How long to FIND your well bred dog?

[TrishB]

One of the pitfalls I've seen often here is that people rush into finding a pup and THEN find that their hips are bad, the breeder is just a BYB, the temperament isn't solid, etc.

For those of you who went to a good, COE breeder with full guarantees, fully certified parents (hips, elbows, heart, etc.) and titles (at both ends of the name), etc.... You know, all of the good stuff good breeders do. ;)

How long did it take you to find your puppy? From the time you decided that you were going to find a puppy to the time you brought it home?

Once I started SERIOUSLY looking, it took almost 3 years. And he was worth every minute of the wait! :D

I think if prospective owners see how long it may take, they'll be more understanding of waiting rather than jumping to a listing in the paper. :p

A good dog IS worth waiting for! :D

[Miabella]

Well, I probably won't be in the market for a puppy for another 4 years at least, but I already started researching breeders about 6 months ago.

[Bruce Lanthier]

I think it depends on the dog you are looking for. If you plan to show and work the dog then that will limit the breeders you can even look at. If you are planning to just show or just work that will open up more possibilities but it will still have some limitations. If you are looking for a well bred family companion that will be capable, dependable, and fit in as a family member, I think there are quite a few quality breeders that you can talk to and that it shouldn't take 3 years. The biggest issue at that point would be finding a breeder that was happy with YOU and, I don't think for the majority of people I'm familiar with here, that would be a problem either.

I guess what I'm saying is that the time it takes to find the right puppy for your family really depends on what the family plans on doing with the puppy. Not all puppies have to grow up to be champions or titled working dogs. Some, maybe most, just need to grow up as a loved family member.

My comments make the assumption that, even as a loved family member, the dog will have training.

[TrishB]

Originally posted by Bruce Lanthier
I think it depends on the dog you are looking for.

Agreed! :D

I was looking for a show / obedience prospect. Limited me a little bit, but not much.

The slow down was that the breeders I had found - their bitch was having problems conceiving. So waiting almost a year for her to be bred and two failed breedings later, I was searching again.

I guess my point is that a puppy isn't a "I want a puppy, let's find one this weekend." kind of decision. It takes planning. You have to know what you want. You have to research. You have to find what matches your needs in a breeder. Then there has to be a breeding that will create your puppy. Then you have to wait for it to be born and raised.

It isn't a stereo or computer. You have a very specific list of requirements and that takes time to fulfill.

So although 3 years might not be the norm - it's not out of the question or even that far off base either. ;)

[Bruce Lanthier]

Originally posted by Bruce Lanthier
If you are looking for a well bred family companion that will be capable, dependable, and fit in as a family member, I think there are quite a few quality breeders that you can talk to ....

This isn't a very specific list of requirements and any COE breeder can fulfill it with just about any of their puppies. And I don't think it would take even a year to find this kind of puppy. IF you have a very specific list of requirements then I guess it will take a long time but to get a puppy like the one I described above shouldn't be hard or take a long time. Once the breeder(s) you contact approve of your dog owning credentials then I don't think it would be to long before they, or someone they know, or someone they know that knows someone, would know of an upcoming breeding or turned down puppy or something along those lines. I think 3 years is far off base for a well bred family pet. I think 1 year would be a long time to find a well bred family pet.

[spidey]

I guess my point is that a puppy isn't a "I want a puppy, let's find one this weekend." kind of decision. It takes planning. You have to know what you want. You have to research. You have to find what matches your needs in a breeder. Then there has to be a breeding that will create your puppy. Then you have to wait for it to be born and raised.

While I know what you're saying, sometimes circumstances work out such that you find a breeder you like who happens to have a puppy you like available from lines you like. This happened to me - from starting my research to getting a puppy was just under a year, but a big part of that was that I found a breeder who had a litter coming from lines I liked, with show-quality puppies available, who was also in Ontario when I was visiting for the summer - so I got to meet the puppies at four weeks of age, and see them regularly until I took one home.

I think the point is not that it should take x amount of time, but rather that your priority shouldn't be to get a puppy quickly, but to get the right puppy. Sometimes the right puppy happens to come along faster than you might expect, you shouldn't count on it, but it does happen.

[mmgy]

I've picked my rottweiler breeder. I met her two years ago, and I've watched her and her dogs ever since. I like her devotion, her style, her ethics, her medical and nutritional regimen, and most of all, I like her dogs.
And, I think she likes me, and believes I could provide an appropriate home for one of her puppies.
She breeds very infrequently; since I'm years away from a pup, once I decide it's time, I'll wait for her. But when we put this together, it will be as close to perfect as it can be.
In the meantime, I will continue to watch and study her, and am also looking for a back-up, just in case.

[los1]

Well Bruce and spidey hit it right on the head with their answers.I agree with them .I was only looking for a family quality dog myself didn't take me a year but guess what didn't take me a weekend either.I don't think you can put a time table on this.However I do like that you want people to do their homework before buying a pup.;)

[TrishB]

Originally posted by los1
I was only looking for a family quality dog myself didn't take me a year but guess what didn't take me a weekend either.

Exactly. And this is what people need to see and hear! Those who are used to walking into a mall and picking up anything their hearts desire have no concept of "waiting".

Don't get hung up on my personal 3 year wait. It's more that it isn't unheard of. ;)

My subject says "well bred" - so it would infer that I'm not talking about 'just any dog'. It means finding lines you like, finding a breeder that has those lines, finding when that breeding is going to take place, waiting for that breeding, whelping and raising.

It all takes time and is a little more involved than a trip to the mall or the weekend newspaper.

I'm not looking for a minimum / maximum, but rather proof that a wait is typical and acceptable. :)

[alexav]

I guess we lucked out. Through some connections and after checking her out and her checking us out, providing references, etc...our little Max just came along at the right time. (Thank you Nancy! :D )
From starting to look to recieving the pup at the AP, about 3 months.

As an added bonus, I now know the breeder will be dealing with for the future. I know that if she doesn't have the right pup for what I need at the time, she will help me find it.
I cringe at the thought of uneducated people that decide they want a pup "by next weekend" and will buy the first one they come across in the newspaper, but it happens all too often.
That's why so many of us are passionate about education.

A good pup is well worth waiting for.... even 3 years! :)

[Bruce Lanthier]

Originally posted by TrishB
My subject says "well bred" - so it would infer that I'm not talking about 'just any dog'. It means finding lines you like, finding a breeder that has those lines, finding when that breeding is going to take place, waiting for that breeding, whelping and raising.

I guess I'm hung up on your definition of well bred too. To me it means a pup from a serious ethical COE breeder. If I'm looking for a well bred family pet why would I care about lines? Why would I care when the breeding was taking place or if it already took place or if the pups were on the ground? I tell the breeder(s) and other people I contact what I'm looking for, what my family situation is like, what the dogs environment is going to be, and what I plan on doing with the dog and they pick a pup that will fit. Just like they would trust me to give the pup a wonderful home and a loving life, I would trust them to pick the right pup for me. I've seen it written here more than once that a breeder looks for a good family situation for their pups first.

If all you want is a family pet (the majority of dogs) then it aint rocket science. It's just being a person of good faith dealing with breeders of good faith. The right puppy for a family pet shouldn't be that hard, or take that long, to find. But, yes, it will take longer than a weekend. Then again, the people that need to see and hear that are probably not regular visitors here, if they come at all. ;)

[LynnS]

I am sure everyones story is different. I am fortunate in that there are a number of COE breeders in the San Francisco/Bay Area. And of course they all know each other (and a lot of their dogs are related of course). Through referral I was able to find a litter on the ground out of some of the dogs I like the best...It took me about a month.

[Bruce Lanthier]

Originally posted by LynnS
I am sure everyones story is different. I am fortunate in that there are a number of COE breeders in the San Francisco/Bay Area. And of course they all know each other (and a lot of their dogs are related of course). Through referral I was able to find a litter on the ground out of some of the dogs I like the best...It took me about a month.

This is what I'm talking about and she was looking for a little more than a good family pet. I'm sure her dog is well bred too. ;) Once a COE breeder(s) is sure about you, the prospective buyer, then word of mouth should expedite things nicely.

[fbkeays]

My first dog took a couple of weeks, but I was looking in the paper too. My next dog took more then a year. I started looking for a breeder first and when I found one, had to wait for the breeding to take place and take. I found exactly what I was looking for/knew about at the time. For my 3rd dog, I was more experienced and had more connections as I had been showing for a few years.
It took about a year to get my 3rd dog, mostly because of breedings not taking/still borns/singltons, etc. After the litter that I really wanted a pup from didn't happen, I jumped on the next available pup that I was told about. On the surface it had what I was looking for, but I also ignored some red flags too. That dog had temperament problems and was returned at 9 months.
It then took me a year to be ready for another puppy. I started to ask around and asked a person at the ARC nationals in Perry if she knew of any planned breedings or could refer me to a breeder. I didn't know that she had a litter on the ground. She checked me out and sent me an e-mail less then two weeks later to tell me I could have pick male if I wanted. The breeding had everything I wanted but elbows. I found a real cheap plane ticket and decided if I didn't like what I saw then I wasn't out much. I figured I would take the chance and haven't regretted the decision at all. I got exactly what I wanted in a working and show prospect.
I do agree that if you rush you may not be happy with the results.

[SABELLESMOM]

Almost 9 months, altogether. 6 to find the right breeder and set up things. 1 last month before the pups were born, and 2 months (or 8 1/2wks) before I could have her and get her home.

Well worth the effort though. We're getting another in the spring, same breeder. It'll be a year though from the time we notified her until we bring the pup home. It's very hard to wait, but it fits our plans.