Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2007 3:04 pm Post subject: Have i done the right thing?
Hello Everyone,
I have been reading this site for a while, whilst searching for a puppy! I have been trying to get lots of advice and looking at lots of adverts and contacting a few breeders to ask some questions.
I finally found a breeder, with the right colour, right sex and available from the right time and went to visit. I had lots of questions i wanted to ask and after walking in the door i melted at the gorgeous puppies and only asked a few of my questions
I emailed the breeder when we got home and asked if the puppies would be vet checked before they went to their new homes and what the Dam and Sire hip and elbow scores were.
The reply, is that although both are registered with KC the Dam has not been scored and the Sire - she thinks he has, but his owners do not have the papers.
They have both been checked by vet and are both in good health and not had any problems before. The puppies will be checked before they leave.
I think i have read somewhere - maybe on this site - that KC have a record of the scores on all there registered dogs. Does anyone know if this is true?
We have already paid the deposit for the puppy and i am hoping that because both parents are in good health, that it will be ok?
I have the vet appointment for first injection booked, when can the hips and elbows be looked at?
I would be grateful for any advice as i am worried i may have made a mistake and i am a bit cross with myself for getting carried away and not asking everything before i paid the deposit and named her and stuff
I think you have just done what so many people do - see the puppies and go all mushy and gooey eyes, then forget to ask about the nitty gritty. Unfortunately, a breeder saying 'in good health, never had problems' is not good enough. How old is the bitch? If she is young then these problems may just be around the corner. But there are no guarntees in this life. You need to make a decision. I am sure that if you have any concerns, you could get the deposit back and walk away. But I know its hard. Good luck and if you decide to walk away, there will be plenty of pups around who do fit the bill and you know not to make the same mistake twice. But then you may decide to stick with this breeder and let fate take its hand. Up to you.
Welcome to LF anyway and come back with pics of your pup, whereever you go!
hi and welcome, im sure someone with lots of knowledge will be along soon to answer your questions.
i know how hard it is as we couldnt walk away from Abbey and had to bring her home , i didnt even know about the hip/eye scores and was given nothing only pedigree papers from the breeder .
Luckily Abbey has been well and had no problems and thank goodness for this forum as i definately have loads more knowledge now than before we got her
Well, you have started out right and done some good homework But...
....I would always phone up and ask all the questions before going to view the pups - then I don't go all weak in the knees and maybe forget some of the questions.
If I was to buy a pup where the parents hadn't been hip scored, Optigen tested and eye checked, I would not pay anymore than £150 for a lab pup - you're taking a risk and it could be very expensive in the long run not to say painful later on. The choice is yours..
The KC do have a register for health checks - the breed register - but you would need the sire's reg number and full name plus DOB...
The earliest that you can have a pup hip/elbow scored are 12 months...
The reply, is that although both are registered with KC the Dam has not been scored and the Sire - she thinks he has, but his owners do not have the papers.
RUBBISH - a stud dog where the owners don't know where the papers are? my girls hip scores are imprinted in my mind - and I wouldn't go near a stud dog without seeing that everything was in order. When I went for my girls mating, I left clutching copies of everything from the sire's owner.
You want an honest opinion - do not buy a litter from someone who has not, as an absolute minimum used a dog and bitch who are hip scored and have current clear eye certificates.
Personally, I would forget your deposit and look elsewhere - you need to know your pup has had the best possible start in life and breeding from parents without health tests is not it.
Have a look at the Labrador Health website to find out more about the required health tests, and also to read about dogs who have suffered difficulties which could well be hereditary and not picked up because the parents weren't health tested.
I'm sorry to say I would walk away from this litter too. It sounds as if you have been led up the garden path over these pups....and if the breeder can lie about one thing who knows what else they are lying about.
There are plenty of other beautiful pups out there, that will stand a much better chance of growing up happy and healthy, than the ones from this litter.
Welcome to LF Kate..... Just to let you know that I have moved this from introductions to the Lab Breeding Forum Although I can see already you are getting very good advice ...This may also help bring in further help and support to add to the above....
Ask for you deposit back and walk away. This is not a "breeder" it's someone's who's out to make money.
If you feel you can't do this, get some good pet insurance asap.
Oh and there are folk on this forum who have copies of the database from the KC for hip and elbow scores - all you need is full KC name I believe to be able to trace the records and one of them should be able to find out for sure for you what the situation is (Sue? Di?).
Last edited by Maddie on Wed Jul 04, 2007 4:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
I agree with Sue, I too have my girls hip scores implanted on my brain and it's just pure irresponsible for a stud dog owner not to have all his papers in order(more likely that he has not had his dog hip-scored)
You have 2 choices here, walk away and forfit your deposit, they don't sound the type of people to refund that, or, take the puppy and take your chances, making sure that you get some good pet insurance
The Kennel Club do have a record of all dogs registered and all hip/elbow scores done, along with eye tests- failed or passed.
There are plenty of well bred litters out there, somewhere on LF there is a list of breed clubs that hold details of puppies etc.
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