Dutch Shepherd Forum

Hey all, I'm new to the forum and I've been looking for a breeder that is specifically into DS. I've been looking all over and calling a few breeders that I've known since my Malinios but the closet one we can find is in Niagra Falls. They're looking at 3500$ for a puppy which is above our price limit. I'm leery about buying a DS across the country because of my experience with bad breeders in the past! Any help would be appreciated, Thanks

$3500 for a puppy is outrageous.

The breeders who frequent this forum are wonderful. Any of them could provide you with a great puppy (given the understanding that all puppies are a crap shoot, of course). None of them are in NY, alas, but I got my puppy from Utah, and I'm in VA, and there were no problems with that.

Have you posted in the intro section? If not, why don't you introduce yourself, tell us your name, etc.

3500,-?! I'll send one over for that kind of money

Sorry for your bad experience with people. Alas, it is hard to find trustworthy people, and certainly harder to figure out who is and is not trustworthy long-distance. I'm afraid I don't know of any breeders in NY either (of the 3 that I can unreservedly recc. in the whole United States!!). But I think if you spend enough time learning about the breed, talking to owners, understanding the working background, etc it will become apparent who really cares about the dogs

I think I found someone after some hard searching! For those of you that have purchased your dog across country, was there second thoughts?

http://evolutionk-9.com

I know early six weeks is a good time to get a puppy and mold it, when did most of you pickup your dogs? Trying to get a feel for the DS personality!

I think 6 weeks is too early to get a puppy. They're still learning good things from their mother/siblings. I usually don't get my puppies til 8 weeks. In Madix's case, I didn't get him til 10 but that was due to my schedule - not his or the breeder's.

[quote="bannerd"]
http://evolutionk-9.com
/quote]

I haven't gone through the process of vetting a breeder, but I notice their website doesn't mention lineage or indicate how healthy their hips/elbows are. I'm sure they'd be willing to talk to a potential buyer about that stuff, but I think it'd be nice to see on their website. I also see that their liter of 10 puppies has 8 brindles and 2 fawns.

cake73,

yeah I will continue to talk some more about that after the holiday season. Is the brindle a bad deal? What should I look out for?

bannerd wrote:cake73,

yeah I will continue to talk some more about that after the holiday season. Is the brindle a bad deal? What should I look out for?

No, brindle isn't a bad deal at all It is what most think defines the Dutch Shepherd. Since brindle is a dominant trait, it is possible to breed 2 brindle dogs and get a few fawns in the mix. It just means that both parents were heterozygous for the brindle trait.

When breeding dogs, I personally think it is important to prove the dogs being bred - both medically and through work. I put very little stock in statements like "the dams parents are..." or "this dog could..." Most of the dogs in this country go back to a very small stock, so we could all brag about the same things. I do not know Evolution K9 at all, so my comments are not directed towards their dog. They may be awesome! But I am hesitant to endorse anyone breeding their dogs before going through the effort to prove them. Just because you have 2 brindle dogs that YOU think are amazing, doesn't mean that they need to contribute to the population. Prove that they should.

I would also consider researching the various lines of DS here in America. There are some that are social butterflies, but do the work that is asked of them - and love it. There are other lines that are very sharp and quick to come up the leash and eat you if they feel that you stepped out of line. So more information would be helpful for you.

For a reference - puppies from titled parents with solid health clearances usually go for about $1000-1500 from a reputable breeder.

Good luck in your search!! And because I can't help but say this in every post.....have you considered rescue? We have a litter on the ground right now of DS crosses in WI. They are not quite a week yet. I am quite sure we could get you one of those babies for well under $3500

Have you guys thought about putting together a post for the FAQ section on things to look for and watch out for in a breeder? And maybe add information about NADSR too?

k9katet wrote:Have you guys thought about putting together a post for the FAQ section on things to look for and watch out for in a breeder? And maybe add information about NADSR too?

An EXCELLENT idea!!!

Christie M wrote:

bannerd wrote:cake73,

yeah I will continue to talk some more about that after the holiday season. Is the brindle a bad deal? What should I look out for?

No, brindle isn't a bad deal at all It is what most think defines the Dutch Shepherd. Since brindle is a dominant trait, it is possible to breed 2 brindle dogs and get a few fawns in the mix. It just means that both parents were heterozygous for the brindle trait.

When breeding dogs, I personally think it is important to prove the dogs being bred - both medically and through work. I put very little stock in statements like "the dams parents are..." or "this dog could..." Most of the dogs in this country go back to a very small stock, so we could all brag about the same things. I do not know Evolution K9 at all, so my comments are not directed towards their dog. They may be awesome! But I am hesitant to endorse anyone breeding their dogs before going through the effort to prove them. Just because you have 2 brindle dogs that YOU think are amazing, doesn't mean that they need to contribute to the population. Prove that they should.

I would also consider researching the various lines of DS here in America. There are some that are social butterflies, but do the work that is asked of them - and love it. There are other lines that are very sharp and quick to come up the leash and eat you if they feel that you stepped out of line. So more information would be helpful for you.

For a reference - puppies from titled parents with solid health clearances usually go for about $1000-1500 from a reputable breeder.

Good luck in your search!! And because I can't help but say this in every post.....have you considered rescue? We have a litter on the ground right now of DS crosses in WI. They are not quite a week yet. I am quite sure we could get you one of those babies for well under $3500

I'll look at rescue dogs as well, do you have a link or any pictures? Do you know most of their background information? Let me know!

http://www.dutchshepherdrescue.org/availabledogs.html

North American Dutch Shepherd Rescue dogs are listed under "NADSR Foster Dogs." They have short bios. There are photos of the puppies in WI on the NADSR Facebook page. Best thing to do if you want to seriously consider a rescue from NADSR is to first fill out a pre-adopt form (http://www.dutchshepherdrescue.org/adoption.html).

Best wishes in your search!

Still looking, I did find a dog on pet finder but that hopefully hasn't been bought yet. We'll see!

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/19021091

I think with a rarer breed like this one you may have to consider buying a pup from some one far away if you want to deal with a reputable breeder. Just do your home work and talk to people in the community. There are some very good breeders out there, but there aren't that many of them as there aren't that many DS breeders out there to begin with.

Some times breeders don't display all the info on their websites for a number of reasons. Some are just not web savvy, and feel if you want the info you should call them and ask. However if a breeder is unwilling to share with you the dogs pedigrees, health test results, and can't tell you of any of the dogs achievements that would make them a worthy breeding pair, I'd say run away! You're dealing with a backyard breeder who's just trying to make a buck.

Rescue is always a great option and at least since the dog has been through a foster program you will know exactly what you're getting. Best thing would be to actually contact the rescue, fill out their application, and get on their list of adoptive homes. Some times dogs come up through rescues that never make it to Petfinder because they are quickly matched up with a potential home that the rescue has already pre-approved.

I can speak to my experience regarding having a dog sent to me. Considering there are no reputable breeders in my area, I became resigned to the fact that I was going to have to pick one up from the airport. Gwen was six months when I got her from Asheley in Utah. Gwen flew in on Delta and they were late . Baby Gwen bust out of her crate and squeaked and wiggled with the utmost JOY. She gobbled her food sucked down some water and jumped in my car. She settled down next to me in the car for the hour plus ride home. I couldn't tell the difference between her and our Great Dane who came home by car. I will say that if someone is offering you pups at six weeks I would say no way!!!! That is way too young to take a pup from their mother. They are just learning the rules and how to be proper from their mother.

Keep us updated on your search we love to talk dogs!