Raising, Training, and Trialing - Part III
"The A to Z's of Buying a Puppy"
by Kim Moses
The decision to purchase a pup has been made and you have selected the retriever breed. Well, where do you go from here? The least expensive thing about buying a pup is the initial price. Remember to add in veterinarian bills, dog food, training time and equipment, etc. But most important, the attachment and love you and your family have for this pup. It's difficult to reject a pup that doesn't turn out to be a hunter. There are many places for locating a well-bred pup. Check the ads in the back of Retriever Journal and Gundog magazines, and the Retriever Field Trial News, and other hunting dog magazines. These are all excellent sources to find the type of pup you are looking for. I also recommend going to the various U.K.C/HRC, AKC and NAHRA hunt tests. Watch the dogs work. If you see retrievers that have the physical looks you want in a retriever, and you like the they worked, introduce yourself to the dog's owner, tell him you like his dog, ask him where he got his retriever and if he would or could recommend some good retriever breeders. If they don’t know of any breeders maybe they can recommend someone who can steer you in the right direction.
It's important to get a pup out of the best hunting and field lines. As a hunter, you'll need a dog with very strong hunting desire. A pup out of solid hunting stock has a better chance of becoming a good hunter. To buy a pup out of show lines or non-working parents can sometimes work out, but more often than not, doesn't.
At a breeder's request, we once put on a six-week force fetch training seminar for a litter of nine Golden Retriever pups and their owners. The dam of the litter was a Show Champion out of all show lines. She was a JH (Junior Hunter) with a WC (Working Certificate). The sire of the litter was also out of show stock and was a Show Champion, with a WC and CD (Companion Dog). We started the seminar with a talk and demonstration using a seven-month-old force fetched Labrador. We evaluated each of the ten-month-old pups, throwing bumpers to determine the level of retrieving desire each pup had. Only one pup showed any interest in the thrown bumper. We did the same thing using birds. Again, only the same pup showed any interest in birds. One female pup was so afraid of birds that she hid under the truck. In the six one-day sessions we worked with owners and dogs to take them through all levels of field obedience and force-fetch. During the week the owners continued to have daily training sessions force-fetching their dogs. By the end of the seminar, all of the dogs were totally force-fetched on bumpers and birds. We considered these dogs to be all "man-made". There was little if any natural retrieving desire in the whole litter. We found out later that the dam of the litter did love birds--so much so that you could hear bones crunch as she picked one up. Sad to say, the only pup that had picked up the bird and bumper in our first session also inherited his mother's mouth problem. Later, we learned that the sire of the litter had blinked (not picked up a found bird) while trying to get a WC. These pups, with their lack of natural desire, did not turn out to be good hunting dogs. Regrettably all of the owners were hunters who had paid a premium price for pups with assurances from the breeder that they would be outstanding retriever. The only Golden of the group that showed any natural ability ran more than 25 AKC Junior hunt tests. In all these starts, he only received three of the needed four passes to obtain the Junior Hunter title. He just didn't have enough overall retrieving desire. He did okay in training, but sure didn't test well. He has now been relegated to the status of house pet and there is a new addition to the family--an excellent field-bred Golden that can and does it all with style. Breeding does make a difference. The moral of this story is: when buying a pup take what the breeder tells you with a grain of salt.
How important are bloodlines when buying a pup?
To understand this you will need to study a pup's four-generation pedigree which consists of 30 dogs that contribute to the genetic makeup of pups born in a litter. A pup will receive 100% of its "Ancestral Inheritance" from its parents, 50% from each of them. That is why it is so vital that the parents be out of the best field and hunting lines. If they are Hunting Champions, Field Champions or hunters, you know they are working dogs. If the parents are not hunters, you really can't tell what, if any, field ability they have and are able to pass on to their pups.
Guarantees come in all shapes and sizes. They can mean whatever a breeder wants them to be. Verbal guarantees--is really no guarantee at all. Often a breeder can forget what was discussed during a puppy purchase some months earlier. If he/she will not honor a verbal guarantee, you will have to resort to going to court. This can be a bad and costly experience for all involved. Written guarantees--some breeders will not honor a guarantee unless you use their kennel name. If you register a pup and do not use their kennel name, they can refuse to replace or make an adjustment on a defective pup. Be sure to read any guarantee carefully prior to buying a pup. Ask the breeder questions. A well-written guarantee is binding and unless you comply with it, a breeder can refuse to replace a defective pup. There are replacement guarantees where the breeder will replace defective pups upon return of the affected dog. Are you willing to return a dog you're attached to? Some guarantees will replace a dog, but you have to pay one-half of the purchase price of the new pup to get a replacement. Be sure before you go to look at litters that you have a copy of the guarantee to study. Make notes of any questions you have. Compare the guarantees on the different litters. Just know what is expected of you as a buyer to be able to receive a replacement in the event your purchase is defective. If you question a guarantee, and are told by the breeder that there are exceptions to the guarantee, have them note the exceptions on the guarantee and sign them.
To breed or not to breed:
If you are buying a pup and plan to have the male neutered or the female spayed, you need worry only about finding the best pup out of hunting/field lines with parents that are free of hip dysplasia, PRA and RD. But, if you are buying a male or female pup with long-term goals of becoming a breeder of pups, or offering your male at stud, you'll need to take a long hard look at a four-generation pedigree. You will also need to buy from a breeder that is very knowledgeable of genetic problems that can be inherited from parents, and from other dogs in the pedigree. Certain bloodlines when combined together in a breeding can have toxic-like results. I have been a breeder of Field Trial labs for 20-plus years. I know there are genetic problems in our breed that can really set a breeding program back. It is so critical to start with bloodlines that are as free of inherited problems as possible. This can only be done with help and education, gained from breeders that are knowledgeable. These are breeders who want to eliminate problems and not add to them by breeding known carriers of genetic disorders. It is only through education of prospective buyers and potential breeders that we can develop a line of retrievers that are genetically clean and functionally sound.
Genetic problems in Labradors:
There are 111 different genetic problems found in Labradors and 141 in Goldens. These are the most common found:
Some of these same problems are in other retriever breeds. It is best to check with a knowledgeable breeder of the retriever breed you are interested in to find out the genetic problems in that breed and the bloodlines that carry it. If you unknowingly combine bloodlines that are both carriers of these problems, the resulting litter could produce pups that are born with these genetic defects or carriers of them.
There are genetic problems that can and do affect the working ability of retrievers. If you read an ad that said, "For Sale: Retriever pups, lame and vision impaired," would you rush out to buy one of these pups? Of course not. But that is just what you could be doing if you buy pups out of a sire and dam that are not certified free of hip dysplasia, PRA and RD.
Dysplasia:
Hip dysplasia--Any dog being bred should be free of hip dysplasia. OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animal) maintains a dysplasia control registry. OFA will evaluate hip x-rays submitted for dogs that are two years of age. Three veterinarians each give their opinion on the submitted x-rays. A rating of excellent, good, or fair is then given. A certificate with an OFA certification number is issued. If the submitted x-rays are found to be dysplastic, no number is given. OFA grades the degree of dysplasia and shows which hips are affected. OFA will also evaluate any hip x-rays of dogs under the age of two years, and give an opinion on their soundness, but assign no number. OFA charges a very nominal fee of $25 for their service. There was a time when OFA certified hip x-rays at one year of age, but found too many dogs who had normal hips at one year, had developed dysplasia before they were two. In 1974, the certification for hips was changed to two years of age. An OFA certificate is your best assurance of sound hips when purchasing a pup. Hips can also be graded by a veterinarian, but you have much more assurance when three independent veterinarians examine hips as OFA certification requires. If a breeder has had her breeding stock x-rayed by a local veterinarian, ask to see the veterinarian's written opinion on the soundness of the dogs hips. Being sure that the x-rays were taken when the dog was two years of age. Veterinary schools will also x-ray dog hips and give a written opinion on the soundness of any two-year-old dog.
If any breeder tells you that their dogs have been x-rayed, ask to see proof. No breeder should have any problem with this. If they do, BEWARE! To buy a pup out of any dog without seeing written proof of the soundness of the dog's hips, is like buying a pup out of dysplasia parents, because without proof that is just what you could be doing. Hip dysplasia is present in all retriever breeds.
Elbow dysplasia--OFA will certify elbows on any dog that is two years of age. The procedure is the same as used for hip certification. A certificate with a control number is assigned to elbows that are normal. The fee for having elbows certified is $20 per dog. OFA will certify hip and elbow x-rays submitted on the same dog at the same time for a fee of $30. Elbow x-rays taken by your vet must be of the extreme lateral view of the elbows. Elbow dysplasia is common in the sporting breed. At this time, OFA does not have enough submitted data on x-rays taken of the sporting breed to know how severe this problem is.
Inherited-eye diseases in retrievers that can affect the working ability of your dog:
Retinal dysplasia--is present at birth and inherited from a dominant gene. RD may lead to blind spots in the dog's vision or complete blindness if the malformation progresses to retinal detachment. Labrador Retrievers can carry RD.
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)--is inherited from a recessive gene. This retinal disease leads to a loss of retinal tissue and retinal functions that can result in near or complete blindness. There are two forms of PRA in retrievers. One form causes reduction in dim light vision that progresses to total blindness. Dogs see poorly at dusk, dawn and on cloudy days, but can work well during bright sunny days. The second form of PRA causes loss of daytime vision, then reduced vision or complete blindness later in the disease. Not all dogs with this form go blind; some may just have reduced vision and will not work well. Retriever breeds that carry PRA are: Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers.
Entropion--is a turning inward of the eyelid towards the eyeball which causes squinting, excessive watering of the eye. Surgery is generally necessary to avoid damage to the eye. When picking a pup, examine the eyes. Look for squinting of eye, excessive tearing or discharge from the eye. If you pick a pup with this condition, you will probably have to have surgery to correct the problem. Better to pick another pup without the possible problem. Entropion affects Golden Retrievers primarily. I have also seen it in Labradors.
Questions to ask the breeder:
It is important that you ask the questions and let the breeder fill in the
answers. Let him/her tell you what the guarantee consists of. This way you will find out
how knowledgeable they are; and, if indeed, he/she knows what problems exist in the breed.
Determine the age of the female and the number of litters she has had. Has she been bred
every time she has been in season? If so, maybe this breeder is more interested in making
money, than producing quality puppies. The accomplishments of the offspring will
tell you what you can expect to find in a pup out of this breeding. When you find litters you are interested in, ask the breeder to send you a
copy of the pedigree so you can examine the bloodlines. Ask for a copy of the hip and eye
clearance on both parents along with a list of references of people who have purchased
pups from them. No breeder should be offended by the questions you ask, or the material
you request. If they seem to be, CAUTION is the watch word. Ask the puppy references two
questions. Are they happy with the field ability of the pup they purchased? Most
important, would they purchase another pup from the same breeder? The answers to these
questions will tell you all you need to know, and will let you decide if this breeder is
one you want to buy a pup from. Compare the information you receive on the litters you are interested in.
Is one pedigree better than another? When you have decided on the litters you want to
check out, call the breeders and set up a time to see the pups. Write down any questions
you have to ask the breeder. It is best to look at prospective litters during the day,
when there is good light and you can observe them. If you have been told the dam of the
pups is a hunting dog, ask to see her work. Do you like the way she looks, her
temperament, her retrieving desire? Remember pups out of her will have 50% of her genetic
make-up. If they own the sire, ask to see him work. Again, do you like him? Check out the parents before you ever look at a pup. It is too easy
to fall for cute pups especially if you have kids with you. Heck, all the kids want is a
pup. They don't care a bit what the parents are like. If you like what you see
in the parents, check out the pups. Tell the breeder what qualities you want in a
pup. The breeders has spent countless hours observing the pups and know a lot about each
pup's personality. They can point out pups that have the characteristics that you're
looking for. If the pups look healthy, are clean, outgoing, and seem well
socialized, other than size, there won't be much difference in the pups. All breeders wish there was a sure-fire way to pick the best pup in a
litter. Let me assure you, there isn't! Take the pups outside one by one. Set each pup
down and walk away from the pup, call the pup to you, just see how he reacts. Is the pup's
tail up, or tucked down. You want an outgoing pup. Do the same with all the pups
until you narrow it down to a couple, then compare the two of them together. Take the one
that catches your eye. If you are taking a male pup, be sure to check his testicles to be sure
there are two. If the pup you selected has only one which has dropped, ask the breeder to
make a note of this on the guarantee. If you have any plans of using this dog as a
stud dog, consider taking another pup. No dog with one testicle should be bred. You also want to check the teeth on the pup, The upper and lower teeth
should have an even bite,. not an underbite or an overbite. Lastly, it is very important to take the newly purchased pup in for a
veterinarian health check. Do so within the first 48 hours. If the veterinarian finds any
problems, have him put it in writing and notify the breeder. Who ever said buying a good hunting pup was easy. I'm sure you will
be rewarded when you down your first bird of the hunting season and your new hunting
companion happily retrieves the bird to hand.