Dis one. I take her!!

spiritdogs

Being listed on the association page isn't necessarily an endorsement.  I'm glad the parents are tested, but just hope you will be careful.  It really sounded as thought this person was just breeding her pets together.  

 

 Actually from my understanding PWDCA is pretty strict about the breeders on their referral page.

 In this breed, breeding dogs who may produce an improper coat should be one of the last things a breeder worries about (and would be the last thing I worried about when looking at breeders). The gene pool is extremely small and was made even smaller when the genetic test for the storage disease was made available, due to poor choices made by some of the breeders at that time. As a result of the small gene pool the breed has some major health concerns (although some are controllable through genetic testing): Addisons, cardiomyopathy, storage disease, PRA, early cancer and hip dysplasia. IMO there has also been an increase in temperament issues with the breed with sound and sight sensitivity becoming more and more of an issue.

She is not just breeding her pets together. She owns the dam, who is finished and has several health tests completed. The sire is a champion also with an impressive show record as well as health testing.

I spoke with her at length yesterday. I asked her a bunch of questions.  She sounds a lot like how I was doing it. She got into dogs and has 2 great mentors who have been in dogs for years.  So she has guidance and help.  She is looking to improve the breed.  She also drilled me with all the right questions.

She has also been showing horses for many years. 

We are headng down there this weekend and doing a combo family vacation at Legoland and then a puppy visit.  If things don't look kosher, be assured that we won't get her.  If things do... well... :-D

shamrockmommy

We are headng down there this weekend and doing a combo family vacation at Legoland and then a puppy visit.  If things don't look kosher, be assured that we won't get her.  If things do... well... :-D

 What are you going to name her? 

Good luck!!  I hope everything works out and you get to come home with a beautiful new puppah!!!

We're thinking either Echo or Lyra. :)  I hope it works out too!

 FWIW, having looked through her blog and site I think she looks like a good breeder.  Sometimes you need to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.  My mentors and even our monthly breed magazine has all said the same thing, the later recently had an article about being careful not to "throw the baby out with the bathwater", there are a lot of genes that go into making a dog and sometimes it's worth taking a risk that you will be getting cosmetic defect (and even some minor other health "problems";) over a severe hereditary problem (and sometimes you get more than cosmetic problems when you breed, and usually unintentionally!!)... particularly when you have such a small breeding base to begin with.

 From there, you go on to breed only the pups that have the correct coat type, I'm guessing that some will be a recessive carrier of that gene, but there is no need to cull anymore, these pups can go on to find a great pet home and yes, it sucks that they have to knowingly breed a fault, but coat type, in the grand scheme of things is very minor. I mean honestly finding show homes can be difficult, I know many potentially special quality animals in pet homes because there just wasn't enough show homes. 

Awesome find... hope things work out for you! :) A great home and a great puppy, the names are adorable!

GSD litters have dogs with "improper coats" all the time, in fact it's probably rare to have a breeder that's never had a dog born with a long coat or liver or blue.  They are sold as pets.  Two sock coated parents can have long coated or poorly colored offspring.  At least with GSDs it's probably the last reason I'd pass on a breeder, so long as they weren't intentionally breeding for it or breeding dogs with incorrect coats and color.

 I would think the incorrect coat would make a BETTER pet for most folks. It's less upkeep, and you still get the fabulously fun Portie personality. Also, they're REALLY freaking cute!!! 

Every litter I've ever seen has at least one pet quality puppy in it. That's nothing to write off a breeder for. 

Friend of my has 2 pwds and they have fabulous temperaments and personalities.  Thing is.... I hardly have time to keep my girls (bichons) groomed. I keep them in a respectable pet trim, but imagine a pwd would take a good 2+ hrs to put in just a pet trim.

Secondly, I have always loved the look of fuzzy dogs with golden type coat, like Lion.  This girl is chocolate and so pretty! 

There is a health guarantee, the parents have passed their health tests, it's the coat type I love and I know she will not get any bigger than 50 lbs (35 to 40 average for pwd bitches).  Plus she's wash and wear.  I think she may be just what our family needs. 

We are able to leave a day early (tomorrow morning), have an extra day at Legoland.  I'll update sunday if I can. :)

 Good luck!!  I hope the pup works out for you, she's really stinking cute!

AgileGSD

spiritdogs

Being listed on the association page isn't necessarily an endorsement.  I'm glad the parents are tested, but just hope you will be careful.  It really sounded as thought this person was just breeding her pets together.  

 

 

 

 Actually from my understanding PWDCA is pretty strict about the breeders on their referral page.

 In this breed, breeding dogs who may produce an improper coat should be one of the last things a breeder worries about (and would be the last thing I worried about when looking at breeders). The gene pool is extremely small and was made even smaller when the genetic test for the storage disease was made available, due to poor choices made by some of the breeders at that time. As a result of the small gene pool the breed has some major health concerns (although some are controllable through genetic testing): Addisons, cardiomyopathy, storage disease, PRA, early cancer and hip dysplasia. IMO there has also been an increase in temperament issues with the breed with sound and sight sensitivity becoming more and more of an issue.

I hope you're right, and that would be a good thing, but the web page didn't impress me.  It would be to their advantage to put more solid information up for prospective buyers to see.  If our OP wants, I do know a reputable breeder in my area who would be able to make solid referrals, but barring that, I think it's important to do independent research on the breeder somehow.  I have seen none of the temperament issues in my students' dogs thus far, but I have no doubt that as a breed becomes more popular, and the gene pool is small, that kind of thing is pretty inevitable:-(

shamrockmommy

She is not just breeding her pets together. She owns the dam, who is finished and has several health tests completed. The sire is a champion also with an impressive show record as well as health testing.

I spoke with her at length yesterday. I asked her a bunch of questions.  She sounds a lot like how I was doing it. She got into dogs and has 2 great mentors who have been in dogs for years.  So she has guidance and help.  She is looking to improve the breed.  She also drilled me with all the right questions.

She has also been showing horses for many years. 

We are headng down there this weekend and doing a combo family vacation at Legoland and then a puppy visit.  If things don't look kosher, be assured that we won't get her.  If things do... well... :-D

That's all good.  Wonder why the web site wasn't more indicative.  But, I didn't see the blog - would love a link.  If she is doing things the right way, it's never a bad thing for me to have another breeder to refer people to.  I'm just very careful about that, as you might imagine.

spiritdogs

I hope you're right, and that would be a good thing, but the web page didn't impress me.  It would be to their advantage to put more solid information up for prospective buyers to see.  If our OP wants, I do know a reputable breeder in my area who would be able to make solid referrals, but barring that, I think it's important to do independent research on the breeder somehow.  I have seen none of the temperament issues in my students' dogs thus far, but I have no doubt that as a breed becomes more popular, and the gene pool is small, that kind of thing is pretty inevitable:-(

  The temperament and health issues in the breed aren't in any way a result of popularity. The small gene pool and poor choices on the part of some breeders 20 or so years ago (when the breed was not at all popular) is to blame for a lot of the issues.

  As for the website not impressing you, nothing stops a potential puppy buyer from emailing and asking a breeder about their breeding practices.  Not all breeders have good marketing skills but that certainly isn't a reason to assume they must not be reputable.On the flip side, I know at least one PWD breeder who has all of the right credentials that I'd never send someone to.

  I am curious as to which PWD breeder you have been impressed with - could you PM me the info?