WHY,WHY,WHY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Page 1

I have been reading posts from people who have bought dogs off this site or any other site for that matter and have not gotten what they paid for or not the right dog etc. etc. Now this a great site if you are looking to buy a pup or an older dog, trained or titled. Now my question to these people is why would you send any money being a deposit or full purchase price without seeing the dog in person and seeing how the dog works in all 3 phases. If you are unable to see the dog in person (being the dog is out of state) you need to have someone you can trust and has the experience to tell you whether you should buy this dog. If you choose to buy a dog without doing your homework you are at a high risk of getting screwed. So many people on this board are slandering kennels or a private party person because they did not get the right dog or the dog does not do what they said it would do. etc. etc. It is so easy to blame the other person but sometimes we have to look in the mirror. If people just put the effort into doing their homework before buying a dog this would not happen. I am sure their are people out there who try to cheat people but be aware before you buy. I personally would never buy a dog off the internet unless I am able to see the dog and if I can't I have someone who I trust and is experienced who can. I hope the people who lost money learn from what happened to them but it could have been easily avoided. I work hard for my money and the last thing I want to do is hand it over to just anyone.

The first dog I bought from this site was picked up in person, no problem. The second dog was shipped and not as represented. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I got ripped off on the second dog, but if I had seen her in person first I would not have bought her as I wanted a larger female. I only have myself to blame. No more buying dogs on the internet without seeing them first.

Jettasmom I think you are being a tad bit unfair here.. Many moons before the internet existed, people bought dogs via the telephone..pictures and pedigrees were sometines mailed by regular snail mail, and video of a dog was almost UNHEARD of! Most times there is simply not enough time to get an "independant" person to evaluate a potential purchase..dogs are bought and sold quickly..and the good ones really do not last long, so time is of the essence in most cases. It is human nature to _want_ to trust someone. However, if the little bells start to go off, then yes, one should step back and re-evaluate the deal, the seller/buyer etc. When you have been around a little longer, you will learn that not everyone has the same "definitions" of terms like "civil", "sharp","powerful", etc etc. And just jumping on a plane to go see a dog is also not always possible. It will always be a "Buyer Beware" world, dogs are not the only "merchandise" that is bought and sold sight unseen.... I know several people who have had long and very detailed conversations with sellers, going indepth as to what they wanted from a dog, and yet turn around and are dissapointed..this happens because not everyone sees life through the same rose colored glasses that someone else might be wearing ;) Complaints will never stop, people will continue to buy and sell dogs sight unseen...it's all part of life I guess.

kor_und_leistungzucht, NICELY PUT! Bravo! I 100% agree! I just started getting into GSDs, before, and I still am, breeding Golden Retrievers. As with any dog breed, bloodlines have a LOT to do with the dog itself. I have a few champion bloodline Goldens, and a few non champion bloodline dogs. What I have found is this...In my years of breeding Goldens, I have seen more hyper, biting, terrible dogs from Champion lines than I have seen in the non champion dogs. This means, you sometimes make sacrifices. Thats why I have AWSOME temperament males, that might not be 100% in perfect form of the breed description, and then I add a female that is. The dogs compliment each other, and my litters have wonderful looks, health, and temperament. What it sounds like is that the person who bought that dog, she didn't have SPECIFIC goals in what she wanted in the dog. Either that or she didn't explain those goals to the breeder. OR, worse yet, the breeder lied to make a sale. Sad but true, breeders sometimes do this. As for tarnishing the breeder's "good" name, she NEVER mentoned the breeder's name. So what name is there to be tarnished?

l believe fountain-blue falls into this rip off class as well by what l have read here and on other site's so this is another kennel to avoid

I have bought 2 dogs by picture and pedigree only from Daniela Huppe also known as D.H. and AM VERY VERY HAPPY with both dogs I purchased. Both respresented very well and I have no reservation in buying another dog from her sight unseen. Kari in Montana

I would guess it might be easier to get 'taken' on the internet, but remember that some unethical breeders in the US know EXACTLY what sounds right and honest, looks good, and will appeal to people over the phone and even in person. So "If people just put the effort into doing their homework before buying a dog this would not happen." (jettasmom)??? Sure, if you exhaust all the ways to do your homework. Sometimes it is tough to do ALL of the homework. Talk is easy. There are well established con artists out there. Sometimes the dog you buy is good, but the papers never come, or there is an injury that someone neglected to mention. Perhaps everything about the dog is OK, but the breeder is constantly verbally abusive. People who write here about getting fleeced often link to the RipOff Report, so that is yet another way to do your homework. Google searches for the kennel name might bring up contacts for references if there are dogs from that kennel either showing or trialing - don't just rely on references that the breeder (who is trying to sell you a dog) will give you. Check with breed clubs, yes, even AKC ones - some dogs go into AKC obedience or agility. The word is out there - doing your homework can take even some unorthodox forms.

I have purchased dogs from Europe via Sonja Markowski, and Frank Terhoust - both being honest, straight-forward, helpful and the dogs represented correctly. I have been more than happy with the dogs and the transactions with these people over the years and more than a few dogs purchased from them, I highly recommend both of them and would buy a dog "over the internet" from either of them again. molly

Thanks Kari, but I would have to say there was a lot more to it than just pix and pedigree :o). Plenty of phone calls about the dogs and your plans, goals and needs. You were actually very easy to deal with because you knew very well what you wanted.

Hear Hear Molly I took have bought dogs from Sonja and never been disappointed in fact through the dogs we made a great friend in Sonja and Dan, especially in 2001 we visited them in Germany and had a car accident and were hospitilised for 2 weeks. They visited us every day - great people!