PUPPIES, KC REG HELP!!?

Question

Hi hopefully sum1 can help me, ive been looking for a german shepherd puppy so i put an add in my local paper, so yesterday i got a call off a man that has 1 that's 6 weeks old, all black german shepherd, he said it is a pedigree and has the papers but it is not kc registered. he offered me it 4 £150 which is cheap as there usually about £400. now heres where im stuck! does it need 2 be kc registered? what papers should it have? and do you think there might be sumt wrong with it being that cheap?? help please x

Answer 1

I would run the other way from this.   First the puppy is too young.  They should not be sent to new homes until at least 8 weeks old.  Second pedigree is no proof the dog is purebred.  Anyone can write up a pedigree.  Also if he didn't even bother to KC register the puppies I dobut he bothered to do health testing on his breeding animals.  GSD are very prone to hip dysplasia.  Don't look for a breeder through the paper.  Go the the website for the GSD club and look at their breeder referal information.  

Answer 2

Your dog can be full pedigree without being KC registered, as registering them is voluntary. This man sounds like he may be a first time breeder, remembering that a puppy cannot legally be allowed to be re-housed until it is at least 8 weeks old. You can register them at a later date, your local veterinary surgery will be able to advise you & supply the relevant paper work.

     However, you may want to bear in mind that if you were to acquire a puppy from a KC registered, accredited breeder it will have been vet checked, have full paper work, be insured for at least 6 weeks with pet plan, come from a good, stable background with good parentage & you will get a lifetime of support from the breeder. If £400 is too expensive to you, then think how expensive your puppy will be if it has a serious health problem that needs life time attention, or when it's back legs go, which is common in the breed, unless it has been bred out of them? I would do some research before you make any sort of decision. Visit the house, see both parents, have him vet checked before purchase. If you can't do this go on e-pupz.com & find a real breeder or on the kennel Club website.

Answer 3

Not with a 10 foot pole!  Don't look for a puppy this way.  I bet this man offered to deliver it to your door too?  You get what you pay for - cheap = dodgy (usually!).  Get onto GSD Club websites, contact the Breed Secretaries who should be able to point you to good breeders who have puppies available.  See mum!!!

Caution - some GSDs have dire problems with their back ends as the result of the diversion by some breeders to the so-called German type.  If you watched THAT programme you will know what I'm talking about.  Please do your homework before jumping.  Otherwise you could well end up living to regret it.

And incidentally, no a puppy doesn't necessarily need to be KC Registered, but it does show the breeder is serious about his breed, and not just churning out puppies.  Having said that, sometimes breeders don't give a pet buyer the papers, to prevent the puppy from being bred from later on?  Although puppies papers can be 'endorsed, not for breeding' these days.

PS You will only be able to apply to register your puppy yourself if the parents are registered.  I think!!  Speak to the KC, they will be able to advise you.

Answer 4

The pup is way to young this is the first warning sign, second anyone can draw up a pedigree that means nothing with out papers you have no proof that the dog is what he claims it is. Run away and find another breeder, sounds like this is a BYB or a puppy mill.  

Answer 5

6 wks is too young to go to a new home. 8 wks is better for the pup's development. I'd be leery of anyone rehoming pups at 6 wks.

As for the KC papers, the only reason you really need them is if you plan to show, but they do help you to know that you are dealing with a reputable breeder.

As to price, you typically get what you pay for. You can't walk into a car dealership with enough money for a clunker and walk out with a brand new BMW. It rarely works out that way. What you save today on initial price, you may pay later in vet bills.

Edit: All a pedigree is, is a family tree. Anyone can print one out.

Answer 6

If he can't show you the papers then there is no proof that it is or its not registered and he is pulling a fast one.  

Answer 7

I would ask him why the dog is so cheap

the breeder registers the littler you get a form so you can register yourself as the puppy's owner KC will sell you a 5 generation pedigree

Do not take the puppy until it is 8 weeks old

Answer 8

if you just want him as a pet then if the man has the pedigree papers that's fine u only need them if you want to show him in qualifying shows he needs 2 b kc registered.only the breeder of the litter can register the puppy but you can register him with the dog lovers registration club  i agree with others that 6 weeks is 2 early 2 b sold. if i ws u i would check this out thoroughly the rspca give u good guidelines as to the conditions a puppy should be raised in and what you should look for hope you find your ideal pet and best friend from a fellow dog lover x

Answer 9

Pedigrees, KC papers and other such things are only as good as the person standing behind them.  If you trust the integrity of the breeder, and the breeder shows you some proof of his dog's quality and the quality of the dogs in the pedigree (titles, championships, health tests, temperament tests, etc)....then it's a good bet you're dealing with quality pups.

As someone else said, a pedigree is just a family tree.  My rescue girl from a puppy mill has a 5 generation "pedigree"....it's full of puppy mill dogs.  

KC papers are a pretty good indication the dog is pure bred (they can be forged, but it's difficult), but then again...pure bred does not always mean quality.  Both my dogs are purebred- one is from a responsible breeder, the other from a puppymill.  The difference in their personality and physical appearance is striking.  

I think in this case, it's best to remember "you get what you pay for".  Cheap pups often end up being big vet bills later on in life.  GSD's have a whole rainbow of common genetic health issues that crop up in the breed- hip and elbow dysplasia being the most prevalent.  Find a breeder who tests for these problems, and ask for proof of health testing.  

If you're looking to pay less for a dog, consider adopting a rescue.  You may still end up dealing with some health issues, but at least the money you spend on the dog goes to a good cause, and isn't lining the pockets of some irresponsible breeder.  

Answer 10

it should be recorded if it has papers you should be able to check to make sure its all real. ask him why he is getting rid of the dog. he may want to sell for more but needs money right now. could be a lot of reasons. i would ask first then go from there.  

Answer 11

It does not matter really about it not being KC registered unless you wanted to show or stud the dog! however you should be careful with that one i think as there has to be a reason for it being so cheap! he may just be trying to make money and may not be the best breeder! which may mean the dog may end up being aggressive or having health problems! be careful of this one i think. if you look on the kennel club website you can locate puppies in your area from good reputable breeders  

Answer 12

The Kennel Club registration is required if you wish to show or breed from your dog in the future and you will not be able to register the puppy yourself.  The entire litter would have to be registered by the breeder and he/she would have to have bred the litter from two registered parents in order to register the litter.

As said by others, 6 weeks is too young, particularly with GSDs which are a breed renowned for their sensitive stomachs, a six week old puppy will not yet have been fully weaned for a long enough period to be sure that the diet the breeder is feeding is agreeing with the pup etc.

A good breeder will ask you lots of questions to make sure they are getting the best possible home for their puppies and they will supply you with diet and care sheets, pedigree and KC papers, preferably some sample food so that you have a few days supply of what the puppy has been weaned on and a note of what worming programme has been started and any injections that have been administered.  Be very careful where you get the pup from and see both parents and any other close relatives if at all possible.

Good luck.

Answer 13

sounds like a stolen puppy to me...if it's too good to be true, it often is.

RUN!!!

Answer 14

Run a mile!!!

I paid £600.00 for a top quality GSD puppy - not saying you need to pay this much but for that money, not only did I get a lovely puppy, I had (and still have, after 2 yrs) the backing & help of an experienced GSD owner & breeder, a full health history of him & his parents, a "proper" pedigree, KC Registration, 6 weeks free insurance and peace of mind.

KC Reg. itself isn't particularly important, but with it you can be 99 percent certain your puppy is purebred, from the parents his papers say he is from and if he isn't, at least you have some redress in law. Even more importantly, the parents will have been tested for Hip Dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and the sire will have been tested clear of Haemophilia B.

You will know that the dam of the puppies was not too old to be bred from, nor too young and has not had litter after litter after litter.

Good breeders don't answer adverts like yours - they have a waiting list for puppies.

Go to the KC site & find some accredited breeders. No one can guarantee that you will get a 100 percent healthy puppy with a good temperament but you can greatly increase your chances by going through a reputable breeder.

Answer 15

Doesn't have be KC registered but I'll cautious it might come from a puppy farm.

Answer 16

You should be worried that he only has one puppy left to sell and that is only 6 weeks old, if he did have a litter how young were the other puppies when he sold them on.

If you were going to take the puppy on ask him if you can pick the puppy up from him and if you can see the mum and have documented proof who the dad is, if he cannot do this don't take the puppy.

I'd like to hear the outcome of this one.