Any Problems?

ORIGINAL: jeano
Do you have the time and energy it takes to own a husky? They need SERIOUS exercising, and they nearly always run away given half a chance, and are also escape artists. Sofia is half husky. I feel guilty all the time that I don't exercise her enough!

 
Yeah, I'm not sure yet. I had a big long discussion about it somewhere in the middle of my first topic, "Canidae Forum". I made that topic to introduce my new forum but it turned out to split off into a dozen different topics. One was about how much time I have and how athletic I am. You can read about it in there [].

To be honest, it rings my alarm bells, and I will explain why - but would first like to say that while I will try to be as clear as possible I am sorry if anything I say causes offense - it is not meant to.
 
1) Any reputable breeder will want to know things about your living situation, family circumstances, etc etc, and I see nothing to that effect in the emails to you.  With the puppy I just bought, my breeder asked me questions for over an hour about what Ben's living situation would be like - and my physical, emotional and financial ability to care for him.
 
2) Western Union money transfers are untraceable.  If you pay but do not get the puppy as promised, you have no way of getting anything back.
 
3)  I understand your financial situation, but no good breeder would let a puppy go without being certain that you are financially able to look after this dog.  You may have the money to buy the dog itself, but food, vaccinations, emergency vets bills, unforeseen circumstances, toys, obedience classes - they all add up.  Pet insurance, if you get it (I assume it is common in the US?) will only cover emergency treatment and even then you will have to pay part of the bills.  If $300 is all the money you have in the world, a breeder would not feel confident that you can care for the dog.  This person knows the situation and is happy to send you the dog anyway (or so they claim).
 
4) The language "let me know of the sex of the type of dog that you want" worries me.  This, to me, means even if they are going to send you the puppy and not rip you off, they have access to many different breeds, which only means one thing - a puppy mill.
 
5)  Honestly, a reputable breeder, IMHO, would not so readily bargain with you.  This person seemed only too happy to drop the price by $100.  To me either this means that they think scamming you for $400 is better than nothing, or they are selling so many puppies that $100 doesn't matter - not a good situation whichever way you look at it.
 
I know how much you want this dog but I would run from this "breeder" as fast as you can in the other direction.
 
Kate
 

very good points. . . I'll have to get more information from this guy.
 
And about the finiancially supporting the dog, no I cannot. But my parents would until I am able too.
But good point that s/he does not sound at all concerned for the dog.
 
. . .

By all means ask more questions, but I am sure that this person will simply tell you what you want to hear.
 
Try asking if you can pay by cheque, or directly into his/her bank account.  If they say no that is pretty much proof that it is a scam.
 
Kate

Oh, I smell a big rotten nasty skunk!
 
Kate said it all very well.  AVOID this guy.

I'll try asking him that as a test. Bluff!? I dunno. . . Maybe I shouldn't even post this reply 'cause he may see it and call the bluff. I'll learn on how to do bank account transfers, I'll do some research.

What is cool-pets inc?  >O.o<  This sounds very fishy.
 
You could rescue a husky from the pound for around $100.

yeah, i've been checking the local pound. They don't have huskies and the occasional time that they do, they'll be out of there real fast. Huskies are kinda favored around here and are somewhat rare so to find one in the pound, they'll be adopted out pretty fast.

I think you really want a dog, and you want a husky because it looks cool and is closer to a "wild" animal.....BUT I bet you my bottom dollar if you went to the pound and looked at the dogs you'd find one that really tugged at your heart. And it probably wouldn't be a husky, either.

You have your mom talked into a dog already. Why do you and she go to the pound and look at the dogs? What do you have to lose?

And checkhttp://www.petfinder.com ! You may very well find a dog you like not so far away, too!

Above all, do NOT send that "breeder" any money. I'm beginning to think that

a) that person may not even be a breeder at all
b) may not even be in the US (due to the weird English)

I'm pretty sure it's a scam.

Sometimes the best things are found close to home right under your nose! You'd be surprised what you'll find. []

Can I just ask - is it really important to you that you have a puppy, as opposed to an adult dog?  It's not a criticism if the puppy is important - I have owned dogs before but had never had the opportunity to raise a dog from puppyhood, so at this point in my life the puppy was important to me.  I know without a doubt that any future dogs I get as companions for Ben will be rehomed from a shelter, largely because the breed I would like next is very often abandoned due to size and certain health issues.  However, if it is really not an issue for you, an adult dog might possibly be better for your situation depending on the amount of training and socialisation that dog has received.
 
Kate

I'd like a puppy, one that's at most one year old. But, right now i don't care. I would accept a dog that's five, or younger.

ORIGINAL: jeano

I think you really want a dog, and you want a husky because it looks cool and is closer to a "wild" animal.....BUT I bet you my bottom dollar if you went to the pound and looked at the dogs you'd find one that really tugged at your heart. And it probably wouldn't be a husky, either.

You have your mom talked into a dog already. Why do you and she go to the pound and look at the dogs? What do you have to lose?

And check [linkhttp://www.petfinder.com]http://www.petfinder.com[/link] ! You may very well find a dog you like not so far away, too!

Above all, do NOT send that "breeder" any money. I'm beginning to think that

a) that person may not even be a breeder at all
b) may not even be in the US (due to the weird English)

I'm pretty sure it's a scam.

Sometimes the best things are found close to home right under your nose! You'd be surprised what you'll find. []

 
Many, many members here say I should get a different type of breed. But please note that I have my mind dead set on a husky.
 
My mom wants a yorkie, (personally, I don't like them,) and they are ranged in the thousands of dollars. Though she knows that I want a husky and am going as far as saving up all my money for a couple years to get one.
 
I checked pet finder and as I said before, huskies are pretty rare around here. I did not find any that are within a reasonable distance, though I'll still be checking petfinder.com and the local paper classifieds. Actually last october there were some ads for purebreds for $250. No lucky break since then. I didn't have enough money then so I couldn't get them, regrettably.
 
I agree, I don't think I'll be sending this person any money. Too many unknowns and uncertanties. I'll pull out.
 
My search continues.

WhiteFox, I apologize...I am coming in really late on this one and I haven't read all of your previous posts.  I have several questions and ideas however.  First, where are you located?  Also, how old are you?  I ask because I have seen rescue dogs transported by lots of people from one place to another.  There are so many people on here that might be willing to do a short leg of a trip to get a puppy/dog to you (you would do part too) if there were a rescue near your area that could check out your home for a rescue 400 miles away, you might find a pet somewhere you NEVER expected.

ORIGINAL: Eskiemom

WhiteFox, I apologize...I am coming in really late on this one and I haven't read all of your previous posts.  I have several questions and ideas however.  First, where are you located?  Also, how old are you?  I ask because I have seen rescue dogs transported by lots of people from one place to another.  There are so many people on here that might be willing to do a short leg of a trip to get a puppy/dog to you (you would do part too) if there were a rescue near your area that could check out your home for a rescue 400 miles away, you might find a pet somewhere you NEVER expected.

 
I'm located in Boise, Idaho. USA. I'll be 16 in July.
(Also if you have any other questions about me, check out this thread [linkhttp://forum.dog.com/asp/tm.asp?m=52964]http://forum.dog.com/asp/tm.asp?m=52964[/link]. Just skip like a page and a half, then I'll be answering a lot of questions about myself. But I wouldn't recomend that you go and read this topic unless you have a lot of time. [] There's a lot of replies and over half of them are rather lenghthy. [])
 
And, I don't think I could voluteer for a dog rescue program until I'm at least 18. But I do browse the internet a lot and any more links that could possible help me finally find a siberean husky would be great.
 
Thanks

Actually I was thinking you and your family could adopt from a rescue.  If, say, you found a dog near where I lived (on petfinder for example) then a rescue group near your home could do a home visit and tell the rescue near my home "this would be a great place for your dog."  Then I could drive 100 miles to meet someone who was driving 100 miles and so on and so forth until the dog was within your range of being able to pick him up to adopt.  Am I making sense?