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 Contact several
breeders and try to visit each one more than once. You should be able to see at least the
dam of the litter. She may have been shipped out of the area for breeding so seeing
the sire may not be possible. At least request to see pictures of him. Please
note that the dam of the litter may look pretty bad by the time the puppies reach 8 weeks
of age. Feeding and taking care of a litter takes a lot out of them and they will
usually begin to loose their coats at this time, some loose it all the way down to the
skin! Breeders may not allow you to visit until the puppies are at least 6
weeks old, don't be discouraged as this is for the protection of the puppies. The
puppy area should be clean and dry, protected from the elements and have fresh water
readily available. The puppies should be outgoing with nice coats, clear eyes and
should not be thin, withdrawn or sluggish. Moms may be a little
apprehensive to visitors at this time, remember they have that maternal
instinct to protect their young.
The breeder should allow you to
see all of their dogs. This will give you an idea of the lines they are breeding,
their temperaments and what the environment is that the dogs are living in.
The
breeder should be willing to spend as much time with you as you feel you need and should
be willing to answer all of your questions with as much depth as you feel you need.
All dogs
should have plenty of room to exercise with fresh water available at all times. They
should be clean as should their kennels or living quarters. Unless there are
extenuating circumstances such as illness, injury or weather conditions, cause for
concern
should be given to "breeders" who have 15 dogs in a tract house with the
majority of them in crates and only one or two kennels or a small "tract" house
yard. The same concern should be given to the "breeder" who allows you to
handle 3 week old puppies, those whose puppies are living in a cardboard box under a tree,
the person who brags that this is "Molly's fourth litter in a row", buying a pet
quality puppy with a contract to breed the bitch so the breeder can have puppies
back. While there are many other
things that would raise a red flag, you get the picture. You should feel at ease and
comfortable with the breeder as well as the conditions the dogs are raised in.
Being a responsible and
ethical breeder isn't automatic just because they "show" their dogs. Don't
be swayed be pictures of winning dogs and boasting, or membership in any
type of dog club. This doesn't always mean that they are responsible.
The
price of puppies SHOULD NOT be based on color. The "stereo-typical"
Siberian is black and white with blue eyes and many backyard
breeders will ask a much higher price for these. There are
more brown eyed puppies born than blue eyed puppies which of
course means that blue eyed ones are harder to get. A blue
eyed puppy isn't the Cadillac of the breed, it is just another
of the great variations of the breed. Puppies with brown,
bi or marble eyes are just as wonderful as blue eyed ones.
Purchasing a pet quality female SHOULD NOT cost more.
Because responsible breeders sell with a spay contract, they are
not being sold as dogs for breeding and as stated before, they
are still just a Siberian.
Once you have
found a breeder you are comfortable with and are ready to
take your new puppy home, the breeder should provide you with the following information:
A
3 or 4
generation pedigree of your puppy.
The puppy
registration so that you may register the dog individually. Sometimes the AKC has
not returned the registrations to the breeder at the time they leave for their new homes.
In this case the contract should stipulate that the registration has been applied
for and will be sent to you in a specified time period. You should then request a
copy of the AKC registration of the mother at the very least, the father if it is
available. Your purchase price SHOULD NOT be increased because you want AKC
papers. These should come with you purchase price.
A
health warranty including a list of all shots, wormings and any other medical information on the
puppy. This should also include guidelines for booster shots.
Proof of OFA
certification or preliminary clearance for hip dysplasia on both parents.
Proof
of CERF or
SHOR certification for eye disorders on both parents. This eye
examination should have been done within 1 year of the breeding date.
CERF AND SHOR information can be found by checking our "Links"
page.
Feeding
instructions and a few days worth of food. This will
hopefully reduce the stomach upset that may come with all the
other changes that are happening.
The breeders should make
themselves available to you so that you may contact them once you take your new puppy
home. It is always reassuring to know that advice and help is only a phone call
away.
Under no circumstances
should a breeder allow you to take a puppy home before they are at least 8 weeks old.
By this time they should have had at least two shots and had the opportunity to
build up some immunity as well as be emotionally more prepared to leave the only family
they have known. Following the breeders instructions and guidelines as to public
exposure and vaccination boosters is the best way to assure the health of your new
puppy.
Be prepared to spay or
neuter your new puppy when they are old enough, responsible breeders will require this.
Additionally, they may register the individual puppies on a "limited"
registration. This registration means that your puppy is AKC registered and you will
receive a certificate, however, the "limited" registration simply means that
should any offspring result from a breeding of this dog, they are ineligible for registration with the
AKC.
We hope this is of help
to those of you looking for a puppy and searching for a responsible breeder. If you
have any questions which aren't answered here, contact us........we'll be glad to help.
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