Buying a pup online

If the person's name is Wallace H. run the other direction -- that person is a well known (1,000 dog) puppy mill who specializes in "designer breeds" for big prices.
Dogs are all raised in kennels -- 4 to 5 bitches with one stud dog all living together, minimal human contact.  (recent story in NY Times about him)  He has been sanctioned by AKC for improper record keeping and poor living conditions as well as had a pet store shut down by the local humane society due to unsanitary conditions and selling puppies who came down with parvo and died.  He will sound great on the phone but of course you wouldn't be allowed to visit his business anyways so that is why he ships.
 
Why don't you rescue a dog if you want a mixed breed? Rescues will take in the dogs, socialize them and get them up to date on vet care.  You are more likely to know what you are getting that way.  There are hundreds of cockapoos including puppies listed on petfinder:
[linkhttp://search.petfinder.com/search/search.cgi]http://search.petfinder.com/search/search.cgi[/link] 
They are from all over the country, alot in New Jersey.

Have you got a name for the person? Kennel name? website? That's generally a lot of help when making a call on reputable....etc. Someone here might've heard of them or know someone who knows them..but couldn't tell you without a name.

I wouldn't just have him ship a pup to you.  Since you haven't seen where the pup has been raised, how the parents act, how the pup acts, etc. you have absolutely no clue on what you are getting yourself into.  The  breeder can say all of the right answers to make you think that he's reputable, but that doesn't mean that he is.
Ask him about the health testing he's doing.  If it's something like with the OFA- ask for the dogs' numbers (I think that's what they are called) so that you can look the dog up on your own to see the real results.  Only get a pup from someone if they have done the necessary health testing for the breed.  Typically, breeders do OFA- hips, elbows, thyroid, and CERF (Canine Eye Registry Foundation) plus whatever other problems that the breed tends to have.
Do his dogs have titles?  Seeing as this is a mixed breed, does he have a written standard (approved by a club for the mix- I'm pretty sure that they would have one for Cockapoos seeing as they've been around since the fifties) that he tries to get his dogs to resemble closely?  Does he have performance titles on any of his dogs?  If so, look the dogs up on whatever club that he shows under.  It should show the owner's name so that you can make sure that the dog is his.
See if you can get references from him.  Call his vet and other people who have bought pups from him.
 
But of course, I'm going to agree with Bylabs2 and say to check out your local shelters.  There are tons of dogs there that have a limited amount of time.  Many of which, may be Cockapoos, seeing as designer dogs have gotten a lot more popular within the last year or so.

I dont know much, but if he is in Milwaukee let me know.  I can do some checking out if you give me specific things to look for and ask

Bylab2 refers to the following kennel as described in the NYTimes article dated 02/04/07..
 
"The dim, 4,300-square-foot building housed about 400 dogs, most of them puppies, in 120 elevated cages. It is one of three whelping houses at the Puppy Haven Kennel, the 1,600-dog compound that Havens has built up over the last 30 years in the outlands north of Madison, Wis."
 
The entire link: [linkartner=rssyahoo&emc=rss]http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/magazine/04dogs.t.html?ex=1328245200&en=87919ac4d39dabf1&ei=5089&artner=rssyahoo&emc=rss[/link]>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/magazine/04dogs.t.html?ex=1328245200&en=87919ac4d39dabf1&ei=5089&artner=rssyahoo&emc=rss]http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/magazine/04dogs.t.html?ex=1328245200&en=87919ac4d39dabf1&ei=5089&artner=rssyahoo&emc=rss[/link]
 
It certainly sounds like an ugly place indeed.
 
In response to the original query...Brandy...
I would wholeheartedly encourage you to further search for prospective puppies where you are able to meet both sire and dam.  If you are adamant that this mixed breed is the one for you, please avoid all the pitfalls of reaching out into cyberspace as a means to getting the right pup for you.  As many will attest, breeders that are "local" remain the mentors and benefactors as you take a pup home with you.  It should be a mutually beneficial relationship between you and them.  Buying a pup online negates any advantages of these facts.  I strongly discourage you.
 
I am very sure others will speak to health testing, the reputation of breeders, and perhaps other means of choosing the right pup for you.  Please keep an open mind to all suggestions. You are in the right place for learning about how to buy your pup.  Maybe try petfinder...Perhaps your perfect pup is waiting for you there!!
 
Good Luck....

ORIGINAL: rwbeagles

Have you got a name for the person? Kennel name? website? That's generally a lot of help when making a call on reputable....etc.

But, really are there ANY reputable "Cockapoo" breeders? []

I think that depends on whether they breed Cockerpoos to Cockerpoos and try to breed them true with every effort and coin going into raising the standard of the line and seeing to the dogs' welfare throughout their life..... or whether they get a cocker and a poodle and breed them to make a quick buck. [:'(]
 
Looking for a puppy on the internet is OK IMO, but you still need to TRAVEL to visit the pup in his home environment, meet his dam and siblings and as many of his relatives as possible.... if there are no other relatives "on site" at least see photos, certs and video footage of the sire and other relatives if possible.... BEFORE you make a decision to buy.... and then travel again to collect if you do decided to purchase from that breeder.  It's a lot of effort, means internet buying isn't really any easier than other kinds.... but better to WAIT and TRAVEL for a puppy (IMO) than go to a local breeder who is completely unethical.  Your call.

ORIGINAL: Chuffy

I think that depends on whether they breed Cockerpoos to Cockerpoos and try to breed them true with every effort and coin going into raising the standard of the line and seeing to the dogs' welfare throughout their life..... or whether they get a cocker and a poodle and breed them to make a quick buck. [:'(]

Looking for a puppy on the internet is OK IMO, but you still need to TRAVEL to visit the pup in his home environment, meet his dam and siblings and as many of his relatives as possible.... if there are no other relatives "on site" at least see photos, certs and video footage of the sire and other relatives if possible.... BEFORE you make a decision to buy.... and then travel again to collect if you do decided to purchase from that breeder.  It's a lot of effort, means internet buying isn't really any easier than other kinds.... but better to WAIT and TRAVEL for a puppy (IMO) than go to a local breeder who is completely unethical.  Your call.

 
That defeats the purpose of hybrid vigour..breeding cockerpoo to cockerpoo is narrowing the genepool and will bring along the risks of hereditary problems although health testing obviously diminishes these risks but unless one has been breeding cockerpoos for a while and knows that they will be breeding "true" then simply breeding a first generation cockerpoo to another first generation cockerpoo will mean a mixed baggage as the pups will look very different to one another, one is more likely going to look very much like a cocker spaniel and yet its littermate will look very much like a poodle. 
 

There is no such thing as hybrid vigor.  When you mix any two breeds you are going to bring along the genetic weakness of the mom and the pop and combine those in the pup.  So instead of eliminating those weaknesses, you are compounding them.
 
Zorretta, could you please refrain from the larger type and funky colors?  The colors make your post difficult to read and the larger size isn't needed.

Sorry Glenmar, I thought I was making it easier for people, didn't think I was blinding people instead.[&o]
 
I disagree with you in that crossbreeding often involves dogs that don't share the same genetic weaknesses so hence you are not compounding the problem at all, in fact you are eradicating the chance that the progeny will end up with genetic faults.  Having said this, some breeds do share the same hereditary faults and hence that is why I am adamant that any dog used for breeding is to be health checked. 
 
That seems like a contradiction in terms, Glenmar....if as you say, crossbreeding brings along both the weaknesses of the mom and the dad then it goes without saying that breeding purebred dogs should be a
complete disaster as you are concentrating the genes even more so.  There's a good reason why brother and sister and/or 1st cousins (humans, that is) are discouraged from getting married due to the risk of birth defects (besides the fact that it is incestuous) and the same should apply to the dog world but how many times do show breeders inbreed or linebreed as they strive for a particular look that is sure to win them ribbons, lol. 

 

But, really are there ANY reputable "Cockapoo" breeders? []

I was thinking the same thing.

I guess I would say to that that complete genetic testing is needed prior to ANY breeding.
 
I just edited since I realized I was off topic.  Zorretta, NOW your type is itty bitty!
 
I am not sure that I would be comfortable at all getting a pup online.  While I placed three fosters with folks who I had "met" online, I had "talked" to these folks for a couple years on the forum and in email and KNEW what kind of parents they were....that's my perspective as someone who was placing pups.  And I can promise none of those pups would have gone anywhere if they'd needed to be shipped.
 
When I'm actually acquiring a pup, I want to see the environment they were raised in, I want to see the momma and poppa and I want to be able to talk face to face with the breeder and get a gut feeling for what kind of people they are.  It's easier to lie to me on the phone or online than it is face to face.
 
The issue of you looking for a mixed breed is totally beside the point to me.  The issue to ME is the online part and taking an animal sight unseen.  One of our members got a purebred in this way, but she'd spent a long time investigating the breeder.  And, the adoption just didn't work out...the pup didn't fit with the existing dog, and had kind of a quirky personality as I recall......I don't know what happened to the pup, but she doesn't mention him anymore and I'm guessing he went back to the breeder.  That was a hard, and expensive, lesson for her to learn.  And, had she SEEN the pup herself, I'm thinking she would have known right off that he was not gonna fit in.
 
And, to the person I'm thinking of, please know that this isn't an attack....I'm just using your experience to make a point.
 

ORIGINAL: Luvntzus

ORIGINAL: rwbeagles

Have you got a name for the person? Kennel name? website? That's generally a lot of help when making a call on reputable....etc.

But, really are there ANY reputable "Cockapoo" breeders? []

This is the second time TODAY that you have posted EXACTLY what I was going to post.
We're talking about a designer breed here. To the OP, I know most people looking to buy a specific type of pup, want a puppy from a reputable breeder. But when you're talking about a mixed breed dog that you could probably spend a thousand or more on, I'd consider doing a petfinder search. Often you can locate the breed you want there. If any puppy mills have been busted lately, you probably have an even better chance of finding a cockapoo pup. And you WILL NOT spend an 1/8th on adopting a pup that you would buying a mixed breed from a breeder. Trust me.
Maybe what I said sounds harsh, but if you get a mixed breed dog from a breeder, you're probably not going to get ANY better a guarantee on the pup's health than you would if you adopted. That's the truth.

My own experience began online.  If you look in the "how did you choose your breed" thread, you'll see how my search began.
 
That being said, I met the entire litter and the dam when the pup was 6 weeks old.  I spend 5 or 6 hours just hanging out with the breeder and talking to her, playing with the pup and interacting with all of her dogs.  At this point I knew that the dog was right for me. 
 
I forgot to mention that I had to drive 6 hours one way to meet her at a dog show and to pick up the pup I had to drive 8 1/2 hours one way to meet her in GA-she also drove 6 or 7 hours to meet me there.  I would never have done this, and she never would have done this, had everything not "felt" right.  Neither of us wanted a young pup to fly.
 
Now I'm good friends with the breeder and she's introduced me to others that are into sighthounds as well.  So she's served as a mentor as well as a breeder of dogs. 
 
I think it's important for anyone that purchases online or investigates online to meet the person that is breeding the animals, possibly meet some of their associates, meet the dogs, ask for references of prior clients and their veterinarian.