|
Home
About Weimaraners
WCA/AKC Events
Breeders
Breeder
Referral
Rescue
& Adoption
About
SFBWC
Member
Resources
|
|
If you are looking for a Weimaraner as a family addition, please be
sure and read the About Weimaraners
and "Is a Weimaraner the Dog for
Me?" sections of the web site. Breeder
Referral can be found at the bottom of this page and you may contact Breeder Referral Contact for information about current litters. There
are many adult Weimaraners needing homes if you prefer not to go through
the puppy stage.
What
you should know when purchasing a Weimaraner
AKC PAPERS: American Kennel Club (AKC) maintains accurate records
of each breed of dogs from the time they are recognized as a breed
in the USA. AKC papers are your guarantee that you are purchasing
a purebred dog of a particular breed. They are not a guarantee of
quality nor are they a "license to breed". When purchasing a purebred
pup, if the parents are AKC registered, you are entitled to AKC
papers to register your pup. If they are not available, the breeder
should give you a sales receipt with the AKC number and name of
the sire and dam of the pups and should forward the registration
to you as soon as it arrives. We urge you to register your pup with
AKC. This is your proof of ownership. It also allows you to participate
in AKC events if you so desire. Do not accept "my dog is papered"!
There are other registrations which are not accurate and which have
been set up for the convenience of commercial breeders. Once a Weimaraner
loses full AKC registration, it can never be regained. AKC papers
are important! For more information about the American Kennel Club,
go to www.akc.org
BUYING OFF THE INTERNET:
LET THE BUYER BEWARE! In
this age of cyberspace, anything can be purchased on the computer
and Weimaraner pups are no exception. Many commercial breeders have
websites and ads and are breeding only as a commercial venture.
They offer no health guarantees, pedigrees, hip screening, history
of the sire and dam, or follow-up and advice in raising the dog.
Once you have the dog and they have their money, the transaction
is over. Do not be taken in by a website with lots of cute pictures
of pups. You want to see AKC certified pedigrees on the sire and
dam and OFA (Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals) or PennHIP clearance
and ratings on hip x-rays for the sire and dam. Do not be misled
by "papers" as some commercial dealers have made up their own registry.
Make sure the pups are AKC registered. You also need to know how
the pups have been raised, i.e., in a home environment with lots
of socialization or in a pen with little human contact.
BUY FROM A REPUTABLE BREEDER:
To save your family from disappointment
and anguish and to help ensure a happy adoption, please read the
below guidelines. Note that reputable breeders are a minority -
newspaper ads and listings on the supermarket bulletin board usually
won't lead you to a breeder that is experienced and has spent the
time and money to have both sire and dam tested for genetic problems
(e.g. OFA hip X-ray). "Backyard breeders" may show you cute puppies,
but in the end, you want a reputable breeder that will support and
help you.
- Do not purchase a Weimaraner from
a pet store. Most dogs sold by pet stores are brought into the world
by "Puppy Mills" which are commercial farms where dogs are kept in
small cages their entire lives with little human contact and are bred
at every cycle. Pedigrees are rarely checked and problems such as
health and behavioral issues are extremely common. Please do not support
this cruel industry by purchasing their "product." Just because they
may have AKC papers does not guarantee quality.
- A reputable breeder participates
in events sponsored by National Clubs such as the American Kennel
Club or breed clubs. These events include conformation shows, obedience,
agility, field and herding trials and coursing and tracking. This
is the reason he or she breeds dogs, not to produce a cash crop. Request
pedigrees of both the sire and dam.
- A reputable breeder will interview
YOU. They will not sell a puppy to anyone who has money,
but only to those who will give it the home that it truly deserves.
- A reputable breeder never sells puppies
to pet shops or brokers, but only through direct contract.
- A reputable breeder does not release
a puppy into a new home until it is at least 8 weeks old.
- A reputable breeder shows you the
mother and all of the puppies rather than bringing out one puppy at
a time for you to view. If the sire (father) is not on the premises,
photos, a copy of the pedigree and AKC certificate as well as the
owner contact name and information should be provided.
- A reputable breeder sells puppies
that are properly vaccinated and advises you of any screening (such
as OFA hip x-rays) that should be done as the puppy grows older. The
breeder should provide you with results of both the sire and dam's
OFA ratings. To check a rating, go to www.offa.org/search.html.
- A reputable breeder will be able
to tell you the strength and weaknesses of both the sire, dam and
lineage of each.
- A reputable breeder will give you
the following documents when you buy a puppy:
Health
Record listing the dates and types of vaccines and worming treatment
received
by the puppy so you can present this record to your veterinarian.
AKC
Registration Papers or a contract under which the registration will
be given when you
provide proof that the puppy has been spayed or neutered. If the registration
papers have
not been returned from the registry, the breeder will give you the name
of the dam
and sire, their registration numbers and the puppy's date of birth.
A
copy of the puppy's Pedigree.
- A reputable breeder will also discuss
the pros and cons of owning this particular breed and will advise
you of the training the puppy will need. Even after you buy a puppy,
the breeder's help and advice do not end, but continue throughout
the dog's life, a responsibility cheerfully accepted by the reputable
breeder.
- Ask for references of previous clients.
- You should enter into a contractual
agreement with your breeder to insure that all expectations of both
parties are identified and agreed upon.
Breeder
Referral
The following
list of reputable breeders is provided for informational purposes
only and does not constitute an endorsement by the San Francisco
Bay Weimaraner Club. These individuals are listed because they adhere
to ethical principles in the breeding and placement of puppies in
loving and responsible homes.
You can also look for breeders at dog shows. For upcoming
shows in your area, visit, InfoDog's
Show Calendar. (Be sure and check what time Weimaraners
show - Click on your state, then the show/club name
that you would like to visit. In the upper left corner under
"Show Info" click Premium List and look for the time and
ring number.)
|
