Here we go again.... - Page 2

Tuff Love · #13 12th April 2011, 10:59 AM

Welp- I've spent the morning emailing every breeder lead I could find in the NJ and PA area that looked promising, including my local Kennel Club and PA and NJ Boxer Clubs. Hopefully something turns up. Email doesn't seem like the best way to get in touch with dog breeders I'm gathering so far.

Cami · #14 12th April 2011, 03:22 PM

While I was searching for Raine I visited a site that listed recent show winners. From there I took kennel names of the winners and Googled them to see if that breeder had a website. A lot did....many more did not.
Most of the breeder websites list an e-mail or phone number for contact but I found most were more receptive if I filled out the "searching for a puppy" (or similar) questionnaire. Some even stated on their sites that if you e-mailed them specifically just "looking for a puppy" the inquiries would most likely go unanswered.
The questionnaires contained a lot of questions that helped them to gain more info about who was interested in their puppies. I found it to be almost "political" but worth it (to them) I am sure in as far as the means they took to make sure their pups went to great homes. If you are willing to go through hoops it can help to weed people out from their point of view.
If you check out the local Boxer clubs websites they should have a link to various sites that list show results. It might even have the members results listed on the clubs site itself.
Once I was in (or approved) with a few different breeders they would start passing along my contact info to others who they knew had litters coming soon. They knew far more contacts they I could even hope to find!

Tuff Love · #15 12th April 2011, 03:27 PM

Just got a response from one of the breeders I contacted, who is in NY. I found her name mentioned a few times on another Boxer Board and she has a litter that was born March 24th. She has 1 female and the parents of the litter are GORGEOUS. All health tested and slightly cheaper than my other breeder. However, she won't know which are show prospects and which are pets until at least the 2nd week of May. She said the female isn't spoken for, so if they don't keep her for showing, there's a good chance we could have her. ***sigh*** 3.5 hour drive. It's not set in stone of course and I've only talked to her through email at this point, but it's a start!

Tuff Love · #16 12th April 2011, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cami

While I was searching for Raine I visited a site that listed recent show winners. From there I took kennel names of the winners and Googled them to see if that breeder had a website. A lot did....many more did not.
Most of the breeder websites list an e-mail or phone number for contact but I found most were more receptive if I filled out the "searching for a puppy" (or similar) questionnaire. Some even stated on their sites that if you e-mailed them specifically just "looking for a puppy" the inquiries would most likely go unanswered.
The questionnaires contained a lot of questions that helped them to gain more info about who was interested in their puppies. I found it to be almost "political" but worth it (to them) I am sure in as far as the means they took to make sure their pups went to great homes. If you are willing to go through hoops it can help to weed people out from their point of view.
If you check out the local Boxer clubs websites they should have a link to various sites that list show results. It might even have the members results listed on the clubs site itself.
Once I was in (or approved) with a few different breeders they would start passing along my contact info to others who they knew had litters coming soon. They knew far more contacts they I could even hope to find!

Ahh, great idea. I did fill out one application, but for the life of me I can't remember who it was for anymore! I feel like I've been on so many websites I can't keep them straight anymore. I will have a look and see what I can find in the show results.

Tuff Love · #17 14th April 2011, 07:48 AM

Just got in touch with a PA breeder referred to me by an ABC rep- they JUST had a litter last night! 3 females and 3 males- parents health tested and champion bloodlines. I'm going to give her a call tonight

Gatorblu · #18 14th April 2011, 10:14 AM

Good Luck! We're keeping our paws crossed for you!

Tuff Love · #19 15th April 2011, 10:38 AM

OK- this is long, so bare with me.

I talked to the breeder during my lunch break and she sounded so sweet and sincere. She's a member of the same boxer club as the other breeder we were using and worked with him for 30 years. To my surprise, she had nothing kind to say about him and today I am finding out why... He put our girl in RESCUE! The lying jerk who promised us and promised that puppy to look after her and provide for her needs put her in rescue!! I am SHOCKED and ashamed that I left her with him and trusted him. No good breeder would do this!! I found out today when one of the volunteers contacted me and I have been stewing and crying over it all morning. When I talk to the woman (other breeder) again this weekend I am going to tell her and hope she goes to the club about it.
Here I was thinking that a boxer club who claims to promote the betterment of the breed would be a safe source- nope! This man is on their board of directors!

Her name is "Koko" now

And the volunteer of the rescue notified me that she is starting to exhibit symptoms of her condition and will be seeing their cardiologist in a couple weeks. She asked me if I'd like to be updated on her progress and of course I said yes.

Anyhow- back on to the original post before...
This breeder just had a litter the other night. She sent me photos and all the health and genetic info. She told me to give a call this weekend after she's had a chance to go through her papers to see who's waiting for what pup, but it looks like she MIGHT have a female left in the litter. She was reading through the list when I was on the phone with her and it sounded like most people wanted males. She told me that she gets pick of the litter as a stud fee so she may have other females to show me if none are left from that litter. She has another litter from one of her studs being born in a few weeks as well, so there's more possibilities there.
She said both parents for this litter are health cleared except the sire is a DM carrier. The female hasn't been tested for DM, so I asked if it would be alright if I paid for a potential pup from the litter to have the DM swab test. She was unsure if you could do that on a young pup, so I emailed the Chief of Veterinary Services of the OFA, and they briefly replied with a "yes." So if we get a pup from this litter I am going to pay to have that test done just for peace of mind.

Either way, I feel FAR more comfortable with this woman in one conversation than I did with the other breeder. I will NOT be returning to the other breeder and if she doesn't address the topic to the club, I am going to contact them. It's cases like this where I wish I could make a post to warn other people to beware of this guy. He seemed so legit! I spent hours on the phone with this guy and he blatantly lied to me about the puppy's after care! I am fuming!

Sansal · #20 15th April 2011, 10:57 AM

That is really too bad.

I wonder what will happen to "Koko". I hope someone out there will be emotionally strong enough and have the $$$ to give her a caring forever home - however short that maybe.

Glad to hear you found another breeder, I am keeping my fingers crossed for you

Tuff Love · #21 15th April 2011, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sansal

That is really too bad.

I wonder what will happen to "Koko". I hope someone out there will be emotionally strong enough and have the $$$ to give her a caring forever home - however short that maybe.

Glad to hear you found another breeder, I am keeping my fingers crossed for you

The volunteer told me that if the cardiologist thinks her condition is really bad, they won't put her up for adoption and she will stay in the loving care of foster to enjoy whatever life she has. I am glad that is is finally in the hands of people who will care for her, but rescue was not what I had in mind when the breeder told me she would be well "cared" for. I suppose I am at least grateful that she wasn't thrown in some high kill shelter. Ugh. I haven't even told my husband yet. He didn't like the guy from the getgo and now I'm going to have to try to keep him from driving to his house with a shotgun.

Cami · #22 15th April 2011, 11:39 AM

You may be able to avoid the DM test on a pup if you can find out if the mothers parents were clear. If they were... the non carrier prevails. At least that is my understanding. Raine's dad is a carrier but her mothers parents were both tested and cleared, hence they didn't have her tested since she would pass on the clear gene and that will produce all clear pups. Please someone correct me if I am wrong! I was considering having Raine tested but from what I have read this is how I interpret it plus what the breeder told me.

Tuff Love · #23 15th April 2011, 11:46 AM

AH! Great thinking Susi! I will ask the breeder when I speak to her this weekend. Still, I know a lot of them don't test for DM, but it's worth a shot!

djheitz · #24 15th April 2011, 11:55 AM

I'm sorry, Danielle. I was really hoping this wasn't the same puppy. But the more I looked at the pictures, the more sure I was. You know we'll take very good care of her.