There is such a thing as a "puppy escrow" where a third party holds the money until the puppy arrives healthy and the vet on the other end verifies the good health. Talking to the vet and other references will help reassure you too.
IMHO, the fact that you find a puppy you like on the internet is not such a terrible thing, especially if you cannot find one locally. In California, for instance, if you found a puppy in a part of the country where puppies are less expensive, you could probably actually afford, for the price difference, to fly there and pick up the puppy and fly back with it!
Not ALLbreeders who advertise on the internet are bad or disreputable. Quite the contrary, in my experience. Most of the best show breeders have websites. So called "backyard breeders" and "puppy brokers" aren't all bad either. I have found that most really care about the dogs and want them to go to good homes. They can afford to be picky with buyers because the breed is in high demand and they usually have no problem selling all the puppies in a litter.
I have had both experiences. The first was with a local breeder when I knew nothing about yorkies. I bought 2 expensive males from her. It turns out she is a broker and was selling her gramma's puppies as well as other people's. I was able ot go to her home and she had the puppies in playpens, they were clean, they had space heaters, and she spent a lot of time with me before and after I took the puppies home educating me on their care. I was never able to see the parents althoguh I did not know to ask thet at the time.
She saved one of my puppie's lives and the vet had basically said he was a lost cause. She would have givn me my monty back if he had died. She refunded what my vet bills were. The puppy packet contained a free vet visit. The vet was the best in San Diego. I owe her a lot, but if I had known what to look for in a reputable breeder, I may not have purchased from her. I went with my gut feeling and it all worked out and I got beautiful babies and a great yorkie resourse in the local breeder. I can call her anytime with a question about vaccinations, spaying, feeding, training, anything, and she has great advice.
I recently purchased another puppy over the internet from a breeder in Texas that I found on Puppyfind. Again, if I listened to some of the advice on the forums, she sounds bad becasue she sells unusually colored yorkies, she doesn't breed for tinies, but she has some in almost every litter so she sells them, and she is in Texas (a big puppy mill state) and her phone number is not on her website. But, as it turned out, she initially turned me down in my interest in the puppy when I told her I had 4 dogs and 4 kids. She was screening potential buyers carefully to find the right home.
I sent her another email telling her how I acclimate the dogs, how I work from home, how my youngest child 13 years old and how I was aware of and knew how to handle the fragile small yorkies. I asked to speak to her vet and was convinced after his conversation with me that he was a premiere breeder and I could trust her. She shipped the puppy to me at 15 weeks nd she arrived safely and happt to see us and we are so in love with her now that I cannot imagine life without her. She is perfectly healthy as well and eats like a cow.
Neither of my breeders was a "show breeder" but I was not looking for a show puppy and I believe in my breeders' ethics and business reputations and was comfortable after getting to know them. Maybe I have just been lucky. |