Shipping a new puppy? Please Help!

[loley]

Hi everyone, I am new to all of this. I have been looking for a puppy for a while (female) and being from CT the prices I have found are just too high for a pet (willing to spend around $1000, maybe a little more). I have found some breeders are willing to ship, but I am just unsure of which ones to trust or not. After searching from some websites I found in the breeder section, I came accross bellablueyorkies.com and they have a puppy I am intersted in, however I really cannot find any reviews anywhere!!! I am weary of getting a puppy shipped, as I have read good AND bad stories. This seems legit in my opinion, but I guess just don't know for sure. Can anyone offer any adivce on shipping OR anyone know of a reputable breeder that offers shipping or is in the CT area? Thanks so much!!

[Buster Brown]

Please be careful about getting a Yorkie from a breeder you do not know. Especially if you are having it shipped because what do you do if something is wrong with your new baby. It will be better in the long run to spend more money buying your yorkie from a reputable breeder than on vet bills. I got Buster from a pet store which is the same gamble you get when you buy from an unknown breeder. I spent over $2,000.00 the first three months because he had a bad case of kennel cough which became pneumonia and 2 types of parasites. He also need to get LP surgery $3,000.00, bad knees, which reputable breeders try to breed out by not breeding dogs who have genetic issues. I would look at the Yorkshire Terriers Club of America breeders site Yorkshire Terrier Club of America About The Club and see if you can find a good breeder in your area. Good luck with your search Yorkies are wonderful!

[John Stelting]

I'm buying my 2nd Yorkie from allstaryorkies.
Their website is All-Star Yorkies - AKC Registered Yorkshire Terriers, Parti Yorkies
Both of my Yorkies have been shipped using Contential Airlines. The 2nd one is being shipped on the 18th of December.

She will not ship Yorkies that are too young and she (Tanya) really cares for all of her Yorkies. My wife and I visited her place over T. Giving and ended up buying the 2nd Yorkie.

Tell her Bently from Colorado referred her to you.

John

[ArmaniMan]

5 years ago my parents had a toy poodle shipped to them and it was not a good idea at all- for one she looked different than the photos that were sent- the breeder denies this, saying she cut her hair before she sent her and that just made her look slightly different- anything is possible, but we all swear its not the same dog.

She was and still is to this day super skiddish, could be from how she was raised, could be from the flight- who knows.

The problem is, unless you meet the breeder and see where the puppies are kept you are just never going to know and are always going to wonder.

I am sure people have good experiences with shipping puppies but I hear far more bad experiences.

I think its best to find a local breeder, or at least someone within driving distance, its much better. I enjoyed seeing where my baby had been raised, getting to see their littermates and parents firsthand, etc.

[Breny]

I have had every one of my babies shipped to me and have had nothing but great experiences. You just need to do your research and get to know the breeder the best you can. I have also shipping puppies as well with great success.

I'll never forget , about 4 years ago now I picked up a pup from the airport and he was in his crate...just a playing away...just WAY to busy to even want to come out yet haha. it was the cutest ever.

[ritapatt]

We bought our wheaten 10 years ago and had her shipped, have been paying for it ever since (Looong story) We searched for our yorkie for 3 months and many times had to steel ourselves and walk away from a litter but when we found Ziva and saw the home she was raised in and met the parents and siblings it helped us to understand her and know she was healthy.It was worth waiting for- don't give up!

[FlDebra]

I cannot imagine a breeder agreeing to ship a puppy to CT in the winter! That could be very dangerous with the cold cargo bay. Yorkies are fragile, and some may arrive healthy, but so many others that are shipped wind up posting here about the horrible condition they come in. Sick with infections, ear mites, yeast, giardia, kennel cough, you name it.... not to mention the trauma of being thrown in a cargo bay and shipped for who knows how long. My last flight was a horrible experience, late to leave, long delays on the runway, missed the connection,and had to wait hours for the next available flight. Some had to wait overnight! Those are the chances you take with these little ones. Hopefully it would only be straight through flights but still....too much for a tiny puppy. Some of these breeders ship them as young as 8 weeks old! Poor things! I have red many posts here where the pup that arrives does not look like the pup they thought they were buying from pictures online too. Puppies do change a lot, especially with a haircut, but I have seen some of the before and after pics that I do not believe are the same pup. Another chance you take.

I would never buy a puppy without being able to see where it was raised, see the dam and sire to check for standard, get briefed on the history for both sides and other litters, see what testing was done prior to breeding, watch the breeder interact with puppies and adult dogs, and generaly get a feel for the breeder and her business.

When I bred, I was asked to ship, but said I was sorry, I just could not do that, not even in Florida in the warm months. Just too many things to go wrong. Besides I wanted to meet the prospective owner and see her interact with the puppy. I loved every one of them and it hurt to let them go at all. I sure wasn't going to put them on some plane like an old suitcase and let whatever will be will be.

If you are firm on this breeder, then I would get a plane ticket for yourself and pay the extra for your little one to ride one way back with you INSIDE the plane. You will get to see the breeder, the parent dogs, and the facilities. But I would do a LOT of research before I did that. Surely there is a good, reputable breeder in CT.

[loley]

I know I am very weary for multiple reasons for having a puppy shipped. I have done research, and called around I just don't get a good feeling about some of them. Many of the breeders I have found in my area through ytca want $1500 or $2000. I just think that is too much for a pet. I have crossed off buying from a pet store, even those prices are outrageous. There have been a few places I called that were charging around my price range, however for some reason I just didn't get a great feeling about it. This is a difficult process, and just want a happy & healthy pup!

And to Bentley-you purchased a puppy from there before as well? How much total did the puppy cost with shipping?

[John Stelting]

Yes, we have purchased two Yorkies from Allstaryorkies.com
And I agree that puppies should not be shipped during bad weather because of chance of longer travel times.

We have an agreement with Tanya of All Star Yorkies that if the weather is bad she won't ship our new puppy. She is in full agreement of this too and won't ship a puppy during bad weather.

As for price..... I don't feel comfortable in giving this out since each puppy is priced different but she will be more than willing to talk to you about the price of the puppy and the extra fee for shipping the puppy to you. And she uses Contential to ship all her puppies. The puppies are not put in the same area as cargo..... the area they are placed in are climate controlled. All flights are same day but it is possible that the puppy will change flights. She ships out of Dallas, TX. Our puppies go from Dallas to Houston and then to Denver where we pick them up.

Give Tanya a call. We visited her over T.Giving and she has a great facility and takes great care of all her Yorkies.

[yorkiesincommon]

I am with FLdebra on this, it is just too risky and if shipping is necessary go get the baby and fly back with it inside the airplane. Also, you can not breed all undesirable traits out of the yorkie because the gene pool is set when using AKC and the best you can do is research, know the breeder, check out the parents, the puppy and contact the vet the puppy has been seen by to verify thei info on the health certificate. Many vets do not do a through check even on AKC puppies. I have seen a vast difference on AKC and "licensed" breeders. Do your own homework and buy with open eyes. Before you buy any puppy, ask the breeder to go with you to a vet YOU trust and throughly check out the puppy and it would not hurt to have them look at the parents too. If you really want to know what you are getting, put the money in a good vet check before you put out money on the puppy. Meet with the breeder more than once; sometimes you may not see as much the 1st time as you might the 2nd time. I never sell from 1 time meeting with a buyer. I have them come to my home and I go to theirs. I am serious about placement of any of my puppies and I breed only occasionally! Can you imagine the time spent in getting to know prospective parents if a person bred more than 1 or 2 for 2 litters each! At 3 or 4 puppies you would be talking about significant time. I also get with them after I have placed the dog. If you are not where the dog was purchased and new to yorkies, at least find a reputable and knowlegable breeder and use them as a mentor. For those who have had yorkies before of course this is for those who have not had that kind of experience. I think all of us though need to do more critical buying by getting a vet check before purchase. I don't know about others but I fall in love and after I purchase; the piece of paper doesn't help much if it entails giving the dog back and that is why a prepurchase through check up and lab work by the vet gives me a slight edge. Puppies can still develop all kinds of problems and I know that taking them on and know that most of you do as well. I live in FL and I never ship, not an hour and not more. This is just all food for thought and a way to help in the critical thinking process we all go through with every yorkie purchase.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by FlDebra

I cannot imagine a breeder agreeing to ship a puppy to CT in the winter! That could be very dangerous with the cold cargo bay. Yorkies are fragile, and some may arrive healthy, but so many others that are shipped wind up posting here about the horrible condition they come in. Sick with infections, ear mites, yeast, giardia, kennel cough, you name it.... not to mention the trauma of being thrown in a cargo bay and shipped for who knows how long. My last flight was a horrible experience, late to leave, long delays on the runway, missed the connection,and had to wait hours for the next available flight. Some had to wait overnight! Those are the chances you take with these little ones. Hopefully it would only be straight through flights but still....too much for a tiny puppy. Some of these breeders ship them as young as 8 weeks old! Poor things! I have red many posts here where the pup that arrives does not look like the pup they thought they were buying from pictures online too. Puppies do change a lot, especially with a haircut, but I have seen some of the before and after pics that I do not believe are the same pup. Another chance you take.

I would never buy a puppy without being able to see where it was raised, see the dam and sire to check for standard, get briefed on the history for both sides and other litters, see what testing was done prior to breeding, watch the breeder interact with puppies and adult dogs, and generaly get a feel for the breeder and her business.

When I bred, I was asked to ship, but said I was sorry, I just could not do that, not even in Florida in the warm months. Just too many things to go wrong. Besides I wanted to meet the prospective owner and see her interact with the puppy. I loved every one of them and it hurt to let them go at all. I sure wasn't going to put them on some plane like an old suitcase and let whatever will be will be.

If you are firm on this breeder, then I would get a plane ticket for yourself and pay the extra for your little one to ride one way back with you INSIDE the plane. You will get to see the breeder, the parent dogs, and the facilities. But I would do a LOT of research before I did that. Surely there is a good, reputable breeder in CT.

Great post!

I looked at the website for bellablueyorkies and she breeds females who are under 5 pounds. Most reputable breeders will not breed females under 6 pounds. Just because the mother is small it does not mean the offspring will be small, but breeders are hoping buyers will think this because so many buyers want smaller yorkies. Reputable breeders have smaller yorkies too; they just don't breed them, they place them as pets! Don't forget, you might be lucky enough to have your yorkie as long as 16 years, I believe it's wise to save up your money and support the best breeder who will sell to you! Also beware of breeders who say "Champion bloodlines" that's just a marketing ploy, even puppy mill pups have one champion in the background.

[Lizzie07]

Originally Posted by loley

I know I am very weary for multiple reasons for having a puppy shipped. I have done research, and called around I just don't get a good feeling about some of them. Many of the breeders I have found in my area through ytca want $1500 or $2000. I just think that is too much for a pet. I have crossed off buying from a pet store, even those prices are outrageous. There have been a few places I called that were charging around my price range, however for some reason I just didn't get a great feeling about it. This is a difficult process, and just want a happy & healthy pup!

And to Bentley-you purchased a puppy from there before as well? How much total did the puppy cost with shipping?

When I consider that the latest and greatest laptop, flat screen tv, or even a nice piece of jewelry could easily cost $1,500, it doesn't seem like that much money for a puppy that you will likely have for fifteen years, way longer than a computer or tv, possibly even a car, yet will love so much more, trust me. There isn't a thing in my house that means more to me than my pets.

I feel that if you are going to purchase a puppy, versus adopting, it really is best to know where your puppy is coming from. You sound like you are struggling with this now. Personally meeting the breeder and seeing the home where your puppy comes from does make a difference. Heck, I consider the breeder where I got my second IG a very good friend, someone I've stayed in contact with and someone who has given me invaluable advice when I first had IGs. She is also the person I will go to for another puppy, my next puppy. I had to fly to Birmingham, AL from FL get Opal fourteen years ago, as Karen DOES NOT ship her puppies.

Have you considered looking a little farther away for a puppy, but still within a day's drive? You might find the cost of the drive and even a hotel stay for a night on one or two weekends isn't more than it would be to ship a dog. I really think you would feel better and more comfortable meeting the breeder and seeing where your puppy came from.

I really think many of the people selling puppies over the internet are savvy enough to sound pretty good on the phone or in emails. They are sales people in addition to breeders, IMO.

Good luck, whatever you decide. I hope you find a healthy puppy to love.

[princessizzy]

I was just going to say the same thing Great advice!!

Originally Posted by FlDebra

I cannot imagine a breeder agreeing to ship a puppy to CT in the winter! That could be very dangerous with the cold cargo bay. Yorkies are fragile, and some may arrive healthy, but so many others that are shipped wind up posting here about the horrible condition they come in. Sick with infections, ear mites, yeast, giardia, kennel cough, you name it.... not to mention the trauma of being thrown in a cargo bay and shipped for who knows how long. My last flight was a horrible experience, late to leave, long delays on the runway, missed the connection,and had to wait hours for the next available flight. Some had to wait overnight! Those are the chances you take with these little ones. Hopefully it would only be straight through flights but still....too much for a tiny puppy. Some of these breeders ship them as young as 8 weeks old! Poor things! I have red many posts here where the pup that arrives does not look like the pup they thought they were buying from pictures online too. Puppies do change a lot, especially with a haircut, but I have seen some of the before and after pics that I do not believe are the same pup. Another chance you take.

I would never buy a puppy without being able to see where it was raised, see the dam and sire to check for standard, get briefed on the history for both sides and other litters, see what testing was done prior to breeding, watch the breeder interact with puppies and adult dogs, and generaly get a feel for the breeder and her business.

When I bred, I was asked to ship, but said I was sorry, I just could not do that, not even in Florida in the warm months. Just too many things to go wrong. Besides I wanted to meet the prospective owner and see her interact with the puppy. I loved every one of them and it hurt to let them go at all. I sure wasn't going to put them on some plane like an old suitcase and let whatever will be will be.

If you are firm on this breeder, then I would get a plane ticket for yourself and pay the extra for your little one to ride one way back with you INSIDE the plane. You will get to see the breeder, the parent dogs, and the facilities. But I would do a LOT of research before I did that. Surely there is a good, reputable breeder in CT.

[LDMomma]

I'm very leary of shipping.

I've driven to get both of my far away girls. My Westie, Roxy, came from Illinois and Daisy, Chi, came from Kentucky. We live in Florida for perspective.

Could you fly there, get the dog, and fly home with it? That way it would be in the cabin. When we got Roxy, flying Southwest or Airtran, was the same price as the puppy shipping. We ultimately decided to make the drive so we could all go (me, hubby, and the two pups).

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by princessizzy

I was just going to say the same thing Great advice!!

You're absolutely right. Most airlines have strict rules on shipping dogs when the temperature is below a certain point or above a certain point.

That being said, I strongly suggest that a breeder be found closer to the OP home. Get to know the breeder. You buy the breeder first, then the puppy.

I would definately want to meet the breeder first.

There are people that work for the airlines and fly puppies in cabin......These people are well versed on the care of a new puppy.