What I Wish I Knew Before Clicking “Message Seller”
It started like this:
Late-night scroll.
Coffee in hand.
Alone. Bored. A little too emotionally vulnerable.
Then—bam.
There she was.
Big eyes. Cream-colored fur. A little tilt to her head that said, “I’m your soulmate.”
Caption:
“Loving, well-socialized female pup. Ready now. First shots done. Only a few left!”
Only a few left.
That line hit me right in the FOMO.
I messaged.
I Venmo’d.
I drove three hours the next morning with a blanket in the passenger seat, already daydreaming of morning walks and cuddles.
And I’m telling you now, with full-body honesty:
I regret that decision more than anything I’ve bought online.
The Photo Was Real. The Puppy Was Too. But the Story Wasn’t.
When I arrived, the house was… fine. Not sketchy. Not clean either.
The seller didn’t ask for ID. Didn’t ask me questions. Didn’t seem to care where the puppy was going.
She handed me the dog and a small Ziploc bag of food.
No crate. No vet paperwork. Just a “Thanks and good luck.”
I didn’t care—yet.
She was in my arms. She was real. She looked exactly like the pictures.
I convinced myself it was meant to be.
Within 24 Hours, My Dream Puppy Was Crying Nonstop
At first I thought it was adjustment.
Then I thought maybe she missed her littermates.
By day three, she was vomiting. She had diarrhea. She was refusing food.
I rushed her to the vet—who calmly explained she had parvovirus.
A preventable, highly contagious, often deadly illness.
One that reputable breeders vaccinate against long before adoption.
“Where did you get her?” the vet asked.
I told her.
She winced. “That woman’s name keeps coming up.”
And just like that, I realized I wasn’t a new dog parent.
I was a mark in a cycle of rushed sales and preventable heartbreak.
Red Flags I Missed (That You Don’t Have To)
In case no one told you:
There’s an entire industry of puppy flippers and fake breeders who prey on people like me. Like you.
People who feel alone.
People who want companionship more than they want due diligence.
People who lead with love and assume the seller is doing the same.
Here’s what I should’ve looked for (and what you should never ignore):
🚩 1. No vet records. No shot history. Just “trust me.”
🚩 2. “Few puppies left” urgency tactics + vague pickup locations.
🚩 3. No socialization questions. No spay/neuter clause. No contract.
🚩 4. A price that’s suspiciously low—but not so low it seems fake.
🚩 5. A refusal to FaceTime or show you the puppy’s environment live.
And here’s the hardest part:
The puppy isn’t the problem.
They’re innocent.
But buying from the wrong person sets them—and you—up for pain.
The Real Cost of Impulse Puppy Shopping
In the end, my vet bills totaled just under $2,200.
Not including the 2 weeks I took off work.
Not including the 3AM cleanups.
Not including the emotional crash that comes when you realize you failed to protect something that trusted you.
She survived, by the way.
Barely.
And I’m grateful every day.
But even now, over a year later, I flinch every time someone says “I found a puppy online.”
Because unless you know what to look for, that picture-perfect puppy could cost you more than money.
What to Do Before You Click “Message Seller”
If you’re looking at puppies online tonight—please slow down.
Here’s the 5-question checklist I wish I’d asked before falling in love with a photo:
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Can you show me both parents? (Video, not just stills)
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Do you provide vet records, vaccine dates, and a contract?
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Can I see the puppy interacting with its litter or humans in real time?
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Do you require a questionnaire about the home environment?
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What support do you offer after the sale? Or do you disappear?
If the seller stumbles over any of these, pause.
There are so many good breeders and rescues out there who care more about the dogs than the dollars.
Final Truth: A Good Puppy is About More Than a Cute Face
We live in a world of instant gratification.
We want what we want—now.
But puppies aren’t products.
They’re not emotionally supportive loot boxes.
They’re breathing, fragile little souls.
And the way they enter your life shapes their health, their behavior, and your bond for years.
I still love her. Fiercely.
But I wouldn’t wish that first month on anyone.
Don’t confuse impulse for intuition.
The right puppy isn’t the one who looks perfect in the ad.
It’s the one who comes from someone who cared before you ever showed up.
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