QuietWood Mastiffs & Spinoni Italiani
Research, research, research. I should have titled this Finding a Breeder. Read on...
The first time I decided to buy a dog of a specific breed (and I'm not going to tell you how many gazillion years ago that was), the first thing I did was buy a newspaper. My criteria tended to be price and location. Unfortunately, that is just about the worst way to find a puppy and even today is what many people do. That, or look for ads on the internet using the same criteria (price/location). So why not do that? It is certainly possible that the least expensive puppy that is close to you is going to turn out to be a great, healthy, mentally stable dog. But...
I would suggest that your goal should be to first find a breeder that you feel is reputable, dependable, and that produces dogs that you like (looks, health, temperament, etc.) In this day and age, there is no reason for location to play much part in your decision. You can go visit anywhere and if you can't afford to make that trip, odds are you really can't afford the puppy. Pups can be shipped safely (we use Continental Airlines exclusively) or you can fly to pick up your pup and carry it home in a soft carrier in the cabin (Spins) or have it go as cargo on your same Continental flight (Mastiffs will most likely be too big/heavy to travel in the cabin even at 8 weeks). We don't really recommend long car trips because of the risk of exposure to disease every time you stop to potty the pup.
How do you find breeders? Despite my comment that location doesn't matter, I still suggest you start close to home by visiting local dog shows or contacting local kennel clubs. Even your vet may have a client that owns or breeds the type of dog that interests you. You may have chosen a breed that you've never met in person. Spins are not to be found just everywhere, so if you've seen them on TV or found them on the internet and they interest you, you really need to meet them before you buy one. If you can find dogs locally, talk to the owners and if they are not the breeder, ask about the breeder. If the owner doesn't even know who the breeder is, you have to wonder about the breeder. I say that, because we believe that a breeder plays a very important role, not just in producing a puppy, but being there to support the owner for the life of that dog.
If you happen to find a breeder close to home, it's a good place to start to learn more about the breed. (more...)
The first time I decided to buy a dog of a specific breed (and I'm not going to tell you how many gazillion years ago that was), the first thing I did was buy a newspaper. My criteria tended to be price and location. Unfortunately, that is just about the worst way to find a puppy and even today is what many people do. That, or look for ads on the internet using the same criteria (price/location). So why not do that? It is certainly possible that the least expensive puppy that is close to you is going to turn out to be a great, healthy, mentally stable dog. But...
I would suggest that your goal should be to first find a breeder that you feel is reputable, dependable, and that produces dogs that you like (looks, health, temperament, etc.) In this day and age, there is no reason for location to play much part in your decision. You can go visit anywhere and if you can't afford to make that trip, odds are you really can't afford the puppy. Pups can be shipped safely (we use Continental Airlines exclusively) or you can fly to pick up your pup and carry it home in a soft carrier in the cabin (Spins) or have it go as cargo on your same Continental flight (Mastiffs will most likely be too big/heavy to travel in the cabin even at 8 weeks). We don't really recommend long car trips because of the risk of exposure to disease every time you stop to potty the pup.
How do you find breeders? Despite my comment that location doesn't matter, I still suggest you start close to home by visiting local dog shows or contacting local kennel clubs. Even your vet may have a client that owns or breeds the type of dog that interests you. You may have chosen a breed that you've never met in person. Spins are not to be found just everywhere, so if you've seen them on TV or found them on the internet and they interest you, you really need to meet them before you buy one. If you can find dogs locally, talk to the owners and if they are not the breeder, ask about the breeder. If the owner doesn't even know who the breeder is, you have to wonder about the breeder. I say that, because we believe that a breeder plays a very important role, not just in producing a puppy, but being there to support the owner for the life of that dog.
If you happen to find a breeder close to home, it's a good place to start to learn more about the breed. (more...)
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