Bumping this up again especiallyly due to some recent postings and the fact it is Christmas and "questionable" breeders like nothing better than to have Christmas puppies to sell! In most cases Christmas is one of the worst times to bring a new puppy home,
Bumping this again too especially since it is Christmas!
I'm going to rebump this wonderful post for someone on the forum in need
Margot49, You should put this post permanently at the top of your page! Maybe it will make some kind of impact.Can that even be done???
Thank you Margot.....I've read the posts, too! ;(
Bumping up again due some of the recent puppy posts
Me too but not so much in the middle of the night!
and on...... I love burping the little ones, I have to admit.
Yes. And you better know what you're doing. Add burping time and stimulation to potty to that every 3-4 hours. Then having mom full of milk and not being able to nurse puppies and caring for her.
And the list goes on....
And tube feeding can be so much fun, ........NOT! this really needs to stay bumped!
Yes, agree and hope people learn something from this.
Then there was the time my female got sick after whelping, large Vet bill and I had to tube feed 8 puppies around the clock for 3 weeks.
Geez..... I hope people are reading these posts! Maybe they will begin to understand what a reputable breeder has to go through! We should keep this post bumped!
Right! And think before you buy!
I hope people that read these forums take heed.
I used to go to my kid's schools and took my dogs, did a few obedience demos and talked about the importance of spay/neuter and basic training. Even to this day, I get calls from of those "kids" that ate grown now asking for advice, breeder referral, etc.
Very long story, but I had the first Shelty diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. I used to take the affected male I had and his unaffected mother to the schools. Made an impression to see,what appeared to be a normal dog, could produce this male.
I suspected something was wrong and it took me doing a lot of pedigree research, contacting breeders in the US and Canada and a lot of research but I was pretty sure I was dealing with an X-linked chromosome disease of some muscular type. Made an appt at UC Davis. They were skeptical but I took 4 or 5 dogs up and all my info and pedigrees. Muscle biopsies confirmed the diagnosis. I pulled my show dogs, didn't breed anything in that line while doing all this. Completely halted one breeding program I had been working on for years. Replaced, at my expense, a puppy I had sold I was sure was affected. The poor buyers were attached to this puppy and it took me a while to convince them they were looking at an unhealthy dog. Yes. I eventually had to put him down but they were entitled to have a healthy pet.
Another reason I always day to only buy a pup with a health guarantee.
Cost???? Well let's see....the last litter of puppies I bred cost me, not only the entire litter of 13 (I sold one puppy) but vet bills in access of $10,000! Just anote to say: YES, you read that right.....$10,000 ! If you run into a problem with a litter.......so THINK before you breed!
Great additional information. I had one of my puppy buyers once tell me he hadn't filled out so much paper work since he bought a car. :-)
Odd you would bring up Labradoodles ( which I fell will be recognized one day). A friend of mine was asking me about them the other day as her employer has two ( she is a health home nurse). They paid big bucks for these dogs. I proceeded to do some checking as I am not all that familiar with the breed. I actually contacted a couple of "breeders" after reading they come in three sizes. My friend sent me a link to a Labradoodles breeder's web site, which was very professionally done. Upon reading the web site, one Ted flag after another was screaming "puppy mill"! They too were asking boo koo bucks for the dogs. Even offering dogs to people at a discounted price to be able to breed them once and take a pick puppy or litter split! Even a reputable, experienced breeder hesitates before doing those contracts and will usually only do them, in most cases, with another breeder or potential show home of someone they will mentor. That situation sure works out for those people!
"minature Aussies" are being sold. There are no Minature Aussies. My daughter's boss paid over $1,000 for one a few years ago. My daughter tried to warn her. The dog had bone growth problems. Of course, there was no guarantee and she has now spent thousands on this dog for Vet care and surgeries. This poor dog is now going to be subject to a lifetime of pain.
Oh, the stories I could tell.
Yes, buyer beware.
I had pure bred dogs for many years. I then helped with Greyhound rescue for a number of years fostering, sitting, some training and we did adopt one we lost to Lymphoma last year.
A few months ago, I adopted a little Chi mix from the Shelter (another story). Broke my heart to go through the Shelter to see numerous Chihuahuas, Pit Bulls and mixes. Young moms with litters of pups. Tiny pups brought in with no mom from probably unplanned breedings. I knew the majority of these dogs would either probably due of Parvo or put down for lack of adoptive homes. So sad these poor animals were brought into this world to end up in a bad home, a Shelter and probably put to sleep.
Yes, each pure breed deals with their own genetic issues. Nothing is 100 percent foolproof, but a reputable breeder is trying to maintain the quality and integrity of a breed. Lots of testing is done for possible genetic problems. they know pedigrees and the dogs behind their lines. Yes, costs a lot of money. Stud fees, for the breed I had, are now up to minimum $700. Most females have to be tested for possible STD's before breeding. If she needs a Csection or extra Vet care, add that expense. Puppies need workings, shots, food and socialization. Anyone want to add up those basic expenses? Maybe I end up with a singleton litter or a litter of 2 and I don't keep any as show prospects. Maybe I sell one puppy for a few hundred. How's your math?
This might help explain why some breeds are so expensive. Breeding is really a science when done correctly.
Yes, Buyer Beware!
Please check out your local Shelters and Rescue groups. Every pure breed has rescue groups.
Okay.....one ,more thing......your Labradoodles and Goldendoodles and your "combined named puppies" like the poo-poms (poodle/pomeranians) ect....they are ALL MIXED BREEDS.....don't spend a $1000 dollars on these breeds......if you REALLY want to do that (get a designer dog) go to the local shelter and spend a few dollars to adopt a pet (many of whom are actually purebreds) and turn the balance of that $1000 (or in some cases $1500-$2000) to the shelter!.....That's a novel thought!
I wanted to add something elso, just on a different posting. Many years ago a stray dog came into my house one night and due to housing restrictions, I was forced to place him in the local pound. I couldn't stop thinking about this puppy and when he was free to be released for adoption, I said screw the housing restriction and I went and adopted him. He was an Irish Wolfhound/Komondor cross about 6 months old when I picked him up at the pound. I replaced a hip joint in him when he was 10 ( the vet thought I was nuts at the time) and he limped around for another 3 years before I had to make the decision to send him "home"......I miss him to this day, he was one of the best friends I have ever had the priviledge to share my life with. He was a pound puppy and a mix breed.......