And the puppy search is on!

I agree with TofuPup. A retired show dog is a wonderful option! Work has been done as far as housetraining, etc., and a show dog is used to trael, attention, walking on a leash and being around people.

Another option--on Sheltie Nation are puppies for sale. The next time we get a dog, we are going to look there. There are often puppies on there that are absolutely show quality but grew oversize--and that's the only thig that is keeping them from the show ring. It means the puppies are usually older--like 4 months to a year or so. Again, most of the time, the housebreaking is history and they have been worked with for the show ring, but just grew too much. You are also able to see a good photo of the puppy before you inquire further about it. You can see if you want it or not. There is a GORGEOUS puppy on there right now in Oregon (I know that is too far from you but it is just an example). It is the MOST beautiful Sheltie Ihave ever seen. Destinted to be a champion and then grew too much. He (I think it was a he) is being sold at a pet quality price--the same I spent for Ellie, who was the runt of her litter and has had a gazillion dollars worth of health problems and is not even close to "show quality," lol.

So, if you are looking for a show quality looking puppy at a pet price, the two options above would be perfect.
 
I don't know what I was typing evidently. The site with the puppies for sale is not sheltie nation
 
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tofu pup said:
I would seriously encourage you to consider bringing home a "retired" show dog. Every breeder has dogs who they show to their championships, but who aren't going to be a part of the breeding program. It's nice if the breeder has room for these guys to become sofa dogs, but it's really nice if the breeder can find a good family for them. It's tricky to ;predict exactly how short of the Standard an eight-week-old puppy is going to fall: it's very difficult for a breeder to guarantee you that the puppy you're buying is going to be "only a teensy bit" pet-quality. (Likewise, given the years of study and focus that breeders put into learning to pick puppies, it's probably going to be difficult for you to come in and evaluate a breeder's litter.) Usually what happens is this: the obviously pet-quality puppies are sold at ten weeks. These are the ones who definitely won't make it - hugely over/undersize, bad heads, snipey muzzles. The breeder hangs onto two or three puppies for a little longer. If one starts falling off, they're sold, but they're a little older now. The puppies who stay the longest are the ones who have the highest quality, but they may still get to the point where they're nice enough to show but not really what the breeder wants to breed from. And that's where you come in.

You would get your "show-quality", good-looking dog. And you can even brag to friends and neighbors that s/he is a champion! Plus, your new pet will be already housebroken and past the age of the usual puppy vices. The breeder doesn't mind selling you a nice dog, because the dog's job in the show-ring is done (and breeding duties are not in the cards). And the dog gets to be spoiled and loved by you for the rest of his or her days. It's a win-win-win.

OK, so you don't get a puppy. I know a lot of people have misgivings about not getting to raise the puppy themselves - something about a mystical bonding process that can only take place if you get the puppy when it's eight weeks old. Hogwash! My heart-and-soul dog, the dog who I bonded to most closely, came to us when he was two years old. He had had a great life with his breeders, and he was ready and willing to have a great life with us.
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Great post. I kept 2 pups out of my litter , placed both as pets one at 5months and one at 9 months. My 9 month old was a really nice looking pup just got too big. 5 month old wasn't bad either just too many minor flaws for what I was looking for. I wasn't willing to place either as pets as 8-9wks old. Both were housetrained , started in obedience training(9 month old very well trained). Both their new families bonded imediately with them.

Certainly we all have our tastes, there are even show quality dogs I don't care for. That's ok. As missyjennygirl said look for family that have the type you like and start there.
 
Lahree said:
I don't know what I was typing evidently. The site with the puppies for sale is not sheltie nation.
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Are the breeders on the "Featured Ads" part of ASSA-or have any other good qualifications? Gosh, looking at the site is just making me want to add another one, or two, or 3....
 
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A friend of mine in Ca. her first two of three there and got the other two from the same breeder. I have looked at that site several times, but not good to do when you have puppy fever!!!!
 
DanteBella85 said:
Are the breeders on the "Featured Ads" part of ASSA-or have any other good qualifications? Gosh, looking at the site is just making me want to add another one, or two, or 3....
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Like anything, do your homework, but as far as the Texas breeders and the LA breeders, I know of everyone on there (so far) and they are all excellent breeders with stellar reputations. I also know of the Oregon breeder with the dog I want to fly to Oregon and dognap.

It's a starting point if you see a baby on there that you like and then you go from there and do your research, etc. All the prices I have seen are the going rate for the show quality and pet quality. No red "puppy mills" flags. Most of them have a link to their websites and you can see that some have only one or two litters a year or they only have a one puppy available once in a while, etc. Some are small kennels, other are larger.

I trust the site and that will be one of the main places we look for our dog "next time."
 
Thanks for everyone's reply. I apologize for being such a drama queen :rolleyes2:

I was so worried that the person who had dibs on picking a puppy first would pick the puppy we wanted, that I pretty much wrote that litter off because I didn't want to have a broken heart about loosing our pick. But she DIDN'T!!!!!!!!!!!!:biggrin2:

So we have a puppy. And I really felt a connection with him during our visit, so I am very happy. He's one of the bigger puppies (the girls were so tiny!) and so handsome.

From the pictures I posted earlier he's the boy all the way to the right!!

And we are going to pick him up on Saturday!!!!

I think we will name him Apollo with his registered name "kennel A's Mare Tranquillitatis" but that's still up for debate. We're huge space dorks...

off to buy puppy things....:biggrin2:
 
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