# Buying a Puppy on Craigslist?



## jonsaramurray (Aug 3, 2017)

Would you or have you ever bought a purebred GS puppy from an ad on Craigslist? What if everything seems to check out and the litter seems happy and healthy? 

If you have, would you mind sharing your experience? 

Thanks!


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

not in a million years.


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## Bramble (Oct 23, 2011)

Never! Reputable breeders do not sell puppies via craigslist.


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## Tennessee (Apr 13, 2017)

Heck no, CL is the last place I'd look for a dog.

I did buy a dog off Hoobly but there is actually some good breeders on there for some reason. However the breeder had a website with his personal info, his breeding theories, his dogs with personality descriptions and pedigrees, offered references without prompting on my part, had a contract with a health guarantee, had a 24/7 video monitor of the litter, chipped shots and pedigree paperwork ready to go at pickup, asked me to come out and check out his facilities and meet the stud and dam before I made a decision, introduced me to his wife & daughter etc etc etc. 

What I'm saying OP is that there ARE good breeders out there putting out good puppies who haven't quite hit the level where they can work off reference alone and they have to advertise somewhere. But CL ain't that place.


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## MyHans-someBoy (Feb 23, 2013)

Stack the odds in your favor by saving up and going to a good breeder. Most people selling pups on CL or other BYB aren't worried about the pup once money has changed hands. Very few are trying to uphold the breed standard. 
I have a GSD, that I adopted from someone (who bought him from a BYB) and a malinois puppy that came from a really reputable breeder. I call Hans, my 80 lb. heartbreaker, because he has so many health problems as well as nerve issues. He's a very sweet boy and I love him to pieces, but he has really bad hips, allergies (environmental and food), digestive issues (has to have enzymes with every meal) and is a dog that would never even look at me if I hadn't trained him to "watch me". He was leash reactive when I got him at 18 months and I constantly supervise (micro manage) him around my cats. 

I will say it's the difficult dogs that you typically learn the most from. 

My Malinois has absolutely no health problems so far. Can eat anything without digestive issues and shows no signs at 8 months old, of having any obvious hip issues. He is an absolute JOY to train. This pup makes eye contact nearly all the time. He even stares at me when he goes potty, lol. I'm not complaining. He is a very biddable pup and the almost complete opposite of my GSD.
And potty training was so easy, I almost feel guilty when others struggle so, but I also went into it with the idea that I'd rather be sleep deprived (and probably a little grumpy  ) and have a few tough weeks than do it halfway and struggle for months.

Anyway...there is always that possibility that the puppy *could* develop health problems in the future. As with any living thing, not everything can be perfectly controlled. 
I will tell you that I will never again adopt or purchase another BYB dog.

Unless you are prepared to put a lot of money aside for possible future issues of a BYB dog, it only adds to the heartbreak when you have a beloved pet that has health issues that require surgery in the thousands of dollars that you might not possibly have. Behavioral issues can also be much more expensive than just hiring a behaviorist if the dog is human aggressive...you have (unfortunately) possible lawsuits to consider as well.

And someone will certainly post that they got the best dog ever off of CL. I'm not saying it's not possible-just not as likely as getting one from a good breeder.


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## Apex1 (May 19, 2017)

We got our GSD from a BYB off Craigslist. 

First time dog owner, we were looking for a family pet after moving to 12 acres. My oldest son always wanted a GSD and I felt we had the time, money and space for a large breed dog. We didn't go to anything I thought resembled a potential puppy mill, the people we got the pup from seemed like good people and the pups appeared to be well cared for and we saw the mom and dad. That is literally all the thinking I did. Foolish I know now. 

Had I known then what I know now, I would not have gone to a BYB. I had no idea the risk I was taking or what I was encouraging. Knowing what I know now prior to owing I may have not even gotten a GSD. 

That said I adore my 8 month old pup, he is brilliant, playful and loving. I have a great time with him and have become a dog person (was/am a cat person). He is an awesome dog and so far a healthy dog. He had some skin issues that have been cleared by feeding a raw diet. I have fallen in love with the breed and can't imagine ever having a dog of another breed. I think I got really lucky. If I ever add another pup I will find a breeder. Just not worth the risk.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

If you want an front-row seat to the cesspool that is CL's pet section, take a look at this thread:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...male-dog-they-didnt-tell-me-she-pregnant.html


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

So, this won't be popular here, but IMHO it all depends on what you're looking for. I bought my puppy off of CL, and as far as the puppy goes, couldn't be more satisfied with her.

For background, I have never raised a puppy previously. And never previously owned an AKC-registered dog. It's always been rescues, and all but two, a GSD and a Blue Heeler, were mixed breeds.

When I began looking this time I was open to any breed, just wanted to get a puppy. So I first went to the animal shelters in our area, but they only had older dogs, and mostly pit bulls. Don't get me wrong, I like pit bulls, but I'm old enough that I probably won't ever raise another puppy, so I really wanted to hold out for a pup younger than 4 months old. 

Most of the mixed breed puppies on CL were selling for 3 or 4 hundred, and I looked at a few (from afar because I'm such a pushover). I ended up buying a non-registerable all-black GSD puppy though, and was able to meet and observe both of the parents. 

I got really lucky, as my puppy is very healthy, and was very well socialized, and has a real stand-out personality. Because it was a backyard breeder though, she had only been wormed and had had a rabies shot. So I spent an additional 250.00 getting her the rest of her shots and a microchip. 

In the end, I paid very nearly the same amount I would have to get a puppy from a reputable breeder, and I have a dog the most probably can never be registered with AKC. So would I recommend buying a GSD from CL? No. Though I love my dog, it could very easily have gone very badly. And I know very little about her genetics, hips and elbows, etc.

That being said, if money is tight and you aren't looking for a registered purebred, I think you can find a good puppy on CL. But just be aware of the risks, ask lots of questions, and don't hesitate to keep looking if you have any reservations at all.
Good luck!


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

If you buy on CL, you may very well be supporting a scoundrel who has stolen purebred dogs to breed them, or who regularly dumps non-producing dogs and unsold older puppies in shelters to be euthanized, or a puppy miller posing as a "nice family" by setting up a front home to trick buyers and hide the abject misery of their breeding stock. I even know of "breeders" who have posed as rescues to try to get intact purebred dogs out of shelters to use as breeding stock -- and savvy shelter managers busted them. If you think you just "know" when people are lying and wouldn't ever be caught supporting one of those bad guys, you're kidding yourself.

There are only two ethical ways to get a purebred dog in my opinion: you pay what it costs for a puppy from an ethical breeder, or you get one from a good rescue. That's it. Otherwise you risk supporting (and perpetuating) abject misery for puppy mill dogs and/or criminal activity. Your "cheap" puppy could be making it profitable for bad guys to continue their enterprise.


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## Misha111 (Oct 31, 2016)

I bought my first girl from an ad in a newspaper. She was the steepest learning curve in owning a GSD ever, cost me a fortune in vets bills but she was and will always be the love of my life. My second girl I bought from a breeder and apart from a few behavioural issues (my fault), she was exactly how the breeder described her, the breeder stayed in touch and was happy to give advice. My current girl is a rescue, know nothing about her breeding or possible health issues. My choice. If I was looking for a puppy I would go to a reputable breeder.


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## jonsaramurray (Aug 3, 2017)

Awesome responses, thank you everyone! And the possibility of dogs being stolen never even occurred to me. Very sad.


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## NerdicEclipse (Feb 20, 2017)

I have no doubt that a person can find an excellent dog on Craigslist or in a local paper. However it's a gamble and the odds are stacked against you. It's often more expensive to go with a reputable breeder breeder and there's generally a wait as litters are sometimes spoken for before they're even born- but it immediately stacks the deck back in your favor. There's far less chance of a problem dog, there's far less a chance of bad genetics (mental issues as well as physical). There's a great deal more a chance you'll end up with a puppy better suited to your personal life and they'll always work with you if there are any issues or even take the puppy back if need be. 

Can you get a good purebred dog on CL? Absolutely, I have no doubt. Are the chances good? No. I would go with a reputable breeder or a good rescue that works with specific breeds and knows what they're doing. In some cases I've seen a CL GSD end up costing the person MORE than they'd have spent on a solid dog from a reputable breeder by the time the eventual medical issues were dealt with and combined with the cost of the puppy itself in the first place.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I have gotten a few pups off Craigslist, one GSD. She is an amazing dog with a great temperament. She has hip dysplasia, but so does one of my other dogs that was bought from a reputable breeder with no hip dysplasia in the lines. I would not have an issue doing so again. I couldn't be happier with her, she is my baby girl. They were pretty stupid to give her up. Their loss and my gain.


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## Kazel (Nov 29, 2016)

I would not buy a puppy from craiglist, however some breeders will put their website link up on craigslist to get some info out. It doesn't automatically make them a bad breeder if they are selling on there, but if that was their only online presence I'd steer clear. I am not planning on buying any more adult dogs, but craiglist is a good place to get older well bred dogs for cheap once people realize they don't want the responsibility. My mastiff, the original owners paid $3000 for him and he is a well bred purebred, no health issues and amazing temperament. We got him for $150 including his papers. So would I go there looking for puppies? No I would not, but it isn't all bad if you can sort through all the junk.


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## bigblackdog (Feb 12, 2010)

Kazel said:


> I am not planning on buying any more adult dogs, but craiglist is a good place to get older well bred dogs for cheap once people realize they don't want the responsibility. My mastiff, the original owners paid $3000 for him and he is a well bred purebred, no health issues and amazing temperament. We got him for $150 including his papers. So would I go there looking for puppies? No I would not, but it isn't all bad if you can sort through all the junk.


Just a note. A well bred dog, from a responsible breeder will not be resold on CRaiglist by the original owner. Good breeders have it in their contracts that any pup that they sold, must come back to the breeder at any time in their lives. I doubt very much that the breeder of your Mastiff was a responsible breeder, or the breeder had no clue that one of the pups they produced was being sold for a $150. on CL.

It does happen sometimes....well bred dogs from responsible breeders do end up in shelters, or being resold on CL,etc.....but not if the breeder is notified.


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## Pytheis (Sep 23, 2016)

bigblackdog said:


> Just a note. A well bred dog, from a responsible breeder will not be resold on CRaiglist by the original owner. Good breeders have it in their contracts that any pup that they sold, must come back to the breeder at any time in their lives. I doubt very much that the breeder of your Mastiff was a responsible breeder, or the breeder had no clue that one of the pups they produced was being sold for a $150. on CL.
> 
> It does happen sometimes....well bred dogs from responsible breeders do end up in shelters, or being resold on CL,etc.....but not if the breeder is notified.


I've seen plenty of purebred dogs on Craigslist in my area, and I even asked about a golden retriever. The person said that they didn't have the time for the dog and gave me the breeder information and pedigree. They were selling him for $500. I think that some people ignore the contract and want to sell the dog to get some money back. If you go back to the breeder, you usually end up losing all that money.


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## Kazel (Nov 29, 2016)

bigblackdog said:


> Just a note. A well bred dog, from a responsible breeder will not be resold on CRaiglist by the original owner. Good breeders have it in their contracts that any pup that they sold, must come back to the breeder at any time in their lives. I doubt very much that the breeder of your Mastiff was a responsible breeder, or the breeder had no clue that one of the pups they produced was being sold for a $150. on CL.
> 
> It does happen sometimes....well bred dogs from responsible breeders do end up in shelters, or being resold on CL,etc.....but not if the breeder is notified.


Well he was 2 years old and the owners had moved states. So I'm not very surprised if the breeder had no clue that one of their dogs was being sold.

I don't think you realize how common it is for dogs from responsible breeders to get sold or given away instead of going back to their original breeders. I'm betting a lot of owners don't take a second look at their contracts after they get their dogs. 

I didn't know until after I'd already gotten Shelby but her breeders sell their puppies with a first right of refusal if the owners later decide to get rid of them.


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## cheffjapman (Jun 8, 2017)

Not exactly CL, but Arrow came from Facebook.

She was from an "accidental" encounter. A husband and wife with a female GSD had their kids come visit. The kids brought their male...and well...they ended up with puppies. Arrow is not registered as the father wasn't. But they did have paperwork concerning both parents hips (which were healthy) and I also got to meet both parents.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Not that long ago I saw a 4 month old pup advertised on CL They were the second owner after the first one bought him from a breeder. Lines and pup looked good but it was the wrong timing due to my surgery. Otherwise I would have had him checked out very carefully with my breeder. 
You can find good dogs on CL if you know what to look and ask for, to listen very carefully to underlying messages and check references, esp. vet clinic's.
I have had several nice GSDs in my classes that came from iffy back grounds but most were still young. Issues tend to act up later. Not sure what came of them.


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## thegooseman90 (Feb 24, 2017)

tim_s_adams said:


> That being said, if money is tight and you aren't looking for a registered purebred, I think you can find a good puppy on CL.


 good reply overall but I disagree with this part. If OP is tight on money then now isn't the time for a dog. Especially a gamble like CL that could end up putting her into financial hardship or leaving the dog without the care necessary if something unforeseen happened.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

When money is tight you need to take of your own person(s) first I think. When my hubby lost his job years ago, I had the sight hound rescue already lined up, canceled all subscriptions, cable, went to grocery outlets instead of shopping for organics etc. Just a few weeks before we put the house on the market he got a new job. Otherwise we would have bought a trailer home to survive. I cannot imagine in that time to look for a cheap (purchase price) pet.


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## thegooseman90 (Feb 24, 2017)

Now I'm scouring my local Craigslist and texting people for some info on their gsds. let's see how many reputable breeders I can find tonight


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Aww most likely the best advice for those buying a "Puppy" on Craigslist is to put the money one saves on the initial purchase into "health insurance." The first three to four years "behavioral issues" aside should slide by fairly easily?? 

But in the long run ... there "could be blow back" there is no "price for heartbreak" but at least one would not have to add "can't afford" to suffering. Boxer thing ... but you know "Heath Issue" would have made no difference to me ie ... what's "DM???" A huge "Boxer thing" as in 70% of all "Breeding Pairs" are carriers ... who knew??? But time and place Newspaper ad not "Cragislist" ... live and learn.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

It's not just health issues. The amateur-bred purebreds are just the same varied lot that pet-bred dogs always are--some healthy, some in between, some destined for lifelong problems. I think they _all _need health insurance -- CL dogs, breeder dogs, rescue dogs.

Even if one were to have no qualms with the moral issues of enabling puppy millers, scammers, and thieves, perhaps due to lack of funds and _really _wanting a puppy, the people most likely to be attracted by a cheap puppy are NEWBIE owners -- people with no breed experience whatsoever, and little experience with other breeds. They wrongly think they're getting a "good deal."

This is the exact group that MOST NEEDS ongoing support from a good rescue or good breeder. What does support look like? You pick up the phone and call or text day or night, and someone who wants you to succeed takes your call and offers help. My adopters can reach me in the middle of the night if my former foster-dogs are sick, and they aren't sure what to do. We have experienced volunteers who do phone-coaching, and if needed, someone goes over to the adopter's house to help trouble-shoot issues. That's standard operating procedure for all good breed rescues. It's no different for good breeders -- some are there for training help for years, if needed. Puppies and dogs go out into the world from both sources with a safety net, mentoring, and as much help as their people want.

The lack of support is one reason why we get post after post about normal puppies engaging in breed-appropriate land-sharkery, with owners at their wits' end, thinking they have "dangerously aggressive" 12-week-olds. Paying a few hundred bucks is the easiest part of the transaction--it's the bloody fingers, shredded pant legs, destroyed baseboards, mattresses, and chair legs, and human kids used as chew toys that's hard. Having mentoring and coaching through the insanity that is your first GSD puppy can easily be the difference between a placement succeeding or failing. These "cheap" puppies have no safety net, and too many of them grow up to be neglected adolescents dumped in animal shelters.


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## Kyrielle (Jun 28, 2016)

jonsaramurray said:


> Would you or have you ever bought a purebred GS puppy from an ad on Craigslist? What if everything seems to check out and the litter seems happy and healthy?
> 
> If you have, would you mind sharing your experience?
> 
> Thanks!


This is how we got Jack. All things considered, Jack is an intelligent, well-mannered, extremely sweet puppy, and is developing into a very lovely pet. However, he is a somewhat anxious dog. Nothing debilitating, but NOT what a GSD should be. With training, we have mitigated what might have eventually turned into an unhappy future. He also lacks the drive and skill that would be necessary if you wanted to work him. I think the only thing he's really good at, and could be used for, is herding.

Aside from a "button tumor" on his side, he's otherwise very healthy and shows no issues with his development at all.

The people we got him from were nice enough. It wasn't a puppy mill situation. The pups were being raised in the house with the family. The house was clean, they had older Yorkies who were sweet, there was a large backyard with chickens and a creek, they had kids...all relatively good signs. The trouble is the parents seemed uncomfortable about visitors in the house and looked like they hadn't been trained to accept strangers (As they well should have been! If you're breeding dogs, the breeding pair better be friendly towards the strange people coming to check out all the puppies.). The issues just come down to subpar breeding, I think.

Would I recommend Craigslist? No, not really. I suppose if you were very savvy in terms of what you were looking for and knew what to look for, you could probably find a breeder of some caliber. I think they'd be a needle in a haystack, though. I won't knock it completely, because there might just be some people who are trying to start out breeding, have the best of intentions, and care about the breed as a whole. Those folks might be running into the catch-22 issue where they don't have a reputation because they just started, but need a reputation to become a reputable breeder.

That said, all of our future dogs will come from reputable breeders if we can help it.


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## GSDguy4EVER (Sep 9, 2017)

In my opinion, Craigslist is an acceptable mode of advertisement for breeders to sell their stock and for buyers to find puppies. I will admit there are plenty of poorly bred GSD's being advertised on CL, but you will find some well-bred litters being advertised on CL as well. Many good and decent people shop on CL, so in my opinion it only makes sense to tap into this market.


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## stacypointe (Sep 16, 2017)

I would think Craigs list would be a place where you can't screen the seller. I would stay away from it...Just my opinion.

Stacy


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## zxrooster (Sep 20, 2017)

I’ve bought a dog off Craigslist with no issues. Well behaved, potty trained easy, loved my kids and anyone else he met. The only issue is he would dig through my trash and bring food to my other dog so she could eat it lol. He was a bloodhound and she is a yorkie. My yorkie I bought from a breeder. Came with all papers, vet checked, shots, microchipped, and a folder with all her info. She will bite without warning, hates everyone she meets (we have to crate her or put her in our room while guest are over), she pees in my kids rooms every chance she gets (10 years old needs constant supervision), has allergies, and skin issues. Took nearly a year to get her to walk on a leash. My bloodhound was a dream on a leash. I just recently got a GSD from my father-in-law after my bloodhound past. I don’t know where she came from or what she cost. He said don’t ask questions and don’t thank me. Handed me her in a crate with her papers. From my experience I hope he got her off Craigslist...


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

bigblackdog said:


> Just a note. A well bred dog, from a responsible breeder will not be resold on CRaiglist by the original owner. Good breeders have it in their contracts that any pup that they sold, must come back to the breeder at any time in their lives. I doubt very much that the breeder of your Mastiff was a responsible breeder, or the breeder had no clue that one of the pups they produced was being sold for a $150. on CL.
> 
> It does happen sometimes....well bred dogs from responsible breeders do end up in shelters, or being resold on CL,etc.....but not if the breeder is notified.


This is simply not true. Some breeders have a clause in their contract, that they have the right of a first refusal, in the event that the owner wants to sell the dog. So if they are going to sell the dog, the breeder can, if they choose to, purchase the puppy back. 

But even breeders with such a clause have no way of knowing that you are trying to sell your dog. Some buyers look over all the paperwork and understand what all the clauses in the contract mean. Others walk away from the breeder and lose their number. When the dog becomes inconvenient to keep, Craigslist might get a listing. No breeder has a Craigslist alert ap on their phone in case one of the puppy buyers is trying to download a puppy. 

And, if you import a puppy, those breeders are not going to pay for you to ship your pup back to them. The dog is yours once you hand the money over, and if the breeder makes a mistake by trusting you with one of their pups, the pup may end up in a number of unsatisfactory situation. 

Having a contract is one thing. Being willing or able to take someone to court for breach of contract is another.


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## JunaShepherd (Sep 22, 2017)

I got my puppy off Craigslist. She's supposed to be a pure bred white German shepherd.. Now I have my doubts. I made a post about it on my page!


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