Dog breeders, do you?...?

Question

Do you health test your sire & dam?
Do you have the money to pay for an emergency c-section?
Do you have the energy to feed infants every two hours all through the night for weeks if your dam dies?
Do you screen your potential puppy owners?
Do you offer to take the puppy back if it "doesn't work out?"
Do you really care how much money you get vs. finding good homes?
Do you require a spay or neuter (limited registration) for pet quality pups?
Do you breed your dog every cycle or its first heat cycle?
Do you vaccinate the pups?
If you can answer these questions favorably and honestly, keep breeding as you are an assest and someone who obviously loves and cares for what you are doing.

Answer 1

Do you health test your sire & dam?
Yes - beyond the minimum required for the breed.
Do you have the money to pay for an emergency c-section?
Yes - & have.
Do you have the energy to feed infants every two hours all through the night for weeks if your dam dies?
Got the T shirt.
Do you screen your potential puppy owners?
Yes
Do you offer to take the puppy back if it "doesn't work out?"
Not just puppies - oldest was 12 years.
Do you really care how much money you get vs. finding good homes?
Not really but I don't charge silly prices.
Do you require a spay or neuter (limited registration) for pet quality pups?
No to neuter - yes to limited registration. Not the pet market for unregistered pups here.
Do you breed your dog every cycle or its first heat cycle?
No!
Do you vaccinate the pups?
1st vaccs only then they get 2nd vacc & vet checked at the same time with new owner. (UK vaccine protocols give two shots - 8-10 weeks , 10-12 weeks)
If you can answer these questions favorably and honestly, keep breeding as you are an assest and someone who obviously loves and cares for what you are doing.

So why haven't I bred a litter for eight years? (Actually the answer to this is simple - my top winning *****'s brother was diagnosed with a hereditary condition so I pulled the line.)

Answer 2

Do you health test your sire & dam?
Heart, eyes, hearing
Do you have the money to pay for an emergency c-section?
Yes, and I work at my clinic occasionally
Do you have the energy to feed infants every two hours all through the night for weeks if your dam dies?
Never had to, but yes
Do you screen your potential puppy owners?
Of course, I am pretty picky!
Do you offer to take the puppy back if it "doesn't work out?"
At any age, it is in my contract that they must come back or I have to approve of the new home.
Do you really care how much money you get vs. finding good homes?
The money is not important. LOL! My breed doesn't bring very good pet prices anyhow, they are not very popular and hard to place. I have given pups away or sold them very cheaply though, if I feel it is a great home and know they can't afford it. And YES, there are people out there without much money who will still give the best of care! I would rather their limited funds go towards care of the pup than in my pocket. There is nothing better than a perfect placement where the pup is happy and well loved!
Do you require a spay or neuter (limited registration) for pet quality pups?
yes
Do you breed your dog every cycle or its first heat cycle?
No, usually once or twice.
Do you vaccinate the pups?
First shots. I have a puppy care sheet advising when the next ones will be due, among many other suggestions. I also send the pup with a Sighthound martingale, a puppy care/training book, food, blanket, and toy. I also send a puppy coat if it is the cold season.
If you can answer these questions favorably and honestly, keep breeding as you are an assest and someone who obviously loves and cares for what you are doing.

I have a ***** away being bred right now. It has been awhile and I can't WAIT!!! Mmmm.....puppies!!! I really like the male and have high hopes for this litter!

Answer 3

Do you health test your sire & dam?
Yes

Do you have the money to pay for an emergency c-section?
Yes

Do you have the energy to feed infants every two hours all through the night for weeks if your dam dies?
Yes (fortunately haven't had to do that yet)

Do you screen your potential puppy owners?
You bet

Do you offer to take the puppy back if it "doesn't work out?"
I insist on it. Have taken back dogs at 8 years of age. Would take back at any age.

Do you really care how much money you get vs. finding good homes?
A good home is most important.

Do you require a spay or neuter (limited registration) for pet quality pups?
Yes. I specify in the contract that spay/neuter is one of the requirements of purchase and the ownership does not change until I recieve the S/N certificate.

Do you breed your dog every cycle or its first heat cycle?
Not before they are two years old. In theory, I would breed up to three times, however I've never bred a girl more than twice and most only once.

Do you vaccinate the pups?
Yes, at 8 weeks and if they are still with me at 12 and 16 weeks.

Answer 4

My family has raised Great Danes in the past (for 25 years), and now Italian Greyhounds. These are GREAT questions!

Do you health test your sire & dam? YES
Do you have the money to pay for an emergency c-section?YES
Do you have the energy to feed infants every two hours all through the night for weeks if your dam dies?YES & have
Do you screen your potential puppy owners?OF COURSE
Do you offer to take the puppy back if it "doesn't work out?"In the contract... first right of refusal... never refused to take one back yet, up to 11 years later.
Do you really care how much money you get vs. finding good homes? The people do not choose the pup, *I* choose the people.
Do you require a spay or neuter (limited registration) for pet quality pups?YES
Do you breed your dog every cycle or its first heat cycle?Never before 18 months of age, and only once per 2 years at most... never more than three total per *****.
Do you vaccinate the pups? yes, the first round, the second is in contract as new owners' responsibility. If Co-ownership, records must be copied and on file with me.

Answer 5

Nice questions. It's amazing how many people just get a male and female and think they will make ooodles of money!

I currently have a male that I am showing, so far he has CERF'd good, haven't done the OFA yet (last clinic filled up fast). We recently got a female pup from good stock and my husband plans to show her too. If ALL the testing comes out good on both of them then maybe late 2007 or early 2008 we will try for a nice litter. We bred years ago so we know the pluses & minuses. We are planning only 1 or 2 litters before spaying her. If any of the tests come back bad that dog will be retested and if it is still bad that dog will be altered (but still be shown & much loved!).

Answer 6

And so as a owner do you abide by any of this? Do you sceen the breeder you buy from? Do you lie through your teeth when a breeder asks you questions? Do you take poor care of your pup and then expect the breeder to take it back with a smile on their face? Do you intend to take the dog to any training classes? What do you feed your dog? Do you buy a dog to love it or make it into a status symbol for yourself. Do you even have a clue???
Pet owners can be the worst bane of breeders on the planet. I've sold dogs to people I assumed were telling me the truth. They're all smiles and dressed like they're going to church, then you get the call that the dog is biting everything that moves. On investigation the dog was being abused and molested in the home, and no I'm not making that up. One fool decided that taking the dog for runs was a good idea, sure it is, but not when they are in an air conditioned car and the dog is running along side on pavement in 90 degree heat. It died of heart failure, no, you think? they had the nerve to request a new puppy because the contract said they could if it died within two years of a genetic defect. I told them to take me to court. Spay, neuter contracts are fine, we may not go in and grab the dog without probable cause, actually we can't do much. If the dog is used for breeding without papers I may not enter anyone's premises if they won't let me.
I know, breeders are the evil ones, it's all our fault, fine, get a pup somewhere else besides from reputable breeders and see what you end up with. Puppy mills aren't breeders, backyard breeders aren't breeders, you have one dog and breed it you're not a breeder. If you don't have a clue you're not a breeder you're someone who manufactures dogs for profit.

Answer 7

I am not a dog breeder but I am an educated buyer and agree with every single item you mentioned! It breaks my heart to see the pups being sold at the flea market under such terrible conditions...

Answer 8

yes
no but u can set up a payment plan
if u want pups and u r willing 2 breed u have to take the risk and try
yes we have to inspect their house
yes but no refunds
finding good homes r #1 priority
no if the owner wants the pup spayed/neuter they must get it done themselves
no not the first and definily not every cycle....occasionally every other
yes

Answer 9

Breeder Comparison Matrix

http://www.shilohshepherds.com/puppyBreeders/breederMatrixv4.htm

There is a lot more to it than just those nine items.

Answer 10

I'm not a breeder, but do work in rescue.

Great Q's!!!