[lpj1906]

Just sharing some updates of my pup. I've had him for 3 weeks now & he's shaping up to be a big boy (He's full blooded with Russian & Hungarian blood lines, see parents below). I'm not new to the breed, however I am new to this "standard" that this website has exposed me to. So thank you for enlightening me on why maintaining the standards of the breed & pushing them forward is so important. With that being said, I was hoping there would be an older member who can drop insight on me regarding studing your dog out? I never new how deep it was until people kept asking me about my dog producing puppies in the future. I know it's easier said than done (I know you need proper records, hip x-rays, papers etc I have everything but the hip x-rays) & I'm ahead of the game but any insight on that subject would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[big black dogs]

Welcome to the forum! You have a cute puppy! BUT...do not even being to think of studding him out yet. There is so much to learn...and I'm glad you want to. I do not breed, but have been around many good breeder for a long time, and have competed and trained with my own dogs.

Who is your breeder? They should be the one mentoring you, and helping you achieve with your pup. I did look up the names of the sire and the dam of your dogs, and do not see any health certs on OFA that have been done . Go to www.offa.org and put in their registration number or their registered names. If they don't have any health certs...it's bad. You don't know the health history of your pup. The male has not been titled in anything...only has a pedigree with titles. The female has conformation titles, but no obedience or working titles. Looks like they were bred because of their pedigrees...not what the breeder has done with the dogs in front of them.

If this were my pup, I would get health insurance, and do as much as you can with him. Enter in Sieger shows and see what the judges like. Join a training club...get obedience titles, working titles. When your pup is 2 have his hips and eyes x-rayed and sent to OFA. His heart can be certified by a specialist by the age of 1, as can his eyes.

Stud dogs are a dime a dozen. They have to be great to be noticed by good COE breeders. BYB's will be happy to use anything. You really need to find someone close by that can mentor you.

 

[lpj1906]

Thanks for the insight! The breeder has been really helpful but I appreciate the advice from other owners as well & she's not close by. This was the biggest purchase I've made in my life, so I wanted to make sure that I wasn't being taken advantage of. This was my first time buying from a breeder so I was ignorant to a lot of the questions that I should have asked before I made my deposit. You live & you learn. I was under the impression that the sire & dam had passing grades on their OFA certs based off the website...however after doing the lookup, I see those dogs aren't listed. I found older dogs from the kennel but not the 2 I was searching for. I have health insurance through AKC for him (I barely understand insurance myself - recent college grad) not really sure when I'd use it.

I'll try to find a club to get involved with if there's one in my area because I do want to get involved with shows. I just feel like in NW Ohio I can't find anything. I want my pup to create his own legacy! ha

 

[big black dogs]

Enjoy, love, and learn with this pup. He may never be/or should be used to breed. From looking up the breeders website...there is not much of a breeding program. 2 males, and 2 females...with only prelim. health certs. No titles, not much done with their dogs to prove that they should be used for breeding. Use this dog as a good learning experience... get to know what good breeders do..and when you have knowledge, experience and time..?? maybe the next dog will be worthy of breeding?

 

[cjtyger]

Or maybe your dog is the start of something wonderful..... training, showing and tons of research got us (me and my dog) off to a great three years of fun for both of us. Many people want to breed to him, however he has a heart condition obtained when he was about 2, but his litter mates are doing great things and I learned a ton.