Well, it's been a few months since Fido went off to that great dog park in the sky and we're beginning the audition process for a new buddy. We're looking at shelters, rescues and kennels. We're thinking we want a Springer or a Springer mix.
I saw this little gal, http://tiptopwebsite.com/websites/index2.php?username=barbaraslittlefriendskennel&page=4, but I think the website is a little strange. All the different breeds makes me think it's a distributor for puppy mill pups. Also, I'm not sure if it's because the dog is very young, but she doesn't look like she has a lot of vitality.
She's only $350 and bitches seem to go for $500 and up at the fancy shmancy kennels. Are my concerns valid?

Thanks.

My advice is buy a mutt!

Here is my pug-poodle mix Oscar probably the best dog I've ever owned.
One thing is for sure - you will fall in love with any puppy you buy... I have 3 dogs at the moment ranging in age from 1/2 to 18 years old.

http://members.cox.net/macmedics/Oscar/Oscar-mmmThatWasGood.jpg

Cameraman, I'd be afraid of the site you mentioned too -- too many breeds, not enough info, etc. Good breeders don't offer "bargain shopping" either. I know that a lot of people get dogs over the Internet without meeting him or her first, but that doesn't seem like a good idea to me; as you said, you want to get an idea of vitality, personality, etc.

How fun! Keep us posted on your search! --Kellie

I second what Kellie said.

I would recommend checking a site like petfinder.com (http://www.petfinder.com/index.html), there you will find so many Springer and Springer mixes I'm certain you'll find the 'one' you're searching for.

Adopt a homeless animal - you'll never regret it.

I second what Kellie said.

I would recommend checking a site like petfinder.com (http://www.petfinder.com/index.html), there you will find so many Springer and Springer mixes I'm certain you'll find the 'one' you're searching for.

Adopt a homeless animal - you'll never regret it.

Benny beat me to it - if you are looking for a specific breed, petfinder is a great place to start, and like he said............Adopt a homeless animal - you'll never regret it.

Some folks like big dogs, some like small dogs. Whatever you do, don't get a Rocket Dog. :rolleyes:

I have an Australian Shepherd mini, she's very laid back but that breed tends to be a little hyper (just like her owner). Megan was a rescue dog I got from ARPH.

Some folks like big dogs, some like small dogs. Whatever you do, don't get a Rocket Dog. :rolleyes:

OMG! The world is not big enough for another chemically propelled canine.

Shelter dogs rule!:cool:

New Border Collies day 1 Dec 10th. 43914

[ my childhood pup was a Lab-Springer mix, Lightning. He was such a wonderful dog! He lived to 16 years. ]

Like you, I'd be very suspicious of that online operation. $350-$500 reeks of puppy mill.

Forget fancy, a reputable and responsible Samoyed breeder is likely to charge at least $800-$1000 for a puppy. I think that's pretty standard for AKC breeds. And they won't sell to just anyone -- they'll want references and you have to sign a contract. And I've learned that even at $1000, good breeders are under-charging, considering the time, expense and heart & soul they put into each litter.

Whenever asked how much Gidget cost I always observe that the cost of buying a puppy will pale in comparison to the cost of caring for them. Gidget's vet bills her first year exceeded $2000. And that was just to deal with recurring bladder infections!

Unless you have tremendous faith in the present owner's character, I would not buy a puppy without meeting them, their parents and visiting the environment in which they've been living.

The first 8 weeks of a puppy's life with their litter mates and mother are critical in their socialization.

I sure as heck would not buy a puppy off the Internet from a stranger.

My advice to friends considering a puppy is to decide whether they want a specific breed and if they've not had one before to do a heck of a lot of research, go to dog shows to meet those dogs and network with breeders and join a local club for that breed.

If you are open to adopting an older dog then one option is the rescue operations that every breed club operates. You'll probably end up paying 2 or $300. And those aren't necessarily purebreds, Samoyed rescue helps Samoyed mixes, too.

If I didn't care about having a specific breed (I love Samoyeds) then I'd become a regular at a local shelter and visit with dogs young and old until I met the one that I thought I could provide a good home for.

Best wishes to you in your search, will look forward to seeing pics of your lucky puppy at some point.

If I had the means, I'd rescue dogs and do dog therapy visits full-time.

:)

hopefully I'm not too late to respond to this post. PUPPY MILL was my first instinct so stay away. try rescue instead.

www.essrescue.org email: essrescue@essrescue.org

GOOD LUCK! An E is not an E without a dog!

as everyone else has already stated, go with adopting a homeless dog. our mutt is one of the healthiest dogs ever. our friends that spent $$$ on purebreed dogs have to deal with inbreeding complications. not that they all turn out that way, but it is a sad result of overbreeding.

also, nobody can figure out what our dog is and he's one of a kind!

I second everyone who recommends a rescue organization or adopting a mutt. Our dogs are all mixed-breed rescues and they seem to be pretty healthy, have good dispositions and are pretty smart (maybe too smart sometimes). They also seem to blossom after being adopted and that's really rewarding.

If I were looking for a particular breed, I would want to know how the parents were treated, how the parents and the puppies were socialized, and I would want to try to find out whether the dog was inbred or bred in such a way that it would be susceptible to health problems or behavioral problems.
That's just my $.02, though.

Good luck with your puppy search!

Thanks for all the input. Just so's you don't think I'm a troglodyte, I never intended to buy the dog sight unseen. I was just getting my sea legs and trying to figure out if it was worth the hour trip up to Kentucky. We've been on pet-finder and have made an application with one rescue group already.
Has anyone else noticed that half the dogs out for adoption are pits or pit mixes. Sheehsh.
BTW, the late great Fido was found on the third trip to the pound. Y'all will be the first to know when the big day arrives.

They are more than just a dog people.......My first three were strays/ throw aways and I still have them in my heart especially Banditt, lost her after 16 years on 11/27/2001 ( that's her in the pic above). I've worn all their dog tags around my neck after they passed on to keep'em close to my heart, after all they wore them for me.....My fourth is a little Jack Russell that I took away from the "owner" because all he did was beat the dog. Told the mf that he was gettin' off lucky cause I was real close to beat'em him BIG TIME !!!!!!!

Oh Goody! A New "E" dog!
I can't wait!
Post pictures as soon as you get him/her!:D Oh and in the E!!:)

Unless you know what you are getting into avoid border collies. It takes a special person to won a border collie even a Barbie Collie that is AKC registered.

If you want a purebred pup do your research. Know what the pro and cons are of the breed. Then find the breed club and see if they have a local area club for a breeder recommendation. If not the national club should recommend several breeders in your area. Interview the breeder carefully and the bredder should interview you carefully. There is a big difference between a run of the mill lab and one who comes from hunting lines. Just like there is big difference between BCs that herd for a living and ones that are AKC registered. AKC registered ones cant do a 500 yard outrun and compete in the USBCHA finals. Big difference between a rough collie pet and a rough collie from performance lines. Do your research. Avoid pet stores or places that sell multiple breeds. Avoid backyard breeders.

If you want an older dog breed rescue is the way to go.

It is a big fallacy that mixes are healthier than purebreds. And avoid designer dogs like Snoodles, Labradoodles, Pugdoodles. Most of the labradoddles I have met have been some of the dumbest dogs I have ever come across. Labs arent the brightest but a labradoodle is even dumber!

My collies work 10-14 hrs a day on the farm moving sheep. I have Tatras as LGDs.

Please know the breed before you buy and dont shop price.

And my oldest dog is a rescue.

Fred

It is a big fallacy that mixes are healthier than purebreds. And avoid designer dogs like Snoodles, Labradoodles, Pugdoodles. Most of the labradoddles I have met have been some of the dumbest dogs I have ever come across. Labs arent the brightest but a labradoodle is even dumber!

Mutts aren't necessarily healthier then purebreds, but you do greatly reduce your chances of getting any of several genetic disorders that are common among purebreds.

Lab/anything isn't going to be a rocket scientist, but every goldendoodle that I've met has been a wonderful dog. They're smart, friendly, not as crazy as a golden, not as feisty as a poodle. Hybrids can be great, but like any other dog, know what you're getting before you get it.

Hybrids can be great, but like any other dog, know what you're getting before you get it.


Hybrid = Mutt

Folks can debate the whole purebred/mutt issue all day long, there are reasons for each, both, and neither. It all depends on what you're needing/wanting.

I do; however, take issue with the whole 'hybrid' term. That is nothing but a marketing ploy - a mutt is a mutt. Just like purebred dogs, you'll find an abundance of them in various rescues, pounds, and shelters through out the country.

Man's inhumanity toward animals doesn't seem to have any preference.... :neutral:

The best advice I've seen on this thread is this:

know what you're getting before you get it.

Unless you know what you are getting into avoid border collies. It takes a special person to won a border collie even a Barbie Collie that is AKC registered.

If you want a purebred pup do your research. Know what the pro and cons are of the breed. Then find the breed club and see if they have a local area club for a breeder recommendation. If not the national club should recommend several breeders in your area. Interview the breeder carefully and the bredder should interview you carefully. There is a big difference between a run of the mill lab and one who comes from hunting lines. Just like there is big difference between BCs that herd for a living and ones that are AKC registered. AKC registered ones cant do a 500 yard outrun and compete in the USBCHA finals. Big difference between a rough collie pet and a rough collie from performance lines. Do your research. Avoid pet stores or places that sell multiple breeds. Avoid backyard breeders.

If you want an older dog breed rescue is the way to go.

It is a big fallacy that mixes are healthier than purebreds. And avoid designer dogs like Snoodles, Labradoodles, Pugdoodles. Most of the labradoddles I have met have been some of the dumbest dogs I have ever come across. Labs arent the brightest but a labradoodle is even dumber!

My collies work 10-14 hrs a day on the farm moving sheep. I have Tatras as LGDs.

Please know the breed before you buy and dont shop price.

And my oldest dog is a rescue.

Fred
You are right about knowing what you are getting into with Borders. My sister has bred them on and off for about 40 year. They are great dogs if you can keep them entertained. If you do not they will fined a lot of ways to entertain them selves.
There is also a difference in the lines. Some have gone for the more hyper aspects of the breed. There are lines out there that have notably calmer natures. But they are still borders. And need to be kept busy

Unless you know what you are getting into avoid border collies. It takes a special person to won a border collie even a Barbie Collie that is AKC registered.

I'll third that! I'm a fairly experienced dog handler and they're way too much for me!

My $.02 would be to start with the breed rescue. They'll know a lot more about the temperment of any dog they bring in because they specialize in that breed. And best of luck to you in choosing your new dish cleaner/face licker/blanket/best friend! :D

Hybrid = Mutt

Ok, then a question... What makes a new breed? By your definition, it would seem that no new breeds could ever come about since the only way to arrive at a new breed is to cross two existing breeds.

In reality, a breed is roughly defined as when you can take two dogs from two parent breeds and cross them and get consistent results. Strictly speaking, the first generation of such a cross could still be called a mutt, though I generally still use the term hybrid to show intent, rather than chance. But the later generations, if you can still get consistent results, is definitely a breed even if it's not recognized by the AKC. There are lots of hybrid breeds, sometimes well thought out ones (like the Goldendoodle, very successfully crossed to try to get the temperament of a Golden and the brains and hypo-allergenic traits of a Poodle), and sometimes not so well thought out (no examples cited to not anger anyone who may own one),and like any other breed the success of the cross largely depends on the breeder. It's really no different then when someone crosses two different plant varieties to get a third. If you prefer Golden Delicious apples over the Macintosh variety, then you are a fan of hybrids.

Heck, BH, even your beloved Saints (and I should add beloved by me as well-- one of the few breeds I would ever consider adopting), are now technically a hybrid since they were crossed with New Foundlands in the mid 1800's to keep the breed from dieing out. So I suppose if that were to happen today, the result would be called a St. Bernewfie.

I should point out that every dog I've ever owned has been a purebred mutt, everyone of them a rescue dog either from the pound or from an owner who could no longer keep them. I love mutts, and doubt I'd ever own anything else. So I'm not necessarily arguing in favor of hybrids or any other purebred dog, just that they are true, if modern breeds.

Hmm....mutt....breeding......Rocket Dog.....must have crossed a Trident D5 with a Basset Hound. :rolleyes:

here is a lonley friend and he would love to slober on you!!!!!:lol:

Ok, then a question... What makes a new breed?

I was afraid that would happen...

All I was trying to infer was my displeasure in the marketing of some of the 'mutts' by "less than scrupulous breeders". It's nothing other than slapping a catchy name on a mutt so they can sell it for a higher price. I really do have a problem with back-yard breeders - and the problems they cause.

I'm aware of the cross breeding of the different breeds. The Saint Bernard is not the only breed that was saved from extinction by cross breeding.

Let me re-iterate, I have no quarrel or problem at all with any reputable breeder. It just seems they are by far in the minority when one starts looking at a 'hybrid'.

Please don't think I'm trying to start a fight, I'm not - to each his own.

But I do think if more people actually cared there would be far less "hybrid", "mutt", "purebred" whatever being abandoned....

Let me re-iterate, I have no quarrel or problem at all with any reputable breeder. It just seems they are by far in the minority when one starts looking at a 'hybrid'.

Definitely no disagreement from me on that point. I'd even extend that to say that it seems to be true of the majority of ALL dog breeders. Like I said, I'm a mutt lover myself, but I've met enough well bred hybrids to have come around a bit in their favor. If you absolutely must get a purebred for some reason (and I can think of few good ones except for working dogs or people with dog allergies) then a hybrid can be a good choice so long as you choose the breeder carefully.