Guidance on whether to buy puppy please!!! - Page 1

I'm hoping I can get some guidance in a matter of whether to purchase a puppy or not. The sire of the litter in question is Akim Vitmajk, SVV1. He is a Slovak import with solid lines and the mother is equally good. The kennel owner has two litters who have been fathered by this dog, and while the puppy I'm interested in sounds great, the matter of AKC registration is a concern. While the mother is AKC registered, Akim's paperwork from Slovakia still hasn't been sent. As a result, the puppy I'm buying will not have paperwork either. When I inquired about when the puppy might ultimately be registered, I am being told that it may take 7 months or longer. The breeder tells me the Slovakia registration was submitted quite some time ago with a high priority rush, but still hasn't been received, nor am I being told a time when it will. The breeder is also saying it's a known fact that European imports dealing with registration issues is a long process and that she can't do a foreign registration online with the AKC and once she does get the paperwork from Slovakia that will likely take awhile too. When I brought up the fact that others purchasing her puppies would also have concerns about the lack of registration, she mentioned that they have been "understanding." (not quite sure what that means)! I have plans of working my GSD in obedience and in seeking a BH title. I also plan on breeding, but without AKC registration, that won't happen. Do I purchase the puppy and hope that within the year the paperwork comes through or should I not go through with buying this puppy. While this started out being a friendly transaction, as the time draws near to pick up the puppy, there is definately some tension on the breeder's part so I'm not sure after getting the puppy that she'll be receptive and active to inquiries and getting the paperwork issue resolved. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I've purchased a puppy whose father was a German import, but never from Slovakia. Does it take longer to get paperwork from this country? How long should it take? What time frame should I require with my possible purchase? While the puppy comes with a full AKC registration, if the father's paperwork never surfaces, that fact becomes null and void. Simply Shepherds simplyshepherds@yahoo.com

My male is from Slovakia, I had his original pedigree but needed an export pedigree to get him registered with the AKC. It took about 4 months to get them from Slovakia. Hope this helps, Melanie

Thanks Melanie. I've just read some web sites about the horros that occur when paperwork doesn't get sent and the year time frame from the AKC runs out and you end up paying a lot of money for a dog you can't register. It just raised some flags for me not having anything specific to work from.

I have strong advice for you. Unless you know this person selling the pup VERY well and have absolute trust that she is representing the issue correctly, and unless you KNOW that she knows what she is talking about and the dog will, in fact, have papers etc., I think you should NOT buy this pup. While it is true that papers can and do take a long time to come sometimes. For example, I am just now about to get papers from the Netherlands on three pups I imported last May. But I know the breeder well and trust when he says he has submitted paperwork that it really is only a matter of time. I have a friend who "bought" an older dog who is German and after some number of months, the old owners do not have a transfer paper, the original German papers signed over, hip x-rays certified etc., etc. Frankly, we can not get a straight story so we do not know where or when or IF the papers will come. IF the dog was to be a pet and participate only in the sport of Schutzhund, though it would cause a problem, it would not be the issue it will be should you not get papers for some reason. People who do not know who they are dealing with and do not understand all the things that can be misrepresented or go wrong are asking for trouble. There are a number of very nice dogs here in this country and in Europe whose papers would be readily available. That is your best bet. Good luck in your decision.

well then the breeder of Aikim is breeding him without his paperwork in their possession? In some instances no papers means no sale. Their has always been issues with paperwork with dogs from Czech Slovak countries. Also receiving what the AKC wants for registration, not necessarily what they send you. In reality you dont even know who the actual owner of this sire is with no papers? Incidently if the breeder bought him from Slovak did he pay his money for a dog shipped to him with no papers? I wouldnt. Simply your playin on word of mouth and I dont buy that way and neither should you. Look elsewhere there R plenty around.

Akim Vitmak (show line) was sold by Eurosport in Slovakia. Adult pedigrees can take quite some time to process over there.I would contact Taunya Mravik (from Eurosport) and have her check into the paperwork. They are usually very helpful and upfront.As far as I know, she is in Texas right now and you can get a hold of her on her cell. The # is 210-240-8179. Good Luck!

Hodies right - Merry Christmas Sharon

I have strong advice for you. Unless you know this person selling the pup VERY well and have absolute trust that she is representing the issue correctly, and unless you KNOW that she knows what she is talking about and the dog will, in fact, have papers etc., I think you should NOT buy this pup. While it is true that papers can and do take a long time to come sometimes. For example, I am just now about to get papers from the Netherlands on three pups I imported last May. But I know the breeder well and trust when he says he has submitted paperwork that it really is only a matter of time. I have a friend who "bought" an older dog who is German and after some number of months, the old owners do not have a transfer paper, the original German papers signed over, hip x-rays certified etc., etc. Frankly, we can not get a straight story so we do not know where or when or IF the papers will come. IF the dog was to be a pet and participate only in the sport of Schutzhund, though it would cause a problem, it would not be the issue it will be should you not get papers for some reason. People who do not know who they are dealing with and do not understand all the things that can be misrepresented or go wrong are asking for trouble. There are a number of very nice dogs here in this country and in Europe whose papers would be readily available. That is your best bet. Good luck in your decision.

Nowadays, registering a foreign bred litter can be time consuming. If you really want the puppy, which sounds very nice indeed, I would put a small deposit on the puppy ($100-$200) and take it, the rest of the purchase price to be paid when the registration papers arrive, and no further amount to be paid if there are no registration papers forthcoming. If the registration papers do not arrive, then you are out a small amount and perhaps having one unregistered dog might not be a problem for you? You can still train it and put the BH on it. If the breeders do not go for this solution, thinking it too much of a risk, then perhaps you should not purchase the puppy. You are taking as of a serious risk as the breeder, as there appears to be a problem with the sire's registration that the breeder admit will take months to resolve. There are a lot of puppies for sale that are of excellent bloodlines whose parents are already AKC registered. It took me about four months to get my C-litter imported in the womb from Germany litter registered. My Beschenigung was lost by the US mail and I had to re-order the Beschenigung from the SV, I had to send in the registration, DNA, and litter registration sequentially, etc. Sending off for an Export pedigree from those who must have it takes longer than for the Beischenigung from the SV. Good luck,. :-) Veronica

Thank you everyone for the great advice and information so far! I will contact the breeder again about exactly what paperwork she has on Akim. I will also contact Taunya. (Thanks for the head's up Wingertshaus)!