Thinking about getting a dog..advice required.

Caroline_a

I went 240 miles to get my Shepherd and about 150 for my Spinone. To me it wasn't about distance, it was about getting the right dog. It was a journey that was done twice in both cases, once to see the pups and choose one, then once to collect. Worth every bit of diesel it cost me!

Edit - those distances are one way by the way!

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Thanks Caroline.

I do feel the same as you. Although concerned about how well puppies travel in a car.

Caroline_a

I took my daughter with me both times to cuddle/hold the pups. The shep slept all the way back as did the Spin! I kept driving because I thought I can't let them out anyway!!

Toothfairy4

We went from Surrey to Suffolk for our Dachshund, about 2 and a bit hours each way. I wouldn't worry too much about travelling with him, lots of people do it.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

I have contacted a few breeders (found their contact details on the National Bedlington Terier clube website). in my area & both have replied. I also emailed & got a replies from the club secretary.

One breeder is not planning a litter at all this year & the other one said they may plan a litter for the second half of the year. Both breeders have been very helpful & offered good sound advice.

The breeder who isn't breeding this year sent me a link to an advert for puppies & said they had groomed a dog which came from this breeder & he is a lovely dog & a good example. So if the new litter is as good as he is, the pups should be fine. He also said that both parents of the latest litter were tested clear for Copper Toxicosis.

I contacted the breeder from the advert & asked questions about the litter. I asked if she could email me the results of the Copper test & she said she didn't have the results but could assure me the bloodline was clear. The dogs are apparently KC reg aswell. She said she owned the father & the mother of the new litter. She also said that if the any of the puppies had health problems, she would refund my money. She said that she was 100% convinced that the puppies were from good stock.

I am thinking about going to see the pups at the weekend & am hoping they are as good as she says.

Person_one

See the results of the health tests, don't take people's word for it!

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Person_one wrote: »

See the results of the health tests, don't take people's word for it!

She rekons she dosen't have the results. However the breeder that put me on to her rekon the parents & bloodline are clear.

Maybe your right tho'. She is asking top price for these puppies & especially since it is my first dog I do want the best I can get.

Person_one

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote: »

She rekons she dosen't have the results. However the breeder that put me on to her rekon the parents & bloodline are clear.

Maybe your right tho'. She is asking top price for these puppies & especially since it is my first dog I do want the best I can get.

If she doesn't have the results she can't know that they're 'clear'!

Its not really about 'best' to be honest, as a dog is a dog and they are all wonderful whatever the breed and even if they have health problems. Its about not perpetuating the breeding of unhealthy dogs. If breeders can sell them they'll keep breeding them, so people need to stop buying them!

If she's a truly responsible breeder with the dog's best interests at heart she won't be offended or annoyed by you wanting to see all the paperwork, she'll be happy to provide it because it means her puppy is going to someone who cares about its welfare.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Thanks for the reply. I guess I worded it incorrectly. I certainly don't want to buy a dog from a breeder who is potentially unscrupulous & further fund their breeding habits.

ali-t

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote: »

She rekons she dosen't have the results. However the breeder that put me on to her rekon the parents & bloodline are clear.

Maybe your right tho'. She is asking top price for these puppies & especially since it is my first dog I do want the best I can get.

Bedlingtons are not a breed I know anything about and I have never heard of the copper thing BUT I do know that many things cannot be tested for when dogs are pups as they will not show up so you have to base your decision on the parents being free from a particular thing.

The most obvious example of this would be hip scores where you don't hip score until the dog is over 1 year old. The message we hear is that hip scoring is important but no matter how hard you look you will never find a hip scored puppy.

If you don't already know, do a bit of reading about the copper toxicosis and check out what age it can be tested for so you look like you know what you are looking for.

Lots of people will look down on a breeder that uses their own dog and b1tch for breeding but there are breeders who will buy a dog to complement their b1tch rather than it just being a breeding of convenience.