Craiglist is a site where you can find many things people wish to sell. There are living puppies too. However, since these are common people trying to sell stuff to other people, you should be really careful about the entire affair. A German Rottweiler from Craigslist can turn out to be a completely different kind of dog from the pictures posted online. It will also be in your benefit to be wary and to know the tips before you go for a Rottweiler from Craigslist.

Read: Hero rottweiler saves owner’s life after opening door for paramedics

Here is a tragic story of a person buying a Rottweiler from Craigslist, which, fortunately, had a happy ending for the Rottweiler:

A COE (Code of Ethics) Rottweiler trainer and breeder wanted to have a male Rottweiler and they found just the right match on Craigslist. It was 8 weeks old and since the breeder wanted a male German Rottie puppy to be companions with their female Rottie, Raven, he wanted to check it out. The owners of the puppy mentioned that they were a family of three –  the husband and wife did not have the time to look after the dog and they also had a small daughter. Plus, they had no fence and so, they wanted to sell the dog. They bought it for $1600 but can sell it at half the price.

The breeder and the owner of the puppy stayed in touch and then, the breeder went to meet the puppy and his owner. What they came across was surprising. The dog was wagging his tail but he did not have any of his front teeth. He wagged his tail a lot after seeing the stranger but whenever the puppy went to his own parents, they would slightly kick him to keep him away. When the daughter tried to pet him, her mother shouted at her and told her to stay away. It was weird since when the breeder checked the dog, it seemed almost healthy. It looked malnourished though there was no contagion. Even the dog’s tail was properly docked showing that a good breeder may have held the dog in the past. When the breeder asked about the puppy’s breeder, the parents mentioned that it was the same breeder as Raven. That became the first starting point for the investigation behind the Rottweiler from Craigslist. Also, the first suspicion.

The breeder from whom the Rottweiler trainer had bought the dog did not bring German Rottweilers, and neither did the breeder have in-breeding facilities. So, it was difficult to trace back the lineage of the Rottie. It was clear that the owners were lying. The husband just wanted to show they have a German Rottweiler and advertised it.

Soon, the prospective sale became a rescue.

Read: What Are The Ideal Rottweiler Eye Color, Shape, And Placement?

The trainer went back to the owner, mentioned about the discrepancy, and even further lowered the price unless the owner wanted to be arrested for animal abuse. When the trainer brought the Rottweiler from Craigslist back home, he was not being able to eat dry food. Whenever he saw the sight of the leash of his previous owner, he cringed. It was clear that this leash was used to drag the dog and not train him. For the first few days, the Rottweiler from Craigslist was given wet food. He weighed the dog after his first meal and it turned out that the dog was just 13 pounds. However, a 12-week old dog must have around 33-38 pounds. The dog was severely malnourished.

After a visit to the vet, the malnourishment diagnosis was confirmed. However, that was not all. The front teeth may have been victims of forceful wire chewing. However, after a few good meals, new teeth were starting to pop up.

Now, the dog is mostly healthy and socializes with Raven and the other dogs of the trainer.