# Believe me-- your 200$ puppy off craigslist is going to end up costing a lot more!



## x0emiroxy0x

Thinking about getting that cute puppy off of craigslist? The father and mother are both akc registered but for some reason one of their papers got lost so the puppies are going for cheap? Don't do it!

You will end up spending more than you would have on a puppy from a breeder!

I got rocky from a sergeant at the police department in San Antonio. The male he owned was a retired police dog (drug sniffing) and the female was a dog that didn't make the cut for the police dog training.

Seems like a pretty good deal right?

Well since we have had rocky here are the additional costs that probably wouldn't have happened if we had gotten him from a breeder!

Coxidia (1 1/2 months to get rid of it and three cycles of medicine)

Ghiardia

Terrible case of fleas

Tapeworms 

Upper respiratory infection

Cough (2 weeks) 

I have spent over 1800 including his 200 cost on medicine. There are a few things I cant remember that were little that we had to get pills for.

I would never give rocky back and he is a very smart awesome dog and hasn't been sick in about a month

But I am very lucky! Be careful of backyard breeders! You end up spending just as much if not more money and you worry about your puppy!!


----------



## onyx'girl

Just think of the ones that won't invest that much in vetting...where are those pups ending up? 
Glad rocky ended up with you. This is just the beginning of the costs of raising a dog. 
Add in the cost of training,food and toys~ we are so lucky to share life with this wonderful breed it is so worth it!


----------



## Lucy Dog

100% agreed.

There's actually a current member who started a thread on this very issue. He felt that because he wanted just a pet quality dog that it's fine to look for deals on craigslist. Why spend thousands from a quality breeder when he can spend a couple hundred from joe schmo and their cute purebred puppies, right? 

Everyone told him not to and have him tons of reasons why he shouldn't. He didn't listen and guess what happened? The puppy died within days of parvo. What's worse... the sick puppy got his other older puppy sick with parvo and he almost had two dead puppies within the same week all because he felt it's better to look for deals off of craigslist and not spend the money on a quality breeder.


----------



## Rerun

x0emiroxy0x said:


> Coxidia (1 1/2 months to get rid of it and three cycles of medicine)


Coccidia...for those who might be wondering what on earth coxidia is.

Re: the $200 puppy. Let me give you my own experience.

Kodi - adopted (given to us when the person who purchased him as a 1500 puppy couldn't handle him anymore for various reasons, and the breeder left her high and dry). Worst hip dysplasia our vet had ever seen. Dislocated his hip due to the severity of it at 10 mo old and either had to be euthanized or have a total hip replacement. Adopted him January of 09, had to euthanize him October of '09. Spent well over 7 grand, maybe 8 by the time all was said and done with. Also had allergies, weak ACL's, a possible bone disorder, I'm sure I'm forgetting other issues.

Akira - free - bred by leader dogs for the blind, no idea on pedigree, but good breeding. They are pretty selective on their breeding stock. Raised her from 7 wks old till 1 yr when she x-rayed with mild dysplasia. They career changed her (flushed her out of the program) due to it possibly causing future lameness issues, so she's been my pet ever since. Develoepd a severe onset of EPI at 3 yrs and a couple months old. Allergies which cause regular ear infections. Very "high maintenance" girl. Have to be careful of shampoos, diet, etc. Meds for the rest of her life for EPI.

Audrey - pulled from a VERY high kill rural shelter by me at approx 6 mo of age. Horrific case of demodex mange, almost bald. Bad skin infections. Infested with a variety of worms. Spent a good chunk of change on her fixing her up. Healthiest dog in the house now all these years later. No health problems to speak of.

Micah - adopted from craigslist as a 2 y/o. They got him as a puppy, unknown breeder but I think I know who now thanks to another poster here, and they stuck him in a pen in the backyard for the next two years. Finally decided to get rid of him, first come first serve kind of deal. Was a little underweight, dirty, no training or socialization to speak of, and horrific ear infections (yeast and bacterial) as well as some old healed fly bites on his ears which left minor permanent scaring. Fixed him up, socialized and trained him, BEST DOG EVER! No health problems to speak of.

Dante - breeder/adoption, was listed on petfinder but still with the original breeder - long story - temperament needs work (shy, weak nerves, not aggressive in the least), he'd be a mess in the wrong hands, and his health overall is good other than a UTI which was cleared up. Could happen to any dog.

Moose - craigslist adoption. You can read his whole story should it interest you that much by searching my old threads in the pictures forum. Too young to tell, we'll see how his health holds up. 

Just my 2 cents. We don't adopt dogs because we don't want to pay money for them at a breeder. We adopt dogs because we want to save a life, give them a better home than they have and may continue to have should someone else adopt them.


----------



## BowWowMeow

I agree that we shouldn't buy from bybs but any dog can have health problems, accidents, etc., even if they're from the best breeder. There are so many people on this board who have expensive dogs from reputable breeders who have serious health problems. 

The healthiest dog I ever had was Chama. She was free--I found her through an ad in Penny Saver. She lived to be 14+ years old. 

Massie and Rafi are the dogs I've had with the best temperaments. Both were rescues who were dumped. 

Basu was bred by a reputable hobby breeder but purchased by a complete jerk who neglected and abused him for 4.5 years. He was also over vaccinated and ended up with vaccinosis.


----------



## Lora

Sometimes people do not want money for their PB Canine, all they want is a good home.
So though Craigslist or any other ad might have a listing that is free or cheap, you still may get a top quality PB. Buyer beware, and all that. You can usually tell if you are getting something that is rotten (so to speak) once you meet the people and see their enviroment you can make a pretty good judgment on things. Always take the pup, or what ever to the vet with in 24hrs too. Just my 2 cents worth


----------



## sitstay

I am no fan of Craigslist, believe me. I really wish they would ban any pet ads. In my area there are a few people who are truly trying to rehome their pet, but for the most part our local Craigslist is over run with BYBs.

I do think that problems crop up for people when they use a low initial purchase price as the primary goal or deciding factor when searching. It seems that wanting to do it on the cheap causes the problem, and not so much any single listing site for the cheap puppies.

A huge purchase price is no guarantee of getting a problem free puppy. My own Tanner is a case in point. But the old saying that you get what you pay for has a basic truth. The majority of cheap puppies out there have been produced by breeders who did it on the cheap, and that can really come back to hit you later on. 

I am not so sure that the average puppy buyer who uses a site like Craigslist can tell if they are getting something rotten. There are sooo many people out there who honestly believe that being a "purebred" (or "purebread", since we are talking about Craigslist) means the same thing as quality. Or being AKC registered is some sign of a seal of approval from some type of Better Business Bureau for dogs. 
Sheilah


----------



## x0emiroxy0x

Rocky's litter was originally 11 but 3 died...of the 7 that lived, I am in contact with 4 of the owners because I wanted to make sure they got their puppies checked for ghiardia and coccidia (sorry I didn't know the correct spelling). All of the puppies had a cough, upper resp. infection, coccidia, ghiardia, and terrible fleas. However, after these things were taken care of, the puppies have been perfectly healthy. The parents were tested for displasia (another word I hope I am spelling correctly) and they both passed with flying colors. 

I think the puppies would have had less problems if the owner had let them inside...they were living on his porch without anything over their heads because his wife had just had a baby and they didn't want the puppies around it. And the mother and father were living under the porch (they had a two story house, with the porch on the second story) because they had weaned the puppies from the mother and the father was aggressive towards them.

That was one reason I thought a reputable breeder would be better...they are prepare for the puppies and (the good ones) provide adequate shelter so they are protected from the cold and rain!


----------



## BluePaws

I bought my WGSD (white german shepherd for those new to the term) from an ad in the newspaper for under $100. I'd wanted a rescue, waited months ... never came across a white shepherd. Decided to take the quick, cheap route and picked up the newspaper one Saturday morning. (Not sure if craigslist existed 8.. 9 years ago.)

When I still think about how I was taking that 'quick, cheap route', I have to laugh. I ended up taking out a home equity loan to pay off the credit cards I used paying her health bills. That quick, cheap puppy had bad hips .. a blood disorder, intestinal disease, recurring urinary tract infections, and spent her whole life on a special diet, strict schedules and medications. She was with me an entirely too-short 8 years. I can't begin to add up the total cost of that quick, cheap puppy. 

I miss her something FIERCE ... she was priceless.


----------



## sitstay

x0emiroxy0x said:


> That was one reason I thought a reputable breeder would be better...they are prepare for the puppies and (the good ones) provide adequate shelter so they are protected from the cold and rain!


There is no question that a reputable breeder is always better! I don't think a reputable breeder would advertise on Craigslist, that is for sure. 
Sheilah


----------



## ChancetheGSD

> I think the puppies would have had less problems if the owner had let them inside...they were living on his porch without anything over their heads because his wife had just had a baby and they didn't want the puppies around it. And the mother and father were living under the porch (they had a two story house, with the porch on the second story) because they had weaned the puppies from the mother and the father was aggressive towards them.


That alone should give you an idea of what you're getting. :thinking:

I'm with Rerun. I adopt dogs to save lives, not to save money. Personally, I'd rather take that $1000+ I'd spend on a breeder puppy and put it towards a shelter dog who really needs the medical care and a good home. Plenty of people will step forward and take that breeder dog (Most reputable breeders have a waiting list to use to place their puppies), who is going to take the shelter dogs? There isn't a line of people ready to take them, that is why thousands die every year.

I paid $45 from animal control to adopt Chance. It included a rabies vaccine, neuter and microchip. The first day he was home I had invested $200 in treating his worms and parvo that he came with. So give about $250 to get him. I realize this is fairly cheap but $250 or $2500, he'd be worth it all the same and even with health problems it doesn't mean he doesn't deserve a good home. 3 years later, he's turned out to be the best dog I've ever owned. (And is totally healthy now!) The day this dog dies I will truly loose a chunk of my heart that will never be able to be filled by any other pet.

Zoey we got for free. She showed up wandering my grandparents farm one day, we took her home and my mom/dad said yes to her. A week later we found out (From my grandparents neighbors/the people that owned her) she was 5 weeks old, her name was Zoey and that she'd come from a litter of Pekingese/Pomeranian mixes that a neighbor had bred but they couldn't keep her. We took her and nearly 13 years later she is still with me. She did suffer from UTI's all her life but with a better diet in the last 7 years they have reduced dramatically to only 1-2x a year. When she was 10 she got pyometra, $1000 and an emergency spay later she recovered and has no real lasting effects besides slight incontinence (Vet believes that it's mostly due to her age since it's only started in the last year) so she takes meds ($18 every 6 months) to help it and she also was diagnosed with a low thyroid several months ago so that is another $15 every 2 months. None of these problems are something that a breeder could ever prevent from happening. So is your $2000 dog still worth it when it happens?

I look at it this way, the adoption fee is nothing. Regardless of being from a breeder or a shelter/rescue. Food, toys, basic vet care (Not including emergencies!), ect will all add up to MUCH more than an adoption/buying fee ever will. Your dog, regardless of where it comes from, can pick up diseases and parasites at any point in it's life. If you're not willing to take on those problems be it today or 10 years from now, don't get the animal in the first place.


----------



## KAE

Any dogs can have problems, but I'm pretty sure you'd have a lower chance of problems if you get your pup from a reputable breeder.

I got my dog, Rocky, from a BYB, he had flees, still hasn't been to the vet, so he had worms and everything still. He was four weeks when we got him, so kinda expected about the worms, but flees were a problem, it isn't easy to deflea a 4 week old, and he ended up being very allergic to the bites and had a bad case of the itches for a long time.

Even after being fully vaccinated, he still contracted Parvo at 6 months old. Also, he has had a limp for the last 3-4 months that vets can't do anything about. 

So I'm thinking that at least the genetics of a $1,000 pup will give you better luck than a pup that you get for $50 from Craigslist.


----------



## ChancetheGSD

Fleas can be treated (even on a young puppy) with a bath in a sensitive shampoo. (NOT!!! a flea shampoo!!!!! Suds of -any- kind will kill them, you don't have to give your dog a chemical bath to do it regardless of age.)

Also, my grandparents adopted their Mastiff mix from the same animal control I got Chance from. (Actually only a week after lol I originally was going to get her but really wanted a more athletic dog. I came home and cried after signing the papers because I felt like I was giving the puppy a chance over a (LARGE!!!) adult dog who had very little chance of being adopted) She was guessed to be about 2-3 years old at the time. She was an owner surrender (Chance was a stray) and the day they signed the papers was the day before she was suppose to be PTS. This was from a HIGH kill shelter, they actually gave her a LOT more time (a couple weeks compared to the normal 3 day limit) to get adopted thank GOD! She has ended up being the best dog they've ever had. (Her and Chance are best buds!) She's had no health problems what so ever and the dog thinks my grandpa is the greatest thing in the world. So much for the Labrador puppy they wanted from a breeder. Lol!


----------



## Knight

I got my dog from a BYB, well kind of. Her dam and sire were both AKC registered, but she did not have the OFA test done. However, the dam's parents both had an OFA of normal and so did their parents. Her dam and sire had no official titles.

I also spoke to their vet, who stated their dogs are very well cared of and not one has been diagnosed with a serious illness or hip dysplasia. The breeder also had the full pedigree for my dog which allowed me to research some more and speak to the breeders they purchased their dam and sire from. Everything checked out ok (I even called the vet who took care of my pup's grandparents on both sides). 

The puppy cost me $650 which included AKC papers, microchip, clean bill of health from their vet (including first set of shots) and some training guides. The breeder is in her 70s and does this for the love of the breed I'm assuming. She is always available for questions and has helped a lot. That's more than I can say than some of the other breeders I was looking at who charges over $2k. I bought pet insurance, at least for the first year, just in case though! I'm hoping he will be healthy.


----------



## gsdraven

> litter was originally 11 but 3 died...of the 7 that lived


 :thinking:


----------



## BluePaws

gsdraven said:


> :thinking:


*counting on fingers* I think I'm missing a toe ...


----------



## debbiebrown

from my own experience there is still a good chance that you can get an off pup from a reputable breeder........i experienced a massive round worm infestation from my last pup from a rep breeder, took me a good year to get rid of them.........the infestation was so bad my vet explained that because he was so infested the worms migrate into the muscle and come out randomly as wormed.........puppies do have worms, but usually after a few wormings and regular montly wormings its taken care of.........you don't expect to have to deal with such an issue coming from a rep breeder.........i honestly think it effected my pups growth and development in the long term.......his temperment is also screwy fearful, unsure, spooky dog, who has had every opportunity to thrive with training, exposure, socialization etc..............

So, its a crap shoot no matter where the pup comes from.........a had a few pups earlies that i got locally for 2-300 dollars who were absolutely wonderful healthy stable dogs...........


----------



## Samba

Reputable breeders are not immune from the vagaries of GSD genetics. Sure, you can get someone who does not deliberately breed a problem and that would be good. But, buying a dog from a good breeder does not guarantee you won't spend big bucks in the health care of that dog. They are GSDs and the breed has genetic issues that go with it as do all dog breeds. You can select well and still have the genes bite you in the hiney no matter where the dogs origin.


----------



## debbiebrown

that is so true Samba...........although when seeking a better more responsible breeder you would just expect the general care in the nest and the first 8 weeks would be a given........genetic temperment issues are another story.........


----------



## GSDLoverII

Casey was given to us for free at 3 months old.
A friend didn't realize that a puppy would be under his feet all of the time and he tripped and fell.....twice. :blush:
He has a steel plate in his neck from an accident and he decided it would be best to rehome her.
He had papers and spent $500 on her just a few weeks earlier.
He gaveher to us because he knew she would have a good forever home.
Casey is an awesome dog, put has a whole list of health problems.
She has had a hip replacement years ago, and has a ton of allergy problems.
Luckily she ended up with us, because everything is addressed and she will be well taken care of.
I always say, there is no such thing as a free dog!


----------



## counter

Paw Paw and Beowulf are Craigslist dogs. I consider them both rescues, because I saved them from their previous owners who were neglecting them and didn't care for them, thus the reason they gave them away for free on CL. Both dogs are healthy and awesome dogs/pets/companions. Nara was bought from a breeder for $1500 and she is equally healthy and happy and a great companion. My whole thing is to get the dog as young as possible so they can mainly/only know your love for their entire life. It also helps with training and other things, like getting along with the other animals (and cats!). We got Nara at 7 weeks old. Paw Paw came to us at 8 months old, and we got Beowulf at 14 weeks old. The younger they were, the all around better and less stubborn they seem to be, and I know that breed factors in as well. Dang huskies! Haha.


----------



## Pattycakes

I bought my first GSD from a byb. And I have to say...it was the best $200 I ever spent. She turned out not only healthy but she was the best dog with the most amazing temperment. I still miss her everyday. 

My current GSD I bought from a breeder for 6 times what I paid for my first one. And I have spent a total of $4000 + in her first 18 months. LOL But I wouldn't trade her for anything. 

I think you can get a healthy dog from a byb or breeder and you can get an unhealthy dog from the same.


----------



## Stogey

I have to agree with a previous poster ... all of my animals came from either a small time breeders or rescue dogs and I have to say I've had very few health issues with any of them. Lucky ? Maybe ! I rather think it's the care given to the animal while in home, not whether it came from a prestigious breeder or a back yard shade tree operation ... 

And that's just my Dos Centavos !!!


----------



## x0emiroxy0x

hahaha Oops! I suck at math! There were originally 11 but FOUR died, leaving seven


----------



## debbiebrown

i do not plan on going to any big time breeders next time around,...i will stay in my own back yard, go visit the litter make sure they are taken care of, observe the parents, and check pups temperment myself.........no more trusting big time breeders from distance to pick for me sight unseen........so many interesting things can happen with that........i think after having a bad experience anyone would have cold feet.........


----------



## LaRen616

I got my GSD from a BYB and he cost me $600. 

He had Demodex Mange twice and it cost me over $600 to treat it.

Even though I got him from a BYB he is EVERYTHING that I wanted, he is exactly what I was looking for, he is perfect for me and I will never regret buying him. But I will never go the BYB route again. I got lucky and chances are I wont get lucky twice.


----------



## debbiebrown

Very interesting people and experiences buying pups..........i think we all have to learn from our experiences good and bad..........

the dearest gsd i ever got was from a local breeder, not really a BYB per say, they bred their female with a local male that was SchH 3, both dogs had great genetic llines...........this pup i got i went visited picked him out myself............you could not ask for a more dedicated, intelligent, companion......this dog had drive, determination, a natural ability to focus on his person 24-7............to me this is how the standard should be........i paid 300 for this dog, very healthy lived to 14 years, to the day he left he still had the desire to live his life and that determination to surivive and be a true companion..........

i don't know as i would pick up a road side byb gsd, or anything similar, just because you don't know any history, but i sure wouldn't be against going small local breeder that is breeding decent lines.........might not be top notch, but that doesn't mean your not going to get a nice pup.........

just my opinion but since i have had a bad experience buying from distance big time breeders i would rather pick my own pup and check out the living quarters, etc.......all of the gsd's that i have picked out myself have been the ones that i've had the biggest bond with and the ones that have had the best temps.......


----------



## Lilie

If I am going to spend a lot on a puppy from a reputable breeder, I feel as though I am also purchasing a life time "help line" from the breeder as well. I reputable breeder truly cares about puppy and wants to make sure it receives the very best life it can.


----------



## DharmasMom

I got Dharma from a byb. At the time I didn't really know what the differences were but I can honestly say I don't regret my actions at all. Dharma is very healthy, loving, and I can take her anywhere. She is smart and learns quick and eventually when my schedule slows down some I would like to try agility with her.

My next dog will probably be a rescue though. What I have seen and learned since having my first foster tells me there are way too many dogs dying in shelters for me to justify to myself spending $1000-$2000 on a puppy when I could save a dog who is on death row AND take care any medical problems with that money. 

I do look at the pictures and read the stories of some of the fantastic, well bred, working line dogs on here and part of me would LOVE to have one. But unless I win the lottery and can move into a much larger house, then for now, I can only have 2 dogs and the second one will always be a rescue. A foster for now and maybe later a permanent rescue.


----------



## debbiebrown

Absolutely, and thats what you would expect from a rep breeder, but, not so in alot of cases............unfortunately they are very willing to answer any questions etc, then once they get the $$$$$ your on your own..........and if you have any problems down the line good luck! And i am not saying all are like this, i am very sure there are a good many that are there for the lifetime, but some that aren't either......so again, its a crap shoot in many cases.........and honestly in my experience, this last pup i got, i know i would have done better with a BYB........very odd pup temperment wise..........not something that is seeked out from a respected place.......i guess most gsd people have to go through at least one genetic dud in a lifetime of owning them........its very challenging. like having a retarded child.........


----------



## Xeph

Strauss cost me $250. The biggest issue he has is allergies. I coulda paid $2500 for him and gotten allergies.

He's incredibly stable. Temperament is amazing, drive and work ethic is amazing. He's not reactive or aggressive, and will tolerate other dogs as long as they don't get in his face (and even then it takes some poking to make him react).


----------



## debbiebrown

Jackie,
Thats how my Toby RIP was............amazing work eithic, extremely willing to please, very, very intelligent, would have done anything for me..........so easy to train, i thought him something once he got it alright.....just a dog that knew before you said anything, totally in tune with me, thats all that mattered..........i am convinced he was a once in a lifetime dog..........for 300.00 the absolute best money i ever spent..........again, i think its luck of the draw mostly............top notch breeder or BYB ..........like i said, next pup i'll stay local so i can observe things.........


----------



## Konotashi

I haven't read far into this, but things like this can happen with puppies from reputable breeders as well. Maybe not the 'same' issues, perhaps, but you can still get the 'short end of the stick' no matter how well bred a dog is. You just have less of a chance going the reputable route. 

I'm sorry you had to go through all of this with your guy, and I'm very glad you stuck by him the whole way. Good thing you're his parent, or he probably wouldn't have had the chance in life you've given him. Thank you for that.


----------



## Xeph

> Jackie,
> Thats how my Toby RIP was............amazing work eithic, extremely willing to please, very, very intelligent, would have done anything for me..........so easy to train, i thought him something once he got it alright.....just a dog that knew before you said anything, totally in tune with me, thats all that mattered..........i am convinced he was a once in a lifetime dog..........for 300.00 the absolute best money i ever spent..........again, i think its luck of the draw mostly............top notch breeder or BYB ..........like i said, next pup i'll stay local so i can observe things.........


Debbie, Strauss's "breeder" was awful, and now breeds Cocker Spaniels. She couldn't give a crap about him

I always tell people how EXTREMELY lucky I am with him temperament wise, and that the norm dictates that my dog should be an aggressive and/or fearful mess. He was never the "Fearless" puppy, but rather the "assertive" puppy. He was not the puppy that got into everything, but the one who was not afraid to explore if directed to check something out.

Like any normal puppy, he would startle every now and then at something new, but once he understood what it was, it was like *Shrug* Meh. You can drop a crap ton of pots and all he'll do is look in the direction of the commotion and twitch an ear.

I bought Strauss with all of my high school graduation money. A present to myself for making it through ****. Best money I ever spent, and while I would NEVER send somebody to a breeder like Mouse's, I don't regret it one single bit.


----------



## debbiebrown

Jackie, we were sure lucky with our guys, and i am very greatful i got to have that once in a lifetime dog, that had it all.............no dog is perfect, but the ones that have the most important qualities as we talked about above......

i have stuck with my weak temperment guy, he has had all the opportunites to thrive, he is what he is, we keep training, keep counter-conditioning, keep him in activites, etc, etc.............not something i wanted at this time in my life, thats why i went to a rep breeder............i just don't want people to think they are guarenteed to get a stable dog just because its a reputable breeder.........crap happens...........


----------



## Xeph

> i just don't want people to think they are guarenteed to get a stable dog just because its a reputable breeder.........crap happens...........


So, so true *sigh*


----------



## sitstay

> i just don't want people to think they are guarenteed to get a stable dog just because its a reputable breeder.........crap happens...........


Yep, that is very true. But...at least when you purchased from a reputable breeder you have back up if something does go wrong. Or has a more "educated" response than "Gee, Trixie never limped a day in her life, and Sport is one of those old fashioned shepherds that don't get hip problems", or "Trixie is more like a Golden Retriever than a shepherd, the vet told me she has the perfect temperament, so your pup's aggression must be from that big, old pinch collar you've been using".

When you buy from a reputable breeder you are not just trying to load the deck in your favor as far as health and temperament goes, you are also buying their knowledge, their resources and their back up. Isn't that part of being reputable? Putting their money where their mouth is?
Sheilah


----------



## debbiebrown

usually that is very true, and you would hope most better breeders would give help and support..........its not a perfect world, so there are so many different views with that..........


----------



## THORITO

I bought our darling Thorito - what I thought was a GSD puppy from a BYB/Rehomer on CL. I guess I am incredibly naive...but I actually believed the girl that sold me my dog. SHe said his mother was a pure bred GSD and daddy was a shepherd/Lab mix. Since I was looking for a forever dog for my family - we paid for him and brought him home. % months later and I don't even think he is GSD at all...not sure what his breed is. He looked like a Shepherd as a pup - but now resembles a Chow Chow - Golden Retriever - Labrador - even a beagle!!! I wanted a GSD because I have always had them and loved their temperament - I just never raised one from a pup. Always rescued adults. I love my Thorito very much, but I would be lying to say I am not disappointed at being lied to! Anyway, live and learn. I will stick with shelter dogs from now on, only because we are truly rescuing them.


----------



## idahospud49

Well my GSD that I recently lost was my first GSD that I bought when I was 15 years old. I know that I got "lucky" with him, as I had no idea what I was doing as far as bloodlines or types of GSD or anything. I paid $250 for him and was told he was AKC registered and would get papers for him. I never did, but it didn't matter to me. He was an absolutely amazing dog and solidified my love for the breed. Prior to him I had just liked what I knew about them. Now I am waiting on a puppy that was just born, and he will cost me a lot more than Amadeus, but will have to prove that he is as good as dog as his predecessor!


----------



## Jessiewessie99

Even though Molly was $25, when she got Kennel Cough it was almost $200. Thank goodness she is healthy now, and has great temperament. We got lucky with her.


----------



## onyx'girl




----------



## hollysmommy

well i just wrote this huge story and then in one mis-hit of a key it deleted everything! so ill try and shorten it up a bit. we found a "purebred" german shepherd puppy on craigslist for $150 we went and got her. that night i noticed she was INFESTED with fleas and no flea treatment helped i had to pull globs and globs of fleas off with tweezers. also she had a hernia on her stomach. they had told us she was 8weeks and only the dad was on the premises. then we had given her to a friend because she was mostly tan and we wanted a gsd with a little more dark coloring. the friend had took her to the vet to get her shots but they wouldnt do it cause turns out she was only 5 weeks old!
well on to the other "purebred" german shepherd puppy, again found on craigslist, for $100, mother was on premises, and 8 weeks old. on the way home she was panting so i thought she was just hot. that night she was lethargic and wouldnt eat. the next day she was throwing up and had diarrhea. two days after having her we took her to the vet, and she had parvo! there was no saving her, she had it for too long there was no saving her we had to put her to sleep
a week after putting our puppy to sleep the friend had told us the puppy we gave her died from a heart worm from the mother, as i said when they went to get her shots they said she was too young. that right there is $350.
i was devastated 

two weeks after all this accured we found an ad in the paper for purebred german shepherds 10 weeks old, mother and father both on premises for $300. PERFECT.
we went and got her (holly) and everything was fine untill a week later, she started getting sick. i gave her pedialite every two hours, plus Parvaid Every hour on the hour for three days, and vibactra every other hour on the hour. after day four she was herself again and now she is a healthy 5month old pure bred GSD. papers and all CRAIGSLIST IS NOT THE WAY TO GO


----------



## krystyne73

I'll just say it...I actually got Sasha off Craigslist, not just because she was beautiful but I was mad that this lady was advertising her as "AKC 10mon old pup, not spayed, for rehoming"

I contacted her and she said she didn't have the money to spay her. I offered to spay her just so she could keep her, but she said she didn't have money for kenneling her when the went on trips. It was obvious she just wanted her gone.
Later, she told me that they had purchased Sasha from a larger city because her husband was deploying. Now that he was home they had lost the extra hazardous duty pay. I hate those types of people. So I took Sasha home, spayed her and now I ended up keeping her because of a long list of reasons lol
I am glad I got her, because I found out I was her 4th home since her birth! I am glad I spayed her, even with her bloodlines, I think breeding is left to professionals. I have located some of her bloodline on pedrigree database and even talked to one of their breeders. I think people that can't/won't consider paying $$$$ for a dog probably should stick with a virtual pet hahaha


----------



## shilorio

shilo was 200$ off craigslist too:/ we got her basically to "rescue" the poor thing


----------



## debbiebrown

it really does appear to be a crap shoot either way......BYB or Reputable Breeder in alot of cases.......sigh.......

after getting my last pup from a rep breeder and dealing with fear/nervous issues, round worm infestation, etc, i really have reservations about getting another pup when the time comes.......i am on the fence as to just where to go........after having a bad experience it sure does tarnish your faith .......as said earlier, i will not buy a pup sight unseen, will stay within driving distance so that i can view the pups and be involved in picking my own.......


----------

