TRUTH OR SOUR GRAPES? - Page 3

Is this the first mating of the pair? 

If not, you might take a look at what the other puppies have done from previous litters.  If any of them show and get decent marks, that will help tip the odds more in your favor that she will too.

If it is, the gene pool is more of a gamble.  Sounds like from a hip/elbow perspective, the lines are are consistent enough that again the odds are tipped in your favor that she will be good genetically.  Remember though that Hip Dysplasia is as much about her environment as it is her genetics.  

Enjoy your puppy.  A year flys by very fast.  Don't get caught up in what you can't change (and ignore the people who try to tell you otherwise). 

Side Note:  Puppy pictures posted through out the first year and beyond is a requirement of this site.  Make sure you post lots of them. 

I am the breeder of the sire to your girl, and I can say that though I don't know her dam's side at all, the top half of her pedigree are all European imports with good health, temperment, and nice conformation.  Anja's grandsire, my Uran, is pictured on left side in my avatar, has been the best shepherd I've ever had in my 30 yrs of showing/breeding/owning and I can vouch that if Anja is anything like him, you have a very nice pup on your hands!  Her grand dam, Samira, had one of the nicest temperments on a bitch I've ever seen, but was not shown because she had an ear injury young (before I bought her) so had a weak ear that didn't always stand. I hope you love your lil girl as she deserves!

It would speak better of the breeder who produced the litter if they'd had the sire and dam's hips & elbows certified BEFORE they were bred; doesn't do you much benefit to have the dogs evaluated now, after the puppies are in their new homes, only to find that one or both has hip or elbow dysplasia, does it?   Basically, you're having to rely on the status of your puppy's paternal grandparents and her maternal great-grandparents and great-great grandparents, then, and hope that the offspring in this pedigree closer up were fortunate enough to have inherited a sound phenotype and the genetics to pass that on as well.  With the cost of surgical intervention for severe hip dysplasia, that's not a gamble I would have recommended taking, but hopefully you'll get lucky--there are probably more litters being produced that don't have both parents and everything behind them certified clear than those which are, and most of the resulting offspring get along just fine, some with a degree of dysplasia but few with severe cases that require surgery.  I would suggest you do everything possible to tip the scales in your pup's favor--no jumping on, off or into anything higher than her elbows until she's mature, keeping her on the lean side weight-wise, no prolonged forced exercise such as jogging with you until she's mature, and discuss starting her on a joint protective supplement such as a chondroitin/glucosamine/ascorbic acid product.  She's a very pretty girl, certainly looks healthy & happy, and if she meets YOUR needs, that's what matters most at this point in time.  As I said, the price is a bit more than I would have given, but it's not outrageously high.  I wouldn't consider her to be breeding quality, but then again, I don't consider MOST dogs to be breeding quality--I believe there are far more people breeding GSDs than is necessary or beneficial to the breed. 

I wish you all the best with Anja Marie, and many, many years of perfect health, temperament, love and companionship with her in your family.

Mystere is right about prices...it's geographically determined as well, to a certain degree, what people will pay for a healthy pup out of untitled/untested parents. My friend was shocked at how much I recently got for some pups I sold for a friend because in his neck of the woods, they would've gone for several hundred less; I got calls wondering why they were "cheap." These were well-bred pups but out of untitled parents. Hips certified, health guarantee. Looking at what BYBs charge for parents out of "Rin Tin Tin" lines eleventy-seven generations back (gag me), I'd say $750 is pretty cheap for a purebred pup of known lineage, with some nice dogs just a few generations back. Enjoy your puppy! 

Oh, and I paid $275 for a rescue Chihuahua a couple years back.....found stray, no history at all. That's just what rescues in this area charge. Today, it's more like $350...so paying just over twice that for a pup of known lineage with no issues seems fair to me. It's not what I would have done if I was serious about showing, but if you just want to learn and don't care how you place, have at it. She'll enjoy the time spent together. 

I have to agree with Jenni and Mystere, prices vary dramatically depending on lines and where you live.  I too have been asked many times why my prices are so "cheap" for pups with pedigrees like your pups sire side.  All my dogs are shown/finished in UKC and/or Intnl conformation shows, all with their health testing done, with sound, stable temperments and correct conformation.  If you are pleased with your pup, than I'd say you paid a fair price for what you wanted. Good luck with her!

Nick, as far as showing, there is really nothing that can be determined from your pics except that the pup has good color and the sire looks pretty nice. If you are serious, check out the conformation section here and note how folks set up (stack) their dogs for critiques. Also keep in mind that an online critique from a pic really doesn't mean much. But if you really want to do it, you gotta start where you are at. Some things you will only learn by doing and like said above, we were all novices once.

I started by attending conformation shows and observing, got a nice dog (Doberman), drove 3 hrs. every week for a conformation class, practiced several more a week at home and got the points my first time out. And I'm about as far out in the boonies as anyone could imagine. Really, anyone can do it, if they put the time and effort behind the want to.

good luck,
Rik

 

I think $750 is high but that's just me.   There are several pups here on pdb with titled parents for that. 

Echo what Rik said, and add that if the conformation ring is where you'd like to get your feet wet, check with local kennel clubs and breed clubs to see if any of them are offering handling classes-- if the handler doesn't present the dog properly and to its best advantage, it doesn't matter how the dog is on the other end of the show lead...it's going to be much harder for the judge to see the dog's quality.  Don't limit your inquiries to GSD breed clubs, either--a conformation show handling class is a conformation show handling class.  Handling classes, and entering 'match' and fun shows [which usually have very low entry fees] so you and Anja Marie can practice you techniques in different locations will get both of you ready for the real thing, and keep you from spending those more expensive entry fees on what amounts to just 'ring training' sessions.

Nick,

If you have not shown before, and you have a dog who hasn't come from show lines, may I make a suggestion? For practice, and to gain knowledge, this is what I would do. Most towns, cities etc, have local competitions for all breeds, many times sponsored by the local humane society, veterinarians organizations , etc. Although these shows will not garner you much in the pedigree world of AKC shows, the things they will offer you are: opportunity to show your dog, opportunity to learn about showing, opportunity to learn how to handle your dog in a ring, an opportunity to socialize your dog and for you to learn to socialize with other "dog people". Now, this may not be what you had in mind initially, but if you can learn to work your dog, and get these experiences for yourself and your dog, you will become more adept at the ins and outs of dog shows, purchase of show dogs etc, while enjoying some really fun time with your dog. Who knows, you may find you love it and want to continue and invest in a "show quality" dog in the future, or you may find you really don't enjoy it and are glad you didn't invest a lot. Build yourself a little agility course in your back yard and start working with her a little , sort of check out her abilities and yours. Anyway, I hope these suggestions are helpful, and no matter what, a GSD is the best  emotional investment one could ever make (am I biased a little for this breed lol). I wish the best for you and your girl and look forward to hearing how it all turns out for you. As for the negative breeder, I wouldn't put much stock in what (s)he tells you, when it is all or only about money, he has no clue. There is a lot more to a GSD than the monetary value. Good luck
Deborah