I've had experiences. Both from getting and from finding a pup a home. The experiences I had weren't bad. They were generally healthy pups. I can't say they will all be that way, because I do know sometimes It can happen were the dogs are sick, or they lie about something. My mom adopted a pup from there last year, he was a border collie/boxer mix. Suppose to be 5 months old. She took him to the vet for a general check up and turned out he was over a year old.
You are taking a chance getting one off there, But you can go and check the pup out before even agreeing to take him/her home. Check teeth, gums, ears and feel all over the body. While checking him over all look around the room, see if its a clean home. If there are other dogs there, and are in there as well, you can tell by just body language if they happy. Generally if all is good, then it should be just fine to take the pup Hope that gives some idea.

 

For the price some BYBs and puppy mills charge it's not far off paying for a well bred dog. The little extra would be worth it. Honestly I could never knowingly get A puppy knowing its fueling the byb and puppy mill trade.

 

Thank you, idk why but when it comes to introducing another dog, to the one we have now I'm trying to take precautions my Fiancée says clearly I don't want another but I do, I just want it to be a dog that is around for a while and not just a yr or 2, but thanks that helped out, and now I have a better grasp for what to look for and what do to

 

Thank you, idk why but when it comes to introducing another dog, to the one we have now I'm trying to take precautions my Fiancée says clearly I don't want another but I do, I just want it to be a dog that is around for a while and not just a yr or 2, but thanks that helped out, and now I have a better grasp for what to look for and what do to

Whoa, wait up here. Regarding what I put in bold... are you saying that she does NOT want another dog at all? I really really think everyone in the house needs to be on-board for getting a second dog. A puppy of any breed is a lot of work, high energy breeds means more work. What happens if you get deployed and she's stuck with both dogs? Would she be able and willing to take on that responsibility or would she be one of those people listing dogs on craigslist because "hubby's deployed and I can't handle two dogs" ?

Or are you saying that she thinks YOU don't actually want another dog? In which case, why would she say that? What are the red flags she's seeing for a potential 2 dog household for you both?

 

For one, I wouldn't be PAYING much of anything for a dog from craigslist. People list dogs on craigslist for a variety of reasons- some are backyard breeders trying to make money and those ads are usually flagged and taken down pretty quickly as they are violations of craigslist terms of use. Others are people that just go in over their heads with a dog, are moving or can't afford the dog anymore, people with actual "oops" litters (in which case I might pay directly to the low-cost vet the cost of the mom's spay in exchange for a puppy but wouldn't pay cash to the owner) and every other situation that might occur.

The dog might be unvaccinated and a puppy does run the risk of having been exposed to and possibly having parvo, distemper and/or other illnesses like parasites. A free dog isn't free- you still have to pay for puppy shots, spay/neuter, and microchipping just as a start. That's one of the big advantages of shelter or rescue puppies; if you are willing to take a chance on the dog's background (as in, the dog is not coming from a reputable breeder with health testing) then a shelter dog comes generally with all those initial cost outlays taken care of so even with the adoption fee, you are usually financially ahead.

I see a lot of dogs being listed because the owner is deploying with the military which is something you need to consider for yourself. A boxer puppy is a ton of energy and playfulness for a long time, they are lifelong puppies in personality. Meaning, a lot of work and time dedication which your fiancee may or may not feel comfortable taking on alone.

One of my friend's helped his mom get a young dog off craigslist. The dog was 7 months old, the owner didn't ask for any payment and said they just didn't have time for her. They took their dog to their vet, made sure vaccines were up to date and the dog's been great.

 

For one, I wouldn't be PAYING much of anything for a dog from craigslist. People list dogs on craigslist for a variety of reasons- some are backyard breeders trying to make money and those ads are usually flagged and taken down pretty quickly as they are violations of craigslist terms of use.

Can you actually get adds taken down? I've looked on Kijiji before (mostly for dogs in the area needing re-homing) and it's sad to see how many people in my area and in Ontario purposefully breed double merles Aussies. :doh:

 

Do NOT pay anything more than a modest rehoming fee. It's valid to charge $50 to make sure you're not providing bait dogs, but anything more, and it's a back yard breeder. Supporting back yard breeders means more puppies being produced in bad circumstances. Most of those puppies will end up in shelters and be killed. Even those that don't, well, BYBs don't breed for health or temperament, so you are taking a big chance there. You're taking much the same chance with shelter puppies*, but at least your money goes to support the rescue of more animals in need.

As for older dogs, have you ever bought a house? I learned pretty quickly that they use some interesting language in describing houses. "Cozy" means you can sit on the toilet and cook at the same time it's so small. "Quaint" means enjoy the rotting wood! The same applies to Craigslist dogs. You'll see all sorts of weasely ways of describing fear issues or human aggression. Those dogs get weeded out when you go through a shelter or rescue, you have to do the weeding yourself through Craigslist.

That said, plenty of people dump perfectly good dogs every day. I've had two so far, and many people on this forum rescue. Just know what you're getting into.



*Note: you are not taking the same chance with adult dogs from a shelter/rescue. Temperament/health issues generally show up by age 2.

 

It's valid to charge $50 to make sure you're not providing bait dogs, but anything more, and it's a back yard breeder.

I don't think there needs to be a strict cutoff like that. It depends on the locality and what the dog comes with. For example, where I live, the humane society, which is not no-kill, charges $170 to adopt a dog. Rescue groups charge $200-$300. I have a friend here who just adopted a year-old retriever from Craigslist and he paid $100. I thought that was a reasonable token fee in our area given the high costs, but also because the dog was neutered and came with crate, toys, and food. The idea is more that the person should not be making a profit selling their dog on CL.

 

I got my Boston Terrier on Craigslist. I paid NO rehoming fee - though I would be willing to pay a tiny bit for an animal that was spayed/neutered/utd on vaccinations, as she was (though not more than 50.00-100.00-certainly not more than they paid for said vetting). She's a fantastic little dog, from a family who did their best but wasn't the best for her. Okay, they did some truly stupid things (who keeps a deaf small dog outside on a farm, running lose?), but they did a home-check, met the entire family, saw how she got along with the current dogs, and have stayed in touch with us. All around really pleasant experience.

That said:
If everyone in your family doesn't want a new dog - bad, bad, bad idea.

 

My Fiancée feels I don't want another because she says I've made some excuses but I'm just thinking of the health of our current Dog before we get a dog from anyone or anywhere. To me since we don't have any children she's our first child, if we are going to get another dog I want it to fit right in, I told her we should get a bigger dog she was there through the training of our smaller dog which wasnt that bad, only thing is she chews everyone's things but mine idk why and think its funny at times lol but we want a Dog that makes my fiancée feel safe for the possibility of when I am deployed and she has to take the full load of both dogs. She's good with our smaller dog and she's used to bigger dogs so I'm thinking it will be fine just have to find the right dog, I agree with the cost thing we have said if we are getting one from CL we are going to help someone who can't afford their dog anymore or can't take care of them properly, we said the most we would pay would be 100 Tops unless its a dog that comes with toys food, leashes and the whole nine yards but even then we will only go to 150, out Shelters here are OK but even they have to Quarantine every other month because they have breakouts of Flees or Diseases so we kind of dont trust them as much. We both want 2 dogs and we both agreed on a Boxer she just thinks I'm making excuses to hold off but I want to get one just as bad as she does, just not willing to take as many risks I suppose

 

I got my yorkie from a Craisglist post a year and a half ago. The young woman rehoming her was a young mom of a toddler child who just got in over her head, spent all her money at a "breeder" and then couldn't afford the time or money to properly care for a puppy. She realized she couldn't afford to take the pup to the groomer or the vet and that her working 16-18 hour days was unfair to a little pup, so she decided to rehome her.
It worked out well for us, we were looking for a yorkie, she had a great personality and got along great with our other dog, fit right into the household. We kept in contact with the original owner for a little while, sent pics to her so she could see that Ziva was doing well.
For us it was a very positive experience. Of course, you have to use your brain. If it sounds fishy, it probably is, or if the dog is being "shipped from Nigeria", you know, thats a scam....don't fall for anything that sounds stupid.
But some people legitimately want or need to rehome their animals, and hate to take them to the shelter for fear they'll get put down or mistreated, so Craigslist is a viable option. Good luck!

 

I got Buster, my Toy Fox Terrier, from CL for $100. The owner was more of a hobby breeder and due to a family emergency needed to place the puppies quickly. We went to their house and got to see both of his parents. The dogs were in good shape and well taken care of so we got him. It is now a year later and he is a healthy, happy little guy who is 1 year old today.

 

Trust me do not get that puppy, especially being a Boxer. They already have so many health problems and I've read horror stories of Boxers off CL. Definitely bad. Where are you located? I can send you a list of good breeders of wanted.

 

I don't know how I missed addressing this - I'm blaming being distracted, but **THIS**.

My Boston did come from Craigslist, and I had a positive experience/don't consider it unethical to have gotten her, but she is a BYB dog, and of a breed with health problems similar to Boxers. She has bad knees, allergies, a heart murmur and is deaf. The dog was free. My vet bills? After 2 months?

I don't wanna talk about it. (I could have paid for 4 reputably bred puppies by now.)

 

My dog didn't come from Craigslist but he was in a newspaper ad. He cost me 150.
I had a feeling just looking at the place that he was a BYB dog but I couldn't leave him after he came running up to me and jumping on me. He was the healthiest and biggest one of the group,(even though he had worms and a hernia) but he's completely fine now.
I haven't really had any problems with him, no health issues which I'm very thankful for.
Just one of the lucky ones.

 

If you're thinking about a Craigslist dog here are some questions to ask the potential adopter...
- Where the dog came from originally
- Health status - ask for vet records or the name of the vet as a reference
- Training - If possible see the dog in its home setting, to give you an idea of manners and the conditions he is coming from. Definitely take the dog for a walk (maybe with the owners) to see how he behaves (look for evidence of fear or aggression or even just leash pulling). Ask about housetraining.
- Have the dog meet yours on neutral territory (not at either of your houses) and see how they get along
- fee - beware anyone asking you to pay lots of money... they usually look at the dog as a commodity and haven't put much time/effort into it. People vary on this but personally I would rather pay a donation to a rescue or pay the vet to help spay the mother than pay an individual. It lets them know you value the dog and lets you know they aren't just in this for money.
- If its a puppy ask to see the parents (ideally in its home). Puppies on CL or Kijiji are frequently from puppy mills or really unethical breeders. Seeing the parents lets you know the conditions they are raised/kept in and gives you an idea on health and temperament.

Based on that information everyone will make a different decision about what dog to bring home but it will at least cut down on the 'unknown' factor. Good luck with the search!

 

OP - people say Craigslist dogs are "sick" because they have often have genetic defects temperment problems, both of which are required for a dog to be considered truly healthy, not because CL dogs necessarily carry contagious diseases (although that is not impossible either).

AIW's advice is good. Definitely see the dog in its home setting - if the seller doesn't want that to happen that is a big red flag.

 

If you are military, you might consider a smaller dog, since you will often be renting, and many places have weight limits. If you get a puppy, do not get one from someone who is selling puppies less than 8 weeks of age. They need to stay with litter until then, to benefit their immune system, and learn bite inhibition. At 8 weeks the puppy should also already have it's first set of shots.

 

Can you actually get adds taken down? I've looked on Kijiji before (mostly for dogs in the area needing re-homing) and it's sad to see how many people in my area and in Ontario purposefully breed double merles Aussies.

You can flag posts for inappropriate content. I would take a look at the CL and Kijiji standard of ethics to see what does and doesnt fall into that category. You may be surprised to learn that double merle breeding is actually accepted in the "ethical" breeder world. Personally I think its awful but i don't think Kijiji will remove any ads because of it.

 

I have flagged ads on Craig's List that were selling puppies for $500.00 and up but they never seem to take them down.

 

CL Canada could be different than CL USA? It seems most other companies are.

 

Yup nothing for Canadian Kijiji or CL on pets (policy quoted below)
Just to clarify, I'm not categorically opposed to all double merle breeding. I have heard of some breeders taking genetics into account and attempting to correct defects. Though I'm VERY skeptical of it.

I'm opposed to people breeding double merles just so they don't get "stuck" with a black tri or bi that they can't sell as easily. Makes me sick.

What is not allowed on Kijiji?
SolutionThe list below details what can't be posted on Kijiji:

Adult or Erotic Products and Services
Alcoholic Beverages
Baby Walkers
Blood, Bodily Fluids and Body Parts
Burglary Tools
Car seats manufactured prior to January 1st, 2012
Counterfeit currency, stamps or coins
Counterfeit Products
Electronic Surveillance Equipment designed or used primarily to illegally intercept/record the private actions or interactions of others without their knowledge or permission
Embargoed Goods
Escort or accompanying services
Government and Transit Uniforms, IDs and Licenses
Health or weight loss products that have not been approved by Heath Canada
Illegal Drugs & Drug Paraphernalia
Illegal Services
Hazardous Materials
Fireworks, Destructive Devices and Explosives
Identity Documents, Personal Financial Records & Personal Information (in any form, including mailing lists)
Items which encourage or facilitate illegal activity (such as mod chips or modding services)
Lottery Tickets, Sweepstakes Entries and Slot Machines
Massage services
New merchandise or services from network marketing companies, independent franchisees or distributors, or similar representatives*
Obscene Material and Child Pornography
Offensive Material
Pesticides
Pictures or images that contain nudity
Police Badges and Uniforms
Prescription Drugs and Devices
Prostitution or ads that offer sex, sexual favours or sexual actions in exchange for money
Recalled items
Satellite products that violate the Radiocommunication Act
Sexual services, including webcamming
Solicitation of other users except by placing an Ad
Stocks and Other Securities
Stolen Property
Taxidermied Animals
Tobacco Products
Used Cosmetics
Weapons and related items (such as firearms, firearm parts and magazines, ammunition, BB and pellet guns, tear gas, stun guns, knives, archery equipment, and martial arts weapons)

* Representatives from reputable direct sale companies (such as Avon, Tupperware, Watkins) are permitted to post one (1) ad in the most appropriate Services Category of their closest Kijiji City, advertising their presence, or any new product lines or promotions that are available. Any ads in the Buy and Sell sections, or any ads attempting to recruit new representatives will be removed.

and

Content prohibited from craigslist includes but is not limited to: (1) illegal content; (2) content in facilitation of the creation, advertising, distribution, provision or receipt of illegal goods or services; (3) offensive content (including, without limitation, defamatory, threatening, hateful or pornographic content); (4) content that discloses another's personal, confidential or proprietary information; (5) false or fraudulent content (including but not limited to false, fraudulent or misleading responses to user ads transmitted via craigslist); (6) malicious content (including, without limitation, malware or spyware); (7) content that offers, promotes, advertises, or provides links to posting or auto-posting products or services, account creation or auto-creation products or services, flagging or auto-flagging products or services, bulk telephone numbers, or any other product or service that if utilized with respect to craigslist would violate these TOU or CL's other legal rights; and (8) content that offers, promotes, advertises or provides links to unsolicited products or services. Other content prohibitions are set forth in guidelines for particular categories or services on craigslist and all such prohibitions are expressly incorporated into these TOU as stated in section 1 above.

 

People sell everything on Craigslist these days. Dogs included. Just be careful of what you're buying. There are well intentioned people on there and not. Just do your homework and give expectations up front. If the person is saying they had shots, get proof. Don't expect that you'll hear people ever again.