“They absolutely allow breeders to post litters from dogs with failing health tests! Do your due diligence! Just because it’s posted there doesn’t mean the breeder is good!”
“As a breeder, Gooddog is sketchy. They don't give breeders second chances if something goes wrong with the puppy they just automatically delete their account they have worked so hard to build up. If something every was to go wrong with a puppy after the buyer gets the puppy they should educate and say this is what you need to do and just suspend their account for so many months as a punishment and if that breeder doesn't improve then there account should be deleted and they shouldn't recognize that breeding program.”
“We went onto the Gooddog site after the breeder near Dallas Tx let us know that we that her dog experienced a phantom pregnancy. I contacted the breeder from Gooddog (Botcherby Doodles) based out of Tennessee - they had the most adorable pups. I let them know right from the get go that even though their pups are available to go home on Dec 23, we would not be able to pick up till Jan 18. The breeder agreed to these terms and we spoke at length and they sent me a sample agreement that stated that I would need to pay a non refundable deposit of $300 and a final payment if $1,700 on picking up the pup. We agreed that they would drop off the puppy at the airport on Jan 18. I went online that same evening and made the payment. The payment included a $25 payment protection from gooddog for protecting the advance against the breeder backing out. I paid both these amounts in good faith. We were excited to bring the puppy home.
The next morning Botcherby doodles called me and asked for a 50% payment on the puppy pick up date. This would also be non cancellable and they sent me a signed contract to this effect. Even though these were not the originally agreed upon terms, I agreed to pay them this amount.
I called them back the following day to confirm travel information and to ensure that they would have all the travel documents ready for the pup to board the plane (the airlines have certain requirements). I had found a flight nanny who would fly in from dallas and fly back with our pup. Botcherby doodles informed me that they would not be able to provide any further documentation from the vet. Im not sure how they expected me to bring the puppy home without this documentation. Considered that I had a large investment to lose at this point ($400+$850+airfare and nanny cost) we decided that it was too risky to move forward. I wrote to Botcherby doodles with all of this information and requested for a refund which they refused. I then contacted gooddog so they would make good on their promise of refunding my deposit if things went wrong with the breeder. The only reason for my backing out was because the breeder did not stick to their original contract terms and I stood to lose a lot of money. However, gooddog refused to acknowledge the issue and repeated several times that this was a non-refundable deposit and refused to refund the deposit that I had made less than 48 hours prior to cancellation.
Do not bother paying them any additional fees beyond the actual deposit as they will not have your back. Proceed with caution.”
“I have been with Good Dog for quite some time, and my experience has taken a disappointing turn. Initially, I was pleased with the platform, but issues began to arise when they started collecting fees on puppy sales without any prior notification. I only found out about these charges when a buyer informed me they were charged both a deposit fee and an additional fee on the final payment. This lack of transparency is unacceptable.
Furthermore, I attempted to apply for my Frenchies, only to be rejected due to a "no Merle" policy. It’s baffling to think that dogs are being discriminated against based on their color. Since when do we judge dogs in this way? After my initial denial, I was informed that I needed to wait six months and not have any Merles in my program before reapplying. I complied, rehomed my Merles, and have since had none in my program. Yet, I was denied again for the same reason!
This policy feels arbitrary and unfair. Good Dog's approach to dog breeds and colors is not only confusing but also quite frustrating. I would advise anyone considering their services to think twice. Save yourself the hassle and find a more transparent and fair platform for your dogs. Good Dog is a joke—remove your dogs from their program and look elsewhere.”
“Good Dog doesn't make every breeder heath test, instead they are biased based on the breed and make some breeders heath test and other breeders have 0 heath testing. My friend sells pups on Good Dog for years with 0 heath testing requirements and when I applied they denied my application and profile until i showed proof of heath testing based on the breed I have. Good Dog is biased and a JOKE!”
“Good dog did nothing in any way to help us other than take $79.80 from us over the dog amount. They said they would refund us and still have not received a check. They are of no help to anyone other than putting photos up on the internet.”
“GoodDog pushes the buyer to purchase extras from them. They also force buyers to pay through them, not privately. They say this is for security but it isn't. They make more money from the extras they push buyers into accepting.
For the breeder they enforce rules for one breeder and not the same rules for others. Some breeders are put through the ringer to prove they adhere to standards, while other ones that are more suspect, are barely looked into.
We were less than impressed and are no longer using them.”
“If you're a dog lover, I strongly advise against visiting this site. Despite claiming to screen and feature reputable breeders, it's actually overrun by backyard breeders lacking proper registration for their dogs. Most “breeders” fail to provide pedigrees, refuse site visits, or even a simple FaceTime to show the animals' living conditions. Some breeders constantly advertise new litters every month, questioning the integrity of their breeding practices. Promoting such breeders, despite boasting about careful screening and care for animal welfare, is completely unacceptable. It's better to seek out local breeders, conduct your personal vetting, and trust your instincts. Be wary of sites that promise "secure transactions" while facilitating transactions for unscrupulous breeders preying on unsuspecting customers. These practices are misleading and should be legally challenged, it’s DECEPTIVE BUSINESS PRACTICE! If you've been affected by these scams or offered merely a partial refund, please reach out to me.”
“I hope that someone learns from my experience. You will find no 'Good Dogs' on the GoodDog website. You will find poorly bred dogs sold with congenital defects. The breeder at PineHavenDoodles claimed she 'didn't know' the puppy had an underbite, bow legs, and roundworms. The backwoods vet signed off all OK.
My vet immediately noted the problems and issued an Unfit For Purchase certificate. It didn't matter to GoodDog. The response was the breeder acted within their standards. I suppose their standards are helping backwoods breeders make money off the backs of poorly bred puppies who will be the ones to suffer from the defects they were born with. She has a new litter of puppies on the site.
I learned the hard way.”
“GoodDog is a scam…buyer and breeder beware. There are MANY negative reviews for a reason.
Scam 1. “Buyer protection”. GoodDog does not actually “protect” the buyers. They collect a fee to “protect you” when in fact what they do is “ask” the breeder if they are willing to do anything about a dispute. If the breeder says no, GoodDog tells you too bad, the breeders’ policies are enforced, and you are out of luck.
Scam 2. Payments. GoodDog demands that all payments are processed through their website. They bury the option to use an ACH payment, which has no fee, and makes it very hard for the buyer to find and use that option. They instead make the default payment include the “buyer protection” and charge you for this “service”.
Scam 3. GoodDog stands behind their breeders. GoodDog absolutely does not stand behind the breeders. They allow anyone with a grudge to make a complaint. They immediately shut down the breeder’s profiles while they “investigate”. Even if you prove the complaints are not valid or that GoodDog did not show a policy violation or other made-up complaint, they won’t stand behind the breeder.
When GoodDog initially set out, I was one of the early breeders. Not only did I actively support this company, but I also personally referred MANY breeders and steered many homes to this site. In other words, I helped build this company up.
In my circumstance, whoever was emailing lied. I proved they lied and that I complied with EVERY policy and procedure, as well as their directions. They were supplied with every single piece of information they asked for and then some. I voluntarily submitted additional information, witness statements, photos etc. In the end, despite the transparency, they refused to reinstate the account even though there was not one policy I did not comply with.
I have been told by MANY high-quality breeders that they have had similar interactions. GoodDog is all about increasing their numbers to give the “illusion” they are a legitimate, quality site to shop from when in reality there are many mills on their site that are allowed to continue while legitimate high-quality breeders are not supported. It is truly despicable that people are allowed to lie about each other and GoodDog refuses to do the right thing.”
“If they actually only allowed top of the line breeders, they certify breeders that do not do the bare minimum of recommended testing. They certify breeders that are not trying to better the breed. This is a pet brokerage service and that should scare anyone looking to use them to find a puppy as they are making money by certifying breeders. Buyer beware they talk a good game but I would recommend you go to the breed club of the breed you are looking for for breeder recommendations not a website that is taking a % of the sale price. Yuck no better than Petland.”
“Vinton Valley, a Florida breeder of Australian Labradoodles is operating a Puppy Scam and she has a listing on Good Dog. Yvette Vinton, the owner of the company took a $500 deposit from me early May 2020 for a puppy. Despite her multiple promises that she would have puppies available, she has no pregnant Dams and no puppies available 3 months later. She told me that she has received dozens of deposits and there are no puppies, per her own website. I complained to Good Dog and sent them extensive documentation, They sent me an email that her business does not violate their "Community Standards at this time" and they are not going to remove her listing. Apparently running a Pet Scam is not enough for Good Dog to ban a bad breeder from using their site to collect deposits from trusting people like me. I am very disappointed in Good Dog's business model.”
