Avoid Dachshund Puppy Adoption Scams

29 Tips to Avoid Dachshund Puppy Adoption Scams Online

Updated 11/12/2024 by Ava Jaine

If you’re in the market for a new Dachshund puppy online, it’s crucial to be extra cautious. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) reports that a whopping 80% of sponsored pet sale links turn out to be scams!

First off, I’d recommend checking out your local dachshund rescue. There are so many doxies of all ages looking for loving homes. If adopting a rescue isn’t right for you, and you’re considering getting a puppy from a breeder, I’ve got some tips on how to do it safely.

In this post, I want to make sure you are fully informed about what to do and what to avoid when it comes to purchasing a Dachshund puppy online.

Here are 29 Tips to Avoid Dachshund Puppy Adoption Scams Online.

Table of Contents

happy woman hugging her dachshund puppy
 

3 Ways Online Puppy Scams Are Done

Online Dachshund puppy scams have been on the rise over the last few years. Dishonest “Free Puppy” ads often feature cute pictures and touching stories about Dachshunds in need of homes, ready for adoption, or rehoming. Here are the most popular ways online puppy scams are carried out:

  • Through a fake breeder’s website, Craigslist, or Ebay.
  • Online Advertisements.
  • Fake Facebook users or pages.

Online puppy scammers often target individuals who are desperate to adopt a specific dog breed, like the Dachshund, but may not have the means to afford the high-priced AKC puppy from a breeder.

They’ll frequently offer a significantly lower price or even claim to be giving the puppy away for free, making it an easy way for them to take advantage of unsuspecting doxie moms and dads.

Facebook Scammers: These pesky folks falsely advertise cheap or free puppies often exploiting real users’ Facebook pages to tag people in the comments (see screen shot image below for an example).

This is a recurring issue on my own Facebook page and many dachshund rescue pages as well.

Facebook provides blocked word filters which only go so far, and I also manually remove them when I am notified. But there are times when a sudden influx of spammy messages come in all at once. It can be quite overwhelming to manage.

Here’s an example of 2 different ones in the comments.

Dachshund Puppy Adoption Scams example from facebook comments

Ads on Websites: Dog mom bloggers, like myself, have ads that appear on blog posts to help support our careers as stay-at-home moms. The problem is that the ad filters are limited. Unfortunately, we don’t get to choose which specific types of ads are displayed and which are not.

 

How Much Do Purebred Dachshunds Cost?

As of 2023, a purebred AKC Dachshund will, on average, cost over $1000 from a legit breeder. Keep in mind that prices may vary depending on your location, but it should give you a rough estimate to start. Checking the AKC marketplace for breeders in your local area can help you find the average price range (More info on that in the section below: Where to Find Legit Dachshund Puppy Breeders Online).

The Puppy Scam Experience

Many folks who have been unfortunately dupped by Dachshund puppy adoption scams describe the following experience:

Once you reach out, they will ask probing questions about your living situation and experience with puppies.

But their main concern is whether you’ll wire them a payment.

Next, they’ll direct you to a fake website for transport information and a way to track your non-existent puppy’s progress. They’ll come up with all sorts of excuses for delays and request more money for expenses like insurance or a special puppy travel carrier.

If you start to get that gut feeling that something’s not right, they may resort to scare tactics, threatening that your puppy will suffer or that you’ll face charges for leaving them. So sick!

How to Spot a Puppy Scam Online – Warning Signs!

Friends, when you’re looking to adopt a Dachshund puppy online, make sure to keep an eye out for these warning signs to avoid falling into a puppy scam trap.

  • Price is too good to be true: very low or free.

  • They insist on shipping and won’t let you pick up the puppy in person.
  • They avoid phone calls and only communicate through email.
  • Emails have lots of spelling and grammatical errors.

  • They want payment through a money transfer, gift cards, or prepaid debit cards (non-secure methods). Read warnings about using Venmo.

  • They keep asking for more money and claiming delays.

  • Same puppy photos can be found on multiple websites.

  • Be wary of “breeder badges” as AKC doesn’t distribute them.
portrait of a beautiful puppy breed of dachshund
 

29 Tips to Avoid Dachshund Puppy Adoption Scams Online

So, how can you find a Dachshund puppy without being scammed?  I’ve broken these tips into two different tables.  The first table outlines how to do the research before making any decisions or puppy purchases and the second list outlines how to properly communicate with the Dachshund Breeder. Follow these tips, and you are good to go!

Do the Research BEFORE Making Any Decisions

  • Check out what legit Dachshund breeders charge $ for their puppies.
  • Avoid dealing with sellers who don’t provide a phone number.
  • Always meet the puppy in person or on video regularly before making a decision.  (ex: through facetime live)
  • If the seller claims to be in one place but asks for money to be sent elsewhere, especially to another country, it’s a no!
  • Never agree to ship a puppy.

  • Use a Credit Card or PayPal for payment for protection against fraud.

  • Look up the seller’s email and website address on Petscams.com (under “Search Scam Websites”)

  • It’s not normal to ask for a large deposit or multiple deposits. A small deposit, usually ranging from $100-$400 for doxies, to hold or reserve a puppy is normal.

  • Be wary of authentic looking websites. Scammers often steal content from real puppy selling sites to create fake ones.

  • Do a reverse image search to see if the puppy’s picture appears anywhere else on the internet. Here’s a YouTube video on How to reverse image search.

  • Check the seller’s name on facebook groups like “Puppy scammers exposed” that will have a community of folks working together to communicate their findings.
  • Copy and paste a chunk of text from the puppy sales site or ad into a search engine (Google). If you find matching images or text on multiple sites, it’s probably a scam.
  • Spread the word to your family about online pet scams, as a large amount of kids in their late teens and 20’s are a highly targeted audience (according to BBB).
 

How to Properly Communicate with the Breeder

  • Request several pictures of the dachshund puppy and not just glamour photos. The puppy should be in a legit environment with newspapers, toys, kennel, etc.

  • Request pictures and videos of the puppy interacting with its mother and siblings.

  • Ask for the seller’s phone number and the vet clinic the puppy has visited. Give them both a call.

  • Stick to Dachshund breeders within driving distance.

  • Ask for their ID: People can pretend to be anybody on the internet. Check the breeder’s driver’s license or passport to help prove that they aren’t using a fake identity.

  • Don’t rush into a sale if the breeder pressures you with urgent reasons like moving or needing to rehome the dog quickly.

  • Check out the reviews and referrals: Legit Dachshund breeders will have lots of happy doxie parents who can vouch for them. Ask the breeder for contacts of other dachshund parents they have worked with. Having a conversation in person or on video can help confirm the business’s reputation.

  • Communicate Regularly: Connect with the Dachshund breeder in person or through a video chat several times before picking up your pup.

  • Ask Questions: Legit breeders should want to share information with you. Here are some Questions to Ask Before Adopting a Dachshund that you can print out and ask during the initial meetup or video chat.

  • Visit the Puppy: Meet with the puppy at the breeder’s home. If you aren’t able to travel to the home, have regular video calls to talk to the breeder, see the puppy, and the puppy’s environment.

  • Request copies of the Parent’s Papers: Check out the pedigree and registration docs for the puppy’s parents to ensure your pup is well bred. You should also receive your own set of documents for your puppy at the time of purchase.

  • Adoption Age: Your new puppy shouldn’t leave their mother until they are at least 8 weeks old.

  • Final Payments in Person: Make your final payment in person when you are face-to-face with the breeder and the puppy.

  • Puppy Health Records: Good breeders will provide the puppy’s health records and vet visits to help you stay informed about their health and shots schedule.

  • Proof of Payment: Make sure to obtain a receipt for all payments.

  • Puppy Papers: Before leaving with your new puppy, you should always receive documentation with the  words “American Kennel Club” and the AKC Seal clearly visible. If they hesitate, that’s a warning sign.

new dachshund puppies playing with mom
 

What To Do If You Get Scammed

  • Stop Payments: Stop any additional payments with the seller.
  • Document Everything: Keep records of all communication, including emails, messages, and any receipts or payment information.

  • Contact your Bank or Credit Card Company about the scam. They may be able to assist in recovering your funds.

  • Report the scam to your local law enforcement.

  • Notify the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). They rely on reports to track down online puppy scammers. Provide all the details that you can to help connect cases.

  • Report the fake website to the BBB and Petscams.com.

  • Seek Legal Advice: Consider consulting with a lawyer, especially if significant funds were involved.

  • Warn Others: Share your experience on social media or online forums to alert others.

Where to Find Legit Dachshund Puppy Breeders Online

Friends don’t lose all hope! Finding a Dachshund puppy online from a legit breeder can be done safely. Here’s where to start:

1. Consider adopting a Dachshund from a rescue.

2. Check out petfinder.com. This site and app features Dachshunds in shelters near you.

3. Check out AKC’s Local Club Breeder Referral Officers to help you find a breeder in your area.

3. Take a look at AKC’s Marketplace. It claims that all of the puppies listed are from AKC-registerable litters and they conduct lots of kennel inspections each year. 

Note: If you happen to come across anything fishy while browsing the AKC marketplace, send them an e-mail with the details.  Their contact is at the bottom of the marketplace page, under “Contact Marketplace.”

Final Thoughts

Alrighty, now that you’ve got the know-how to kick off your online Dachshund puppy search with confidence, go get your puppy – safely!  And make sure to come back and check out our Dachshund Puppy Guides to help you through your exciting journey.

Up Next: 10 Questions You Should Ask Before Adopting A Dachshund (Breeder and Rescue)

important questions to ask before adopting a dachshund

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