Jazzy101 asks:
I have a 2 year old female, Jazzy. She is my 2nd child. I am interested in breeding her. I would love to keep one of the puppies as a companion. This is a new area to me and was wondering if anyone could give me pointers and also if anyone in the Maryland area knows of a nice male that is good stock. I have her papers and she is in very good health.
Jean replies:
Hi Jazzy,
Where did you get your first Bichon?
If you got it from a pet shop, be aware that if you are looking for a stud from another reputable breeder, they will not allow stud services. This is because most Bichons that come from pet shops come from puppy mills and their breeding practices are for profit and extremely questionable (breeding to frequent, inbreeding, proper diet and vet care, and breeding defects are just a few issues). Having papers means very little because anyone can have papers and some papers have lies on them. In other words, you may think you have a purebred Bichon, but it is not due to the nature of the puppy mill business and "accidental breedings" with another breed. Having papers from a reputable breeder which you can see the generational documentation of pedigree (often with pictures) and even see the relatives of a dog is more concrete.
People who breed with questionable stock are called "backyard breeders". The issue with this way of breeding is upsetting to the Bichon World. Mostly because the breed went down hill and had to be revived to the standard in the 1930's. Then it was in the late 70's that the breed really came back to where it originally was centuries ago. Anyone who loves the breed and knows its place in history, does not want to see a decline in the standard ever again since it took decades to bring it all back.
Typically, if you buy a dog from a reputable breeder, in your sales contract it will state whether or not the dog you got from them is potential breeding stock or pet quality. The deal is that potential breeding stock is a wait and see and is called upon by the breeder who will provide the stud and then have pick of the litter and you incur all breeding expenses. In a breeder sales contract, it will also state if the dog should be shown and earn titles. For the most part, this sort of sale makes you only a co-owner until all contract agreements have been met.
If you got pet quality, then you don't get papers till after you have the dog fixed. This is to prevent people from haphazardly breeding dogs.
I hope this information helps you. There was another thread here a while back that this issue was hotly debated. We all love our Bichons but your first responsibility as a Bichon owner is to protect the breed's standards and not allow defects to be breed.
JennieMac replies:
Hi Jean
Thank you so much for your information on breeding. I have never understood the why and how of breeding, and why some dogs could be bred from, and others not. No breeder had ever explained it in such down to earth terms. I tried to get a pedigree pup, but it seemed to be a "closed shop" where ever I went. I wanted a bitch, and a couple of breeders I rang gave me a really hard time for not wanting their dogs.(males). I asked one of the ladies if she knew where else I could get a Bichon, as she had none apart from a male, but she told me - yes I know of several others - but I wouldn't get any puppies from them!!!
I had previously owned bitches, and just felt happy with getting a wee girl. However, I saw my pup advertised, and got her locally. Now I'm feeling quite "bad" for doing so.
We are having our Molly fixed very soon (we haven't told her yet tho').
She may not be a pedigree, but she is very much a Bichon by nature, and we just love her heaps. I never imagined having a dog on my bed, but she jumps right up there every morning to say "Gidday".
Thanks again for explaining everything.
Jennie and Molly
Jean replies:
Hi Jennie --
When we first were talking to breeders we got cold shoulders and slammed doors but we persisted with our determination. Good breeders will interrogate you, and sound like they are putting you off, however, they stand by their dogs and if one does not work out for you, they will take it back and give you a partial refund, or a full refund. Good breeders want to find the best homes and care for their dogs. We ended up getting mostly older show dogs (9 months to 2 years of age vs a puppy) which I thought was great since they were "potty trained".
Our Misty originally had a contract clause for breeding however, we were remodelling our kitchen at the time and could not meet the terms of the contract so the breeder kept her and then bred her. After she had the puppies (and a terrible birthing experience) we got her.
It is important to note that many people do not understand how the pet shops, puppy mills and backyard breeders operate, they care more about making fast money on poor quality dogs riddled with long term health issues which you end up paying for in the long run. We were shocked to find out so many things with our experiences in the Bichon world (from Bichon breeders on the show circuit). As long as you love your dog, that is the most important issue and at this point, it does not matter where your loved dog comes from. Consider the information as an education to guide you in your next purchase, it is a lot of food for thought.
At first, we did not like the way we were treated but really understand the reasons why good breeders try to protect the breed. We would go through an interrogation again when the time comes.
Showing posts with label breeding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breeding. Show all posts
Finding a Bichon
Sue writes:
I do not have a Bichon yet. I would like one for company. I can't afford to pay and arm and leg for one so I have been looking into rescue programs.
However, my problem I have been encountering is dogs with health problems.
Maybe someone can help me find one that just wants a good home.
Jean replies:
Sue,
Most rescue Bichons are products of puppymills and were bought at the Pet Shop. That is why they have so many medical problems. This was a huge discussion on another thread.
Rescue Bichons also come with a price tag (usually a few hundred dollars) -- mostly you are paying for their care and upkeep so the fostering agency can pay their bills.
You could try a couple of things.
One is to ask a local vet if they know of any available or who to contact.
Another is to put your name on the SPCA waiting list specifying a Bichon and see if one comes up. Now, no guarantee that it is not a pet shop one, but maybe someone is moving or may have to give up their dog due to circumstances, you never know.
The third way is to look in the pet ads in the paper.
Make sure you ask where the dog came from, who the parents are, and are they on the premise, when you inquire. Some may be products of backyard breeders, people who buy dogs from the pet shop and breed them breeding in loads of problems.
It would be rare if you found one from a reputable breeder in any of these circumstances as a reputable breeder would take back their dog at any time.
Which is another way to go . . . find a reputable breeder who you feel you can have a relationship with (to ask questions), primarily one that shows. Ask if they have any dogs they have had to take back or if they have any older dogs (breeding stock, retired show) that they need homes for that you would be interested in giving a home to.
Breeders that show have a huge interest in keeping the breed standard quality and to the AKC description.
I will tell you right now, a good breeder may not like your circumstances of constant travelling. You will find that good breeders are very protective of their dogs and who they will sell to. Some even do home inspections. Just be prepared for this sort of attitude and don't be offended by it as it can be shocking at first but they do have the dog's interest at heart.
HTH
I do not have a Bichon yet. I would like one for company. I can't afford to pay and arm and leg for one so I have been looking into rescue programs.
However, my problem I have been encountering is dogs with health problems.
Maybe someone can help me find one that just wants a good home.
Jean replies:
Sue,
Most rescue Bichons are products of puppymills and were bought at the Pet Shop. That is why they have so many medical problems. This was a huge discussion on another thread.
Rescue Bichons also come with a price tag (usually a few hundred dollars) -- mostly you are paying for their care and upkeep so the fostering agency can pay their bills.
You could try a couple of things.
One is to ask a local vet if they know of any available or who to contact.
Another is to put your name on the SPCA waiting list specifying a Bichon and see if one comes up. Now, no guarantee that it is not a pet shop one, but maybe someone is moving or may have to give up their dog due to circumstances, you never know.
The third way is to look in the pet ads in the paper.
Make sure you ask where the dog came from, who the parents are, and are they on the premise, when you inquire. Some may be products of backyard breeders, people who buy dogs from the pet shop and breed them breeding in loads of problems.
It would be rare if you found one from a reputable breeder in any of these circumstances as a reputable breeder would take back their dog at any time.
Which is another way to go . . . find a reputable breeder who you feel you can have a relationship with (to ask questions), primarily one that shows. Ask if they have any dogs they have had to take back or if they have any older dogs (breeding stock, retired show) that they need homes for that you would be interested in giving a home to.
Breeders that show have a huge interest in keeping the breed standard quality and to the AKC description.
I will tell you right now, a good breeder may not like your circumstances of constant travelling. You will find that good breeders are very protective of their dogs and who they will sell to. Some even do home inspections. Just be prepared for this sort of attitude and don't be offended by it as it can be shocking at first but they do have the dog's interest at heart.
HTH
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