TIPS FOR PURCHASING A GIANT SCHNAUZER

Though not all local breeders make the best choice for purchasing from, when you do have a breeder local to you that is outstanding.... it is in your best interest to get on their waiting list and buy from that breeder even if it means waiting quite some time. This way, not only will you get a quality dog, but you can get help free of charge for posting or taping ears, training (should real problems arise - and yes, this IS a protection breed and needing help in this area is not uncommon), grooming, health issues and more. If a quality breeder is not within a half days drive of you, make sure that the breeder you buy from is one you feel comfortable with and trust so that you can reach that person when you need them and hopefully they will be qualified to assist you.

If a breeder does not mention problems within the breed regarding health or qualify and educate you regarding the temperament of the breed one should wonder why not. No human nor canine is born with 100% perfect genes. Fortunately in dogs we can test and "qualify" mates prior to breeding IF we are honest and willing to spend the money which dramatically increases the odds of good health. Breeders should be willing to produce proof of testing. Also, this is a protection breed and fore-warned is fore-armed. If you know to stop inappropriate behaviors when they are little or to avoid training things you will not like later when the pup is 70 to 100 pounds, you will have the greatest dog of your life. But if you are not being told about potential problems upfront, the chances of success diminish. It is very helpful if a breeder has an information source for their purchasers.

From where I sit, the three biggest mistakes I see puppy purchasers make are; available NOW!, best price, and most conveniently located. Although all of these things have some merit, none should be the primary criteria for purchasing a beloved family member! The breeder that sells the cheap puppies is most likely not to do proper testing because proper testing is very expensive! That breeder may use their own male primarily because they do not have to pay a stud fee- not because he was the best choice to compliment the female. The local breeder may not be the right breeder. No one wants to buy from a puppy mill (WE PRAY!) but the breeder who has little experience needs to be well qualified so you will have the greatest chance at getting a healthy dog, excellent temperament and post sale support from a breed expert. An unhealthy puppy is a very expensive puppy. Particularly if you have to buy a second dog to replace the first or pay vet and medication fees throughout the lifetime of the dog. Make sure there is protection for you - the purchaser - in your contract in the event something unfortunate happens. Even with the best of care and testing, there are no guarantees that a dog will be free of defect that may effect him for his entire life so remember that no matter where you buy the pup that your contract should include a health guarantee and you should feel confident in the seller that s/he will honor the obligations set forth in your contract protecting your investment. Good and healthy puppies come from good dogs, proven and well tested and that costs a lot of money. Cutting corners is cheap and risky. Please be careful. My personal success rate purchasing from other breeders has had a shocking 80 percent failure rate buying from top kennels and the list of problems has included dysplastic elbows and hips, unfavorable temperament, thyroid disease, and two cases of seizures. This in just 10 dogs purchased from other breeders in the last few years! So please heed my council on this folks. If I am afraid of what is out there and do not know where in the world to go to enlarge my gene pool, you should be afraid too. And obviously "wanting it now" reduces your chances for success. Find a breeder you trust, and reserve a puppy. I could give you no greater advise than this.

Buyer Beware: A puppy mill and a backyard breeder are at opposite ends of the spectrum and somewhere in between is a good place to find a breeder. While the puppy mill  in my opinion really speaks to the care of the dogs not the volume of dogs bred more than the amount they care, the backyard breeder often cares but is probably breeding for the wrong reasons (though not the same wrong reasons as the puppy miller) and with limited knowledge and resources; s/he just wants the children to see pups born or innocently enough- want to recover the costs of the dog. (Well I suggest they call a real breeder first to weigh the risks! It can cost a fortune if things go awry! How about an emergency C-section in the middle of the night? $1000++ would be common since most emergencies seem to come after hours, and with this all of the pups and even the bitch can be lost!) More surprisingly still is the person who thinks it will just be fun! (Try sleeping on the kitchen floor for 3 weeks and not leave the babies until they old enough that the mother wont lay on them and kill them- and those are the easy days... the mother "usually" cleans up after them at this point.) To be frank... it is a demanding and shitty job you have to LOVE to do, and exhausting as well. But most importantly, the backyard breeder may not know about health problems, breeding risks, temperament issues, dogs in pedigrees that will produce illness and temperament problems.... and then again we are back to testing and proving our breeding stock. I know for certain I am a much better breeder today than I was when I bred my first litter. Of course, that was 33 years ago with an Irish Setter named Star.

I hope these things are helpful for you along the road to finding the puppy of your dreams. Good luck!

MAGNA GIANT SCHNAUZERS

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