rutylr
09-23-2007, 12:58 PM
This is a booklet I hand out to anyone looking to purchase a puppy.Hopefully it will help someone find a happy healthy puppy.
A note from the author
This booklet of the author’s opinions and observations was compiled to help the first time puppy buyer purchase a healthy and happy puppy. Its intention was to help Rottweiler buyers, but can be used as a guide to help find responsible breeders of any breed.
Over the years, I have talked to a lot of people looking to purchase a puppy. They wanted to know the difference between a reputable breeder and a puppy mill. A reputable breeder has a reputation for quality, not quantity, who breeds dogs of sound mind and body. A reputable breeder breeds because they are striving towards the “perfect” dog according to the standard and to improve the dogs they are breeding; not just because they want money. I hope that I have remembered everything and this information helps you to purchase a happy healthy pet.
*Vom Rommelfaenger Rottweilers
Donna Rommelfaenger
SO YOU WANT TO BUY A PUPPY
This is not a booklet on the breed standard, nor is it a book on how to train your dog. Please refer to the included list of books to better educate yourself on the Rottweiler breed before purchasing a puppy.
Education:
There are more bad breeders out there than reputable ones. Do not jump into buying a puppy of any breed. Look around, do your homework, and talk to people who are actively working their dogs. A puppy is for life; pick the right breeder. You will be pleased that you have spent the time when you get home with your happy, healthy puppy. Who knows? You might even end up getting another pup from the same breeder; after all one is not enough!
Learn the origin and the purpose of the breed, and determine if your living situation is acceptable. Learn the known health problems of the breed and the family health history of your dog. Health history can be obtained through certifications from the breeder you select.And from going to www.offa.org.
The parents of your puppy should be certified free of hip dysplasia at the least,Some breeders are also doing elbows,eyes, thyroid and hearts.Some breeds have other health problem,that the breeder should be testing for.Go to www.offa.org and look up the breed you are intrested in,and see what breeders are testing for. You may be asking, “Why do I need to check all this? I’m just buying a pet, not a show dog!” Would you buy a house without checking its foundation? I hope not! Say you buy this puppy (with no family or health history) for $350 or less; can you afford to spend thousands of dollars to pay for surgery to replace one or both hips, or to repair a blown out knee? Are you willing to change your life for a dog that is going blind? What if your dog has a heart failure or bleeds to death in its youth? Do you want a dog that needs to be on medication for the rest of its life? How much money are you really saving by getting your puppy from a cheaper “back yard breeder” rather than a reputable breeder?
Purchasing:
Decide if you want a puppy and all the work of obedience and house training that goes with it; or would you like the pleasure of owning and giving an older dog a second chance on life? Do not look in the newspaper; good breeders do not advertise this way. Call your local kennel club or dog-training club for recommendations of members who own this breed. Network if you have to; most breeders are more than willing to refer you to other breeders if their puppies are not currently available. You may also call every veterinarian in your area for help. The vets know which of their clients have healthy dogs with stable temperaments.
If a dog show is coming to your area, check it out. You may find breeders entered in agility, conformation, or obedience. They need to keep themselves and their dogs
focused on the task at hand, so wait until they have finished showing their dogs before approaching them. After their class is finished showing, most owners will be happy to let you pet their dogs. Exchange phone numbers and make an appointment; this lets you meet their other dogs and gives the owner a chance to get to know you. A reputable breeder will not sell a puppy without knowing what kind of home it will be going to. Breeders are responsible for that puppy’s life and should not allow it to become just another dog in a puppy mill. If you choose a breeder that does not have a litter available, ask to be put on a waiting list. A reputable breeder will not breed until they have a list of pups that are spoken for.
Not everyone who shows dogs is a reputable breeder. Some breed to finance their showing. Some will even offer to show your dog for you. Breeders should never charge for showing their own pups. Make sure if they are showing your dog, they are not showing 3 or 4 other dogs. If they are, how is your dog supposed to win?
When you do go to look at puppies, they should be clean and active. Eyes, noses, and rear-ends should be clean and nails should be trimmed. Puppies should be wormed and current on all immunizations. A reputable breeder handles the pups a lot, and will know which one is right for you. A puppy is taught to socialize by having people handle them. This is easily done by supervised play between neighborhood children and the puppies.
Do not buy a female on a breeding contract; this is often another version of a puppy mill. Most of the time you will pay full price for the puppy, you will have to pay the stud fee (for the male of the breeder’s choice), and you will have to pay the vet bills during and after pregnancy. The breeder (or contract holder) will then take up to half the litter, as young as 8 weeks of age, and place them under the breeder’s kennel name! If the female dies in labor or all the puppies die you could still owe the breeder (contract holder) money for puppies you never had. It can get very ugly.
NEVER buy a puppy from a pet store or over-populated breeder just because you feel sorry for the dog. Many of these puppies are mass-produced in kennels. The people who participate in mass-production of puppies care nothing for the health or quality of the mothers or their puppies. These dogs are meant to be an income; the only way to stop dogs from being thought of in this way is to eliminate the demand.
Do not buy a puppy from someone who kennels their dogs and pups outdoors, or if they have more than one litter to choose from. Dogs are pack animals and should be living with their pack leader (owner), not a 6 x 12 cage. These people should be running a zoo not breeding dogs. Do not buy from someone who breeds oversized or mini versions of this or any breed, or who breed rare colors. These rarities are not rare; they are faults! Reputable breeders will only breed dogs that fit within the breed “standards”.
A note from the author
This booklet of the author’s opinions and observations was compiled to help the first time puppy buyer purchase a healthy and happy puppy. Its intention was to help Rottweiler buyers, but can be used as a guide to help find responsible breeders of any breed.
Over the years, I have talked to a lot of people looking to purchase a puppy. They wanted to know the difference between a reputable breeder and a puppy mill. A reputable breeder has a reputation for quality, not quantity, who breeds dogs of sound mind and body. A reputable breeder breeds because they are striving towards the “perfect” dog according to the standard and to improve the dogs they are breeding; not just because they want money. I hope that I have remembered everything and this information helps you to purchase a happy healthy pet.
*Vom Rommelfaenger Rottweilers
Donna Rommelfaenger
SO YOU WANT TO BUY A PUPPY
This is not a booklet on the breed standard, nor is it a book on how to train your dog. Please refer to the included list of books to better educate yourself on the Rottweiler breed before purchasing a puppy.
Education:
There are more bad breeders out there than reputable ones. Do not jump into buying a puppy of any breed. Look around, do your homework, and talk to people who are actively working their dogs. A puppy is for life; pick the right breeder. You will be pleased that you have spent the time when you get home with your happy, healthy puppy. Who knows? You might even end up getting another pup from the same breeder; after all one is not enough!
Learn the origin and the purpose of the breed, and determine if your living situation is acceptable. Learn the known health problems of the breed and the family health history of your dog. Health history can be obtained through certifications from the breeder you select.And from going to www.offa.org.
The parents of your puppy should be certified free of hip dysplasia at the least,Some breeders are also doing elbows,eyes, thyroid and hearts.Some breeds have other health problem,that the breeder should be testing for.Go to www.offa.org and look up the breed you are intrested in,and see what breeders are testing for. You may be asking, “Why do I need to check all this? I’m just buying a pet, not a show dog!” Would you buy a house without checking its foundation? I hope not! Say you buy this puppy (with no family or health history) for $350 or less; can you afford to spend thousands of dollars to pay for surgery to replace one or both hips, or to repair a blown out knee? Are you willing to change your life for a dog that is going blind? What if your dog has a heart failure or bleeds to death in its youth? Do you want a dog that needs to be on medication for the rest of its life? How much money are you really saving by getting your puppy from a cheaper “back yard breeder” rather than a reputable breeder?
Purchasing:
Decide if you want a puppy and all the work of obedience and house training that goes with it; or would you like the pleasure of owning and giving an older dog a second chance on life? Do not look in the newspaper; good breeders do not advertise this way. Call your local kennel club or dog-training club for recommendations of members who own this breed. Network if you have to; most breeders are more than willing to refer you to other breeders if their puppies are not currently available. You may also call every veterinarian in your area for help. The vets know which of their clients have healthy dogs with stable temperaments.
If a dog show is coming to your area, check it out. You may find breeders entered in agility, conformation, or obedience. They need to keep themselves and their dogs
focused on the task at hand, so wait until they have finished showing their dogs before approaching them. After their class is finished showing, most owners will be happy to let you pet their dogs. Exchange phone numbers and make an appointment; this lets you meet their other dogs and gives the owner a chance to get to know you. A reputable breeder will not sell a puppy without knowing what kind of home it will be going to. Breeders are responsible for that puppy’s life and should not allow it to become just another dog in a puppy mill. If you choose a breeder that does not have a litter available, ask to be put on a waiting list. A reputable breeder will not breed until they have a list of pups that are spoken for.
Not everyone who shows dogs is a reputable breeder. Some breed to finance their showing. Some will even offer to show your dog for you. Breeders should never charge for showing their own pups. Make sure if they are showing your dog, they are not showing 3 or 4 other dogs. If they are, how is your dog supposed to win?
When you do go to look at puppies, they should be clean and active. Eyes, noses, and rear-ends should be clean and nails should be trimmed. Puppies should be wormed and current on all immunizations. A reputable breeder handles the pups a lot, and will know which one is right for you. A puppy is taught to socialize by having people handle them. This is easily done by supervised play between neighborhood children and the puppies.
Do not buy a female on a breeding contract; this is often another version of a puppy mill. Most of the time you will pay full price for the puppy, you will have to pay the stud fee (for the male of the breeder’s choice), and you will have to pay the vet bills during and after pregnancy. The breeder (or contract holder) will then take up to half the litter, as young as 8 weeks of age, and place them under the breeder’s kennel name! If the female dies in labor or all the puppies die you could still owe the breeder (contract holder) money for puppies you never had. It can get very ugly.
NEVER buy a puppy from a pet store or over-populated breeder just because you feel sorry for the dog. Many of these puppies are mass-produced in kennels. The people who participate in mass-production of puppies care nothing for the health or quality of the mothers or their puppies. These dogs are meant to be an income; the only way to stop dogs from being thought of in this way is to eliminate the demand.
Do not buy a puppy from someone who kennels their dogs and pups outdoors, or if they have more than one litter to choose from. Dogs are pack animals and should be living with their pack leader (owner), not a 6 x 12 cage. These people should be running a zoo not breeding dogs. Do not buy from someone who breeds oversized or mini versions of this or any breed, or who breed rare colors. These rarities are not rare; they are faults! Reputable breeders will only breed dogs that fit within the breed “standards”.