Should I get this puppy? Really torn.

[daydreaming]

Okay so bear with me. This is kind of a nutty story. Aslo hi, new here!

I'm part of a few FB groups that are generally used for things like accidental liters. Lots of mutt puppies. Kind of like the olden days of standing in a parking lot with a box.

I have been searching for a puppy since I lost my dog to cancer, and it's been super lonely around here. I haven't been looking at anything in particular, mostly wishing to adopt one in need. There was a lady that had a lab puppy I asked about, but she told me someone else was coming to get her. I'm going to call her B.

A few hours later I contacted a lady that had some puppies (I'm going to call her M), but she only had boys left (I'm looking for a girl). They were just really mixed puppies, the parents were several breeds each.
In one of the photos, I had saw a chocolate puppy and asked about it. M told me that one was gone, but she had saw the lady (her friend, B) was now trying to rehome the puppy because of her baby. So, it turns out it was that same lady I had asked earlier.

I told M oh, so she is a puppy flipper? She told me no not at all. She is just a really young inexperienced woman with a newborn.

Here is the story that this women (M) knew about the history of the puppy. The woman that currently has her (B) originally bought her from someone that was "selling purebred labradors" for $150 (Unlikely!), and he was selling them early (4 weeks) because the mom got hit by a car. B bought the puppy at this time and her friend, M, begged her to give her the puppy and let her mama dog foster it. Which she did. The puppy settled right into that liter and she had lots of videos/photos of her that she let me see.

B took the puppy back at 7 weeks.
Now, a week later she is trying to get rid of it, because she has a newborn and completely underestimated it. This poor puppy just keeps getting passed around. She was originally spoken for, but that person never showed up. So I was contacted because I had asked about her.


My only concern, really, it was originally a BYB with very unhealthy parents. If she is a purebred pup I could be setting myself up for heart breaking eyes/hips/kidney problems.
I also wonder if she is even purebred? If she's not thats fine too. I feel she looks a bit small, especially her ears. I'm going to put down a few photos, likely she is 6-7 weeks in these.
The photo, with the puppies in the background are from the lady that was fostering her with that liter. So, she was 4-5 there. The others I believe are once she went to B.

[shellbell]

I personally would not. If you are wanting a puppy sooner rather than later, I'd just start looking at local shelters, around here there are always plenty of puppies available. If you are definitely wanting a lab, I'd either contact a lab rescue or start researching breeders. With the understanding that you likely would need to wait if you decide to go the reputable breeder route. Nothing wrong with not wanting to wait, but I would not go this current route, I'd rather get a puppy that is in rescue or at a shelter and has likely been kept with his littermates for at least eight weeks as well as having some sort of vetting already done.

[daydreaming]

I'm admittedly getting real frustrated looking for a puppy. It's not a choice we are making lightly, and have been looking for about a month. I have been to several petco/smart adoption events, and they've only brought in older dogs. I have called many shelters within 5 hour drives of me, and believe it or not, barely ANY have puppies. It seems they almost immediately ship them off to California.

There is a rescue, about an hour away, that has a few puppies. They refuse to adopt one to me just because I don't have a fence. I had absolutely excellent references from my vet, and they know I went above-and-beyond to try to save my dog from cancer. My vet was really surprised they denied me. They knew I worked from home (10+ year stable job) and would never leave the dog alone for many hours a day. It didn't matter, because I didn't have a fence.

[Labradorks]

I personally would not because I typically am looking for specific traits and am not willing to put myself in a situation with the vet bills and heartbreak (things happen, but I try to limit it). If I adopted a dog, it would be an adult dog that has been in foster care so I have an idea of what I am getting into. But, that is just me...If you are looking for a pet and understand the challenges and have the time and resources (training, training and more training, even the kind you pay for, as well as the money to pay for it and vet bills, which frankly could come with any puppy) and the high issue of potential behavioral problems don't bother you, I would say go for it.

[arentspowell]

The reason I would say no has nothing to do with the puppy and everything to do with the place it's coming from. If these people are bybs or puppy flippers, then saving one just makes room for another. It's the same reason why I would not buy from a pet store. I'll wait till the same puppy gets to the shelter.

Best of luck as you continue your search for the right puppy. She's out there and I bet she'll be worth the wait

[Sam I Am]

I would not for the same reason arentspowell stated. When people get a byb and/or flipped puppy, they are inadvertently supporting byb. Do you have a local animal shelter? The one here always has puppies (though mostly pit mixes).

[Tanya]

I would not take that puppy (nor would I look at such a page to buy a puppy). Beyond the above I would GREATLY worry about health and temperament issues that could pop up.

does it have to be a puppy? Have you looked at reputable breeders? Or rescues?

[daydreaming]

I would not take that puppy (nor would I look at such a page to buy a puppy). Beyond the above I would GREATLY worry about health and temperament issues that could pop up.

does it have to be a puppy? Have you looked at reputable breeders? Or rescues?

Yes, it has to be a puppy.

The page I talk about rarely has dogs for sale. Like I said, it is mostly accidental breedings, and they are rehomed for free/a small rehoming fee. There are a ton of kill shelters in my area and people don't want to take the dogs there.
Looked at hundreds of rescues and shelters over the past month. See post above.

[Meeps83]

I personally would not do it for the reasons stated above. However, I know that there is sometimes that tingly feeling telling you it's right. If you meet her and fall in love with her, even though she has a questionable place of origin and comes from a puppy flipper, she may be just right from you.

[Labradorks]

I guess I didn't understand the entire story. If someone is going to benefit from this financially, then I'd walk away for sure.

It's a gamble. Get insurance immediately unless you've got lots of cash sitting around. And I'd personally never a adopt a puppy from questionably tempermented parents if it was ever going to live with kids. What are your goals here, other than to have a new pet dog to love? Since you require a puppy, one might assume you don't want to pay for a well-bred pup from a reputable breeder. Is it financial? Your reasons are yours alone and nothing wrong with them, but if it's financial, consider the cost of hip dysplasia surgery on top of TPLO surgery and potential elbow surgery not to mention some of the long-term issues with BYB dogs like really bad skin issues that require meds and special foods for life. Not that a well-bred dog cannot have these issues, but it's less likely. And look at the temperament of dog that you prefer. Are you looking for a dog that gets along with other dogs? I did Lab rescue for years and pups from backgrounds like this usually did not have the typical Lab temperament. There were more than I care to remember that came with issues and had to be euthanized (biting, screws loose to the point where they would randomly attack their owners, etc.). We did not euthanize dogs for dog aggression (unless it killed another dog) but plenty of the dogs from iffy backgrounds could never be around other dogs or small animals (like cats).

It does sound like your mind is made up. Best of luck with whatever you decide!