We'd really like a dog but we have a cat....DH has seen a Bull Terrier

[TheSpokenNerd]

aged 20 months who is apparently cat and child friendly. He is KC registered and due to be neutered next week....he is apparently a good boy and typically lively for a Bull Terrier.
The couple who have advertised him are moving abroad due to a job offer and they want to rehoome him. They seem very nice and they certainly have looked after him.

Would you advise going to see him or are my reservations about our cat being seen as prey sensible?

I know they have said he is cat friendly...but iis that just THEIR cats do you think? Dh is an experienced dog owner but I am not.

[MiseryBusiness]

Personally I would never ever buy a Dog that has been advertised online.

People lie. They may seem nice, but they lie.

If I had a 20 month old Bullie that was a total nightmare, dog aggressive, cat aggressive, chews the house up etc etc I would NOT be telling potential owners that. Obviously that is a worst case scenario but honestly, they wont be truthful with you about the behaviour of the dog - they want rid.

If they were responsible they would rehome through a no kill rescue that would guarentee the future owner a lifetime of support and that would do background checks and make sure their dog went to the most suitable home.

If they are truly genuine maybe you could suggest they rehome through a rescue and you can immediatly put your name down for him?

[TheCunnyFunt]

I wouldn't advise seeing him at all. Whether you had a cat or not. You have no idea if these people are genuine, the dog might have a serious health condition they haven't told you about. And if he turned out to not be friendly to your cat, what would you do then? If you get a dog from a rescue or a proper breeder and it doesn't work out for whatever reason, they take it back. You can't do that with a dog you bought from an advert.

There are thousands of bomb proof dogs being pts every week, try a rescue!

[BehindLockNumberNine]

How do you know they are genuine? Puppy farmers now use 'nice families' as a front for their 'business'.
I second the suggestion of getting the couple to register him with a no kill rescue and you immediately putting your name down for him.
The rescue can then cat test him, vet him and declare him suitable for you.

Getting him directly from the 'nice couple' can be a recipe for disaster and heartache..

[TheMonster]

I have an EBT x SBT and he is pertrified of cats! I used to have 6 when I got him from Battersea.

[toboldlygo]

I took on a six month old dog that I saw in the local freeads. Advert sounded ideal - some basic training, good in the house, lived with a cat etc. The next 12 months of my life were the most hideous and stressful I have ever known while I tried to sort out the teenaged ratbag with SERIOUS, destructive separation anxiety who pissed and shit everywhere at every opportunity and who killed a beloved family cat.

Six months later I saw another advert from the same bloke for his other dog - he never had moved abroad for work as he told us, he just couldn't cope with her behaviour and used that as an excuse to sell her on.

I would never, ever do it again. Dog #1 is now wonderful but a truly ridiculous amount of work went into that and I, as an experienced dog person, came close to giving up. Dog #2 came from a breed rescue and it was a wonderful experience.

[daisydotandgertie]

The cat is irrelevant.

Walk away from this dog.

If you seriously want a dog, go to a rescue - breed specific or otherwise and do it properly. Get a dog from professionals who know what they're doing.

[TheCunnyFunt]

Was that one of your Huskies TBG? Sad isn't it? Someone I went to school with sold her entire male Husky for £80 on FB. I did my best to persuade her to send him to rescue but she insisted he'd be pts within a week. The ironic thing is she already promised his old owner dhe'd keep him forever :(

3 weeks later she was advertising 2 young cats, free to a good home.

[toboldlygo]

Yes, it was husky #1 who is now three years old and my superstar agility dog as well as a very agreeable worker (dog #2 has really come into his own of late though and is now my lead dog!).

The freeads really are pits of misery for dogs. SHWA have had huskies come through their rescue who have been used as bait for fighting dogs - one was strung up by her back legs with wire. One was so destructive in the home that he was crated more often than not; all the muscles in his back legs had atrophied. These dogs are almost always on their third/fourth/fifth homes, passed back and forth on FB and Preloved, churning out litters. I bet each and every single person promised to keep that dog for life and look after them well, then lied on the next set of adverts when they couldn't cope with the dog and passed the buck to somebody else - all too often the wrong person. :(

[TheCunnyFunt]

It's horrible the amount of shit dogs go through before they are put out of their misery or find a loving home. There just aren't enough words to describe the people that do these horrific things.

My sisters best friend lived 4 doors down from a dog fighting ring in somebodys garage and didn't have a clue about it! It was all over the news, it was quite a major organisation this one was, a reporter infiltrated thrm and everything. The woman who ran it seemed lovely and very respectable, my sisters friend was devastated it was so close to her and she never realised.

[TheCunnyFunt]

It was this one, sorry for linking to it though.

[Joolyjoolyjoo]

I'd be wary. I had a horrible situation with a young couple who'd bought a SBT from someone "genuine" on gumtree, and within a fortnight they wanted him PTS as he was apparently aggressive and NOT dog friendly as they'd been led to believe.

In an attempt to try to keep the poor thing alive, I urged them to contact the guy they got him from and explain, see if he would take him back- surprise, surprise, number not recognised. We tried every rescue, but with his background noone would touch him with a bargepole, and he ended up euthanased, which was hugely upstting to all concerned

As a rule, I like EBTs (and SBTs!) but buying from ads/ gumtree leaves you NO comeback should things not work out- the seller takes your money and disappears. I'd definitely recommend going through a rescue.

[Ephiny]

I wouldn't recommend this either, for all the reasons above. Either go to a rescue (NOT the local pound though!), or a reputable breeder, at least then you have a better idea of what you're getting, and some backup if things don't work out.

[TheSpokenNerd]

Rght thank you everyone....I tod DH about the facts and he (being not from this country) was horrified abotu puppy farmers. We are looking at a Greyhound rescue centre now....lovely dogs!

[noddyholder]

No

[Mrsjay]

Go see the dog go a few times , I know the ad seems genuine but not everybody is truthful and will say anything to get rid , I see dog to free home ads on facebook and i feel as some dont seem genuine and are either after money or the dog has problems , as for the cat we had 3 dogs not at the same time and a cat cat was boss especially with the last dog we had her from a pup and cat ruled the roost

[TheCunnyFunt]

Oooh I have a greyhound :) they are beauuuuuuutiful creatures.

If you need any greyhound advice come to the thread 'A new cushion for Pointies', we have our resident greyhound guru who knows everything about grunds on there :o and you can get cat friendly greys, our local rescue has quite a few cat trainable/friendly ones in.

[Mrsjay]

oh i love greyhounds I would love to rehome 1 good luck they are lovely dogs

[TheSpokenNerd]

Thank you Cunny....I love their little faces...they look so gentle. I will speak to the recue and I'm sure they'll help me re. a cat friendly one...we just need a nice dog...we miss having one and our cat is a siamese who is confident enough to cope with a new member of the family we think.