How Did You Find/choose Your Dogs Breeder?

[aussielover]

we got our first dog from a petshop

For our next dog, we were interested in a couple of breeds, so we contacted the NSW cannine council (DOGS NSW) and they sent us a big document theat had pretty much all their registered breeders for each breed.

There was only one aussie shep breeder in NSW at the time listed, so we contacted her and were lucky enough to be able to get a puppy from her.

I used to look thru the trading post at the pet ads, the only reason we ended up going to a registered breeder was because the breed we were after was quite rare at the time.

If Mindy fails then she will be my next dog but i would like to keep puppy raising as well. My next dog (if Mindy becomes a guide or therapy dog) will probably be from Mindy's breeder, if I am able to get a pup from them. Otherwise I would like to get a lab from a breeder that breeds for guide dogs because their temperament and health is usually very good.

Clover's breeder is no longer breeding the standard size aussies, but I know there are plenty of other great aussie breeders out there when I am ready to get my next aussie.

The DOL website is good, but doesn't guarantee the breeder is actually "ethical"?

[Dogsfevr]

No list will guarantee "ethical" even the names from dogsNSW.

It is up to puppy buyers to buy with there heads,research & ask questions.Make themselves a smart buyer

[OSoSwift]

Clover's breeder is no longer breeding the standard size aussies

There is only one size.

Don't rule out looking outside your state for your next puppy either.

Make sure you know what things your breed should be tested for and gain as much knowledge as you can and go forth armed.

I found Rommi's breeder over the internet and didn't meet her in person until Rommi was two.

I have never met Lewis's breeder in person as they are in Victoria. If i go on a holiday I will look them up however.

[Red Fox]

I found Kei's breeder on the recommendation of another (who we originally found through the RRCSA) after a failed mating. Kei's litter was never advertised and we were very lucky to get him

[Parkeyre]

Clover's breeder is no longer breeding the standard size aussies

There is only one size.

Clover's Breeder now breeds Mini Australian Shepherds.

Not AKC ANKC or ASCA registerable, but yet she wants to breed them.

[Sheridan]

Aside from one dog when we were growing up, my family always got their dogs from registered breeders as we have the various Irish terrier breeds. No problems in finding them in the days of no Internet despite my dad never going to a dog show until I took him to the Melbourne Royal in 1999. Irish connections, no doubt.

When we went to the Royal in '99, we were actually looking at the kerries but on being invited back the next day to meet a wheaten, we did, and the rest is history.

Mini came to me because I threw myself in Merijigs path shouting, 'Pick me! Pick me!'

[Janba]

I got all 3 of mine in different ways.

One I got on the referal of a breeder whose dogs I liked and who owned her sire.

One from a trading post add I rang out of curiosity and it was a kennel that I knew and liked their dogs but had thought had stopped breeding so hadn't contacted in my search for a pup.

The 3rd from extensive online searching and talking to people overseas. I wanted a dual registered ISDS/ANKC dog and knew that to get one not under a desexing from Auscontract the then only breeder in Aus I would have to import one. I was luck enough to find a breeder in NZ who had bouight out 4 dogs from the UK.

ETA It is up to you to research lines and kennels. Recommendations from other buyers of their pups can be good as well as can establishing a rapport with the breeder. One of my dogs comes from a breeder who is sometimes refered to as a puppy farmer but I have had more breeder support and ongoing and less issues with her dog than from the other 2 so gossip is not always true.

Edited August 8, 2010 by Janba

[poodlemum]

My ex & I got our 1st Poodle, about 30 years ago!! , from a lady who was then one of NZ's top Standard Poodle breeders. We were VERY fortunate to get Rana - she was originally intended to be exported to Australia but the transaction fell through. We were recommended to Karen of Wildwind Poodles by someone else who had a Standard Poodle. Rana eventually ended up in Australia anyway, when we moved here in 1982 and, about 5 years later we got another puppy from Karen, that bitch was sold on full register & Karen encouraged us to become breeders. The 1st litter we had from Sascha we did a "swap" with Karen a black bitch puppy from our litter for a white dog puppy (Lennon) from her litter. Lennon & Sascha were the foundation of our line of Standards. They've long gone to Rainbow Bridge but just before we split up we got another bitch from Karen so that we could continue the line. Unfortunately, with the split, my ex ended up with the 2 of our dogs from the "Wildwind" line. I am hoping, when I can persuade OH to let me get a bitch, that I can find one from the Wildwind lines again.

[Gayle.]

Clover's breeder is no longer breeding the standard size aussies

There is only one size.

Clover's Breeder now breeds Mini Australian Shepherds.

Not AKC ANKC or ASCA registerable, but yet she wants to breed them.

That's such a shame because she was very influential in the Australian Shepherd breed being established here, and lots of current dogs carry her very good lines in their pedigrees.

[Gayle.]

I got Benson from a breeder who was advertising a litter on DOL, she was local to me so we were able to view the pups the day after I contacted her. She was lovely and cares very much about her dogs, the breed in general and is also a highly respected lecturer in animal psychology, in particular, dogs as companions.

She chose the best puppy for us and it was a perfect match.

The next puppy came from a breeder on an Aus Shepherd email list. I posted a general enquiry about finding a black tri bitch with particular markings and she contacted me to let me know she had a litter on the way and expected black tri's. She had exactly what I wanted and Dusty came to us from interstate. I didn't meet the breeder and chose Dusty from a series of photos.

My next puppy came from the same breeder, and he is co-owned by her and I. I've still not met her, but we have an email friendship that is easy and comfortable. She was very happy for me to take care of this very special little man, and I am very happy to be in co-ownership of a puppy with her.

[Tassie]

My agility girl came from breeders I knew who bred for show and performance - I had seen her grandfather in the obedience ring, and liked what I saw. Apart from being a little 'demon bitch' at times, she is everything I wanted, and has her grandfather and great-grandmother's work ethic.

My current boy came from a breeder I heard and read about, and whose lines I knew quite a bit about, and whose breeding philosophy I like. (And Kirra's grandfather is his great grandfather ). Again, I am absolutely delighted with my boy.

I have great continuing contact with both breeders.

[Brennan's Mum]

I got Brennan after months of contacting other GSD breeder's. I was talking to a friend who breeds West Highland White Terrier's and Cairn Terrier's and she suggested Brennan's breeder, gave me the contact details. I rang later that afternoon and after having a good chat was told that in a few weeks I could come look at the Q litter which had been born on Anzac Day 2009 and the rest is history.

[Sky_Mel]

I researched breeders for about a year and then got on a waiting list. She was really good and made sure I understood the breed and if I had GSDs before because she wanted to make sure her babies were going to the right people.

We got to meet mum and dad and see Sky's brother and sisters. Also provided us with a booklet on everything we need to know.

What I liked as well was that she was happy to take puppies back or even adult dogs if anything didn't work out at home, she did not want them surrendered to any shelters which I felt showed me she really does care about the dogs. She is also registered with Dogs Victoria.

[Hafhafa Hounds]

Our 1st family dog was a Cocker Spaniel. Not sure where he was from.

Our 2nd family dog (mixbreed) was for the RSPCA, 3rd (Bull Terrier) from a breeder who did the papers (extra $$$) or no papers (less $$$) game.

1st "my very own" dog was BYB (Jack Russell, but later reg'd as a foundation stock Tenterfield Terrier).

2nd was Tenterfield Terrier from a reg'd breeder (but in my opinion he is/was a rescued dog!).

3rd dog was rehomed purebred Kelpie from working lines in SA, but sent to Perth and then rehomed to us in NSW.

4th dog is a fostered JRT-X who stayed... (luv ya, Tom! )

5th & 6th dogs were Salukis from WA - reputable breeder, excellent after sales service and would buy all my [future] Salukis from her, but Moss is from her very last litter!

7th dog (Kelpie) is homebred from working lines, from original rehomed Kelpie.

Have had 4 other foster dogs in that time through ARF in the ACT and private rescue in Vic. Have also had a Kelpie I bred returned and subsequently rehomed, but I wish I never rehomed him - Dusty is the greatest dog I have ever bred!!

(edited for sp)

Edited August 8, 2010 by Hafhafa Hounds

[SalTheGal]

We got our puppy through a breeder that happens to be husbands best mates mother. Interestingly enough we had met them several times and the fact they were breeders never really came up.... our mate just happened to mention his mum had a litter at the exact time we had decided we would start looking for a new pup for our family (I like the fact she didn't seem pushy about getting her dogs out there- the right owners will come to her without her needing to advertise it loud and wide).

We hadn't decided on a breed at that stage- though Cockers were on our list as they were the right size.... we did some research and were really happy with what we found- and what we found from the breeder.

Because we know her I trust her, and I hardly think she would be comfortable selling us a dog that was not of good standard when we see her son often... she advertises litters here at DOL too I do believe if they are not presold.

[Ons]

I voted using Tilly as my example, looked up DOL, found a breeder nearby and the rest is history. Yes I would get another dog from Michelle who is a now a facebook friend

Onslow from Golden Retriever Club, I was living in Moree at the time, holidaying in Sydney, every litter I rang from DOL had been sold, was referred by the Golden Retreiver Club to someone who lived in Cooma which was about the furtherest you could get from me, in fact the lady in Cooma didn't have pups but was helping one of her friends who had 3 litters and amazingly lived in Armidale which was only 3 hours away from Moree. As much as I love my Onslow I think I prefer Tilly's line.

[Cosmolo]

I was fortunate enough to receive a recommendation for Blazeaway kennels from a DOLer when i posted about Jack Russell Terriers. Well, she was spot on and the breeder we got Gilbert from is unbelievably fantastic!! We could not have asked for better and we have exactly what we wanted- temperament, structure, looks- the whole package. We will now always have a JRT in our life and hopefully they will always come from Blazeaway.

Edited August 8, 2010 by Cosmolo

[Paptacular!]

I based my answer on Portia. Found her breeder on the DOL website, I did email a few breeders saying I was looking for a bitch to show.

Portia's breeder was the first to reply and we built up a rapport, even though I did eventually purchase a puppy from another breeder, who unfortunately died a short time later.

She did ask a few months later if I was still looking, and that's when she told me that she had Portia available.

I'd definitely buy from her again, and am more than likely going to use one of her stud dogs for Portia's first mating.

[Genabee]

Hubby phoned me in the middle of the night from some strange place (he was away for work) and told me he was finally going to buy me a puppy!!!! I was sooooo excited (only took four years of nagging). So at about 3am, after that phone call, I jumped on the internet to start researching. I didn't sleep for about three days due to all the excitement!

I knew I wanted a cav, but had to come up with the goods to convince hubby it was the breed for us. So I emailed hubby a whole lot of info on the breed and of course, as every good wife does, I got my way! (Now he is smitten with her and of course it was HIS idea to get a dog and HIS idea to get a cav!!).

That same morning I stumbled on DOL and was looking through all the listings in VIC for pups available at the time we wanted (we were moving house, wanted to be in the new house before pup came home). I emailed about 10 breeders. A couple never got back to me. Some had sold them all. A couple emailed me back, but I found they didn't answer my questions or didn't get a good vibe.

The breeder we got G from, emailed me back answering all my questions and offered to have us over the next week to have first pick from the two litters she had. She welcomed us into her home and we were able to meet and play with both the mums and dad, all the pups (they were three weeks old) and the other two grown up cavs she had. Straight away I liked her - her house was spotless, her dogs were all healthy, happy and very well behaved. We liked one bitch over the other, so that narrowed the choice down to one litter. We originally wanted a blem. but took a liking to the little tri-colour with a dot on her nose!

Our breeder was fantastic. She emailed me pic updates twice a week from the time we visited to when we collected her. She answered my millions of questions and was all round very supportive, especially during the first few weeks when I bought her home. We still keep in contact now and if we ever decide to get another, I would be more than happy to go back to her.

[Tansy]

For our next dog, we were interested in a couple of breeds, so we contacted the NSW cannine council (DOGS NSW) and they sent us a big document theat had pretty much all their registered breeders for each breed.

There was only one aussie shep breeder in NSW at the time listed, so we contacted her and were lucky enough to be able to get a puppy from her.

I think you will find there are plenty more Aussie Shep breeders in NSW. The list you probably received from Dogs NSW is just those breeders who choose to advertise with Dogs NSW. In my breed, the breeders who pay to advertise with Dogs NSW is a pretty small percentage of all the breeders overall.

When I get asked for recommendations in other breeds I tend to refer people to Dogzonline breeder listings and/or the breed club for that particular breed. Of course, where ever you find a breeder you need to do your homework on what health testing is important for that breed, and check you are happy with the way the pups are brought up etc.