Do we have a good dog? - Page 2

First of all Melissa is right. Certainly there was somewhat of a whopee do look jackpot what I may have stumbled into attitude in the first post BUT It's about the puppies. So time to be responsible. I do not recommend giving away for free UNLESS its to a very responsible relative or good friend that you absolutely KNOW the puppy is going to an appropriate placing. Why not free? Because people value things based on what they paid - no cost - no value. This is not to say you should price these pups high or outrageously. The object is to get them into loving safe homes before their puupy license expires ( about 13 weeks at the latest for most lines). I understand those who recommend the sterilization before placement esp given the current situation but early S/N carries significant health risks. How about taking whatever you get for the pup and putting it on deposit with your vet to be used for S/N at 9 mos to a year and allow some of it to be used for boarding a bitch puppy there in her first heat. Obviously informing the new owner of this and asking them to sign a contract that the dog will be neutered at the appropriate age and once neutered you will lift the limited AKC registration wh/ is all you will give them initially. Make them understand that w/ the limited reg that if the dog is bred his/her puppies will not be eligible for registration and therefore have little or no value. Next put together a puppy pack for each new owner with information on their vet, the shots they've gotten and breed specific info. I highly recommend giving them each a copy of the Goldbecker and Hart GSD book and Kalstone's pb on housebreaking which can be obtained thru any bookstore. Make sure to include a list of reliable trainers who do GOOD puppy kindergarten classes in your area. You could include the cost of this class in your purchase and give them a certificate from the trainer entitling them to the class. This way they are more likely to participate and you will have done a good job of trying to get your pups off on the right foot. Finally make sure each new owner understands that A DOG IS FOR LIFE and no one for NO REASON has a right to turn a dog into a shelter. That it becomes their responsibility as the new owner to civilize the dog and if they encounter growing pains THEY not the community needs to find a solution for those juevenile behaviors - and of course you will always be willing to help them find the appropriate resources. Also make sure they understand the amount of socialization a GSD needs AND that it has to be done YOUNG. Good luck. Please let us know if you have been able to appropriate place these little babies.

Nice post TIG. You made good points and made them very palatable to the OP. Well done.

I thank you all for your comments. As I stated, it was an accident that our female got impregnated. However, it happened and now we are trying to deal with it. My husband retired a year ago and we wanted to raise GSD's in our retirement so we moved to an area with lot's of land to do this. We wanted to do it by the book...not letting our female have pups until she's at least 2 yrs old, got her checked physically for hip dysplasia, etc., but it happened. We bought her because we were told she came from a great bloodline, our male's bloodline was checked out to see if they were a good match otherwise, I don't believe our female would have been sold to us as the breeder knew we wanted to breed her. We have a clause in our contracts for the pups regarding "Housing, Care & Transfer to 3rd party." It DOES specify that under no circumstances will the pup be sent to a shelter, disposed of, sold to a pet shop, etc. And yes, I plan to periodically check, just as I plan to check out where the pup will live, how much experience the potential buyer has had with large dogs, if it will be an indoor pet,(as ours are), etc. I referred to ourselves as BYB, only because we are new to this but we hope to breed a champion one day....as alot of others do....dream big! This is why I searched for a website with lot's of good info. Seems like there's alot of snobbery too. Why is this? I would like to think that GSD owners/breeders would like to help as much as they could and pass on their knowledge to keep good lines going! Constructive critizism is always helpful. I WILL keep coming back. Thanks to the few and thanks to Echomeadow for the pictures of the whelping box......my husband made a beautiful one!

....... sigh ........

Excellent post and advice, TIG. Good luck, newbie.

"Seems like there's alot of snobbery too. Why is this?" It's not 'snobbery'. It is sympathy for the puppies and the situation. Make sure you chip those pups and register the info with the company. People will say and sign anything you want to get their hands on those pups if they want one bad enough, and then turn around and dump them instead of returning them per contract. Happens allll the time, even to responsible breeders. Least this way, you should get a call from the shelter. Hopefully. You probably already have one written up, but if you want any help with the contract, let me know. And I agree about charging "something" for them, people won't think twice about taking a free puppy. You know what...I'll even apologize for being so short with you. The latest "get your Xmas puppies" ads from other breeders are really P-ing me off today. I should not have snapped at you. I have a bad temperment, what can I say? *snicker*

I hear you maligator. I have two little mutt pups for adoption and I stopped answering emails about them. I'm a little sick of "Johnnie really wants a puppy for Christmas". Yeah right....I know where those Christmas pups will end up. Right back where I got them from.

Yup....just went through it myself with the 4 we had here. And my idiot friend down the street ignored ALL advice I gave her and went and picked up a FREE puppy yesterday. GSD/lab mix. Guess who will be getting a call in a couple of weeks to take the thing off her hands. The only people I called back about my lil rescue mutts were the ones who at least said "I've been wanting a puppy, and the timing is right since I have time off from work" etc. I actually hung up on someone last week who asked me if they could pick the pup up Xmas morning, LOL :) Hello, this ain't Pups-R-Us *grumble* Least they are all placed so I can stop being the grinch, ha.

Accidents do happen. I had one some years ago, having been away and the folks taking care of the dogs let two out together, didn't notice (?) they tied. It wasn't a bad breeding, show/wkg cross. Both hi-cert. Daddy titled, mom BH. Both pups were coaties. I placed them with some non-sport pet home friends, spay/neuter agreement, no papers. They are still doing fine with their families, but I was a lot more careful to instruct my kennel help about stuff like that from then on. SS

When my 10 mo. old rescue came into season just after I adopted her, I didn't trust my idiot room-mate to keep her out of trouble. I boarded her at the vets when I had to go away for the weekend, and made sure they knew she was in season, just in case they missed how swollen her rear was.