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Date Posted: 16:53:26 10/26/10 Tue
Author: Sharon B
Subject: Re: Question about a Breeder
In reply to: Rene 's message, "Question about a Breeder" on 21:19:24 10/25/10 Mon

Rayna brings up some really good points. I do not know this breeder or anyone who purchased a puppy from them. My comments are based on what everyone should look for in a breeder, and not about this specific breeder.

I agree with Rayna that color should be the last thing that is a factor in the purchase price. A Boerboel is a working dog, and color isn't a factor that makes one dog a better working dog than the other. The breeder should recognize this, and price according to the other qualities of the pup. If you are considering a pup purely based on color, then ask yourself "Why?".

I also have concerns about the breeding contract. The price they are asking seems high considering they are selling pups with a non-breeding contract. Don't hesitate to shop around before you make a decision. If you don't want to breed, then it doesn't matter but you want to make sure you are getting what you pay for. It never hurts to compare pups from other breeders.

According to their website, one of their stud dogs (Nott) died prematurely at just a little over 4 years old. If this stud is in the pedigree of the pup you are looking at, try to find out the cause of death. A reputable breeder will not have a problem discussing this with potential puppy buyers. It could have been an accidental death, but it could also be genetic. This is something I would try to find out. Boerboels are prone to health problems, and whenever I purchase a pup I try to do as much research as possible on that dog's breeding. I met someone last month who owned a Boerboel that dropped dead at 3 years old. An autopsy confirmed that the dog had a hole in his heart. Another friend had a Boerboel that wasn't even a year old and it had to be put down because of severe HD. A third friend's Boerboel was recently diagnosed with cardiomyopathy (heart disease) at 1 year old. I'm not saying that this breeder's dogs have health problems, but it pays to do your research. It is really hard to lose a dog at a young age because of genetic diseases.

The other thing I would look for is to make sure that the parents are health tested, and have hip and elbow x-rays. Make sure the breeder is able to show you the copy of the health results as certified by OFA or PennHip. Many breeders state their dogs are health tested and/or have good hips, but yet they can't produce the certificates when asked. This particular breeder doesn't mention hip or elbow scores on their website, but that doesn't mean they don't have them. You can also do a search of the OFA database. There are only 78 Boerboels listed: OFA Database. Again, this breeder might not have sent in the hip x-rays to OFA for evaluation, and that's okay. They may have used PennHip that doesn't have an open (public) database. They may have had their own personal vet do a reading, and that's okay too. I would just make sure that they have done the health testing. If you can't get the vet's written documentation, then at least ask to see copies of the x-rays.

Buying a puppy isn't easy. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of research. Considering that the pup should be a lifetime companion and live with you for 10+ years, the small bit of research upfront will pay off in the long term.

Again, I don't know this breeder so I cannot say one way or the other about their reputation or the dogs they are breeding. This information is what everyone should do when evaluating bringing a new Boerboel pup into their home. A good breeder will be happy to answer these questions. It shows you are serious about the welfare of any pup you bring into your family. Good breeders will also screen the buyers very heavily, and not place a pup until they are satisfied that the pup is going into a good, knowledgeable home. If you are working with a breeder who isn't asking questions about the pup's proposed living arrangements and training, then this would raise a red flag for me that they are a puppy mill and only selling pups to line their own backpocket.

Lastly, you may also want to ask the others on this Board for some recommendations. The best references come from Boerboel owners themselves. I would want at least 5 - 10 references before I made a final decision.

Good luck with finding a pup!

Sharon B

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