BUYER BEWARE-- Tips for Newbies Searching for a GSD - Page 7

Good thread Mystere.

When I was considering my first GSD, my first stumbling block was understanding the difference between showline and working lines.  Good job I was not too surprised when I got my puppy............

Woops...hit the submit button too early! Thank you for offering your advice Mystere...I agree 100 %. Just wish that "Big Red Flag" had been flying in front of me awhile back. Just because a Kennel has made a name for itself, does not always mean they are good hearted breeders....wish I could let you know the name, but that would not be in good taste. And of course, you have to consider the dog...sending it back to the kennel might be in the worse interest for the dog. Thanks!

Good point Haydn, also the amount of years someone has been producing doesnt always mean quality, either! Plenty of self glorified puppy farms and BYBs out there who have been cranking out mediocre pups for 10, 20, 30+ years! Homework, homework, homework!

One little think I did not notice on the list so I apologize.
Make sure the breeder OWNS the dogs!  Seems like a duh of course she owns them she says so.
She is breeding the pants off them, They are on her website but........
Just because they are in possession does not mean they belong to kennel.

Or they could be in litigation would you want to get involved in the dirty laundry?

Ask for proof of purchase or AKC papers in the breeders names.
Also search for your own references.

Wow would I do it different now. 
Next time a breeder who is a competitor I will make my purchase from so they have a complete understanding
of the sport. AND you can find them on the field.  JMHO - Not telling anyone who to by from....by it does make it easy if you see them often less likely to screw you over!

Good Luck

Thanks KCzaja and the rest of you...what I got for my $$$$ was a fine looking GSD. ALL of the PEDIGREES, which now I know are way too many, do not mean a thing..."homework, homework, homework"...correct...I wanted to do the sport and possibly show, but I am not able to now....why? Because I did not do all of my homework nor get any info from the breeder. Great conversation has been started by the author Mystere and now I know how important it is and hopefully all newcomers will have the opportunity to read it and use it wisely!

These are all good points, but as a breeder I have learned that there are few firm rules. The words "at breedr's discretion" figure heavily in my contracts nowadays, lessons learned the hard way from 20+ years of dealing with the public. The lessons learned were quite expensive at times, but I still think I have have enjoyed reasonably good luck most of the time when I read about some of the awful experiences here from buyers AND breeders both.

However, there is no substitute for having practiced  "good faith" in any court of law I know of... best guideline I know of...
SS

I have a particular distaste for those breeders who's sole claim to fame are it's dog's ancestors.  "Schatzi's  great great granddaddy on his mama's side competed in the German Championship and her great great uncle on her daddy's side was a police dog.  Champ is mostly American lines and his uncle was a seeing eye dog  so their pups will be able to do it all". 

3crygsds, Great Point! It is good to add it to the list, as it has actually happened and the sad results have even been the subject of threads on this board. I hope that this thread helps a few people avoid the heartbreak a lot of us have had to experience.

Like the thread! got off track in areas but excpected for this forum. One claim I never seen listed that I see on a daily basis is the claim that the dog for sale was "PICK OF LITTER"   Run Forest run.

Not even keeping the supposed best dog out of litter then to me the whole litter was junkand this dog is no different.. I like this thread because most ( 90%) of the ad on here seem to be scamms. I have bought some dogs advertised on here only to be dissappointed. Person promised me the dog was everything I explained I was looking for. 

The dog world seems so big ,yet it is very small with honest peopl out there!!!!!! 

Don't forget breeders who claim their dogs are the "BEST!!" Best for what, exactly? What is best for an experienced schutzhund home may not be what is best for a pet home. What is best for a soft, newbie handler is maybe not what is best for a strong, experienced handler.  Quality speaks for itself, outlandish statements reflect ignorance, dishonesty, or both.

It goes hand in hand with the concept of "pick of the litter", one person's first choice may not be another's.