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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should not be thin, withdrawn, sluggish or aggressive to
humans. Moms may be a little apprehensive to have visitors
at this time, remember they have the maternal instinct to
protect their young. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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 confined in crates and only one
or two kennels or a small "tract" yard. The same concern
should be had if the "breeder" 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 "so-and-so'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 and should 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 by pictures of winning
dogs and/or boasting or membership in any type of dog club. This
doesn't always mean that they are responsible.
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The
price of puppies SHOULD NOT be based on coat or eye color. The "stereo-typical"
Siberian is black and white with blue eyes and many backyard
breeders will ask a much higher price for these. A blue
eyed puppy isn't the Cadillac of the breed, it is just another
of the great variations of the breed as is their coat color be they gray, black, red, white or
pie. All variations make the same wonderful pet for you and your family. |
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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: |
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A
3 or 4
generation pedigree of your puppy. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Proof of OFA
certification or preliminary clearance for hip dysplasia on both parents. |
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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. |
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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 in their lives. |
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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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