Scams

Please don’t fall for scams. There are a lot of internet scams going right now. The following are some signs of
potential scams and some tips for avoiding them.

1) Make sure you talk to the sales person on the phone not just by email. Get a feel for the type of
person they are and ask lots of questions. The person selling the dog should provide you with references. (We
don’t give out our customers emails but we have references listed on our references page.)

2) Scammers steal pictures and info from legitimate kennels and try to pass them off as their puppies. The
person selling you a puppy should be able to provide many different shots of the same puppy. Study the
background of the pictures. If one shot looks like it is out side and the other shot looks like it is in a different area,
chances are it is not the same puppy. Look closely at the details. Taking a puppy’s picture is a lot of work. I
usually make a day of it. Every one gets their bath and then their picture so there is not a lot of changing
scenery. Don't be in a hurry. Watch the web site for the puppies for sale and then see if you see the sold pics of
puppies on the web site!!

3) Never, Never!! Pay by Western Union or money Gram or a service like that. Many
scammers tell the buyer they have to have the money right away so they can ship the puppy
and encourage you to send money this way. You do not have a way to get your money back if
they do not ship your puppy.

4) Pay with Pay Pal or a similar method. It costs 3% but it can save you hundreds in the long run. If you
don’t have a Pay Pal account you can easily sign up for one and pay with your credit card the same day. If
you want to pay with a debit card it will take longer but it’s worth the wait.

5) You should be able to put a deposit on your puppy. It is not uncommon for this deposit to be
nonrefundable. The seller treats that puppy as sold and no longer advertises it for sale and will miss potential
sales of the puppy. It is harder to sell older puppies so this is why the deposit has to be nonrefundable.

6) A person who sells puppies can make shipping arrangements the day your puppy is paid for. They
should provide the name of the airline. The flight numbers, where your puppy is leaving and where he is
arriving. You should also be provided a conformation number so that you can call the airlines and confirm
the flight and get info on where to pick up your puppy.

7) It is not uncommon for Kennels to have a broker to sell their puppies for them. A
broker is some one in touch with a kennel or many kennels and sells the puppies from that
kennel or many kennels. Running a kennel is very time consuming (if ran right) and not
everyone know how to use a computer. Can I buy from a broker and not be scammed? Yes,
Make sure you fallow the instructions above and that you can talk to the kennel owner if anything
seems amiss. I sell puppies for Sandale Kennels, I am not considered a broker because I am a
part of the kennel I just do the computer and phone work (the easy part).

8) Always buy from a high quality kennel. Look at their kennel pictures. Are they clean?
Do the animals look healthy? Are they AKC? AKC has standards and the check your kennel if
you are registered as a kennel.

9) Always buy from a kennel. High quality kennels do not inbreed. They are selective about
their breeding program. They have quality adults that your puppies come from. They have health
guarantees. They have knowledge about the breed they raise and can answer your questions.
They know the health concerns of that breed. The animals are given proper shots and
wormings. When buying from an individual you do not alwaysgive these assurances.