Puppy breeder questions UPDATE!!! WE GOT THE PUPPY!

[welovedisneyx4]

O.K., I know there are a lot of puppy threads and questions about breeders and such, but I haven't seen one lately and want to get some opinions.

We have decided to get a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and have found a breeder w/ a reasonable price and seems to be reputable on the surface.

What are some things we should look for in a breeder? We have read about the basic info, but I would just like to see if I am forgeting something.

Also, does anyone have any experience w/ shipping a puppy or having one shipped to you? (Please don't flame me for having her shipped. We have looked at breeders nearby, but there just isn't anything out there to meet what we want that isn't far away.)

Any help will be greatly appreciated! TIA!

 

[mylightshines]

First of all, make sure the breeder is CKCSC and AKC registered. Not just AKC. Do not buy if they have lots and lots of puppies. A good breeder breeds ONLY to make a better dog and not to make puppies (money).

CKCSC has their own website with breeder referrals and FAQ. I would start there.

 

[Crankyshank]

There's a great article on the humane society website with a checklist to download.
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_adoption_information/how_to_find_a_good_dog_breeder/

 

[welovedisneyx4]

Thanks! That website looks good.

Any other suggestions out there?

 

[cyndibelle]

always make sure they are willing to stand behind the dog...so if something would happen illness puppy doesnt fit in with your family...etc they would be willing to take the dog back or give you back your money or replace with another dog

 

[Allie322]

My Cavalier is in my signature. It took us a LONG time before we found a breeder we were comfortable with. As hard as it is to walk away from a puppy, be prepared that sometimes you just have to. I feel like this dog was meant to be with us and that's why it took us so long. He is the sweetest boy.
I'm sorry I don't have any more specific advice for you.
Good luck with your Cavalier!

ETA: He WAS in my signature...I don't know where he went! Trust me, he's the cutest black and tan cavalier. Now to figure out how to get him back...

 

[doxdogy]

Good advice in above posts. You can also go to the AKC website for information; http://www.akc.org Also ask how the puppies are raised. We use to breed dachshunds. The puppies were raised in the house. Slept in the bedroom until they were old enough to sleep on their own. You could basically say we hand raised the pups. They were socialized and use to other dogs and people before they went to their new homes. We use to make sure friends came over to socialize them. And we stood behind our pups.

 

[chirurgeon]

A good breeder with practically interigate you about yourself and your dog experience and how you will raise and take care of your dog. Some one who got a Bichon from the same breeder I got mine from referred to her as the "Bichon Nazi" If your breeder is a CKCS Nazi, they might be good.

Good luck, and crate train

 

[welovedisneyx4]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

So far everything is looking good w/ this breeder.

We actually have found one locally that we are checking out as well. I am not sure if that is going to work, but we are looking into it.

Thanks again!

 

[hiwaygal]

Try this link for info on finding a good breeder:

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/responbr.html

 

[vetrik]

With the Cavaliers, you want to make sure that they have the hearts ultrasounded for their breeding animals every year, and that they have also had their eyes checked. I know our breeder has a heart "pedigree" for each puppy showing how old their parents/grandparents were when they got heart murmers. With Cavaliers, heart disease and eye problems are some of the biggest health problems with the breed. Other than that, the main checklists of a good breeder from the links above are good.

As far as having them shipped, of course it's better if you can find a local breeder that will have what you want. I think most puppies make it through shipping with no problem though, if that's the route you end up taking. I would just make sure that the puppy is at least 12 weeks old. I know the airlines have very specific rules too about temperatures at the takeoff and landing sites - it can't be too hot or cold. That may make it more difficult to get a puppy in the next few months, when it's very hot most places.

Good luck finding a breeder - they are the best dogs! My parents have 2, and my little baby just turned 6 months old.

 

[katied]

We had a litter of puppies ourself this past July (Springer Spaniels). We're not breeders, but are active in field trials and had a litter based on several requests for puppies. We'll do thing again in a couple of years. After going through this now - a couple things I can think of:

1) make sure they guarantee the dog. The contract we signed for each puppy we sold stated that we would take any dog back, anytime, and refund original purchase price. Good breeders don't want their dogs to end up in shelters or in bad placements.

2) we also guarantee heath - we had bloodwork/ultrasounds done on male and female before breeding to get all cleared by AKC. We then had the eyes checked on the puppies and certified before they would be sold.

3) how do they raise/socialize the puppies? For us, it was just my husband and I with 8 puppies, so we had high school girls come over 3 - 4 times a week for a couple hours each time to help socialize the puppies. This should start around 4 weeks of age. The puppies should be comfortable being held on their back - it takes time to get them used to this. They should be used to different sounds - the vacuum, dishwasher, TV, etc. They should also be used to different rooms, etc. All of this can add to the level of comfort when they leave "home."

4) quality of food/care. some breeders will cut corners on food for the pups. Our pups were very well fed. First, we took care of the mom to make sure she had all the supplemntal food she needed - including cooking beef liver for her and mashing it up to add to her regular food. Once the pups started to eat, we had boiled whole chickens, livers, etc., and ran these through a food processor. These were added, along with a few other items, to the pups food (we got recipies from a vet who deals primarily with breeders). We weighed the pups daily to start with and tracked their weight gain. One was a bit slow on gaining weight, so we'd try to give her separate nursing time. Someone who truly cares about the pups will take the time to do these types of things. If they're in it for the money - no such luck.

As an FYI - we refused to place any of our pups unless the people would drive to collect. Some people were willing to drive from NC to IL for the pups. In part it's a level of comfort - no matter how someone sounds over the phone, you don't really know until you meet them in person - it works both ways - seeing the way the pups are being cared for can mean quite a bit.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

We got our Cavalier!! This post is a little late b/c we have had her for 2 weeks now. She is a doll! I'm sorry, I haven't figured out how to post pics yet, give me a little more time.

She is a tri-color w/ beautiful markings and we named her Coco Leigh. We just all thought up the name, it didn't come from anything specific.

She did fine on the flight. She was a little shakey when we got her. DH and the kids were waiting in line at the airline counter and she saw the kids and started getting excited. The guy in front of us in line was a friend of ours and asked if we were getting the puppy and let us go ahead of him.

She is 10 weeks old now and is very sweet. She is sleeping through the night fairly well for the most part. Sometimes she wakes up and decides it is playtime about 3:00 in the morning, but other than that, she has done well.

She loves the kids and tries to be friendly to the cats, but they don't want anything to do w/ her. We are working on the potty training. She does well at night. She checked out fine at the vets. We are looking forward to many years w/ our new family member!!

 

[disneyfanforever]

Congratulations on the new puppy. I would love to see a picture of her. I love Cavaliers. I bet your kids are thrilled