Do lines matter when buying a puppy?

[TAH]

I now have permission from dad to start looking at future puppies for sale....

I have found one breeder that seems to be a very reputable breeder.

She has been breeding dogs since 1979 and has kept some very strong lines, she has very healthy dogs, all tested for hips, eyes, elbows, heart something (not remembering the name right now), etc. So I am going to contact her and see if her dogs seem to be what she says they are.

So the right breeder should be able to pick a puppy that will fit in with what we need no matter what there lines are (she is breeding for shows), right?

So will be a problem that her dogs are not raised around animals and haven't been ever, she shows her dogs so they aren't farm dogs, I guess you could say. But then @BrendaMNgri I think it was you that said you raised SMs that were show lines and they turned out to be great lgds?

I am just nervous and want a dog that is going to work out for us.

I am thankful I have a dad that is on the same stand as me and is willing to buy a good puppy and not from someone who just breeds there dogs.

I saw the other day a bernese puppy for sale and he was 12weeks old... I was going to tell dad when I read further... Turns out the dogs dad has hip dysplasia, and they were averting this pup as a puppy that some day would be a good breeder... Also he was 1200 dollars.

 

[Baymule]

I don't show dogs nor do I raise them. If I were paying a lot of money for a puppy I think I would want it to come from working lines. What breed are you looking at?

 

[TAH]

I don't show dogs nor do I raise them. If I were paying a lot of money for a puppy I think I would want it to come from working lines. What breed are you looking at?

I would buy from working lines if I could find some... I am getting a bernese puppy has a farm dog.

I am willing to import a dog from Canada or the lower 48 if need be but if if doesn't matter what lines they come from I won't bother bringing up a pup.

Alaska sadly has such a small amount of breeders it is hard to decide... I found one farm that breeds bernese here but they breed dogs with health issues, temperament issues, etc. Sadly.

I think I will go ahead and contact them breeder and ask her... If she is reputable she should hopefully be able to tell me.

 

[TAH]

I don't show dogs nor do I raise them. If I were paying a lot of money for a puppy I think I would want it to come from working lines. What breed are you looking at?

I would buy from working lines if I could find some... I am getting a bernese puppy has a farm dog.

I am willing to import a dog from Canada or the lower 48 if need be but if if doesn't matter what lines they come from I won't bother bringing up a pup.

Alaska sadly has such a small amount of breeders it is hard to decide... I found one farm that breeds bernese here but they breed dogs with health issues, temperament issues, etc. Sadly.

I think I will go ahead and contact them breeder and ask her... If she is reputable she should hopefully be able to tell me.

 

[BrendaMNgri]

OK as I am infamous for doing, let me toss a wrench into the soup.

Some of the very greatest guardian dogs I have had the honor of owning, came from SHOW LINES - out of International World Champions no less, who were raised in a pack, but no livestock. When they arrived here from Europe, they were immediately immersed in my existing pack of LGDs and introduced to livestock over a long period of time. They bonded exceptionally well. I have a pup here now, just over 1 year old. Show lines - OFA tested parents for hips and elbows of course - she is glued to my sheep and cattle. I mean bombproof already and not even two years old yet. Quality shows. You can't stifle it and you can't dampen it. It is in the genes of good dogs and good bloodlines. Bad ones, ones that have been outcrossed on non-LGD breeds - forget it.

I would buy a quality pup and pay more from a non-working line, if the breeder was forthright, transparent, honest and offered health guarantees, than I would from some Johnny come lately backyard "working breeder" who just shows up all of a sudden and offers no breeder support, no health guarantees, does not do required vaccinations and wormings, and cannot show me that they know their stuff. And God knows in the LGD world, there are truckloads of these kinds of "breeders" who have cropped up in the past three years. They offer nothing but a puppy and disappear as quick as their check clears. Is that what you want? Really? Think on this!

Bottom line is this: YOU will become the pup's parent, @TAH and YOU will take over the training and nurturing of that pup. You help it become what it will be. Ask for references too. If the breeder has none, you need to reflect on that - big time!

 

[TAH]

OK as I am infamous for doing, let me toss a wrench into the soup.

Some of the very greatest guardian dogs I have had the honor of owning, came from SHOW LINES - out of International World Champions no less, who were raised in a pack, but no livestock. When they arrived here from Europe, they were immediately immersed in my existing pack of LGDs and introduced to livestock over a long period of time. They bonded exceptionally well. I have a pup here now, just over 1 year old. Show lines - OFA tested parents for hips and elbows of course - she is glued to my sheep and cattle. I mean bombproof already and not even two years old yet. Quality shows. You can't stifle it and you can't dampen it. It is in the genes of good dogs and good bloodlines. Bad ones, ones that have been outcrossed on non-LGD breeds - forget it.

I would buy a quality pup and pay more from a non-working line, if the breeder was forthright, transparent, honest and offered health guarantees, than I would from some Johnny come lately backyard "working breeder" who just shows up all of a sudden and offers no breeder support, no health guarantees, does not do required vaccinations and wormings, and cannot show me that they know their stuff. And God knows in the LGD world, there are truckloads of these kinds of "breeders" who have cropped up in the past three years. They offer nothing but a puppy and disappear as quick as their check clears. Is that what you want? Really? Think on this!

Bottom line is this: YOU will become the pup's parent, @TAH and YOU will take over the training and nurturing of that pup. You help it become what it will be. Ask for references too. If the breeder has none, you need to reflect on that - big time!

Thank you Brenda for the reply... I ended up finding your article on it and refresh my mind. Lol.

I totally am not going for a "backyard" breeder. And my dad is on the same page. Nice when head of household agrees.

Plans for us have taken a huge turn and it looks like great Pyrenees are on my side this time... We are going to be moving to 9-acres and will have plenty of work for a pair to do.

But this means shipping in some pups, I may be coming to Oregon next year (for a wedding) and maybe able to look at some puppy's, and if all goes well they could fly home with me.

I might be able to find a pair up here, we will see... The other day I saw poodle great Pyrenees mix pups... So stinking cute but of course not what I should be getting, husky great Pyrenees pups being sold as "lgds" at 7-weeka... Not even been around livestock, ever.

Now tho I have never trained a lgd only family dogs and am wondering if already trained is better or puppies?

 

[BrendaMNgri]

POODLE x Great Pyrenees? Husky x Great Pyrenees? Huskies having huge prey drive and all….gads.
Mother of Mercy. Will it ever end?

My advice - not that you asked for it - wait till you move onto your place.
Get it fenced and fenced GOOD. Get your stock. Then cross the LGD river.
There is no answer to your question "already trained or puppies".
It depends on you and your patience and time you are willing to invest.
Puppies of course taking more time to lay the groundwork.
But pre-trained comes with it's own load of work and time needed to acclimate.

OK back into my writing hole. I am submitting the second part of my book proposal by noon
tomorrow - GULP. This has been worse than a full term pregnancy! LOL!

 

[Southern by choice]

Then there is the flip side-
Last year I was looking for a Kuvasz- I love the Kuvasz but I loved the Kuvasz from the 80's.... yeah 2016-2017 is not the same.
The breeders in the states are trying to breed out the LGD from the dog so they are all pets.
So what they consider for a LGD is a wild uncontrollable dog- yep- that would make a great "LGD".
NOT!

 

[dejavoodoo114]

Then there is the flip side-
Last year I was looking for a Kuvasz- I love the Kuvasz but I loved the Kuvasz from the 80's.... yeah 2016-2017 is not the same.
The breeders in the states are trying to breed out the LGD from the dog so they are all pets.
So what they consider for a LGD is a wild uncontrollable dog- yep- that would make a great "LGD".
NOT!

I ran into so many problems like this when looking for a better breed of LGD it's not even funny anymore. Why would you breed out the LGD????

 

[Southern by choice]

I ran into so many problems like this when looking for a better breed of LGD it's not even funny anymore. Why would you breed out the LGD????

I know- I also am having a hard time finding an Anatolian- NOT that I am realllly looking.
I do not like a female to have a foxy face- or snippy face- I do not ant a little dog.... they need to be large and powerful- like they are suppose to be.