Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Alice on October 5, 2009 at 5:53pm

This is true. We had an Australian Shepherd that was from a litter someone with horse property had. She was pure Aussie but she had a lot of health problems and after a battle with cancer died at age 6. Good breeders try to ensure that the parents have good genetics and will have healthy, sturdy offspring. There are always exceptions. While Finnigan's breeder is very careful and has great dogs and has not had any problems with them, Finnigan's litter was exposed to a virus that may have come about in many ways. The whole litter died except for Finnigan. We knew we were taking a risk when we got him since there's no way of telling how that virus may have affected him, but he needed a home and we had our hearts set on him since the moment he was born. We've had our share of trips to the vet but so far we have not come across anything really serious. It does worry me that something will come up as he gets older, but as I said, this is not a typical situation. Even though we know it was a virus that claimed most of the litter, the breeder still decided not to breed that female again and retired her once her championship was complete. This is how most breeders are so you can be at ease purchasing one of their puppies, even if it does cost a little more.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Beth on October 5, 2009 at 6:11pm

We always had dogs from backyard breeders growing up, most of them with AKC papers. To a dog they all had coat and allergy problems.

I can't say as they died especially young, but they did have some issues. Moreover, we had a "hunting" labrador that was a lousy hunting dog. LOL

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alice on October 6, 2009 at 12:26pm

Ha ha, that's funny about the hunting dog!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alice on October 5, 2009 at 5:36pm

From what I've seen, the Cardigan's do cost more than the Pembrokes. I'm sure it has to do with the fact that there are fewer Cardigan breeders so there is more traveling and such involved when finding studs and that sort of thing. We paid $800 for our Cardi but I saw them ranging anywhere $700-$1500. Some of that cost is also determined by how much is done for the pup such as vaccines, dew claw, microchip etc. Our breeder as well as another Cardi breeder I talk to will both place adult dogs at little or no cost. When they decide to retire a dog or even if it's a puppy that was kept for show but didn't end up being show quality, their concern is that the dog/puppy find a good forever home and that is why they will not charge and if they do, it is only to get reimbursement for something having to do with the dog. For instance, our breeder had a puppy returned to him because it was to be a show dog but one ear fell. He had to reimburse the buyer so he paid half and the new buyer of the dog paid the other half. Our breeder just placed two 8 month olds for free and he retired two females that were also given away. Usually if a breeder is selling a champion for high dollar like that, it is because they are looking for a buyer who would want the prestige of a champion and the breeding rights. If these things don't interest you I would not even consider paying that.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kristin P on October 5, 2009 at 5:59pm

I can't imagine spending a morgage payment on a dog. $1000 for a dog is ridiculous to me.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Beth on October 5, 2009 at 6:10pm

I can understand that.

However, I paid $1200 for a puppy. On average the dog should be expected to live at least 12 years. That's $100 a year, or about $8 a month for the dog.

I pay $14 per month for flea-and-tick prevention, and $6 per month for heartworm prevention, per dog.

So by my math it is not so ridiculous to expect to pay about the same for the dog as the cost of his heartworm medication.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on October 5, 2009 at 6:34pm

I keep reading about some of these dogs bought and high vet bills. I just want to hear more. Did you see the parents ? Get a health puppy check from them? See what conditions they were living in? Did you ask alot of questions? Did the breeder ask you questions? Were these just farm dogs that someone bred for profit(or over bred)? Were they raised in the house and socialized or left in a barn with no training? I actually have Wynn who was born in a nice shed very clean and the lady did daycare and they were very social little pups. I'm just trying to understand. Thanks!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Beth on October 5, 2009 at 9:10pm

Oh, and I had a friend who lost an Akita young, that she got from someone with a stable who had an intact Akita who met up by chance with a neighboring farmer's intact male Akita. The Akita developed some weird auto-immune reaction over time to vaccines and her organs started failing. I have no idea if that tends to happen in Akitas or not.

I think one issue that CAN arise in some (not all) backyard breeders is they don't really know the history of their lines. The breeder we used has developed her line for years, and can talk to a lot of people about the outside studs she uses since they move in the same circles.

Here's an example: when my parents were getting their Chessie, they had a puppy reserved from an upcoming litter, but then the breeder got a call from someone she'd placed a pup with and the pup was having seizures. She had no history of seizures in her line, so she started calling around and found some other cases cropping up from an outside stud she used. Needless to say word spread fast and she didn't end up having that planned litter and my parents had to wait for a different one.

So as you can see, even using a reputable breeder you can have a dog with serious health issues, but it is also likely that the problem will be recognized early and people will adjust their program accordingly. However, there are "reputable" breeders out there who do hide problems in their lines (especially those things that are not immediately obvious) and also some who breed for looks and have ill-tempered dogs, so there is no sure thing really.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on October 5, 2009 at 8:34pm

I really am not totally against backyard breeders, actually my father was one. There just is a lot more variance in quality of breeders in this category. Some put a lot of time into breeding a good quality pup and some are pretty random. My father showed beagles in field trails and sometimes bred his female and sold the puppies. In those days (I know, I am old) they really did not do a lot of medical testing but I know it was very important who got one of his puppies and he kept in touch with the buyers. He carefully chose the studs and usually the stud fee was pick of the litter. I know in our case Buffy's health problems were really hard and she was the sweetest little corgi. I just decided the odds were more in my favor to see a professional.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Beth on October 5, 2009 at 9:02pm

A lot of the backyard breeders also used to let the pups go at 5-6 weeks--- as soon as mom started to wean them-- and I think some of the issues arose from that.

Jane, as an example, we had a Springer Spaniel when I was a kid who really was a happy, sweet tempered dog. But the owners of the mom (who were actually my mother's cousins) bred her just because she was their dog and they liked her and they wanted a pup. They found a stud who I think actually had some quality. However, the stud was a field-trial type Springer and the mom was from show lines, and in that breed those two types are so different as to almost be different breeds.

Again, nice dog, but she had an awful coat. Of course in those days dog food was pretty crappy too, but this was beyond a food issue. Half her coat was always dead-looking. I think there was some genetic incompatibility going on, as the show and hunting lines of Springers carry totally different coats. And she died of cancer. She wasn't especially young, though, and that can happen to any dog.

She was, ironically, a fabulous hunter (at least according to my father, and he used to field trial English Pointers that were quite good). He said she was the best personal gun dog he every worked behind, that is til he got the Chessie he has now from a top breeder out in New Jersey.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Denise Hawkins on October 5, 2009 at 8:45pm

Here in the UK Corgi's are relatively rare. I rescued mine and although they were rescues, we paid £400 for the pair with no papers at all. We have since rehomed one of the dogs and he was rehomed free, but we met the lady that wanted him and believed her to be the very best option for him. She sends me emails on a regular basis giving us updates. Pedigree Pups here are going for about £800. Not convinced that they are with papers or hip scores. Never seen any Cardigans here for sale at all, although I am sure there are some somewhere!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on October 5, 2009 at 9:07pm

Wow, I always imagined there were a lot of corgis there since they are the Queen's dogs!!

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• Next ›
• Page