Questions about getting a puppy?

Skiigurl95

Skiigurl95

New member
As some of you may know we adopted a Newf in October (See thread: http://www.newf.net/Forums/showthread.php?t=96600) but unfortunately had to give him back due to the fact that he chased our cats. We have been on the rescue list for quite some time now and are possibly thinking of going in another direction. I am wondering what exactly the steps are to purchasing a puppy (from a reputable breeder of course). I have looked at many breeders websites and seem to have narrowed it down to a few breeders. I have also read LOTS of Newf.net threds about purchasing puppies but thought I would ask a few questions of my own. From what I have gathered these are the steps to getting a puppy:
1. Do LOTS of research
2. Find breeders you like
3. Contact breeders
4. Visit breeders and ask and answer MANY questions
5. Decide on a breeder
6. Fill out a puppy application/ put your name on a wating list
7. Wait for breeder to contact you saying they are having a litter
8. Once litter is born go to visit puppies/ choose your puppy
9. Take him/her home

Please correct me if I am wrong in any of these steps. I have never purchased a puppy and I am definitely a newbie.

What would you say are the steps to getting a puppy?

Some questions:
1. When contacting a breeder for the first time what should you say/ask?

2. When visiting a breeder what types of questions should you ask/ what should you do while you are there (besides seeing the dogs and their temperment and looking for clean living enviroment)?

3. Also I am interested in showing, is it realistic to expect a breeder to give a 1st time Newf owner and a person who is new to dog showing a show prospect (I should expect a co-ownership, correct?)

4. How many breeders did you meet before you decided on your breeder?

5. What type of things did you look for in a breeder?

Any other advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!!
 
Last edited:
ardeagold

ardeagold

New member
In response to your questions:

1) What Nancy said

2) Ditto

3) Maybe, but expect a co-ownership, and a stringent contract. You'll also need a mentor to help you through the ins and outs of the show world. So the breeder will be a very active participant helping you along the way.

5) Back to what Nancy said. :)

There are a LOT of threads here about purchasing a puppy from a breeder. Just do some searches and you can come up with volumes of information!

You're at the beginning stages of your first statement..."Do a lot of research"!! This is a great place to start!

Oh...and just a quick question for you. Was your rescue chasing the cats because he wanted to hurt them, or because they ran, and he chased (like a game)?? If the cats run, often ours will chase even tho they've lived together all their lives, but they also cuddle, play, etc. together. Even when we get ours as young pups, and they're raised with cats, they're fascinated by them, and will chase. Frankie is almost 6 mos, and still likes a little game of chase with a cat. However, once they stop and turn on him...he quickly backs off. haha

Often the cats encourage the game. So chasing a cat (or another dog...or anything that's running) isn't unexpected or unusual. It can take quite a while to get them over that, especially a rescue.
 
Last edited:
Garden_girl

Garden_girl

New member
One of the first things I did was visit dog shows, that's how I met my breeder.

It quite possibly could cut your research time in half. I've never been to Florida, but isn't there a cluster of shows coming up in January?

If you can attend a regional specialty show in your general area, or the National in May, that could definitely help in your search. I have met many wonderful breeders at these shows. I liked the idea of meeting breeders first, finding breeders you feel comfortable with and follow up with research.

Good luck in your search!
 
ardeagold

ardeagold

New member
It quite possibly could cut your research time in half. I've never been to Florida, but isn't there a cluster of shows coming up in January?
Click to expand...
Good point! I believe that Brooksville is the big cluster you're referring to. It runs from January 13th through the 23rd, with a break on the 18th.

Here are all of the upcoming shows in FL thru Dec of 2011.

http://www.infodog.com/panels/fl.htm
 
Cascadians

Cascadians

New member
I was so scared when we got our kittens that Orka would hurt them. They were tiny and he is very big and galumphy. But those kittens attached themselves to him instantly. If he does not chase them they get bored and instigate all kinds of crazy play and finally chase. They test their agility all day by darting under his legs, pouncing on him, kicking batting riding hopping skirmishing with him, and of course cuddling and grooming are mandatory hourly activities with each other.

You might want an experienced dog-cat person to assess your pup's interaction with your cats to find out if it's 'normal.' I asked lots of actions and posted pictures and videos and found out in this house there's nothing to worry about :)
 
Skiigurl95

Skiigurl95

New member
I think he was chasing the cats because he thought thats what you're suppossed to do (he had never been around cats so he didn't know any better), but our cats certaintly didn't think it was a game. At one point he came really close to having one of the cats in his mouth (the cat just got away, but there was slobber all over her). Our cats got along great with our other dogs but they didn't chase them so I think its just a situational thing.
 
J

JackandKelly

New member
Lola came here as a 9 1/2 week old puppy. She loved the cat and treated it no different than our other dogs. In the last 6 months (she is now almost 2 yrs old) she has started chasing the cat. We train, train, train (every day at home and once a week for the last 6 months professionally) and Lola is a very obedient girl, BUT no amount of training can get her to leave the cat alone. Jewels (our cat) has a safe room she can go to, but Lola will chase her to the baby gate in front of her safe room ALL THE TIME. No matter what we do, even if I am standing right there she is crazy for the cat. When she does catch it, she rolls it around with her nose and slobbers all over it.
The point of my post is, that even if you get a puppy there is no guarantee, even if raised with cats. That it will not chase the cats as it gets older. Especially if the cat teases it, like ours does.
 
Ginny

Ginny

New member
I have several with high prey drives and those are the ones that will chase the cat. It has taken 6 years to get Holly to quit going into a frenzy over the cat. Duncan still goes nuts and it doesn't help that the cat will drop from the loft into a sea of dogs. Some just can't tolerate their presence, knowing quick movement is just a second away.
 
new_2_newf

new_2_newf

New member
hehehe..Sulley chased my cats for a few weeks once I brought him home. Both of my cats are fully clawed. They fixed that quickly. Especially the momma kitty. I remember once he chased my kitten until she bolted through the cat door into the basement and Sulley tried to fit his big noggin in the hole...Mama kitty was there and gave him a lickin and came flying out of the hole so fast...Sulley came running out of the kitchen and into the living room, right up on the the couch and into my lap (at 9 months old)...he was so scared, but I was laughing so hard I was crying. After that, any time the kitten wanted to pass the dog, Mama would 'clear a path'. I actually had to teach her to leave Sulley alone, she would go clobber his nose or testicles while he was sleeping in the corner for no apparent reason.
 
Pipelineozzy

Pipelineozzy

New member
And if you are considering showing..don't plan on picking your puppy yourself. Your breeder will have a far better idea which pup is suited and which isn't. In actual fact, I rarely let people "pick" because they invariably pick the pup with the wrong personality "type" for their situation. After living with them for 10 weeks underfoot..I have a much better idea WHO they are.
 
CMDRTED

CMDRTED

New member
Good luck, it sounds like you are on the right track. I am in the process of looking for a new pup, and have established a relationship with a breeder, even though we will not be getting a pup most likely until 2012 or later. Also there are some really good breeders outside the US (Belgium).
 
lilly06

lilly06

New member
Pipelineozzy said:
And if you are considering showing..don't plan on picking your puppy yourself. Your breeder will have a far better idea which pup is suited and which isn't. In actual fact, I rarely let people "pick" because they invariably pick the pup with the wrong personality "type" for their situation. After living with them for 10 weeks underfoot..I have a much better idea WHO they are.
Click to expand...
Very true. Our breeder picked both pups we got from her....They were a perfect match.
 
Murphy

Murphy

New member
CMDRTED said:
Good luck, it sounds like you are on the right track. I am in the process of looking for a new pup, and have established a relationship with a breeder, even though we will not be getting a pup most likely until 2012 or later. Also there are some really good breeders outside the US (Belgium).
Click to expand...
You have more than enough Newfs Ted, and do not need another one. :kgo_017:
 
NewfieMama

NewfieMama

New member
Zuzu chases the cats, Cooper never has. We got Zu as a puppy (she still is, 10 months) and Cooper as a 2 year old. It's just who they are.

The cats hate being chased, but they hate having dogs in the house anyway. I don't know what Zuzu would do to a cat if she caught it - she'd probably have no idea what to do next. I'm pretty confident my nasty 16 year old cats could scare some quick sense into her if she ever got that close.

Good luck in finding your puppy!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top