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Responsible breeders produce a litter of
puppies only if those pups will improve or, at the very least,
compliment the line. They carefully consider the animals, and
the parents are chosen for such quality traits as health,
temperament, background, conformation and training ability.
Their only goal should be to make their line of animals better.
Quality wolfdog breeders will not randomly
breed two animals simply because the female is in season, or to
allow the breeding pair to experience the joys of parenthood, or
because they want to make some extra money. And they will NEVER
breed animals with known undesirable traits (e.g., bad jaw
alignment, bad temperament, genetic disorders, etc.) because
they know that these traits will be passed on to the puppies as well.
Reputable wolfdog breeders will only breed
when the parents are of an acceptable age for breeding. Although
Wolfdogs mature at around 22 months, OFA will not rate an
animal's hips until the age of two (although preliminary testing
can be done sooner), therefore, the breeding would optimally not
be until the next season. Responsible breeders will also breed
only after the dam has recovered completely and they will not
over breed.
Ethical wolfdog breeders are protective of
their animals. If kept outside, the animals’ enclosures will
provide shade and be safe, secure, and sanitary. The animals
will also be paired comfortably with other animals (e.g., three
females will not be placed with one male—all intact—as such
a situation is usually done to produce a lot of puppies and not
for the sake of the animal).
Responsible wolfdog breeders will have buyers
lined up and will take deposits on puppies before the breeding
takes place. Common litters are between four to six
puppies, but litters of eight are not unheard of. If these breeders
find they have more puppies than deposits, they are prepared to
keep the remaining puppies until suitable homes are found.
If for any reason, a buyer is unable to keep
his or her animal, ethical breeders will take responsibility for
the animal by either taking it back, placing it or assisting its
placement in another home. In such a situation, the breeders’
obligation to refund the purchase fee is limited to the
following: if the animal was recently purchased, suffers a
verifiable hereditary/genetic disorder, or suffers a verifiable
temperament/behavioral disorder.
Reputable wolfdog breeders will heavily
screen potential buyers. They will determine if potential buyers
live in an area where there are any restrictions, and if so,
what their state or county requires. They will insist on meeting
potential buyers in person (at least once) or have someone they
know meet with them if distance is a problem. They will also
require photos or videos of the buyer’s facilities and/or will
inspect or have an agent inspect them.
In return, these breeders will encourage
their buyers to visit them and to meet the parents in order for
both breeder and buyer to determine if a wolfdog puppy is
suitable for the prospective human owner.
If, for any reason, a breeder has any suspicions about a
potential buyer, they are both probably better off not following
through with the sale. The breeder should always have the
pups interest at heart, and this should prevail over the buyers
feelings. A potential buyer may initially pass a screening, but AT ANY
TIME falsehoods or disqualifying information are uncovered, the
breeder MUST NOT go through with the sale and should return the
deposit if one was already received.
If potential buyers pass the screening
process and decide to interview other breeders, respectable
breeders should refer them to other reputable breeders so that
the buyers can be sure they are getting what they want and what
they are told. One of the primary concerns for a reputable
breeder is not the sale of his or her own puppy, but that a
buyer—who has passed the screening processes—purchases a
quality animal from a legitimate breeder.
Quality breeders will honestly answer basic
questions about Wolfdogs, explaining to the prospective buyer
how to socialize, bond with, and properly feed and house their
new puppy. Not only will the breeders provide positive
information, but the negative as well. No breed is perfect. This
sharing of knowledge should not stop once the buyer leaves with
the puppy. A devoted breeder will continue to be available for
questions concerning the animal throughout its lifetime.
Among the information responsible breeders
will divulge is the importance of training, the benefits of
spaying and neutering, and the seriousness of never leaving a
small child alone/unsupervised with a large canine. (Note:
Children being bit by the family dog has reached epidemic
proportions. It is better to err on the side of caution than to
make a small mistake that can have potentially fatal or
life-long results.)
Responsible breeders will use and enforce
contracts to be signed prior to the release of a pup. Their
contracts should suggest that buyers take the pups to their vets
for health exams within "XX" hours of receiving the
pup (even if a health certificate accompanies the pup) and
should also provide a 72-hour contagious disease guarantee.
Reputable breeders generally offer a minimum
30-month hereditary defect guarantee (OFA will not even rate an
animal until the age of two). For example, if the puppy should
fall seriously ill or die from a genetic or hereditary defect,
the breeder will provide a full refund, and/or pay the vet
bills, and/or replace the puppy.
Ethical breeders should be able to provide
verifiable pedigrees on each parent, with the names of the
owners and of the animals in the lineage, and should also
include photos, if possible. They will have researched their
lines for any temperament or health problems and will only breed
sound animals from sound lines. In addition, the pedigrees of
the parents will compliment each other.
Only animals registered with a reputable
wolfdog association should be bred. The litter should be
registered and papers made available to buyer at time of
delivery of pup. If the papers are not available then the name,
address and phone number of the association and the parents’
registration numbers should be given to the buyer. (Note:
While there are a select FEW good breeders not with a registry, they will still provide pedigree
information as well as phone numbers to verify the information.
The statement above is one of generalization.)
Reputable breeders should also be able to
provide references from past buyers of their puppies and
photographs of the offspring they have produced at their
kennels. A good breeder’s reputation will follow from past
practices, just as the reputation of a bad breeder. Word of
mouth is one of one of the best references—both for good and
bad breeders.
Responsible breeders are willing to provide
their buyers with the names of their vets and will be able to
provide accurate documentation that their animals are current on
all vaccinations and worming. They will be able to pay for all
veterinary expenses, including pre-breeding vet checks,
vaccinations, worming of internal parasites, heartworm tests and
prevention, flea and tick prevention, etc.
In addition, responsible breeders assist in
the whelping, if necessary, and are willing to pay for an
emergency Caesarean-section should the need arise. While most
wolfdog breeders do not yet incorporate OFA or PENN Hip
certification for Hip Dysplasia and CERF eye testing into their
breeding programs, there is a strong movement among some wolfdog
breeders in this direction. Most responsible dog breeders test
their animals’ eyes and hips, among numerous other things, and
some wolfdog owners and breeders are beginning to see the wisdom
of such testing. It is a myth that Wolfdogs are not prone to
some of the same genetic disorders that plague many of the dog
breeds.
Many breeders of high content Wolfdogs pull
their pups from the mother after ten days and begin a
bottle-feeding regime that encourages bonding with humans. This
supplemental feeding is done at two- to four-hour intervals
around the clock. If the puppies are still nursing when they are
sent home with their new owners, the breeders will either
provide a mixture of the formula to the owner or give the owner
the recipe of the exact ingredients so as not to shock the
puppy’s digestive system. The breeder should also show the
buyer how to properly bottle feed and handle the pup during this
time. (Note: Many state laws mandate that no puppies be
sold until the age of eight weeks.)
A responsible breeder will refuse ownership
if the potential owner
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wants it as a guard dog;
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has small children and is unable or
unwilling to supervise them at all times around the animal;
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does not have secure fencing/housing;
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refuses to answer or is vague when
answering the breeders’ questions;
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lives in a regulated area and would be in
violation of any ordinances;
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cannot tell you what the following words
mean: alpha, socialization, bonding, and submission.
Obviously this person has not researched any
type of canine behavior and is, therefore, a poor candidate for
wolfdog ownership.
More 'basics'...
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A potential buyer must have enclosures
set up to prevent unauthorized access to the animals
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A potential buyer should not have a
history of dog bites involving neighborhood children (public
access to animals)
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A potential buyer should receive
favorable recommendations
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A potential buyer should have regular
contact with current animals.
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When there are environmental issues (sick
animals, water issues, etc)
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A potential buyer is currently
experiencing health problems
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If a potential buyer cannot handle an
existing animal for a simple vet visit (actual level of
experience)
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A potential buyer has falsified
information, etc.....
Reputable breeders will generally not make
any money off breeding, nor is this their intent. Their selling
prices usually cover medical costs and the care/healthy feeding
of the nursing mother and pups. Any profits are put back into
the animals by improving the kennels and the overall well-being
of the animals. These breeders are NOT in the breeding business
to make a quick buck and find such motivation NEVER an
acceptable reason to breed.
There are many things to consider before
deciding to breed. Most people do not think about the numerous
expenses and responsibilities involved in breeding. We hope that
this article has helped you to make an educated decision about
breeding and/or about buying from a responsible breeder.
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