Has anyone dealt with this breeder ?

Question

Her name is Alanda Koenen and she's in Iowa she breeds pomeranians and maltese. I'd like to know anything about her because I am interested in buying one of her pups but I am scared of buying from a puppymill. The name is Koenen Kennels.
Thanks

Answer 1

No, but if you don't feel comfortable go with your instinct their are a lot of breeders out there. Good luck.

Answer 2

Check with the AKC and the national pomeranian and maltese clubs. Here are some of the questions that you need to ask the breeder that can help you:

1. Do you have both parents on site? -- This lets you see both parents and see how they behave. This is a good indicator on how the puppy will act.

2. Are the parents and puppies AKC?-- If not, run!!! AKC has some of the strictest guidelines of any of the registries. Most dogs that are not AKC (and even some that are) should never have been born because they are very poor quality.

3. Are the parents current on all shots and are currently on Heartworm preventative? -- Shows that the parents are well cared for.

4. Have all of the proper genetic tests been done on the parents before mating? -- Shows if there are any potential serious genetic defects in the lines.

5. What type of health guarantee does the puppy have? -- Most reputable breeders have a return or refund policy if the puppy has health issues.

6. What kind of contract must I sign to get the puppy? -- If there is no contract, RUN! This shows they really don't care who gets the puppy as long as they get money!

7. Will the puppy have its first shots and be wormed? -- This is a MUST!

8. How many litters has she had? How many litters do all of your dogs have per year? -- If she has had more than 4 litters, I would be concerned. If she has had more that 3 litters in two year, Backyard Breeder, RUN! If she has several litters a year out of very few dogs, STAY AWAY! Use some common sense. A dog really shouldn't have more than one litter a year. However, accidents happen, but more than three in two years means she was bred every time she went into heat.

9. Are the parents considered pets? Do they have free run of the house? -- If they are outside only, or contained to a small area of the house, they may not be well socialized. I would be very wary.

10. So you have references from your vet, neighbors, and people who purchased puppies from previous litters? -- References are so important, so that you know how others feel about the breeder. If the breeder refuses, then you should stay away!

Finally, make sure that you inspect the property where the breeder has the dogs. See how they interact with other animals, and yourself. You can tell by looking at them and interacting with them if they are well cared for.

Also, don't be surprised if the breeder asks you for some things too. I always ask for references, a letter from the landlord if they do not own their own home, if they have done their research, how they plan on house-breaking the dog, and who would be their primary vet.

Good luck! If you have any more questions, feel free to e-mail me!

Answer 3

I'd be hesitiant on getting a dog from someone who doesn't specialize in one breed of dog or two closely related breeds (think Whippet & Greyhound, Norfolk & Norwich Terriers, or Gordon & Irish Setters). The only thing these breeds have in common is that they are both toy dogs.
I googled them and see that they ALSO breed Yorkies. Red flags are raising.

Red flag 2: They say nothing about any genetic testing done on the parents and say nothing about showing. Reputable breeders participate in some sort of showing. Period. Anyone who does not is a BYB (Backyard Breeder).

Red Flag 3: They are breeding APR dogs. This is a lesser registry used by BYBs. These are not AKC dogs. Granted, all AKC does is show that the dog is purebred, it's still better than nothing. They can't even be bothered to get an AKC dog to use in their puppy mill. SIgh.

Red Flag 4: They have numerous animals up for sale right now and numerous 'in utero'. A reputable breeder has most of them sold BEFORE breeding takes place.

Red Flag 5: They don't show the parents and their bloodlines.

Frankly, this seems like a BYB operation. It's people who 'love animals' and are breeding poor quality dogs to make money. A 1 year health guarantee on genetic problems won't do too much. Try collecting on that. Aside from the fact that many genetic conditions can't even really be tested for until the dog is well over 1 year. lol.

I'm glad you came to us to ask advice. I'm also going to give you a few resources to help you recognize a BYB or puppy mill on your own. Remember that many places that advertise on the internet are BYBs. Good breeder may have a website and say to contact them for pups, but they don't usually have a 'sale' type website. And, you either want to know a breeder by word of mouth from the show circuit or be able to visit them. Walk away from anything else.

Anyway, here are some links to help you.

http://dogplay.com/GettingDog/index.html

http://www.geocities.com/bluegracepwd/wheretobuy.html

http://64.37.122.206/Info/questionstoaskabreeder.asp?menu=Info (different breed, but great questions you can modify)

American Pomeranian Club Help: http://americanpomeranianclub.org/breeder_referral.htm

American Maltese Association Code of Ethics: http://www.americanmaltese.org/amaprofile.htm#Ethics

Any breeder you find should minimally be a member of their national breed club, and preferably their local breed club as well. They should be involved in the clubs and the breed.


Unfortunatly, animal lover is misonformed, but I know her heart is in the right place. Being "like from a home or a yard" does not mean that the breeder is ok. BYBs are named such because they often have their poor quality dogs in their backyards. Dog breeders do not need a license. A USDA license is usually only needed by puppy mills. So, if your breeder has a license, run away. They are a puppy mill.


Good luck in your search.

Answer 4

The fact that she breeds not one, not two, but THREE DIFFERENT breeds with nothing in common besides all being toy breeds and long haired, is a big red flag.
Most reputable breeders will stick with one breed or two very closely related breeds.
If you feel comfortable purchasing a pup from her, that's good. If not, stay away.
Remember, there are many different Maltese/Yorkie/Pom breeders in Iowa.
Here are some breeders I found while searching Google:

Maltese - http://puppydogweb.com/breeders/maltese.htm
Pomeranian - http://www.dogbreedz.com/links/breeders-pomeranian.cfm
Yorkshire Terrier - http://www.breedersclub.net/html/breeds/yorkshire-terrier.htm

*These are breeders all over the US but a lot of good, reputable breeders will ship pups.

Answer 5

Go to a shelter. There are purebreds there, too. Also, I wouldn't trust a breeder. Theyare destanted to interbreed. This causes a shorter lifespan for your pet. Why can't you get a pomeranian mix or maltese mix. Most mutts live longer than purebreds!Good Luck! And Go with your Instincts! If you have one doubt about it, I wouldn't do it.

Answer 6

Based on looking at their website, my opinion would be to steer clear.

Do they have so many breeding females that they can't even put info about them online?

And what is APR? Doesn't that have something to do with mortgages or car loans? LOL

You can pay extra to get an AKC registration? What is that all about?

Stick with your gut and steer clear.

Answer 7

her name come up on http://www.petshoppuppies.com/new_page_4.htm.

NOT A GOOD THING

Claiming APR registered "but can be AKC Registered". WRONG! if the parents aren't already AKC registered, the pups can't be. AKC does not recognize APR. And she has pups of various ages..(3mo, 4mo & 5mo pups available) .. too many litters in my book.
http://www.pupelink.com/breeder/show/112

Answer 8

i don't know this person but if its from like their home or yard or whatever then it should be OK!
i got my golden retriever(i think that's how you spell it) at a place like that and he is (to me)one of the cutest dogs ever! so breeder people who sell dogs like that need a license to do that and she(or he, either one) has to show you that she is allowed to do that and so you shouldn't get scared all you have to do is see her license and then ya! well GOOD LUCK

Answer 9

IF she's in Iowa & does at LEAST 2 breeds,RUN AWAY!