|Our Boys| |
Frequently asked questions
1.
What is the price of your puppies?
A: The majority of my pet puppies sell for $1200 - $1400. Puppies that are sold as show/breeding potential start at $1600 but may be up to $1800 for a 10 week old puppy. Older puppies may be higher.
2.
How do you determine at what price you sell a puppy?
A: Puppies are evaluated from birth for breed characteristics, general appearance, temperament, and personality. Those that show outstanding traits are grown out as show/breeding potential. Those that have average characteristics and some faults are sold as companions not to be bred.
3.
Why do quality puppies cost so much?
A: I base my price on the quality and how much I have put into the litter. Genetic testing for the breeding stock, stud fees, travel, and vet care etc, has become very expensive. Hip x-rays and OFA certification for one dog is nearly $200. DNA testing for vWD is $140, eye certification is $35 per dog, Stud fees run from $800 up then you add travel or shipping plus the cost of the Brucellosis test at $90 and sometimes progesterone levels at $108 each (usually times 3 tests) that the stud owner requires and you can see how the cost of producing a litter of high quality pups can be very expensive. This doesn't even take into consideration the initial purchase price of the parent, which can be as little as $800 to many thousands of dollars. People that buy pet quality dogs, do not show, do not do genetic testing, and breed their own 2 dogs together, can sell their pups for much less, but you get what you pay for. I know that the price of a pup is a lot but when you consider the amount of money spent to care for a pet properly, the initial purchase price is not that much. To properly care for a dog, it costs as much for a mixed breed as it does for a high quality purebred. If you can't afford the cost of a well-bred pup, you may not be able to afford to give proper care to any dog. I hope I have helped you to understand what goes into the cost of breeding pups, and I hope that if you are interested in breeding that you will take this information seriously. Do the math and I think that you will see. For example the approximate costs:
Mother cost $800 up
OFA hips $200
Eye exam $ 35
Stud Fee $ 800 up
Travel $100
Brucellosis test $90
Progesterone test x2 $216
AKC litter papers 25 plus $2 per pup
Food $100
Shots $12 to 20 per pup for 1st shot.
Total $2351 (on 5 pups)
This does not take into consideration any vet bills due to illness or complications during the pregnancy and whelping, nor the cost of showing, advertising and promoting the parent. It also does not take into consideration puppy worming, feeding the pups, caring for sick pups, etc. If there are only 2 puppies born or that survive, you can see how the breeder will not be able to recoup the expenses of this litter. If the bitch fails to have puppies at all, the monetary loss is considerable!
4.
Do you guarantee your puppies?
A: My pups are sold with a 72-hour health guarantee to give the buyer time to take the pup to the vet. If the vet finds a problem, the buyer can return the pup with a letter from the vet, for a full refund. Additionally, I guarantee the puppy for the first year against genetic defects that result in; the puppy being unsuitable as a pet; the puppy’s death or required euthanasia.
5.
What makes a puppy pet quality?
A: There are many factors that go into my decision to sell a puppy as a companion not to be bred. I endeavor to produce puppies with excellent temperaments that will be wonderful to own whether they go to a show, performance or companion home, but sometimes a pup is ideal for show except for temperament. It takes a rather bold, fearless temperament to do well in the show ring. Not all puppies that have the conformation for show have the temperament to go with it. Sometimes puppies have a very showy temperament but lack the outstanding conformation characteristics to make a successful show dogs. These pups are often ideal for performance. Sometimes, puppies are too small or too large for show but a well suited for performance or companion homes. Each puppy is an individual and is judged and placed on the basis of his or her merit.
6.
What do you require of the people that you sell puppies to?
A: The most important thing is the patience, love and desire to give the puppy a wonderful home. The new owner must protect and care for the pup, socialize and train it. Puppies are like toddlers and must be supervised and cared for properly to reach their full potential. If the buyer is getting a show prospect, they must agree to train, socialize, maintain ear training and make an honest effort to show the pup or put it with a handler if the pup fulfills it’s early promise. I feel that it is important that the pup have room to exercise properly in a safe environment like a fenced yard. The new owner is fully responsible for the care and well being of the puppy from the moment of purchase throughout the life of the puppy.
7.
Do you do genetic testing on your dogs?
A: All of my breeding stock is tested normal for hip dysplasia, eye disease, and von Willebrand’s Disease.
| 8. Why do you require a pet puppy to be registered with AKC? |
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I can understand why you might wonder what the big deal is since you are not going to breed or show. For me it is a show of pride of ownership of a well bred dog. Until you register the puppy, it is mine according to AKC because their records show only me as the owner. As a breeder I work very hard to breed the best dogs possible from the best bloodlines. Breeder of non tested non show stock pups probably wouldn’t care less if you registered your pet. Registering your pup gives you proof of ownership. If he/she is micro-chipped when he/she is registered with AKC the ID # on the micro-chip can be permanently registered for their recovery program if the pup is ever lost. With people failing to register their pups I have changed my policy. If they want one of my pups, they have to bring a check for the registration fee made out to AKC. I hold the papers if they don’t have a name picked out or want to micro-chip the pup before registering the pup. They let me know when they have made the name choice and the micro-chip number and I send it in for them. They then will receive the papers. This may seem like “much a due” about nothing but again I say it is a matter of pride owing a quality bred registered dog. With the new electric registration, I am able to register the pups online and the new owner can complete the registration by adding the name. If the new owner fails to name the pup by 6 months of age, I reserve the right to complete the registration with a name of my choice.
AKC describes the benefits as follows:
When you register your purebred dog with the AKC, you receive:
Your registration fee makes a difference. Over the last seven years, AKC has allocated close to $30 million to fund invaluable programs for the betterment of dogs and communities. The not-for-profit AKC is the only purebred dog registry that offers these programs and services: Kennel
Inspections AKC Canine
Health Foundation Canine
Search-and-Rescue Canine Good
Citizen® program Public Education Government
Relations DNA Profiling AKC Museum of
the Dog And much more! Reuniting Lost
Pets with Owners The American Kennel Club, a not-for-profit organization, is the nation’s oldest, largest, and most esteemed purebred dog registry. The AKC Mission
Statement:
I hope that you now
understand the value I place on each pup that I
produce. I want only the best for them.
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9. What is hip dysplasia?
HIP DYSPLASIA
Hip dysplasia is a polygenic, hereditary, and developmental condition. It
occasionally shows up in puppies as early as eight weeks, but more commonly
cannot be detected until somewhere between four months and two years. It is
apparently related in some way to the amount of inherited muscle mass around the
hip joint as well as the actual bone formation, and it is also influenced by
environmental factors such as too rapid growth rate, excess
weight, and poor diet. The hip joint is a ball and socket joint. The thigh bone
of the dog has an offset protrusion at the top in the shape of a ball. Normally
this ball fits into a socket in the pelvis and is held firmly in place by
muscles and ligaments. Occasionally, however, the socket is not deep enough, or
is improperly formed, thus allowing the thigh bone to slip. Other times the ball
is not properly formed and does not fit well into the socket. This is hip
dysplasia.
A Sheltie may go through life with a very mild degree of hip dysplasia that is
noticeable only as a sort of hitch in his rear gait, or he may occasionally
suffer a great deal of pain. If your Sheltie falls easily, sways from side to
side when walking, or has noticeable difficulty getting up,
suspect dysplasia. There is no cure, although an operation can sometimes relieve
the symptoms.
Diagnosis and the OFA
The only positive method of diagnosing hip dysplasia is by x-ray. This must be
carefully done with the dog anesthetized and in an exact position. Even then,
mild dysplasia can be difficult to diagnose. For this reason an organization
called the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
(OFA) was established for the purpose of checking and certifying dogs of all
breeds for hip dysplasia. HD is another defect which cannot always be picked up
in a young dog. If you want your dog certified, wait until he is two years old
or over to have him x-rayed. Your
veterinarian will forward the x-ray films, along with an application form and
fee, to OFA. There the x-ray will be identified, given an application number,
inspected for quality,
and sent to three different veterinary radiologists for diagnosis. A report
based on their findings will be sent to the owner and to the veterinarian who
took the x-rays.
In 1974 OFA adopted the following method of classifying hip dysplasia:
1. Excellent conformation.
2. Good conformation.
3. Fair conformation.
4. Borderline conformation/Intermediate.
5. Mild degree of dysplasia.
6. Moderate degree of dysplasia.
7. Severe degree of dysplasia.
More information about OFA may be obtained by writing
them at University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201.
Inheritance
Being polygenic in mode of inheritance, hip dysplasia is difficult to breed out
of a line or a breed of dogs. Many genes are involved, and all must occur in a
dog before the condition is expressed. Non-dysplastic Shelties may not have any
of the genes for dysplasia, or the genes for the defect may be present but not
in the right combination to allow the defect to be expressed. The latter may
produce dysplastic puppies if mated with another carrier. In order to
consistently produce dysplasia-free Shelties, you must know that the defect was
not present in the ancestors of a dog (or the litter mates of those ancestors)
for at least three to six generations. This, of course, is a tremendous
undertaking, and without the cooperation of breeders in obtaining certification
and making this information available, it is impossible.
10. What is MDR1?
Most dog owners are aware that Collies and other herding breeds may be sensitive to ivermectin, used for heartworm prevention and to treat certain parasites. But did you know that these dogs can also be sensitive to a number of other drugs, and that other breeds can also be affected?