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I WANT TO GET A PUREBRED PUPPY WHAT TO DO FIRST DO YOUR RESEARCH Get to know both the good and bad qualities of the breed(s) you are interested in. Each breed has some bad qualities. There are good reference books available on each breed. LEARN ABOUT HEALTH PROBLEMS Learn the genetic and health problems of your breed and the screening that is done to prevent the spread of them. Learn about OFA, vWD, CERF, Thyroid, etc. GET A LIST Get a list of good breeders from local kennel clubs or dog trainers. REMEMBER A GOOD QUALITY PUPPY IS NOT CHEAP It is much better to spend a little more and get a good quality puppy, then it is to get one "cheap". It's a good idea to see at least one of the parents of a litter-if that dog is fearful or snappy, DO NOT BUY A puppy FROM THAT BREEDER PLACES TO LOOK RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS The best place to buy a puppy is from a responsible breeder. They screen their dogs for genetic and health problems and can provide documentation for these tests. Puppies are socialized from an early age and evaluated for temperament. The health of each puppy is guaranteed for life from inheritable defects. Be prepared to pay more for a puppy and be prepared to wait. Responsible breeders do not breed often and never breed a dog under the age of two. A responsible breeder will ask you questions like, "are you financially able to care for this dog" "what kind of experience do you have with dogs". They may ask you for references. You might be expected to sign a legal contract, explaining both the breeder's obligations and yours. If you are purchasing a pet quality puppy, the breeder will probably require that you sign a contract to spay/neuter the puppy. A good responsible breeder will answer any questions you have and be willing to do so for the life of your puppy. They will take the puppy back, no matter what age it is if for any reason you can't keep it. Good breeders do not let their puppies go to their new homes until at least 8 weeks of age. Puppies should NEVER be placed earlier than that. OTHER PLACES YOU CAN LOOK BREED RESCUE GROUPS Most breed clubs have rescue groups, which have dogs available for adoption. Not all the dogs are older-some as young as 5-6 months. Be prepared to pay a sizable adoption fee and be interviewed to see if you can provide a suitable home. Rescue groups are very particular about where their dogs are placed. ANIMAL SHELTERS 1 in 4 dogs at shelters are purebreds. If you get one from a shelter you will be charged an adoption fee and have to agree to get the dog spayed/neutered. Some of these dogs are given up because of behavioral problems, so be prepared to invest in a good training class. NEWSPAPER ADS Thjs is not the best place to purchase a puppy from, but it can work. Usually this is a backyard breeder that does not know about testing for genetic defects. The mother may not get any prenatal care and they usually do not offer a health guarantee. Usually backyard breeders let puppies go far to early (at 5 to 6 weeks) just to get rid of them. NEVER BUY A PUPPY FROM PET SHOPS- These puppies come from puppy mills. Pet shops pay between $30.00 and $50.00 and charge you anywhere from-$250.00 on up, for a sickly puppy raised in a cage with deep-seated behavioral problems. THE INTERNET—many of these sites are operated by puppy mills and the dogs have the same problems as pet shop dogs. You can do your research on the Internet, but do not buy a puppy off the Internet. PUPPY MILLS—these are not just the big operations you see on the news. They can be the local person who breeds a lot of different breeds (usually small breeds) strictly for profit. Many are bred repeatedly, with no health checks done before breeding. The dogs are often fearful of people and have major behavioral problems, since they have spent most of their lives in cages. They are extremely difficult to housebreak. Dogs from puppy mills usually have various health and temperament problems and many of them are not even purebred…..
For more information, or help finding breeders, call Jean at 786-1719 Pat at 474-6202 Andrea 786-6737
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