MastiffMillie
Well-Known Member
I am wondering where others got their mastiffs from?
Our late DDB came from a reputable breeder. Her parents had all relevant health checks and she was KC registered. She had to be PTS age 5 after 4 agonising months of heart failure (DCM) and a bill (covered by insurance) of £8000.
I was desperate to fill the gap and hated the empty house so we got Millie quickly (3 months after). I was unsure about having another DDB as our last was such a wonderful dog that I was afraid I'd constantly draw comparisons (I was devastated).
Also at the the time a friend of a friend had a dog from a reputable breeder that was diagnosed with cancer at 18 months.
I also spoke to another DDB breeder who had carefully selected and picked a male pup from a litter at another kennel as her next sire, who then failed his health checks so she Couldn't breed him.
I guess I kinda lost faith in the breeder route. So I looked at rescue. But I work and even though I pay a dog sitter/walker every day that's I'm away to visit midday, I was refused by every rescue centre in my area. Along with the fact that I have 2 boys under 10.
So I got Millie through a private ad. The family were nice and their dogs well cared for. They had mated their 2 family pets (DDB and Bullmastiff). We saw them both; they were friendly. Millie was clean, bright and well looked after.
Another forum have been very hostile about Millie coming from a 'backyard breeder' and I hadn't really thought about it like that until then. Things they said plus reading up on 'backyard breeders' online has made me feel awful. And naive. I am not a bad person and consider myself pretty sensible.
Millie is well; I have no reason to worry as yet. She is friendly and i am used to a big dog as are my kids. I won't be one of the many that take dogs to rescue. But this other forum has made me feel pretty bad.
Has anyone else had a pup through a private sale?
Our late DDB came from a reputable breeder. Her parents had all relevant health checks and she was KC registered. She had to be PTS age 5 after 4 agonising months of heart failure (DCM) and a bill (covered by insurance) of £8000.
I was desperate to fill the gap and hated the empty house so we got Millie quickly (3 months after). I was unsure about having another DDB as our last was such a wonderful dog that I was afraid I'd constantly draw comparisons (I was devastated).
Also at the the time a friend of a friend had a dog from a reputable breeder that was diagnosed with cancer at 18 months.
I also spoke to another DDB breeder who had carefully selected and picked a male pup from a litter at another kennel as her next sire, who then failed his health checks so she Couldn't breed him.
I guess I kinda lost faith in the breeder route. So I looked at rescue. But I work and even though I pay a dog sitter/walker every day that's I'm away to visit midday, I was refused by every rescue centre in my area. Along with the fact that I have 2 boys under 10.
So I got Millie through a private ad. The family were nice and their dogs well cared for. They had mated their 2 family pets (DDB and Bullmastiff). We saw them both; they were friendly. Millie was clean, bright and well looked after.
Another forum have been very hostile about Millie coming from a 'backyard breeder' and I hadn't really thought about it like that until then. Things they said plus reading up on 'backyard breeders' online has made me feel awful. And naive. I am not a bad person and consider myself pretty sensible.
Millie is well; I have no reason to worry as yet. She is friendly and i am used to a big dog as are my kids. I won't be one of the many that take dogs to rescue. But this other forum has made me feel pretty bad.
Has anyone else had a pup through a private sale?