getting a puppy - questions

boltonangel

Hi

I am hoping to get a new puppy soon but have a few questions I hope can be answered by you kind people!

Firstly I should mention that this is not a quick impulse decision we have been looking at getting a family dog for over a year.
I realise that most breeders will have rehomed puppies during the summer, but as we had a holiday booked in sept we thought it best to wait until we had been and could dedicate time to a new dog.

I have a 7yr old and an 18mth old. Whilst we have never had a pet dog they have grown up with grandparents having both medium sized and small dogs and are good with them (even the little one) as they have been told off if they annoy the dog and not the other way around.

We think a Cavalier King Charles would be the best for us after reading up online regarding temperament etc.
We live in a large flat but walking and excersing would not be a problem as we are surrounded by fields and public footpaths.

What I was wondering is whether anyone else has experience of a cavalier with small children as it is still something that worries me. As mentioned previously we have never had a pet dog with the children but both myself and dh have grown up with dogs in our childhood. We have never had a cavalier though.

Is there anything else I should be looking for?

We are hoping to get a female, blenheim colour and possibly to get one litter from her before neutering her.
What questions should I be asking if I go ahead and visit a breeder?

giantmutantbroccoli

If you're sensible with your dog and children, it should be fine - my parents had a GSD when I was born! Never, ever, no matter how loving/reliable your dog is, leave the dog alone unsupervised with a toddler.
Try to get a pup from a breeder who has children of their own, if you can.
I'd recommend getting a good book on the breed as that will tell you what to look for in terms of conformation and pedigree, particularly which health problems are associated with this breed.
General questions to ask:
Have they had their shots, and when are the boosters due?
Have they or the parents been hip-scored, and what were the scores?
Also ask about any other common health problems for cavalier king charles spaniels.
How old will the pups be when they're ready to go to their new homes? The best ages is between 8-12 weeks, if they suggest you take them younger then steer well clear!
When you see the pups, check them for signs of fleas by parting the coat. Little specs of dirt on the skin/fur may be fleas or their doings. Makes sure they're not too thin or fat, and can move around well.

We are hoping to get a female, blenheim colour and possibly to get one litter from her before neutering her.

I have to ask, why do you want to breed from her? You won't make money on one litter without compromising on the health of the pups or the mother. The idea that it's healthier to neuter a !!!!! after she's had a litter is completely untrue - and by allowing her to get pregnant you expose her to a wide ranges of potential health problems that she would not get otherwise. To do it properly you'll need space for all the pups that she might have - which could be any number from 1 to 14 - and time to look after her and her offspring. Labour can go on for 24 hours at least, during which time you'll need to be on hand to rescue pups from being squashed, revive half-dead pups, remove any casualties and act as midwife - not a job for the squeamish! Once they're weaned they need feeding 4 times a day, and cleaning up after - all the time! And assuming everything goes well, afte 2 - 3 months you'll have to find good loving homes for all the pups while avoiding the scammers and the daft sods who think you can keep a dog as an indoors-only pet or something.
I'd think really, really hard before you make that decision - you'd need a really good reason to go through all that, and as you don't sound too sure I'd say you probably shouldn't!

[EDIT] Just noticed you say you live in a flat. Try to picture your flat, as it is now, with an adult dog plus 14 puppies, then try to picture the amount of cleaning up involved. I really would not recommend breeding a dog in a flat.

Fire_Fox

How are you going to toilet train a puppy in a flat? Would you consider an adult dog that can wait a bit longer to go out and is less boisterous? Most adult Cavaliers are naturally lazy but the puppies are still very lively. Do you have permission of either your landlord or the freeholder of the building? Most lease agreements state no pets, or no pets without written permission.

suki1964

First thing first, if you are looking to buy a pup, you are going to find it pretty difficult to find GOOD REPUTABLE BREEDER to home one with you. A - as you already have said yourself - most pups have gone to homes already at the start of the summer and B - you have a toddler.

Finding a breeder takes months and then you usually need to go on a waiting list until a breeder is ready to produce a litter

No reputable breeder will let a b1tch go without an endorsement on her - stopping any litters from being registered with the KC. Only the breeder can lift that endorsement and that will mean you going back to your breeder for help and advice in breeding and finding a stud - and invariably being turned down. No reputable breeder will want his her name associated with dogs that are not of breed standard

So unless you are looking from a rescue ( and they too will spay the b1tch) I cant see you getting a good pup from a good reputable breeder this side of Christmas unless you go to a back yard breeder or puppy farmer.

Please please please do your homework on Breeders and the differences on backyard/puppy farmers and good reputable breeders before you decide to buy

suki1964

Fire_Fox wrote: »

How are you going to toilet train a puppy in a flat? Would you consider an adult dog that can wait a bit longer to go out and is less boisterous? Most adult Cavaliers are naturally lazy but the puppies are still very lively. Do you have permission of either your landlord or the freeholder of the building? Most lease agreements state no pets, or no pets without written permission.

Toilet training in a flat isnt any harder then toilet training with a garden - just you have a flight of stairs to get up and down first

fantasia322

http://dog.lifetips.com/cat/57510/dog-breeders/index.html

all the questions you need to ask are in here
and would advise against breeding. Its rubbish that its better to let a !!!!! have a litter before spaying

Whitewillow_2

I had a cav when i was a child, i bought her with my own money and loved her so much! She was a fantastic dog. I have grown up with all types of dogs and would say your choice is a good one. However please please research the breeder as much as you can, its so difficult to tell a good breeder to a bad one, but i got my cav from (unbeknown to me or my parents at the time) a puppy farm, and she died within a year. It was heartbreaking. They are popular dogs with puppy farmers. When looking for a puppy, consider it as a pet first, making sure it is socialised with children and other animals, the enviroment its living in etc before even thinking about breeding, the most important concern is how well it will get on in your family, then not until its older consider breeding options.
You need to ask questions yes, but what questions will depend on the breeder, ie how many litters has the mother had? Also if you do tend to breed and the dog is KC registered, you need to check if there are any endorsements on the puppy put there by the breeder. They can vary from none (free to breed) to only allowing the dog to be bred if all relevent vet checks have been carried out to prevent health defects being carried through to the litter. You would need to present the original breeder with proof these checks have been carried out before they will lift the endorsements, and some will never allow breeding from their puppies.
It sounds like you need to do some more looking around and you will know the questions you need answering to satisfy your own concience.

Fire_Fox

suki1964 wrote: »

Toilet training in a flat isnt any harder then toilet training with a garden - just you have a flight of stairs to get up and down first

I didn't say it was - it surely depends on the flat and the puppy - I asked a question instead of making a statement. My parents flat is fifth floor and at the end of a long, cream carpeted corridor which makes it quite unsuitable for having a puppy without risking accidents or affecting the neighbours (e.g. allergies). Hence the management company do not give permission for pets.

Frugalista

suki1964 wrote: »

First thing first, if you are looking to buy a pup, you are going to find it pretty difficult to find GOOD REPUTABLE BREEDER to home one with you. A - as you already have said yourself - most pups have gone to homes already at the start of the summer and B - you have a toddler.

Finding a breeder takes months and then you usually need to go on a waiting list until a breeder is ready to produce a litter

No reputable breeder will let a b1tch go without an endorsement on her - stopping any litters from being registered with the KC. Only the breeder can lift that endorsement and that will mean you going back to your breeder for help and advice in breeding and finding a stud - and invariably being turned down. No reputable breeder will want his her name associated with dogs that are not of breed standard

So unless you are looking from a rescue ( and they too will spay the b1tch) I cant see you getting a good pup from a good reputable breeder this side of Christmas unless you go to a back yard breeder or puppy farmer.

Please please please do your homework on Breeders and the differences on backyard/puppy farmers and good reputable breeders before you decide to buy

Excellent post :T:T - totally agree about the endorsements.

boltonangel

Hi

Thanks for your replies.

The flat is a 1st floor flat and is larger than any other house I have ever lived in. The exit is our own private exit and we have a large ground floor hall if necessary.
With regards to the landlord. We live above a pub which is why i say it is a flat, so we have no problem with keeping pets. In fact they are promoted if anything as guard dogs (obviously that won't be the case with a King Charles!!!)

Thanks for your guidance re endorsements. I have found a fairly local breeder with good recommendations and will be calling her back on friday after the pups have been cleared by the vet. I will ask her about endorsements then.
With regards to the birthing of the pups I am not squemish in the slightest so that wouldn't bother me but do understand and take on board your points re my knowledge and size of any litters.

thanks

foreign_correspondent

boltonangel wrote: »

Hi

Thanks for your replies.

The flat is a 1st floor flat and is larger than any other house I have ever lived in. The exit is our own private exit and we have a large ground floor hall if necessary.
With regards to the landlord. We live above a pub which is why i say it is a flat, so we have no problem with keeping pets. In fact they are promoted if anything as guard dogs (obviously that won't be the case with a King Charles!!!)

Thanks for your guidance re endorsements. I have found a fairly local breeder with good recommendations and will be calling her back on friday after the pups have been cleared by the vet. I will ask her about endorsements then.
With regards to the birthing of the pups I am not squemish in the slightest so that wouldn't bother me but do understand and take on board your points re my knowledge and size of any litters.

thanks

A first time inexperienced owner breeding their dog... why??

Just bear in mind that if your dog needs a c-section at midnight, or emergency vetinary treatment, or suffers any complications of pregnancy, or related to breeding, pet insurance will not cover you for it, and it could be very, very expensive....