FindaPup

HOW CAN I FIND A “GOOD” PUPPY?

How do puppy buyers determine if they are getting a quality puppy?

Where does a quality pet come from?

An excellent way to evaluate the quality of the puppy is to evaluate the source. Here are the usual options:

Quality Hobby Breeder:

This is the very best choice for a quality puppy! Breeding a quality puppy is a serious labor of love, dedication and responsibility. The quality puppy is the result of the breeder’s love of dogs, a dedication to the breed and a responsibility to the dogs the breeder has produced for as long as they live. The quality puppy comes from a home where every breeding starts with a careful program in which the characteristics, health and temperament of the puppy’s ancestors are known.

Animals being bred undergo careful

evaluation and medical screening. A quality breeder tries to produce a pet that is as close as possible to the breed standard (the blueprint of what a Wheaten should be). Once the puppies are born, a quality pet is the result of careful socialization and human bonding by the breeder.

A well-socialized “people-oriented” pup is the result of positive contact with humans from the first days of its life. A quality pup comes from a quality breeder!

Backyard or Casual Breeder:

Usually, this is a person who owns a Wheaten and thinks it would be “fun” to have puppies or that it would be a great experience for the children. Perhaps it’s an effort to recoup the original cost of the dog. Usually these breeders know little of the breed’s history or standard and still less about grooming and care. They are not aware of breed concerns. Like commercial breeders, casual breeders make little or no investment in the health of the breeding stock. The parents may not be certified by a veterinary ophthalmologist, or certified clear of hip dysplasia, or have any of the blood testing done to insure the breeding stock is clear of PLN or PLE. Their goal is to produce pups, and, when the fun is over, sell them quickly. This type of backyard breeder’s responsibility to the puppy also ends when the puppy is sold.

Pet Shop, Dealer, or Commercial Kennel:

These outlets rely heavily on “impulse buying,” which is a poor way to choose an addition to your family. Pups are raised as a cash crop to become merchandise sold for a high profit. This high profit is possible because little has been put into the care of these pups or their mother. The purpose of a commercial breeder is to breed for profit. Little forethought and little or no attention are paid to the temperament and appearance of the dogs used as breeding stock, which are frequently inbred. The pedigree of one Wheaten bred by a known dealer showed that the parents were brother and sister, and their parents were father and daughter. Commercial sources rarely accept responsibility for the puppy after it is sold. When people buy from a pet store, they are sentencing a breeding animal to a lifetime of misery in a puppy mill.

BUYER BEWARE!!!

The best rule of thumb is: MEET THE BREEDER, SEE THE MOTHER AND SEE THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE PUPPY HAS BEEN RAISED.

Beware of claims that the “hips have been checked” or “Wheatens don’t have hip problems,” or “my lines are clear of hip dysplasia.” Demand a copy of the OFA certification on both parents.

Beware of the seller who is unaware of the need for regular eye exams of breeding stock and cannot provide current eye registry numbers.

Beware of the term “Championship lines.” The presence of a few Champions in the pedigree means little. Every Wheaten bred in the U.S. has at least one or two Champions in his family tree.

Beware of claims of “home raised” or “privately bred” pups unless you can see for yourself where they were born and raised.

Beware of the seller who claims to be selling a litter for a “friend” or “relative.” Commercial breeders (aka “puppy mills”) frequently send “litter lots” on consignment to middlemen who then sell the puppies from their homes.

Beware of anyone selling Wheatens who will only identify himself on a first name basis.

Beware of the seller who is unwilling to give the registered names and AKC numbers of the sire and dam of the litter or cannot provide a copy of the puppy’s five-generation pedigree for you to see prior to buying the puppy.

Beware of the seller who is not willing to give the name and address of the breeder, unless you buy the puppy.

Beware of claims such as “uncompromisingly clear of inherited diseases” or “proven clear” of inherited diseases since there is no way to prove these claims. Beware of “guarantees” – most genetic problems do not appear until the puppy is older. The best guarantee of a healthy dog is a careful, well-planned breeding program.

HOW DOES A PUPPY BUYER IDENTIFY

A QUALITY BREEDER?

Always deal directly with the breeder, not with a middleman, a broker or a pet store.

A quality breeder will only sell directly to the new owner and does not deal through a middleman or brokers or to pet stores. This breeder would never allow the resale of his puppies through a third party.

A quality breeder will be happy to take you into his home and show you the puppies and, at least, one the parents.

A quality breeder will breed only the best dogs. This is why most dogs used in a breeding program are Champions. A Champion is not merely a show dog but more importantly, it is a dog that has proven itself to be an outstanding example of the breed in temperament and structure, and is worthy to be bred.

A quality breeder breeds only Wheatens

whose hips have been x-rayed and certified

clear of any crippling hip dysplasia by the

OFA. A quality breeder will also be able to

supply you with Eye Registry Certification

indicating that the parents have been found

free and clear of any genetic defects.

These eye exams are done every two years,

until the age of 6 by a Board Certified

Veterinary Ophthalmologist. The breeder

will supply you with the results of all the

blood tests performed on the parents

prior to breeding. A quality breeder is concerned about the

future of the breed and the future of the puppies that he breeds. Be prepared to be asked many questions about yourself and your lifestyle. Most breeders will want to meet you in person, when at all practical, before making a commitment on a pup.

A quality breeder will only sell puppies under a contract limiting their use for breeding by means of AKC Limited Registration, co-ownership contracts and/or spay/neuter agreements.

A quality breeder will require, as a condition of sale, that all animals that are not part of a responsible breeding program, be spayed or neutered. He will make sure that you are aware of the pros and cons of Wheaten ownership as well as the grooming requirements of the Wheaten. He will provide written material about the needs and development of the puppy. He will always be available to help with any questions or problems that may arise. He will be a member of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America and/or a local Wheaten Club. These clubs are members of the American Kennel Club and are dedicated to the protection and well being of the breed.

Quality breeders acknowledge responsibility for every puppy they produce for the life of the dog and stand behind every dog they breed. They may have only one or two litters every year or so, but A QUALITY PUPPY IS WORTH THE WAIT.

REMEMBER:

HAVING A HEALTHY DOG STARTS WITH SMART DECISIONS!!