We've decided to get a puppy - breeder recommendations?

[saultgirl]

We are going to go ahead and get a Newfoundland puppy. If anyone could recommend a breeder in Ontario or Michigan, I would appreciate it.

Other than that, any tips on getting a puppy from a breeder long-distance would be appreciated.

Should I just take whichever puppy they say is available, or should I get to choose one? I know some breeders don’t allow you to choose because if one is left over, they want it to be the nicest one.

I’ve only ever adopted animals from the shelter; this will be the first time I’ve chosen a breed and sought out a puppy.

[S1969]

No recommendations on a specific breeder, but I do know someone that recently got a Newf puppy, so I can ask about her breeder.

Most breeders will choose the puppy best suited to what you want to do with it – if you wanted to show, there may be some not best suited for showing. If you do not; they may want their “most likely to be show quality” pups to go to show homes…etc.

I would not consider it being ‘not the nicest one’ because I am sure most breeders would consider ALL their puppies nice. But even in the same litter, temperaments may differ, and they will take that into consideration as well.

Also - if you are not local to the pups and don’t see them regularly over several weeks - your ability to choose ‘the nicest one’ (even if you have 1st pick) is probably not going to be as good as your breeder’s ability…who has watched them daily for 8+ weeks.

Find the right breeder - and you will not worry about not getting the right puppy.

[GraceLikeRain]

I would use the breed club as a starting point: http://www.ncanewfs.org/breeders/

I don’t believe that someone is inherently irresponsible if they don’t have a CH title on every dog they breed. However, I think a reputable breeder will be actively competing in either the conformation ring or performance ring (ideally both). Even if you are just looking for a companion, competing the parents is an objective way of determining whether the dog’s structure and disposition are worthy of reproducing rather than a biased opinion of a breeder. With this breed I would be a stickler about health testing, CERF, OFA, etc.

Big breeds grow fast and just because a couch potato 2 yr old female “seems sound” so they “don’t believe in OFA” doesn’t mean she won’t produce a litter of puppies with horrible hips that cannot stand up to an active lifestyle.

A good breeder will welcome your questions and be excited to share information about their program and the history of their individual dogs.

[Houndhill]

“if one is left over, they want it to be the nicest one”?!

Most reputable breeders don’t think that way!

They breed for themselves, to further their breeding program, they will keep the pick, not the “left over” one! The stud dog owner might get the second pick (in my breed, in some breeds the stud dog owner gets first pick and the breeder gets second pick).

The breeder is best able to match potential owners with the remainder of the litter, as they live with the puppies 24/7.

[neversaynever]

No recommendations, but congrats! We have owned newfs and they are such great family dogs!

[Where_sMyWhite]

[QUOTE=saultgirl;8022795]
Should I just take whichever puppy they say is available, or should I get to choose one? I know some breeders don’t allow you to choose because if one is left over, they want it to be the nicest one. [/QUOTE]

I am in the process of trying to get a BT puppy long distance.

The breeder had an extended questionnaire to learn about me, my plans for the dog, my personality, what other pets I have, where it will live, etc.

She will place pups based on where they make the most sense… personality, goals (conformation, performance, couch potato, etc). If there is an exceptional one, she will keep it.

If I make the short list and get a puppy, it will be the puppy she picks for me. I have no expectations that I will have any say other than preference for maybe gender or color… A preference is all that it is, what I would like… not what I will get.

If a breeder doesn’t ask you all these questions, I’d be questioning the quality of the breeder. Good breeders want to know where their dogs go.

Find out if the parents are in the CHIC database (Canine Health Information Center) http://www.caninehealthinfo.org/results.html?num=&namecontains=N&part=&breed=BRT&variety=&sex=&birthday_start_month=&birthday_start_year=&birthday_end_month=&birthday_end_year=&birthday=&submit=Begin+Search ) and their OFFA rating (http://www.offa.org).

Find out if the breeder provides a health guarantee as part of the sales contract.

[saultgirl]

[QUOTE=Where’sMyWhite;8023664]

If I make the short list and get a puppy, it will be the puppy she picks for me. I have no expectations that I will have any say other than preference for maybe gender or color… A preference is all that it is, what I would like… not what I will get.[/QUOTE]

I have a specific requirement for gender and colour and will not purchase a puppy otherwise. Is that really unreasonable?

[saultgirl]

Also, I filled out an application form from a breeder and now I’m wondering if I will get turned down because I work outside the home (although I noted I can come home at lunch) and I don’t have an entirely fenced yard (but I did mention the 73 acres I do have).

Do these things automatically exclude me as a “good home”?

[S1969]

[QUOTE=saultgirl;8023836]
I have a specific requirement for gender and colour and will not purchase a puppy otherwise. Is that really unreasonable?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=saultgirl;8023843]Also, I filled out an application form from a breeder and now I’m wondering if I will get turned down because I work outside the home (although I noted I can come home at lunch) and I don’t have an entirely fenced yard (but I did mention the 73 acres I do have).

Do these things automatically exclude me as a “good home”?[/QUOTE]

This really depends on the breeder - and all breeders have different feelings about everything…what constitutes a good home, what process they will use to select puppies, etc.

If you choose the top show breeder in the country, but do not plan to show - yes, your idea of gender and color are unreasonable. But, I suspect that is not what you would plan to do; so it really depends on how the breeder selects puppy homes.

My breed comes in two colors, and based on the breeding there is an idea whether the colors from the litter could be…so, it is not unusual for someone to want a “liver female” or an “orange male”…you just have to decide whether this is really a deal breaker for you – and the breeder will do the same.

As for the property requirements - I would not worry that having a job or a farm that is not 100% fenced will keep you from being chosen as a good home. Fences do not make a good home…and people without a job…usually have no money.

Remember that choosing a breeder is just as much an opportunity for YOU to pick as it is for them. If you don’t like the breeder…keep looking.

[earsup]

Chiming in to offer a couple of thoughts…

Echoing Houndhill’s response about pick of the litter… if the breeder isn’t breeding for him/herself primarily, either for confirmation or sport/performance, and allowing the remainder of pups to go to other homes, I would definitely avoid.

If you are looking for a dog who will be just a pet (which is, of course, a wonderful thing!) you will likely be given the opportunity to bring a “pet quality” animal into your home. So, if from a confirmation breeder, maybe the dog has a confirmation or color fault or if from a performance breeder, maybe it doesn’t show as much potential for it’s intended job as it’s litter mates. My home is a performance home–but I have two dogs from a confirmation breeder. They were not suitable to confirmation–one probably could have, but she had better candidiates from the litter, and the other has a slight underbite–but showed suitabilty to performance, so I got them.

Reputable breeders want to place dogs in appropriate homes, so I would be really surprised if one let you pick. If you have specific sex or color requirements, it just may mean it takes you longer to find your dog. I think any breeder understand sex preference, as it can implications regarding behavior/placement with other dogs. Personally, I’ve never had a strong opinion on color since, to me, it’s purely cosmetic.

As for working full time and having a fenced yard–I think this is more of a rescue-type question to ask. Most people have to work. But the fence or lack thereof, isn’t really an indication of how much attention or exercise a dog will get in a home. (One of my friends has put MACHs on three dogs, but lives in an appartment!) So both seem like strange questions to me.

[EKLay]

Our puppy’s breeder had an extensive questionnaire that we filled out, then we spent all the time before the breeding, during the pregnancy, and until the puppy came home chatting via email. This was the fourth breeder we talked with, and the one we liked best based on her dogs, policies, and dog raising perspective. By the time we actually met her, it felt as though we were already friends, and we still correspond on a regular basis, share pictures, and chat about dogs.

We were very honest and upfront about our abilities, setup, plans for the puppy, etc. We had a gender preference only because our older dog has a gender preference, and explained that to the breeder. Her policies stated that she was okay with reasonable preferences and would work with those, but she had final say about which puppy would be offered to which home. We were completely fine with that, as she’d know them better than us and could make a better choice anyway.

A couple breeders whose dogs I really liked didn’t allow any input about which puppy you’d get, so we passed on those despite their lovely dogs and program, as we did want some say on gender. Absolutely no hard feelings either way - they appreciated the reason behind our preference, we respected their policies and their reasoning behind those. This was my first purchase (rather than adoption) of an animal, and part of my thought process was definitely,“If I’m going to spend $$$ on a critter, I’ll get what I want.” I completely understand where you’re coming from with a color/gender preference!

I think what was reassuring for us to realize is that the questionnaire was really just a starting point for the breeders we spoke with. No one made any decisions based solely on our questionnaire, it was really just a jumping off point for discussion, the goal being a safe, good home for the puppy.

Both my husband and myself work outside the home, but we discussed our specific situation and how we planned to accommodate the puppy, and our schedules turned out to not be an issue at all.

Good luck! Hope you find a great breeder and get a fantastic puppy.

[Simbalism]

My friend has two Newfies, both from the same breeder. She has an all black female and a Lancier(spelling) black and white male. The breeder is located in WVa. I will see her tomorrow and can ask her the name/contact info.

[saultgirl]

Thanks everyone.

I’m not willing to compromise on gender & colour for the price, but other than that I don’t really need to pick which puppy. I wouldn’t be able to look at tiny puppies and tell if any one is “better” than the other anyways, unless it clearly has an extra leg or something!

Regarding colour, I want either a black or landseer… I just don’t find the brown or grey newfs attractive at all.

[DoubleClick]

There’s just about nothing more exciting than getting a new puppy, so I’m very excited for you. If you are purchasing from a reputable breeder, you should mention your color/sex preference, but you may have to wait for one or two or three litters until that particular combination becomes available. Do you have any other dogs at home? We VERY rarely place a pup in a home with a current dog of the same gender, regardless of the prospective owner’s preference. The only time we deviate from this is if we have a standing relationship with the person, they’ve had border terriers in the past, and we are confident in their dog management abilities.

Are you planning to drive/fly to get your puppy or have him/her shipped? Some breeders will happily ship and others will absolutely not. Our border terrier puppies are tiny at 10+ weeks when we place them, so we have a steadfast no shipping policy. If at all possible, I would really encourage you to go and get your puppy. I firmly believe that this is so helpful in starting a nice relationship between yourself, your dog’s breeder, and your puppy.

I wouldn’t worry too much about you working (people HAVE to work) and your not having a fenced yard. I was the same when I got my first conformation dog years ago, and it worked out fine. It’s just important that you are honest about your situation and that you have a very clear plan for how you are going to work around both of these obstacles. How will you house your puppy when you are away? When will you be home and for how long? Will you take time off when the puppy is first home to get him/her acclimated? Some breeders still might tell you no, but others will listen to you and appreciate that you’ve put the thought into this to make sure that you are providing your pup with plenty of opportunities for socialization, attention, and play around your work schedule.

Good luck in your search. Reputable breeders put their heart and soul into each and every pup they bring into the world, and you will be rewarded in many ways for doing the research you’re doing in finding a reputable breeder. And please, when you get your future pup, please keep your breeder involved throughout your pup’s entire life. There’s nothing we love more!

[saultgirl]

[QUOTE=DoubleClick;8024589]
There’s just about nothing more exciting than getting a new puppy, so I’m very excited for you. If you are purchasing from a reputable breeder, you should mention your color/sex preference, but you may have to wait for one or two or three litters until that particular combination becomes available. Do you have any other dogs at home? We VERY rarely place a pup in a home with a current dog of the same gender, regardless of the prospective owner’s preference. The only time we deviate from this is if we have a standing relationship with the person, they’ve had border terriers in the past, and we are confident in their dog management abilities.

Are you planning to drive/fly to get your puppy or have him/her shipped? Some breeders will happily ship and others will absolutely not. Our border terrier puppies are tiny at 10+ weeks when we place them, so we have a steadfast no shipping policy. If at all possible, I would really encourage you to go and get your puppy. I firmly believe that this is so helpful in starting a nice relationship between yourself, your dog’s breeder, and your puppy.

I wouldn’t worry too much about you working (people HAVE to work) and your not having a fenced yard. I was the same when I got my first conformation dog years ago, and it worked out fine. It’s just important that you are honest about your situation and that you have a very clear plan for how you are going to work around both of these obstacles. How will you house your puppy when you are away? When will you be home and for how long? Will you take time off when the puppy is first home to get him/her acclimated? Some breeders still might tell you no, but others will listen to you and appreciate that you’ve put the thought into this to make sure that you are providing your pup with plenty of opportunities for socialization, attention, and play around your work schedule.

Good luck in your search. Reputable breeders put their heart and soul into each and every pup they bring into the world, and you will be rewarded in many ways for doing the research you’re doing in finding a reputable breeder. And please, when you get your future pup, please keep your breeder involved throughout your pup’s entire life. There’s nothing we love more![/QUOTE]

Thanks for the reply.

I require a female because I have a male dog at home, so I would hope breeders understand that.

I definitely want to drive to pick up the puppy rather than ship, which is why I’m limiting my search to Ontario & Michigan.

I’ve got some leads and some phone calls to make tonight.

[Ibex]

Sent you a PM with a breeder name. She’s in the Vancouver area, but may have recos.

[Where_sMyWhite]

[QUOTE=saultgirl;8024617]
I require a female because I have a male dog at home, so I would hope breeders understand that. [/QUOTE]

Male dogs can get along, in general, better than female dogs. I’ve heard from more than one source that the worst dog fights are between bitches rather than between dogs.

Is your male neutered?

[saultgirl]

[QUOTE=Where’sMyWhite;8024685]
Male dogs can get along, in general, better than female dogs. I’ve heard from more than one source that the worst dog fights are between bitches rather than between dogs.

Is your male neutered?[/QUOTE]

Yes, my male is neutered. My guy seems to get along better with females, generally speaking. He does not do well with very dominant male dogs. I would be much more comfortable bringing a female puppy home.

[mommy_peanut]

While it may mean you have to wait a bit longer to get a puppy, most breeders won’t mind that you have a gender/color preference.
I’m not that familiar with the color genetics of Newfs, but I would think you should have an idea of what color(s) the pups would be based on the parents.

I also recommend checking out the breeds parent club & OFA to read up on what health testing is most recommended for the breed. Find breeders that health test their breeding stock along with breeding to the breed standard.
I’m going to assume you won’t find quite as many BYB of Newfs as you would say Labs or GSD’s, but I’m sure they are out there.

[neversaynever]

have you contacted anyone in the regional newf club? They are usually very helpful and will probably know who is expecting litters. If you’re interested, they also can tell you all about water rescue, carting, obedience, etc. The one we belonged to had clinics and social get togethers. I think this one is in your area. http://www.glnewfclub.org/Home.html