I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd reply anyway. I spoke to Bob on the phone, he said all the right things and certainly knows his stuff. He's been around forever.
However, he told me point blank that I needed to spend a minimum of $8,500 for an acceptable puppy in general, and that he would need a non-refundable deposit to possibly get a dog in 6-9 months. If that's OK with you I've heard good things about his dogs, especially if you are interested in breeding and/or showing for confirmation, but that seems ridiculous for a companion pup. I spoke with another breeder that's kind of his disciple, and he would only knock off $500 on a $5,500 price. Nice pup, but again too much money for a pup that's just going to be a pet.
It seems that with the higher demand for puppies during COVID many breeders are price-gouging.