Melody A Zqm
map-marker Wallace, Michigan

Sick Boxer Puppy x 2!

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We had 2 female boxer puppies from Ellen Roberts at Rocky Top K9's and BOTH had huge health issues (chronic GI tract bleeding, diarrhea, etc) for months and months and months after purchase. One ended up being put down due to the GI issues and starving to death, essentially -- along with passing complete blood during defecation. The other had a bone disease, and her bones were literally disappearing and she went horribly lame, and was in severe pain, and ended up having to be put down. THIS IS A WICKED PUPPY MILL breeding dogs with TONS OF GENETIC AND HEALTH ISSUES! DO NOT BUY FROM HER!
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Loss:
$1500

Preferred solution: SHUT DOWN THIS PUPPY MILL!!!!

User's recommendation: STAY AWAY FROM THIS PUPPY MILL!

2 comments
Guest

Agreed the only way to shut her down is to contact the department of agriculture and you will need to have letters from your veterinarian!!! I have had one dealing with her NEVER again!!!! BUYERS BEWARE!!!!

Jerron Ixr

She breeds over 85 dogs… many different breeds. No one can adequately take care of 85 dogs all day.

It’s a puppy mill. Do your research next time.

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Sandra S Dvn

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Verified Reviewer

Bad quality

We just bought a yorkie poo that came from this breeder. He's a sweet boy but couldn't find food he'd eat. Called and left message to see what he'd been eating. No response still. He is so bony, noticed on day 1 that he walks a little limpy. Stunk so bad when we got him. Even after a good bath, he still stinks. Has bad earmites. Pretty sure he had worms. Took him for a vet check today and found out he will need surgery for his patellar ligament. This is something they should know since it goes on the papers. Confirmed earmites and worms. I have worked in a GOOD breeders facility and know what to look for, and have always had dogs. This breeder is a joke. Anyone who's been around dogs could have seen any of this easily. Only an uncaring person would intentionally ignore and not disclose these issues. They aren't even outrageously expensive. Also he is underweight. This is the first fur baby my 17 year old has gotten and definitely not been a good experience. Never buy from here. Wish I would have checked into this breeder first and not trusted the good "vet check" report given to us.
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Loss:
$100
Cons:
  • Puppy mill

Preferred solution: Nothing. Just want others to be aware.

User's recommendation: Go somewhere else. This breeder obviously cares about money, not the dogs.

1 comment
Jerron Ixr

She breeds over 85 dogs… many different breeds. No one can adequately take care of 85 dogs all day.

It’s a puppy mill. Do your research next time.

Anonymous
map-marker Sparks, Nevada

Please do not buy a puppy from this horrible puppy mill

A year ago we bought a wonderful little cockapoo puppy from this breeder. When we got him he was 3 months old. He was terrified of everything. It was apparent he had not been socialized at all but after a lot of work and love he was becoming a good little boy and my grandson's best pal. But all along we knew something wasn't was not right with him. He did not grow properly. At a year old he looked like an old dog. He was boney and had no muscle. Today we found out he has kidney disease and we had to put him down. We are heartbroken.
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1 comment
Jerron Ixr

She breeds over 85 dogs… many different breeds. No one can adequately take care of 85 dogs all day.

It’s a puppy mill. Do your research next time.

Andrea S Eoi

ANIMAL ABUSE

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Our puppy came from a rescue, who was originally from Rocky Top. The problems never end.

THIS IS A PUPPY MILL and should be shut down. Our bulldog has chronic ear infections, awful allergies, behaviors issues/anxiety that became out of control for a full year, and now hip dysplasia at the young age of 3.

Shame on the owner(s) for not giving a *** about the animals! We are doing what we can to give her a good life, but she didn't have a chance from the beginning due to selfish people and money.

View full review
Loss:
$8000
Cons:
  • Puppy mill
Reason of review:
Bad quality

Preferred solution: Shut down puppy mill is the only answer I want

2 comments
Jerron Ixr

You are actually supporting her and others with puppy Mills by buying a dog from a puppy mill. Shame on her but shame on you.

You’re concerned for your puppy?? What about the mom dog your puppy comes from. Suffering wayyy more than your puppy is because you support it by buying one. She breeds over 85 dogs… many different breeds.

No one can adequately take care of 85 dogs all day.

It’s a puppy mill. Do your research next time.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Jerron Ixr

If you can read, I said I got our dog from a RESCUE. I did not get the dog directly from Rocky Top.

I found out she was from there originally from the rescue group. The rescue went and got whatever pups they could get, saving them from horrendous lives like the mom dogs. I wrote the review so that people would know about this place and would not buy animals from there.

I did my research and knew we would have issues with this dog and that's what I agreed to sign up for because she was a RESCUE. The review was to warn others not to get animals from this place directly because of all the health issues.

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Anonymous

Awful Puppy Health

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We bought a king Charles cavalier puppy from ellen 3 weeks ago. We took him to the vet within 48 hours as indicated in our contract.

Not only did he have parasites but he also had a horrible ear infection which im positive she knew about. He started losing fur a week after we brought him home. After 2 more vet trips. A blood draw, a skin scrapping and a 3rd fecal exam it was concluded that he has hypothyroidism.

A GENETIC condition that he will have for the rest of his life and need meds for for the rest of his life. She claims her dogs are cleared and certified healthy. But AKC does not allow the breeding of any male or female with this condition. Clearly she is NOT screening her dogs appropriately.

I did email her and let her know the condition of my dog.

I do not want a new puppy. Just really disappointing that we spent $300+ on vet bills for an $800 that was supposedly cleared by a vet. And whats worse is our boy will have a condition thag will cause other ailments and issues as he gets older. Its all just infuriating.

If you're going to breed specific breeds FOR THE LOVE OF GOD make sure you are actually screening them. A simple blood test would have shown his condition

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3 comments
Jerron Ixr

She breeds over 85 dogs… many different breeds. No one can adequately take care of 85 dogs all day.

It’s a puppy mill. Do your research next time.

Leighanna Byj

Interesting. I thought it was just my pup that had intestine issues.

I too never heard back when I asked if others in litter had a problem. She never showed up at the airport when we were picking her up. Had to process all over. Someone forgot!

She is a year and still problems. She has a very mean streak that she will bite me when correcting her. But then she has periods when she is so loving. I do love her but after 6 cockerspaniels, this is the only one with issues both medical and behavioral.

I have seeker a few trainers.

She is the same with growling. She is so cute though.

Guest

This is a consistent comment about this breeder. I hope you reported this to the ASPCA, if not, please do.

She still appears to have a website and she's been sited for abuse and neglect already.

Pet owners need to decline charge on cc or paypal and not let her make money abusing animals. If everyone does this, she will either change or be forced to stop breeding!

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Anonymous

Horrible. Fighting to keep puppy alive since Day 1

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I purchased a Boston terrier puppy From Ellen Roberts Oct 2016. Upon arrival the 3 pound puppy was already coughing. Her gums were white. She was at the vet within hours getting fluids and being treated for a respiratory infection that luckily was not pneumonia. That was just the beginning. Most puppies have worms, that’s not unusual. This puppy had 9 different parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Hookworms were rampant. Giardia, Coccidia, Campylobacter, and Clostridium perfringens, to name a few - all caused by living in unsanitary conditions. I contacted the breeder several times, with no response. My puppy was infested, and the diarrhea quickly turned bloody. I rushed this little puppy for fluids, tests, meds more times than I can count. When my vet was out of ideas, I took her to a different doctor. Her diarrhea was so bad we tried every medication and even an experimental fecal transplant. The parasites and bacteria’s she had were so strong they weren’t responding to medications. The vet was not having success and that was the first time I was advised to put her down. 2 other vets gave similar opinions. They saw a 50 page chart for 3 month old puppy and advised euthanasia. I wouldn’t give up. $20,000 later I have a healthy happy puppy that is the light of my life! I had to fight for her, and she had to fight to heal. She has permanent damage and will always be on prednisone bc of the damage to her intestines for so long while she was developing. She only grew to 10 pounds because she was stunted. This whole experience has been traumatic for the whole family. Ellen is an irresponsible breeder. Never purchase a puppy from this facility.
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2 comments
Jerron Ixr

She breeds over 85 dogs… many different breeds. No one can adequately take care of 85 dogs all day.

It’s a puppy mill. Do your research next time.

Guest

I've read numerous complaints about this breeder. The question I have is: is everyone reporting the cruelty with documentation to the ASPCA. If everyone gets together, the existing dogs can be rescued with the breeder shut down.

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Lucill Gxc
map-marker Albany, New York

Dog Review from Albany, New York

Never purchase a dog from Rocky Top K9's in MO from Ellen Roberts. They were just listed as one of the country's 100 worst puppy mills and it all makes sense. Four years ago we bought our first family dog, a cavalier King Charles Spaniel. hecarriced with worms. Red flag. We noticed hechada odd gait. When he was under a year he was rough housing with another dog and ended up abnormally in pain. We rushed him to the vet. After $1500 in surgery we learned that due to poor breeding from a puppy mill his hips and knees were never in the sockets. His surgery was the only unsuccessful ever. Suggested tonputvhin down but we couldn't. We tried medication therapy and he's been on four pain meds which allow him to live happily but he can't walk like other dogs. He pulls his back end around once he can't do that any longer we will have no more options. He's a sweetie and our family loves him but he shouldn't have to live this way due to Ellen's greed. Buyer aware. These mills need to be shut down.
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Reason of review:
Bad quality
Featured
Mahir Dmz
map-marker West Plains, Missouri

Puppies sold w/ demodex mange and heart murmurs and delivered w/ bacterial pneumonia

To whom it may concern, I am writing this review to this breeder because I hope I can help some of the reader and consumers hoping to buyer a puppy in the future. This breeder in my opinion does not have champion line adults breeding stack, but just a puppy mill, she does not care about the line of puppies her dogs produces nor does her contract displayed on her website http//:www.rockytopk9s.com give the consume any rights in getting a healthy puppy (because she will not honor it if you don’t ). If I can help one person dodge the horror I have encounter with this breeder, Ellen Roberts the world would be a better place and they could save themselves thousands of dollars in vet bills and a big headache from this lady. Ellen Roberts also advertises her puppies on http//:www.puppyfind.com ,http//: www.nextdaypets.com and http//:www.pupsusa.com she calls her website: rocky top k-9’s Extraordinary dogs , but the puppies are not. My boxer puppies have demodex mange and one has a 2-3 heart murmur, the other one I had to euthanize R.I.P., he was too sick from bacterial pneumonia (ship sick). I left picture that can say more than I can. Thank you,
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Loss:
$3000
11 comments
Guest

We purchased a female boxer from her May 2012 parents were Brodie and Bubbles. 14 days later our puppy who was our 11 year old sons 1st puppy that HE picked out and was in love with, was in the vets office...with pneumonia.

Two days later she was on an IV hanging on to life, another two days later we were told to prepare for the worst if she didn't turn around. They were giving her two different antibiotics and a steroid. 24 hours later she finally made a turn and came home with Meds. We finished them up.

10-14 days later she was coughing again! Back to the vet we went got on a 3 week round of antibiotics finished it up decided probably best to do another round to hopefully get the bacteria gone. She had an ear infection as a result of the antibiotic plus at some point in the midst of all this had mange as well. We fought/paid for this dog in more ways than an owner should have to.

We refused to give up on her. Last week we were able to pay off the vet bill (close to $5k) and I cried. She is a sweet little girl with an amazing disposition. We believe her Meds may have stunted her growth because her head is not proportional to her body and her bump on her head has never fully smoothed out.

We have no regrets in our decision to not have her put down and spending the $$$ to keep her going. Thankfully we had the means to afford this (including me going back to work)

This all being said we had no recourse because breeder is in Missouri there are NO laws protecting the buyers of puppies in this state (lemon puppy laws) she met us just inside her state lines and would not meet us in our state.

It all made sense once I researched this. So puppy buyer beware.

Guest

^spending 3k for a boxer puppy is a joke in itself. You would benefit from visiting dogs at the shelter or finding a decent breeder through akc.org. what was this poor souls outcome?

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1076232

Hey anonymous!That is the vet EXPENSE! Not the price of the dog!Doing the research on the breeder was done!!!

There was nothing out there!

Researching her on AKC revealed NOTHING other than she breed AKC registered dogs!We’ve rescued 2 different dogs, one attacked a neighbor lady and had to be put down...seemed perfectly sweet and normal when we brought her home!They Other one was never fully house broken and came with the same derma mange! So drop your judgement...it makes to seem stupid!

Guest

We have purchased three dogs from Ellen Roberts over the past 7 years. They all are very healthy and we are extremely satisfied.

Mrs. Roberts is a very conscientious and dedicated breeder of dogs and I highly recommend her anyone wanted a quality dog for their family.

Sheila Anderson

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-907371

That's why she and her horrible *** of a death breeding facility is on the 2016 Humane Society *** BAG LIST! I'm sure in the past as well!!!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1277211

I have tried to find this list, and have been unable to. I purchased a cocker spaniel from Ellen, and while she is small (not uncommon; she's ~14 to ~15 lbs), she is healthy.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1277211

NVM, I did locate this list, it's at https://barkpost.com/100-worst-puppy-mills-us/

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-907371

We purchased a dog from Ellen Roberts. He had patellas and hops not in their sockets.

After unsuccessful surgery, the surgeon recommended putting him down. We had him on many drugs to help him live as normal a life as possible. He had health problems ranging from allergies to hepatitis to cancer. He passed at the age of six.

This is a puppy mill. Ellen offered a replacement dog because these dogs are objects to her.

Guest

Please report this breeder to the Kennel Association or whoever is supposed to regulate breeders. FYI...do you know how many homeless pets could have been helped with that 3K you spent?

Mahir Dmz
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-764516

The dam: Rocky Tops Lucky Seven WS3897**** and the sire: Neals Brodie WS3064**** of these puppies has been reported to the AKC. I just feel sorry for the puppies Ellen Roberts is still breeding and selling with this this pair of adult dogs. Ellen Roberts still has them up on her website as breeding adults and since my puppies where born 6-3-13, the sire has fathered one liter since. With the letter I received from the Humane Society of the United States, my puppies were doomed to begin with as stated:

Thanks again for bringing this to our attention. As you may know, there are over 10,000 puppy mills in the U.S, many of which are keeping dogs in deplorable and inhumane conditions. Many of these facilities are operating legally, meaning that they are operating because laws are non-existent to regulate that industry or they’re operating within the confines of present laws.

We have had a previous complaint about Ellen Roberts, and I will add your complaint to our records as well. She sells several different breeds online through nextdaypets, her website and puppyfind.com. I did find your complaint on yelp, along with some others. As you noted on the complaint form, she is USDA licensed. Her inspection reports show numerous violations for lack of veterinary care, lack of shelter from the elements, and insufficient living conditions. In June 2013, she was cited for your puppies’ dam “Seven” with “ribs and spinal arches prominent and there was a pronounced tuck in the abdomen.” when she was nursing. At the same inspection, other boxers were noted for mange and hair loss on their bodies. It appears that your case was not the first time that Ms. Roberts had seen mange at her kennel. She has been inspected four times this year. Please note that the Animal Welfare Act standards are not hard to comply with, they are a minimal set of standards. In addition, The USDA recently published an online complaint form to report concerns about animals covered under the AWA. Here is a link to the complaint form should you wish you file a complaint with them.

Sincerely,

Amanda Gossom

Research Coordinator, Puppy Mills Campaign

agossom@***.org

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