Why Should I Buy A Pure Bred Dog?

[bails]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering what are the advantages of purchasing a pure bred puppy.

Also, how do you know if you are dealing with a good breeder.

Cheers

Bails

[lappiemum]

Welcome to DOL Bails.

Have you read this?

http://www.dogzonline.com.au/pedigree_dogs.asp

[poodlefan]

Purebred pups are more predictable in terms of the characteristics of the adult they'll become. If you are buying an adult dog, that advantage is negated.

I posted a thread about this a while back. If you click here I've linked you to it.

I hope you find it helpful. ;)

Of course once you've got an idea about what breed you'd like, visiting the breed threads and asking for breeder recommendations is also a good idea.

Edited April 21, 2010 by poodlefan

[SparkyTansy]

Welcome to DOL Bails ;)

the link lappiemum provided is a good one. There are many advantages.

[GoldenGirl85]

For me the advantages are knowing what your dog will end up like, there is little chance of the adult dog not suiting your needs if you have done the right research. With a cross bred you never really know if the dog will take after one breed or the other, or it could be a mutated mix of the two. It could still be the perfect dog for you, but you wont know until the dog is grown what it will be like (size and coat type come into this too not just personality)

[lappiemum]

Bails you also asked about choosing a breeder - that is just as important as choosing your breed! The Victorian Canine Association has a very good website which deals with your questions (and more)! but I have cut and pasted below the section on choosing a breeder:

Buying A Dog

Choosing a Breeder

So you've decided what breed is right for you--congratulations! But your work is not yet done. Where you go to get your dog is just as important as what kind of dog you get. A good starting point when looking for breeders is the Breeder Directory or the breed club.

Responsible Breeders

A responsible breeder is the best source for a well-bred, healthy dog. The breeder will carefully select the parents of each litter to emphasize desirable attributes and minimise faults in their progeny. Some people breed dogs only to produce puppies to sell. These individuals have no regard for the advancement of that breed; they are motivated solely by profit. Responsible breeders will never breed a litter without considering the advancement of the breed. Each litter should improve the quality of breeding stock, resulting in healthy puppies with improved breed soundness- that is, physical and mental health- that are an advancement toward the ideal.

Another good reason to buy a puppy from a breeder is that gives you the opportunity to interact with the puppy's siblings and dam, also possibly the sire. You can, therefore, form a general impression of what the future holds for the puppy you take home.

Buying from a breeder means that you are part of an extended family. Most breeders expect a call if the dog has a crisis at any stage in its life, so they can help you understand and cope with the problem. This can be especially comforting for the first time dog owners who can't even imagine what kinds of questions they'll have in the future.

Visit as many breeders as possible for your breed. Examine the premises to make sure they are clean and that the dogs appear to be well cared for. Puppies should be clean, well fed, lively and friendly, without any signs of illness such as runny nose or eyes, skin sores, or dirty ears or fleas. Ask as many questions as you have and expect thorough answers. The breeder will also have questions for you as they will want to ensure their puppies are going into loving, responsible homes.

You should see the Dam (mother) of the puppies and she should be friendly, in good condition and well cared for. You should ask to see the Sire (father) of the puppies. He may not live at the same place but if he lives close by, you should arrange to see him. If there are known hereditary diseases which affect that breed you should ask to see certificates which show that the Sire and Dam have been tested for those diseases.

How much does a puppy cost?

This is not the time to hunt for a bargain. Your new puppy will be a member of your family for his lifetime, so you'll want to make a wise investment. Ask breeders and breed club members to get a rough idea of prices, but don't make decision on price alone - more expensive isn't necessarily better. Make sure you find the right dog for YOU.

And remember, the price of the puppy is just the beginning of the costs. You will need to care for, feed, groom and maintain your dog’s health with regular veterinary visits throughout its life.

What you should expect from the person who sells you a puppy:

•A vaccination certificate which shows vaccinations given, when the next ones are due, and evidence of the puppy's age (it is against DOGS Victoria's Code of Ethics to sell a puppy under 8 weeks of age).

•ANKC Registration Certificate (papers)

•When it was treated for worms and how often it needs to be treated in future

•A feeding chart

•Information on the puppy's likely nature, temperament, size and care requirements.

•Details of any hereditary diseases or health problems which are known to affect the breed.

•Information on responsible pet ownership, in particular care and welfare of the puppy, the time and facilities required for proper management (socialisation, exercise, adequate fencing, sufficient space and proper shelter)

You can read the rest of the VCA's pages at http://www.dogsvictoria.org.au/Content.asp?ID=143

Edited April 21, 2010 by lappiemum

[RallyValley]

The ongoing support

Lincoln's breeder is so great and helpful. Plus being able to trace m dogs lines back to 1900 is a thrill, as is being able to show.

[sandgrubber]

You want WELLBRED purebreed dog.

If you know what you like in a dog, the breed is a good way of predicting what the cute puppy will end out to be.

The WELLBRED is important, cause all breeders aren't equal. Ask questions. Find out what you can about health problems of the breed, and whether or not the breeders you talk to do adequate testing. Ask about the temperament of sire and dam . . . a fair portion of temperament is hereditary. A good breeder is selling a registered and to some extent guaranteed product, backed by a family tree. If you don't buy pedigree, you're likely to end out with no guarantee, and no evidence for health or temperament . . . . and you may end up with a dog that is NOTHING like what you thought your were buying. I have a few boarders in my boarding kennel whose owners went to the petshop thinking they were buying a small breed and have ended out with very large dogs.

[mita]

You want WELLBRED purebreed dog...

you may end up with a dog that is NOTHING like what you thought your were buying. I have a few boarders in my boarding kennel whose owners went to the petshop thinking they were buying a small breed and have ended out with very large dogs.

Very true. Young lad we know bought a 'border collie' from a pet store....a breed of dog he'd always wanted.

This dog grew into a giant, nothing like a border collie. More like a specially large labrador/german shepherd X.

He was so big that our shelties would run underneath his tummy when playing. Fortunately he had a good nature.

[Esky the husky]

Even the way the puppies are raised by the right breeders makes a huge difference.

Regrettably I owned a husky from a scungy backyard breeder before I got a pedigree purebred one.

The first husky Didge was much funnier around food, she would always scoff it, often choking.

My guess is that she had to fight her litter mates for food in the BYB scenario.

Esky on the other hand is really well balanced, and doesn't feel the need to scoff her food in case some one else steals it.

The breeder she was from, made sure the puppies were all catered for as individuals, not just as a litter..

Early socialization of the puppies and ongoing breeder support is well worth the money in my eyes.

With pedigree dogs you really do get what you pay for.

With BYBs, petshop dogs and the like it's sending someone else to do your grocery shopping without a list. Yes you'll get food, but you might not be able to make what you want out of it.

[mumof3]

I have for the first time, a pedigreed purebred dog on order with a registered breeder for a family pet. This is why I chose to go registered purebred.

1 - I think mongrels (like real mixed bred dogs) are ok if you get them as adults or if you don't really need to know what you are getting. As I was getting a dog for a family pet I felt the need to make sure that the dog fitted our needs well. I think that I might have been able to find a cross bred / mongrel adult dog to fit us if I was lucky, but given our isolated location, I decided it would be too hard to find. After choosing a breed, I felt certain I would end up getting a dog that would suit us.

2 - I considered pure bred unregistered but quickly discarded that idea. These dogs are only a few hundred dollars cheaper than registered ones and they carry no guarantee about the health problems that can be found in certain breeds. Initially I was looking at Golden Retrievers, who have the risk of hip dyslpasia. Registered GR puppies come from parents who have been screened for this condition, so you can be reasonably assured it won't become a problem in your dog. Unregistered GR puppies could come from two parents with bad hip dysplasia and could be severely affected at a young age - you have no guarantees. Many registered breeders offer a guarantee against genetic diseases.

3 - Professionalism / support / product (dog) knowledge. I eventually found (after a few phonecalls), a registered breeder who really understood me, what I was looking for in a dog and what I had to offer as a pet owner. She was terrific in answering all my questions about the breed. Her reputation is excellent. This is a lady who is serious about her dogs and has made significant financial and personal investment in advancing the breed in Australia. I started to feel that the money I give this lady buys me not only a pup with a guarantee against hereditary disease, but also the backing and support of a leading breeder. It gets me expert opinion on wether or not an individual pup is a good fit for my family. I am making an investment in the breeder.

4 - The right start for my pup. I know my pup will have been given the best start from a dietry and socialisation point of view.

If you are considering buying a purebred dog, I'd suggest you spend quite a bit of time researching and talking to breeders and deciding exactly what you are looking for in a dog. Hopefully you'll find a breeder which you "click" with, and then you have a really ally. It might take a while to get a pedigreed purebred pup, but given the financial and emotional investment in any new pet, I think it is well worth while.

If you are situated such that you could consider adopting a dog from a shelter, this is probably also worth considering. Many rescue dogs come vet checked, desexed, immunised and temperament tested. If you find a good shelter they may be able to give you lots of great advice and support. Puppies can be an enormous amount of work with additional feeding, recreation and training requirements. A mature dog may suit better, though I found mature dogs without "baggage" hard to find.

[mita]

Even the way the puppies are raised by the right breeders makes a huge difference.

Early socialization of the puppies and ongoing breeder support is well worth the money in my eyes.

Spot on comment. ;)

Both my purebred dogs, as retired showdogs, came from a breeder who socialised her dogs well & treated them to a life the same as the best of pet homes.

I keep seeing the results all the time....as strangers remark on what lovely dogs they are, in how they behave with people & with other dogs.

I'd love to be able to take credit for this! But I tell the truth....this is how these dogs came from their excellent registered breeder.

She did it! I just keep it going.

[bails]

thanks everyone.

We purchased a GSD from a well known breeder and we are extremely happy with her, we love her to bits. However, she has been diagnosed with HD - both the dam and sire have been breed surveyed and apparantly scored with good results.

It has been a bit of a shock for us because we thought we were doing the right thing by buying from a registered breeder so that genetic diseases such as HD will virtually be eliminated.

When we advised our breeder of her diagnosis, they were not very sympathic and seemed to take it personally. They did not provide us with any advice as to what to do or even show any empathy. It has taken many emails for them to finally respond to us and they are very cold. We are really confused by their behaviour, as they had always been really nice and helpful in the past.

This has definately been a learning curve for us, when we purchase our next GSD, we will be doing lots and lots of research before we trust another breeder.

Has anyone else had any experiences like this?

[Rebanne]

sorry to hear about your dog but HD can crop up from anywhere, you can have generations of dogs with no HD but then one is produced. Dogs are dogs and things can and do happen. Buying from a registered breeder who health tests only lessen's the chances of your dog ending up with a problem, it doesn't eliminate them.

Won't comment on your breeder's reaction because there is only one side of the story being told.

You do know how a pup is reared can also cause HD don't you?

[WreckitWhippet]

Has anyone else had any experiences like this?

Nope, my experiences have all been good, the dogs have all been happy and healthy.

[ncarter]

tell me rebanne ;)

[ish]

Karen Hedberg has written a good article on HD here: http://www.gsdcv.org.au/sites/default/file...dberg2002_0.pdf

Some points of note are:

"Hip Dysplasia is a polygenetic condition, ie. many genes affect the outcome. The more genes affecting a characteristic, the harder and slower it is to eradicate or affect the characteristic, and the more environmental effects come into play (diet, weight, rate of growth etc). Where there are ways to measure the condition, then progress can be made in controlling the effect of the condition in the overall population eg. Hip Dysplasia - X raying of individuals and their progeny."

and

"Broader expectations should be given to the public explaining while we as breeders can try as hard as possible to breed “normal” hips (and elbows), we can occasionally turn up bad results due to the polygenetic basis of the conditions we are looking at."

Sorry to hear about your GSD. Did you take her to someone who is familiar with the breed and experienced in doing hip xrays when she was diagnosed?

[bails]

sorry to hear about your dog but HD can crop up from anywhere, you can have generations of dogs with no HD but then one is produced. Dogs are dogs and things can and do happen. Buying from a registered breeder who health tests only lessen's the chances of your dog ending up with a problem, it doesn't eliminate them.

Won't comment on your breeder's reaction because there is only one side of the story being told.

You do know how a pup is reared can also cause HD don't you?

We followed our breeders advice regarding diet and exercise, in fact she was fed a product called Be-NatuRal at their request, her weight has always been excellent, she was never excessively exercised as a young pup or even now for that matter and we have no stairs.

Nutrition and environment do play a part in the development of HD, however the HD gene needs to be present to develop.

Our breeders reaction has totally stumped us, as said before they have always been really nice, however when we told them about this their attitude changed. We don't know why, I'm assuming they may have had other litter syblings come back with HD as well, but I am only speculating, unfortunately I can't confirm that.

This whole experience has really knocked us for sevens, we have lost faith in registered dod breeders. I know not every breeder is the same and there are some truly wonder people doing the right thing by the breed, but our trust has been lost.

[poodlefan]

We followed our breeders advice regarding diet and exercise, in fact she was fed a product called Be-NatuRal at their request, her weight has always been excellent, she was never excessively exercised as a young pup or even now for that matter and we have no stairs.

Nutrition and environment do play a part in the development of HD, however the HD gene needs to be present to develop.

Bails, as Dr Hedberg's article outlines, there is no "HD gene"... a number of genes play a role.

I'm really sorry to hear about your girl's HD and her breeder's cool response to you. Not that it will make you feel any better, but two of my friends have dogs with HD and their dogs are probably not purebred and are not from registered breeders.

What has your vet said about managing HD. Has your girl been hipscored?

[Rebanne]

Actually I have a bit of a problem with you. Why weren't you up front at the beginning of this thread?