Great Dane & Borzoi Puppy Buyer

looking for a Great Dane/Borzoi Puppy.

The most important decision you'll make in getting a dog is the choice of breed. Many dogs end up returned to the breeder or dropped at a shelter simply because not enough thought was put into whether the breed was suitable for the home. The second most important decision is your choice of breeder. Whether your dog is healthy, has a sound temperament, has been started in housetraining, are all dependent on the breeder. A good one will be there for backup whenever you need it, and will welcome the dog back if at any time you cannot keep it.

LOOKING FOR A GREAT DANE OR BORZOI PUPPY?
 

Because Great Dane & Borzoi Rescue, often receive or must reject the results of irresponsible breeders or irresponsible puppy sales, this list is prepared to help you make the right choice in a puppy. Before you fall in love with the first adorable Dane/Borzoi face you see, take the time in an initial phone call to ask the following questions. At the end of the list you will find questions to ask yourself.

You should be able to answer all of them affirmatively before you begin your search.
 

Pups from a harlequin breeding be prepare to spend at least $1,000 - $1,400 for a well bred companion puppy from a harlequin bred litter; price should include ear crop.

Show potential - $2,000 and up.

Fawn companion pups including crop - $1,000 

Show potential -  $1,500 and up

**Beware of those breeders that advertise Euro or German style Great Danes.  A backyard breeder who imports Danes to sell for quick profit is no better or different than a BYBer who sells American Danes for profit.

Its that simple. They can't get their hands on American dogs from reputable breeders.

You may have known someone who has or you may yourself have purchased a "backyard" bred dog or a pet store or puppy mill dog and had great success. However, the high number of serious problems seen in the breed today make this event unlikely to reoccur. Chief among these are temperament problems ranging from aggression to shyness to hyperactivity. Hip and elbow dysplasia, eye problems causing blindness, cardiomyopathy, immune deficiencies, etc....that can severely shorten life span.

Responsible breeders will do all they can to avoid these problems by researching pedigrees and screening parents for certain inherited problems before breeding. Caution! Oklahoma, Arkansas & Missouri are noted for puppy mills and backyard breeders. Keep this checklist by the phone when you make your calls and Good Luck!!! 

____1) Where did you find out about this breeder?  Ethical breeders usually don't find it necessary to advertise in newspapers or with a sign out in the front yard.

____2) What is the reputation of this breeder?  Beware of long pauses or "I wouldn't purchase a puppy from them." 

____3) Do both parents (the sire and dam) have  health checks at a minimum such as Penn-Hip, OFA-Hips, cardio, thyroid & CERF of  the parents of the pups (Danes) & Cardio, CERF, thyroid (Zois)?  There are various different medical sources breeders can use to test their breeding stock, universities, local laboratories, vets, etc.  Just insist on proof.

____4) How many litters has this dam had or for that matter this breeder had over the years?  If years in breed are many, litters are many and no champions to show breed quality worth, then go elsewhere.

____5) Is the breeder willing to provide you with references and telephone numbers of other people who have purchased puppies from them?  Beware....they never give those that have had problems, always check other sources on your own.

____6) Will the puppy have a limited registration with a mandatory spay/neuter contract? A breeder who cares enough about the breed to insist on these is likely to be a responsible breeder.

____7) Has health certifications been accomplished on the sire?

____8) WILL THE BREEDER TAKE THE DOG BACK AT ANY TIME, FOR ANY REASON, IF YOU CANNOT KEEP IT?! This is the hallmark of responsible breeding (and the quickest way to make rescue obsolete).

____9) Is there a written health warranty that does not require you to return your puppy or euthanize it?

____10) Will the breeder be available to answer any question you might have for the life of the dog? Is this someone you would feel comfortable asking any type of question?

____11) Is the breeder knowledgeable about the breed? Is he or she involved in competition with their dogs (therapy, field, obedience, or conformation)?

12.  Does the breeder have any Champions?

____13) Are there a majority of titled dogs (the initials: CH, FC, AFC, OTCH, CD, CDX, UD, JH, SH, MH, WC... before or after the names) in the first two generations? The term champion lines means nothing if those titles are back three or more generations or there is only one or two in the whole pedigree.

____14) Are the puppy's sire and dam available for you to meet? If the sire is unavailable can you call his owners or people who have his puppies to ask about temperament or health problems? You should also be provided with pictures or videos.

____15) Have the puppies been raised in the home - not in a kennel, barn or the back yard?  Can you see the breeders home & puppy facilities?

____16) Is the breeder knowledgeable about raising puppies, critical neonatal periods, proper socialization techniques? Puppies that are raised without high exposure to gentle handling, human contact and a wide variety of noises and experiences OR are removed from their dam or litter mates before at least 8 weeks, may exhibit a wide variety of behavioral problems!

____17) Does the breeder provide you with at least a 3 generation pedigree, a contract to sign, copies of all clearances and health warranty, health records and material to help you with feeding, training and housebreaking?

____18) Have the puppies temperaments been evaluated and can the breeder guide you to the puppy that will best suite your lifestyle? A very shy puppy will not do well in a noisy household with small children, just as a very dominant puppy won't flourish in a sedate, senior citizen household. A caring breeder will know the puppies and be able to show you how to test them so that good matches can be made.

____19) Do the puppies seem healthy, with no discharge from eyes or nose, no loose stools, no foul smelling ears? Are their coats soft, full and clean? Do they have plenty of energy when awake yet calm down easily when gently stroked?

____20) Do the puppies have their first shots and have they been wormed, declaws removed, ears cropped, by the time they go to your home?

____21) Does the breeder have only 1 or at most 2 breeds of dogs and only 1 or 2 litters at a time? If there are many breeds of dogs there, the chances are the breeder cannot devote the time it takes to become really knowledgeable about the breed and if there is more than one litter at a time it is very difficult to give the puppies the attention they need and may indicate that the primary purpose for breeding is profit, rather than a sincere desire to improve the breed.

____22) Does the breeder belong to A Specialty Breed Club and/or a local All-Breed Club,  Rescue or Animal Welfare Organization?

____23) Do you feel comfortable with this person, after all you are entering into a decade long relationship? Are you feeling intimidated or pressured? If so, keep looking!

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF...

.

ARE YOU PREPARED TO...

-Take full responsibility for this dog and all its needs for the next 9-12 years? This is NOT a task that can be left to children!

-Invest the considerable time, money and patience it takes to train the dog to be a good companion? (This does not happen by itself!!!!)

-Always keep the dog safe; no running loose, riding in the back of an open pick up truck or being chained outside?

-Make sure the dog gets enough attention and exercise? (Great Danes/Borzoi are loyal to their families and need free exercise.)

-Live with shedding, drooling and human devotion the next  9-12 years.

-Spend the money it takes to provide proper veterinary care including but certainly not limited to: vaccines, heartworm testing and preventive, spaying or neutering and annual check ups?

-Become educated about the proper care of the breed, correct training methods and how to groom? (There are many good books available, invest the time to read a few.)

-Keep the breeder informed and up to date on the dogs accomplishments and problems?

-Take your questions to the breeder or other appropriate professional before they become problems that are out of hand?

-Have the patience to accept (and enjoy) the trials of puppyhood, which can last for three years, and each stage afterward?

-Continue to accept responsibility for the dog despite inevitable life changes such as new babies, kids going off to school, moving or returning to work?

-Resist impulse buying, and instead have the patience to make a responsible choice?

If you answered yes to ALL of the above you are ready to start contacting breeders. Start early because most responsible breeders have a waiting list ranging from a few months to a couple of years. Remember, the right Dane/Borzoi puppy or adult dog IS worth waiting for!!

A word about rescue dogs...Rescue dogs may or may not be responsibly bred. However, since most are are adults, they are evaluated for any signs of a problem before you fall in love, something that can't be done with a puppy. We consider this only one of the many advantages to adopting an older dog!

Good Luck in Your Search

Puppy Mills and Pet Shops sell puppies for the SOLE purpose of mass production and income. These litters are not well planned Thus leaving you many chances of purchasing a puppy that may arise with genetic health issues in the future. Great Danes carry genetic health problems and there is no way to avoid some of these issues, but a good breeder is going to study their pedigrees to the best of their knowledge, as to lower the chances of producing some of these issues. Puppy Mills breed what they have on their premises to provide the general public and Pet Shops with puppies, regardless of their health conditions.

Look for a "Hobby/Show/Exibitor Great Dane/Borzoi Breeder." They breed more so for the betterment of the breed...which in the long run will have a good long lasting affect on the breed. Their dogs are their pets as well as show dogs. Often their "kennels" include the couch or bed. The hobbyist feels the only reason to breed is to strive to produce the ideal dog of their breed. They breed "the best to the best" no matter how much time, research, money and effort it costs. They are creating a work of art and have thoroughly educated themselves and are always actively campaigning/showing their dogs.   They do all available genetic screening for known health problems in their breed. They spay or neuter any dogs that produce health problems, no matter how beautiful, or how much they have won. They breed to the written standard of excellence for their breed. These breeders are committed to every dog they produce for life. Expect pet quality to be sold on spay/neuter contracts only to protect the breed and written guarantees to protect you. Many only sell their puppies by referral, although some do advertise in the paper or magazines. They would not trust their mother to screen a prospective home, let alone a retail pet shop. When you have located a hobby breeder expect to be grilled about your home and life and maybe to wait a awhile for a puppy. You may even run into resistance when you ask about buying their dogs. Best to ask price last, it may well depend on how good of home they think your family will be! The hobbyist is surprised if they break even on a litter because they invest so much "doing it right". When you do acquire a puppy from a true hobby breeder you will be joining a new family.

Look for a Professional Great Dane/Borzoi Breeder: The only difference between and ethical professional breeder and an ethical hobby breeder is that of the quantity of litters produced.
 

New kid on the block is the Superficial Swindler Great Dane/Borzoi Breeder.  These are individuals that understand the marketing ploy and what the novice puppy buyer is looking for.  While they may have some knowledge of the breed their main goal is still breeding puppies for pure profit.  Most will claim they have both show and companion pups for sale and own no AKC American, UKC, and/or CKC Canadian Champions, if state-side.  They boast about outstanding pedigrees but if asked about health certifications very unlikely you'll see any bragging.  Most show minimally, just enough to get those impressive "show pictures" for websites.  These type breeders are Internet/Virtual scam-artists.  Their fundamental motive is greed.   They utilize a website medium/environment in their mission to ultimately accomplish their goal of successfully deceiving unsuspecting puppy buyers.  Again always educate yourself........if they have been in the breed for many years but have no AKC/UKC champions of record, & still produce puppies.........RUN! 

A Great Dane/Borzoi Back Yard Breeder (BYB) is one who acquired a male and a female and decided they had the combination to provide the public with puppies for a price. Starts with a family breeding their beloved pet. The majority of purebred dogs come from this category in many popular breeds and the majority of purebred dogs in rescue or destroyed in pounds. Their reason to breed is honorable but uneducated; they think it will be fun (wait till the thousandth dirty newspaper or the midnight visit to the vet), They think they can make back the purchase price of their dog (The hobby breeders who do it "right" lose money on most litters), they want the kids to see a birth (At 3 AM most kids are not interested), because their friend or relative wants one too (They don't consider what they will do with the other six in the paper). Most don't get involved enough to know if the dog is breeding quality and breed to the closest male they can find. Some are sold as register able when papers were lost, and the litter never be registered at all.  Often they do not have the knowledge to properly raise a healthy socialized litter or to help the new owner with any problem that might arise. Some backyard breeders turn into small time unlicensed puppy mills, keeping a few bitches to breed for profit without consideration of quality or health concerns, and selling them locally.

  TIPS 

Webmaster :  Brenda Young

This web site is best viewed at an 1024 X 768 resolution

* All graphics used are credited on Links Page *   

* Any pictures/graphics utilized not specified on Links Page have written 

and/or verbal permission for use. *

*Website Disclaimer Statement Located on Links Page*

Copyright © 2009-2010 by Royal Sooner Danes & Borzoi.

All rights reserved.

No graphics or pictures on this web site may be used

without written permission of Royal Sooner Danes & Borzoi