Re: my education failed
...but no they got a pup out of a Pet Store. AR. How timely, one of my best friends (of many years) just last night emailed me a picture of her new pup, an American Eskimo they bought from a petstore, I've been thinking the same thing. Everytime she mentioned wanting a dog I told her about puppy mills, responsible breeder criteria, rescues, health clearances, etc. Now I know how so many parents feel when their kids run amok. . . where did I go wrong? And to add something Berner-related; I would highly recommend to anyone out there who is considering getting a Berner, go visit your local club. We've been to about half a dozen shows, and had the good fortune to meet some very nice people dogs, but going to the Twin Cities BMD club meeting was pure joy. Literally about a ton of happy dogs running around, sitting on your feet, leaning into you, rolling over to be pet - my husband I still occasionally talk about how much fun that was, and that meeting was a few months ago :-) Great people too - everyone was very nice willing to introduce their dog(s) and answer questions. A big (and overdue) thank you to the members of that club for making us feel so welcome! Tami K-Baker St. Paul, Minnesota
Re: my education failed
Tami wrote: ...but no they got a pup out of a Pet Store. AR. How timely, one of my best friends (of many years) just last night emailed me a picture of her new pup, an American Eskimo they bought from a petstore, I've been thinking the same thing. Everytime she mentioned wanting a dog I told her about puppy mills, responsible breeder criteria, rescues, health clearances, etc. Now I know how so many parents feel when their kids run amok. . . where did I go wrong? *** but sometimes it succeeds. I have been having an ongoing dialog with a woman who bought her puppy from our resident Georgia puppy miller. After two weeks of intestinal illnesses/bloody stools, and the knowledge of what she had done in making this purchase, she did what I consider an incredibly courageous thing...she returned the puppy. I am frankly amazed the guy took the puppy back (and returned her money), and she is understandably devastated over the whole thing, but at the end of the day she did the RIGHT THING!!! And she did it all on her own. My tongue was bitten in two, but I didn't tell her what to do. When she told me where she got the puppy from, I informed her of what we knew about the guy, but I wasn't going to rake her over the coals... I just figured it was water over the dam, and it would do no good to alienate her, especially as she had gotten such an earful from the puppy miller about what horrible people we show people were. I hope when she is ready to get another berner pup - and she isn't ready right now - we will be able to thank her for having done the the right thing by finding her a healthy, happy bouncing baby berner. This PPO can just as easily represent the future of our breed as the PPO's who have to have the first puppy they see. It doesn't always work out this way, and I would never have thought this situation would have resolved itself in the way that it did...But it is gratifying to know that sometimes our educational efforts are NOT in vain, that they DO have merit and people DO listen and read and at the end of the day, they DO make the right choices. Mary and the girls, Laurel and Bailey Fayetteville, GA
Re: My education failed(:
Sylvia- I think we all share your frustration at times. Many of us, as consumers, can be impulsive. How many people want a dog, but don't necessarily want do the necessary research, or don't know where to begin, and can't resist the adorable puppy in the window? Ironically, a Berner puppy in a local puppy store just sold for $2000. The original price was $3200, but after 4 weeks, was dropped. He was purchased for that price. He had no pedigree papers to be seen when I went in to check on him, but I was assured he was bred by a very good breeder in Missouri. I don't know of too many responsible, caring breeders who are selling their dogs for $3200, with no AKC registration. A local vet told us that every one of the pups she has seen come from this store has worms, intestinal parasites, etc. Add that to the cost of the puppy. I think a good probably breeder under sells the pet store price all of the time. I agree, it is pretty disturbing. Janice Parky Cape Cod, MA
Re: My education failed(:
the cost of the puppy. I think a good probably breeder under sells the pet store price all of the time. I meant a good breeder probably Back to my crate for the evening, Janice Parky
