Contacting Reputable Breeders/Fixing my Mishap
 So I'll attempt to make what feels like a long story sort of short. My boyfriend and I have been waiting for a few years to get a puppy until we were confident we could properly care for one (including knowing that we could afford any emergency vet needs, etc). So with that, I had spent that time researching different breeds and deciding on a few, which led me to falling in love with the OES breed. My boyfriend grew up with an OES named Moses, and he always gets teary eyed when talking about him and has always wanted to honor Moses by sharing life with another OES. It will be my first dog, and needless to say I'm very eager and excited (but no worries, I am taking it seriously and am consistently doing my research to learn more). That being said, I'm having some difficulty (and mild anxiety) with contacting reputable breeders in my area. For reference, I am in the Northern Virginia area. I'm not sure if we can name breeders, but there is a very well known breeder in the Richmond area. I didn't end up contacting her at first, but contacted a breeder in PA that I thought seemed trustworthy and nice. After thinking it over and discussing it with my boyfriend, we put a deposit down for a puppy. I'm starting to have a gut feeling like it was the wrong choice, and I should have had more courage to contact a reputable breeder. I don't know how typical this is of breeders, but the one we have put a deposit down with... is incredibly difficult to communicate with. We will receive emails back more than a day later, but her website says she replies within 24 hours. I just feel a bit uneasy about her especially after the long wait time to receive replies (even when communicating about putting a deposit down). I'm not sure if that is a red flag? I have heard breeders are difficult to get in touch with sometimes. Anyway, I've decided to contact the reputable breeder in the Richmond area. I sent out an email. I guess the point of this post (sorry if it's all over the place) is that I am looking for guidance on contacting reputable breeders. I've done a lot of research on questions to ask, questions breeders might ask me, etc. And it makes me nervous! I've done my research (admittedly, I can always learn more and I think that's what makes me nervous -- never knowing everything) and I'm just nervous I won't be enough. I'm not sure how to word an initial email with a breeder. I didn't want to seem too aggressive or anything? So, I sent an initial email to her explaining that I had been searching for a while, after research I fell in love with OES, have come across her name a lot and how I really admire her passion and dedication, and explained a bit about myself/my boyfriend, our living situation/lifestyle. I also expressed interest in a future litter along with an interest to establish a relationship with her as a breeder. I didn't ask any questions because I was kind of thinking an introductory sort of email is okay? Maybe I'm overthinking this, but it is my first dog, and I'm very intimidated and want to make sure I'm doing everything right. Any guidance from people more experienced than me? Hoping I didn't blow it somehow with my initial email. Thanks!  |
|
|
| Can I ask where you started your search and how did you come to contact the breeders you did? One really good place to start is on the breed page. http://www.oldenglishsheepdogclubofamerica.org/ The oesca site has lots of information. There is a breeder referral tab under " looking for a puppy" on the left hand side of the page. The breeders listed there are committed to standards approved by the breed club. It isn't fool proof but it is a great start. Also - this forum has an incredible amount of info even about choosing a breeder. If you look in the index you will find titles such as behavior, grooming, rescuing a sheepdog, and getting a puppy. There are lots of stories from our own members and some from guests, some are sad and tragic and some are wonderful. Please spend some time here reading our thousands and thousands of posts. There is so so much here. As far as contacting breeders - there is one thing for sure, be patient. Some don't respond immediately, and most will have lots of questions for you. Don't be intimidated, they are just getting a feel for you, since you are asking them to give you one of their family members! Take your time, be up front and honest with them and be patient. You are likely going to be on a list waiting for a litter. Don't expect a cheap puppy either, think of it as an investment in a healthy dog! Good luck - and do come back here and ask questions - someone will be around to help you. Shellie |
| Hi, Shellie! Thanks so much for the advice! Luckily, I had been scouring through a million old threads on here and tried using all the resources that I saw people referring to in these forums! Very helpful. I ended up contacted Gail from ShaggeyBark (is it okay to give specifics? I've seen it, but not sure). And I did end up hearing back the next day (yesterday)! She said I'm more than welcome to visit any time, she has puppies now (not sure if they're old enough to go to new homes or not yet), and to give her a call! So I'm really excited and I can't wait to get to know her and I hope it ends up being a good fit! I know she isn't on the list of the oesca, but I did see the post about it on this forum and I understand her reasoning (based on the secondhand information provided here). Either way, it will be nice to speak to her and go visit and I am so comforted in knowing that she is relatively close (1hr 40 mins) to our home. I am still pretty intimidated about speaking with her! I'm sure that responsible breeders, showers, and people passionate about OES are aware that they have more knowledge than others (like me), but I'm still sort of intimidated knowing that I know less. Hopefully it will show through that I have been doing my research, that it's very important to me to keep learning about the OES breed, and that I'm open and eager to learn more from her. Hopefully that ends up being okay! Thanks so much for the reply! I'll definitely post and let you know how it all goes! I noticed this forum seems a little inactive nowadays, but I'm happy to see there are still people on it! So much helpful information! Thanks again! Paige |
| Nah, don't be intimidated. Glad you are moving along. I know many have been turned off or away by the things we have to say here about who is or isn't reputable. Honestly at this point I am tired of rehashing it over and over... I hope it all works out and that you have a great connection! Have you joined our forum? I can't recall if you are signed in or a guest. If you are signed in then you can post pics of your new addition! We LOVE pictures. Also it is easier to find replies to your posts. Good luck to you! Shellie |
| Thanks so much, Shellie! I did register as a user today, but it's still awaiting approval, I think (: I had called Gail, and we are going to go visit her place on Saturday, July 8th. I am so excited. Her puppies are apparently 6 weeks old, and if I remember correctly, they go home at 10 weeks. I'm not sure what the general pricing is on her puppies, or if she does deposits/payments. I plan on asking once we get there, just so I can set aside the correct amount of money/budget accordingly. I'm so excited to go see some dogs/puppies! Gail is so sweet, by the way. Very comforting to know that she supports a relationship with people who may own one of her puppies, and it's great knowing she's relatively close. |
| Hi there! I was just popping in to see what is new on the board and saw your post. I have two Shaggeybark pups from Gail. Beau who is 5 (AKC champ, certified therapy dog) and 2 year old Gunner. Both are extremely sweet, smart and loving dogs. I researched breeders thoroughly before deciding on Shaggeybark. I would have traveled anywhere within the 48 continental states to find the perfect dog and was fortunate to have found a reputable breeder only an hour away. One of the things that impressed me, was Gail's dedication to the breed, over 40 years, and in breeding dogs that are not only healthy dogs but have great temperaments and, if desired, can perform in the conformation ring. No need to worry about meeting Gail. As you said, she is very sweet. She is a wealth of information about the breed and if you decide to go with her, then you can be assured of a lifetime source of support. Good luck on Saturday and enjoy! P.S. If you want to see pictures of Beau and Gunner, you can see them in the "Introductions" (Introducing Beau and Gunner)  |
| I am glad you have a plan you are happy with. You will have many questions between now and then - write them down so you don't forget. She will have some for you as well I'm sure. A good breeder usually wants to match the puppy to the new owner and she will want to know a bit about you. A good breeder will also ultimately be responsible for that puppy for the rest of its life as well, in the case that for some reason it doesn't work the dog will usually go back to the breeder. What happens from there is up to them. So finding the right owner is in the best interest of everyone involved-breeder owner and dog. Be warned!!!!! All puppies are adorable!! It will be nearly impossible not to fall in love! Good luck and have fun! Shellie |
Guest wrote: Hi there! I was just popping in to see what is new on the board and saw your post. I have two Shaggeybark pups from Gail. Beau who is 5 (AKC champ, certified therapy dog) and 2 year old Gunner. Both are extremely sweet, smart and loving dogs. I researched breeders thoroughly before deciding on Shaggeybark. I would have traveled anywhere within the 48 continental states to find the perfect dog and was fortunate to have found a reputable breeder only an hour away. One of the things that impressed me, was Gail's dedication to the breed, over 40 years, and in breeding dogs that are not only healthy dogs but have great temperaments and, if desired, can perform in the conformation ring. No need to worry about meeting Gail. As you said, she is very sweet. She is a wealth of information about the breed and if you decide to go with her, then you can be assured of a lifetime source of support. Good luck on Saturday and enjoy! P.S. If you want to see pictures of Beau and Gunner, you can see them in the "Introductions" (Introducing Beau and Gunner) That is amazing! And thanks so much for letting me know your experiences with her! Your puppies are so beautiful We did end up going yesterday and have a lil pup! She will be ready to go home tomorrow, so I'm hoping my boyfriend can take off work sometime this week because I can't stand the thought of waiting until the weekend lol! |
Shellie wrote: I am glad you have a plan you are happy with. You will have many questions between now and then - write them down so you don't forget. She will have some for you as well I'm sure. A good breeder usually wants to match the puppy to the new owner and she will want to know a bit about you. A good breeder will also ultimately be responsible for that puppy for the rest of its life as well, in the case that for some reason it doesn't work the dog will usually go back to the breeder. What happens from there is up to them. So finding the right owner is in the best interest of everyone involved-breeder owner and dog. Be warned!!!!! All puppies are adorable!! It will be nearly impossible not to fall in love! Good luck and have fun! Shellie Thanks for all your support we ended up getting a lil girl! She is so precious. Apparently there were only 2 that were available: a boy and a girl. I kind of fell in love with the girl. It will be interesting to see how her personality develops. She seemed to be one of the more lazy-loafy ones (: super sweet, though. I will *definitely* be posting pictures when we get her. |
| So glad you found your pup! What an exciting time for you both!!! Enjoy every minute because they grow up so fast. Can't wait to see pictures once you get her home. Lots of great advice on this forum about what to do re:pottying training, crate training, etc. Beau and Gunner say |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|