white baby from. I hope someone can learn from my experience to choose a professional breeder over saving a couple of bucks. In the end I could have spent the $1500 to purchase a dog from a professional. 4 weeks ago I went to a breeders home to meet my new puppy. When I got there he told me to wait at the door so he could let the dogs outside. So then he came and got me and I went back to where there were 4 dog crates and a whelping box. Jager and his brother were inside the whelping box (at 15 weeks old!!). That is where they had been since they were born. There father was in a crate in the same room. The mother had been let outside where I could not see her. This should have been my first clue. Then he told me that these puppies had not had any shots nor any worm treatments (at 15 weeks!!!). That should have been my second clue. Then he said that under no circumstances should I feed him puppy food because it would cause him to grow to fast and then he would have problems with his joints because boxers are known for that (third clue). I had never heard of this but I was like ok. Then right before I was getting ready to leave he said to me, that someone who had bought another pup from the litter had called him and said that the puppy was believed to have lyme disease (not a confirmed diagnosis, just the symptoms). That should have been my last and final clue.
I took Jager the next day to get his first set of shots. Within 10 days, Jager started to develop the symptoms of lyme disease. Test came back negative. To make a long story short, after over $1000 in medical bills we finally found out that he has hypertrohpic osteodystrophy. The vet at Cornell University believe the possibly genetic disease was set off by the injection of the shots. They are not 100% sure but it is possible. I believe that the breeder knew about this and didn't say anything. I think that the mother may have possibly had it and that is why I wasn't allowed to see her because if I would have seen her I probably would have seen the knobby joints. I think that is why he told me to make sure not to give him puppy food because of the large amount of crude protein that is in the food, which causes puppies to grow. I think that the other puppy that he told me about had it as well.
I am happy that I have Jager. I love him to death. I am mad because this guy didn't tell me and then would not answer any of my phone calls or return my messages. I am mad because my dog had to suffer through 14 days of agony because no one could figure out what was wrong with him. I am mad because now Jager is not going to know what it is like to be a playful puppy because he can't even sit up or go to the bathroom by himself. He can't stand or walk. He has to be held up to go to the bathroom. His tail never wags and I would give any thing to see that. He was in so much pain he couldn't be happy. He is now so doped up on Fentanol patches and tramadol that he just sleeps all the time. What I wouldn't do to put my hands around that guy's neck. I'm thinking about taking that 2 hour drive back up to his house and confronting him with this. I have learned my lesson to NEVER again purchase from a back-yard breeder!!!

 

[yaroslav]

I also bought Mona from a back yard breeder, here is the story:

As a kid I had a brindle Boxer female whom my parents gave to their friend because we moved to another city(smaller apartment) and they didn’t have time to take care of her.
Since then I knew that if I am ever going to have a dog, it will definitely be a Boxer.
Now at the age of 23 I've decided to bring a dog, I found an advertisement on the internet of rare colors Boxer puppies for sell, they seemed really cute on the photos so I decided to contact the breeder.

The breeder told me that the puppies are 2 weeks old but I can choose a puppy right now and pay him part of the sum in advance to reserve the puppy for me.
On the very next day I went to the breeder's home to choose my new best friend.
When I came in the puppies with their mom were outside the house in the front yard
with several other dogs around(Rottweilers, Boxers and Pinchers) I must state that it's illegal to breed Rottweilers in my country.
The breeder took the puppies inside into a room when he kept them, he said they were outside because he was cleaning the room. Afterwards he showed me their parents, the mom is a brindle Boxer almost without white marks, while the dad is a huge fully white Boxer.
Back then I didn’t know that breeding white Boxers can cause genetic problems
and the breeder reassured me that breeding white boxers creates unique colors.
When I saw the puppies I've choose Mona right away but she was so small that I feared to hold her
The breeder have told me that the puppies don’t have FCI certificates only because it costs
300$ for each pup, I wasn’t looking for a show dog so it didn’t concerned me.
I agreed with the breeder that I'll pay him part of the sum in advance and the rest of it when she reaches 8 weeks(also the time when I planned to take her).

Two weeks later the breeder called me and wanted me to take Mona immediately, he claimed that at 4 weeks puppies are grown enough to take them from her mother.
It was very worrisome especially because I didn’t have much experience with dogs
but the breeder insisted that I take her.
He brought Mona to my apartment and gave just a brief instructions of how to take care of her.

I took her to the vet immediately because she had worms and the vet also told me that she has an urinary infections which is uncommon at such age (I guess she got sick because of the bad conditions the breeder kept them in).
I really had a hard times during the first two months, mostly because I didn’t understand how to take care of Mona and the breeder wasn’t there to help me.

I am not angry on the breeder, after all I got my sweet Mona from him.
But if you are about to purchase a puppy I suggest buying from a professional!