Lockdown Puppies: When Is A Cocker Spaniel Not A Cocker Spaniel?

A client went to buy a Cocker Spaniel. He came back with a puppy, Coco, that had Cocker Spaniel papers. When he told me the puppy was liver and white, I told him it couldn’t be a Cocker and sounded more like a Springer. Sure enough, the DNA test has revealed the dog is 75% Cocker, 12.5% Springer and 12.5% Cavapoo. They also now believe the dog was initially stolen and then sold on them. This is just one of many stories I am hearing about lockdown puppies.

Don’t Fall For A Puppy Scam

There are so many scams with puppies at the moment. I have another client who was preparing to pay £5000 for two dogs. You have to ask yourself – who is selling you these dogs? They hadn’t even see the pedigree.

Normally I get three to five enquiries about puppy purchases a month. I am now getting them daily. My advice is: just wait. Unscrupulous people are trading on the demand for lockdown puppies. If they are asking crazy money, if you can’t trace the breeder, if you are chasing all over to find a puppy, it’s not worth it. Consider your lifestyle, when you get back to work and the kids are back at school. Don’t get a puppy for the sake of some quick entertainment. A dog is for life, not just for lockdown.

Posted: June 29, 2020