So guys!!! some of you may or may not know that my life is not only fashion, food and fitness if I had to add another F it would be family. So my partner & my daughter have been whining on for the longest time about us getting a puppy.... I finally gave in and decided we can get a little puppy. We are a loving family of three having a new addition to our family would be perfect plus it would teach my little girl responsibility and the meaning of loving and caring for something.

So we set out on doing loads of research through the internet, books and family member who own dogs to find the right breed of dog for our family. We decided upon a mini Pomeranian or a Toy poodle. I always thought if I was going to get a dog it would be a manly dog like a staff or doberman but because we live in a apartment and the girls will be scared of their own dog I'm looking for a Pomeranian or a Toy poodle. We've never owned a dog before so I didn't realize how popular both those breeds are and trust me they are popular!!!



OK I know what dog I want, the next step is simple right? Find somewhere that sells it. This is where reality hit me, I don't know about you guys ( comment below and let me know) but when I was younger living in London if you wanted a pet you went to your local pet shop. So that's what I did, I went online looking for local pet shops that sold puppies, my expectations and what I found were totally different...

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LOCAL PET SHOP

I was shocked to find that the pet shops either no longer existed or no longer sold animals, this seemed crazy to me because that is what I thought pet shops did, sold pets and the supplies pet owners need to care for their pets. I then came across loads of articles about Pet Shops VS Breeders.

Apparently potential dog owners are being encouraged not to buy their puppies from a pet shop but from breeders. Why you ask? that was the same question on my mind, well people against pet shops selling dogs say that no true breeder who loves and cares for their dog would sell puppies to a pet shop. Therefore the pet shops must be getting their puppies from back street breeders. These sites went as far as to list the pet shops that still sell puppies in their stores slate them and scar the shops reputation. Some protester have gone as far as throwing paint on owners of new puppies in protest.


I have no doubt that there may be some pet shops that do not source their puppies ethically but I believe this is the same in the case of some breeders. There are bad people in all areas of business the assumption that the majority of dog breeders are good and pet shops are bad, that kind of logic is ruining small British businesses. I am a man about facts, if you are going to talk trash about someones business have some EVIDENCE. It is not enough to put a link to a web site showing dogs being mistreated, I would like to see the evidence linking those pet shops to the back street breeders.

I have decide that I want to go to some PET SHOPS across the UK that still sell puppies and ask them if they want to be featured on this blog, I will interview the owners of the shop, Interview them, ask to be shown around the shop, look at the living conditions as well as discuss the allegations of pet shop owners using back street breeders.

I am also going to find some BREEDERS to discuss this issue and hopefully end up with a puppy.

If you are a pet shop owner or a breeder and your interested in taking part please click here  


SCAMS

So far my search for a puppy for my family has come to a halt, and now I was getting used the idea of having a puppy in the house plus I didn't want to let the girls down so I became determined to find away to buy a puppy.

I went online to try and find this puppy I thought maybe some puppy sellers would advertise on reputable online sites. I put "Pomeranian puppies for sale in London" into Google. Loads of sites came up, particularly private seller sites like Gumtree, but for dogs e.g. www.pets4home.co.uk

These sites seemed to be just what I was looking for, they specified all the information about the puppies, the price, the location and the sellers information. JACKPOT!! Listen guys I was so excited I contacted (BY EMAIL)  may be over 20 sellers, some breeders and some pet owners who advertised they have a litter of pups for sale.

My main concern when contacting these sellers was to make sure that they was located somewhere I could get to, so I could view the puppies. .

Within minutes the replies came flooding in, my inbox was on overload, I thought one of these sellers will be a match. So me and Sharene (fiancee) began to sort through the replies.

The first email I received... was very long and in depth it stated that the puppies needed to go to a loving home, that they was 12 weeks and... wait will show you the Email!!

Hiya, our puppies are 11weeks old and ready to go now,  we have attach
photos for you,   our puppies got excellent thick coat and toy little
faces, expected to be under 5pounds, we offer our puppies alongside a
set of Custom Bed, Harness/leash, bowl set, crate/crate
pad, food, 2 piddle pads (being piddle pad trained), and toys.. They
are used to household noises and children. I have 3 children that have
been handling them on a daily basis, as you can imagine, females and
males available, all are vet checked, cute and cuddly, and parents can
be seen with papers, fully kc. We can do endorsement any time if you
need, puppies are very  playful and loves much attention and to be
pampered, we are a loving pet family, also looking for good and loving
pet families to rehome  puppies, will like to know about you for
future sake before giving the  puppies:

Whats your name?

where do you live?

Do you often go out with your pets?

Have you got a pet now?

IS your current pet use to other pets and vet checked also?

Do you have a vet? What about your family and kids?

When are you ready for a puppy?

Can you please tell me more you know about pets and this breed

especially?

Photos attached, please choose puppy you want if you cannot travel
and collect, and we will arrange home delivery for you.

Sorryyyyyyyyyy for asking alot we just wanna make sure our puppies is
safe where he or she is going, which sex you want? Each puppy cost
£270,  We offer a health certificate for 6months to you. They are very
Cute puppies. You can see the puppies any time you want, we are in
back KIRKWALL IN NORTHERN SCOTLAND as we have our own home there now,
we can give you  our address for view, if it is too far, then i can
drive the puppy to you,
or send the puppy to your house by a Professional PET courier service
that carriers puppy around for people. The delivery will cost about
£40.

Please our interest in more on the home you have for this pup. Just
heard that one of our pup which we gave out was rescued by the rescue
team, because the family we sent the pup into, did not take proper
care of the puppy and this is what we hate. Please get back to
us with  more about your home and you. About these puppies:

These dogs are gentle and playful and very fond of his or her family.
A puppy at heart, they are clever, sociable and loving, easy-going and
docile. Though they do generally have a lot of energy, especially as
puppies. Good with children and friendly with strangers, they are not
watchdogs, for they bark little and love everyone. These puppies are
very intelligent and trainable, but they have a mind of their own and
will only obey a command if they see the point and if you do not
display leadership, they will not see the point in obeying you. Please
get back to me asap. photos attached.

Regards


HOLD UP WAIT A MINUTE..... the first thing that I found strange was how the hell did you reply with this long message so quickly, but you know I talked myself round I was like they are breeders they must of had this pre-prepared, the second thing that made me feel slightly uneasy was I didn't contact any seller who lived in SCOTLAND why would I do that, that's way to far to travel. OHHHH and they used a PET COURIER SERVICE. Now i'm thinking these lot are really professional. .

I was torn at this point because I would want to see the puppies before I purchased them but at the same time this seemed like a really good deal.  I replied I said " Please explain how the payment and the courier service works".

I was told you give all your information, the seller takes the puppy to the pet courier and the courier contacts you... that doesn't sound like any courier service I know, so when do you pay? Will the courier will take payment? This doesn't make sense.

NO WAY these lot want me to pay money before I have seen the dog, this just seemed so wrong to me, I decided I am not taking any chances plus I have several other emails from sellers.

I am not kidding, I received 13 other emails with slight variations stating the same thing with the same set of pictures of the puppies, I could not believe this it was a scam. Thank God I did not give any money to these con artists... I had to let you guys know  about this because I would not want any family to give their money to these heartless people.

One stupid guy after seeing my picture and realizing I was black added this to his copied and pasted email.


After being so mad and still receiving at least 5 more of these emails, I sat down and thought about the correlation between the demise of pet shops and the rise of scammers. New Dog owners just don't know where to go, or who to ask. Once upon a time you would go to the pet shop now it seems so much more complicated.

This has not put me off getting a puppy, in fact it has made me more determined but in the process I hope to log what I find and share some tips and tricks along the way for potential puppy buyers.

If you have had a good or bad experience with dog breeders or you know any good pet shops or/breeders who have Pomeranian puppies comment below.


Stay Blessed

E