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Question

eg93

Well-known member
Today I saw a woman walking a 7-8 week old (by my estimation) Cavalier pup outside. Of course I had to stop and cuddle the pup and ask her which breeder she got her from in the area since I know everyone by now! She said that she got the pup from a major puppy website online based out of Ohio that sells Cavaliers among many other breeders and that the dog was shipped to her. Of course my heart sank, but I didn't say anything. What would you have done in the situation? Should I have advised her that she made a horrible mistake or was I right to just move on? Perhaps I wish I had told her to get the dog insured with Pet Plan ASAP. I feel slightly guilty now!
 
I usually try to steer towards looking into health problems in the breed, and insurance. Telling people they bought from a puppy mill is just offensive(at the back of their mind they know it's true, but "had" to have the cute puppy for the cheap price).

Try to guide them in the right direction, without pissing them off, that's my approach.

But then I have some enemies at the dog park because I told them about the MVD protocol. If I was speaking my mind though, I'd have told them their dog is a poor specimen and it would be a detriment to the breed to reproduce her.
 
Today I saw a woman walking a 7-8 week old (by my estimation) Cavalier pup outside. Of course I had to stop and cuddle the pup and ask her which breeder she got her from in the area since I know everyone by now! She said that she got the pup from a major puppy website online based out of Ohio that sells Cavaliers among many other breeders and that the dog was shipped to her. Of course my heart sank, but I didn't say anything. What would you have done in the situation? Should I have advised her that she made a horrible mistake or was I right to just move on? Perhaps I wish I had told her to get the dog insured with Pet Plan ASAP. I feel slightly guilty now!

That would be such a hard call. Unless you really knew the woman...probably best to of done what you did...just move on. I'm sure she was probably excited about her new puppy. To of said anything..well??...like throwing a wet blanket on her.
Just PRAY and hope that this little Cavalier will be an exception as far as it's health.
Sad actually!! Don't know why any person would feel comfortable w/ buying from a breeder they never meet...and the breeder not caring who they are selling the pup to as long as they get $$ :(
 
It is so hard to spoil a new owners pleasure in their new pet when they have bonded with it.

I do think that for the dog's sake, knowing of many instances where cavalier owners felt they could not afford to have health problems investigated, I would mention insurance by just saying how expensive vet fees are and how every dog owner needs to have insurance cover these days.
 
I totally agree with Margaret, I might have also asked her which vet she used. Then I might have add oh yeah I use _______________ I really like them and.......


I know someone who got a cute little pup (not a cavalier) from a backyard breeder friend. This pup is now almost 2 years old and just got spade and it was her FIRST visit to a vet ever! I know her so I have expressed my opinion on that but it just goes to show you how stupid people can be, you can't save them all from their own selves.


Melissa
 
Tough situation to be in....You want to educate her, but....she is so happy with her new puppy, you must be so cautious not to steal her happiness.
 
What I do all the time is share the owners excitement and coo over the puppy and talk about my dog. Then I tell them all about my favorite websites with lots of good info on the breed, and on the various genetic illnesses that the breed has, because, of course, the new owner will want to be on the look-out for those. And then I coo and cuddle over the puppy again. Works pretty well. I've delivered most of what info I can, and have steered the person to the available information without making them feel stupid about how they got their dog.
 
Wouldn't a responsible veterinarian be able to tell her all that? I would assume that eventually they'll wind up at the vet (for vaccinations, etc.) and he'll tell her exactly what's wrong with puppy mills and the like.
 
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