Doodle for auction??

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

I just heard about a doodle breeder who donated a puppy to be auctioned at a community event. What are your thoughts about this?  Would a "reputable" breeder do this?  Do you think the outcome will be good for the puppy or do you think this will increase the chances of it ending up in rescue or worse if it's not a good fit for the winning family?

[Amy and Lily]

This will be another dog that ends up in a shelter because the fun wore off.

[Becka]

This sounds like a terrible idea to me. Is the breeder going to be able to screen the winner? It seems to me many things could go wrong. Better the breeder should donate the price of a puppy than leave the poor thing's fate up to chance like that.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Really? What a terrible idea--maybe they will auction off a "theoretical puppy" meaning one from a litter in the future--that will give the breeder a chance to check the people out--sounds bizarre otherwise. 

[Adina P]

I've heard of some breeders doing this in a responsible way by donating a 'future' pup so there isn't a live pup AT the auction being auctioned off as much as the option of a puppy from a future litter pending the 'winner' meeting breeder's requirements.  The breeder then screens the 'winner' just like normal.  There was a discussion on this a couple years ago where that was detailed.

[Adina P]

Here is that past discussion: http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/auction-dogs?commentId=206...

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I had an ex who used to work at a non-profit that dealt with anti-crime type stuff. He used to auction off dogs that were bred for police use but didn't make the cut. There was a lot of backlash against it but he seemed to justify it somehow. There's a reason he's a ex though...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

IF the breeder has a return clause in the contract, and IF the winner adheres to that, the dog will not end up in rescue. But it is never pleasant for a dog to go through losing a home, and I personally think this is a terrible idea. If I were a breeder, I would have very strict criteria, and in the case of an auction, there is no control over the type of home the dog might get, and no "matching" of an appropriate dog to an appropriate family for that dog.

I have heard of breeders doing this with dogs who were less marketable, i.e. the breeder couldn't sell them at full price, because of flat coats, open-faces, etc.

I think it's a bad idea and the dog is the one who suffers.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Now that I have learned a lot from doodlekisses and DRC, my awareness level of the negative possibilities is high, however I do have to say that the doodle that started my doodle obsession was an auction doodle.  The adult children of the lady who won pooled their money to get the pup for her.  The pup was NOT at the auction but from a just-born litter.  This was a fund raiser for a local charity.  I think sometimes we see only the down side of some ways dogs are acquired, but I think  there are lots of good, responsible people who get their dogs in what could be a negative way, but isn't because of the fact that the people are good responsible people. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The luck of the draw.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think this sounds like a bad idea. But then, although I filled out an application and spoke to both my breeders, they really didn't have a clue if any of it was true. They just knew I had the money to pay for a pup. I do know some of the breeders do an internet check of some sort but I doubt many of them do.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I know of more than one breeder (not doodles) who require a face-to-face interview before they will even agree to sell to you, among other things. 

[Carol Brand]

That would be me.  If you want to buy one of my puppies you have to have a "meet and greet" in my home or I have to know you already in some way before I'll sell you a puppy. 

 

Personally I would NEVER offer one of my puppies to a charity auction.  In my experience, people at charity auctions typically get drunk and engage in competitive bidding with other attendees.  It encourages the worst type of impulse buying, though the charity does come out on the winning end.  I can't even imagine offering up a future puppy.  What if the winning buyer was not an appropriate home?  Then what?  That would not be a fun conversation to have.