Selecting an Entlebucher Breeder
Take the time to do your research in this area. You need a breeder who is committed to achieving excellence in the Entlebucher breed. There are many questions a breeder will ask you about your situation before deciding to sell a pup to you. It is also your prerogative to ask the breeder questions as well.
Kennel: Check to see if the kennel breeds other types of dogs as this could be an indication of a commercial breeder. An Entlebucher is best suited to be raised in a family home and with people.
Environment: If you can, it is best to visit the kennel before deciding it’s where you want your puppy to come from. This might take some doing as there are not that many breeders. At least ask the breeder about its environment. The kennel should be clean. Filthy conditions can mean unhealthy dogs. If you can’t visit the kennel ask where the puppies are kept? Find out the conditions of where the puppy spends its first 8 weeks. Will they be kept with their mother or separated before 8 weeks? Are they kept outside in a small kennel? How big is their area? The puppy should not leave the mother before 7 weeks, 8 weeks being ideal. The period between 6 and 8 weeks is a crucial developmental period where the puppy learns to interact with litter mates and mother. Puppies have been known to elicit aggressive and other behavioral problems if taken away from their mother and litter mates too early. If you can see the puppies, they should be active and curious, have healthy coats and clear eyes and have some puppy fat. Ask to see pictures of the pup before making a commitment if you can’t see them in person.
Lineage: Ask them about the puppy’s parents. It is very important to breed dogs with good sound temperaments and healthy bodies. Each dog is different. Ask what kind of temperament and physical characteristic each parent has (ie some dogs have more herding instinct, some more active, some more sensitive, some are taller, some are longer, etc.) Ask them whether the dogs are involved in Obedience, Conformation or Field Trials. Ask them about any known health problems in their lines. Ask to see the pedigrees, the eye test and the OFA Hip rating of mother and father. The eye test should be done annually by a Certified Ophthalmologist. And ask questions if you do not know what you are reading. Some documentation can be difficult to understand. You can visit the following website to know all the health tests that are required by a BCOE breeder of NEMDA.
Early Socialization: Ask them what kind of socialization they will get or have received. Have they been exposed to children, strangers, other animals (cats, birds, cows, horses, etc), cars, loud noises? Ask them about the puppies’ personalities. Do they do a formal temperament test? The breeder usually will try to match the puppy with its new home. If someone lives on a farm and has cattle or other livestock, then that person needs a dog with a strong personality. If the dog will live in the suburbs and take walks mostly on a leash, then the dog needs to be a more mellower one (as far as Entlebuchers go!) It is very important to get a good match.
Pricing: Ask about pricing and exactly what the price entails. There seems to be a great range of prices out there. A fair market price is on average $2000. Reputable breeders incur costs related to health checks and documentation, as well as other expenses related to raising well adjusted puppies. A price much lower should be evaluated closely as you do get what you pay for. Also, because the price is higher than most other popular breeds, please don’t consider breeding in order to recoup the money spent. Believe me, that is not a good reason to breed or purchase an Entlebucher. There is a huge amount of time, effort and money spent to properly breed these dogs. Most people do not have the time nor the facilities to undertake something that involved.
Puppy Stuff: Other questions you can ask if the pups are already born: What shots and worming have they had and at what age? Ask to see the puppies’ weight charts. You want to see a steady increase in weight and weight loss is an excellent indicator of poor health. You can also ask what kind of puppy food they are feeding. Then go to the grocery or pet store to see the quality of the food. A lot of by-products and fillers means poor quality food. Usually grocery store pet food is not good quality.
Contract: Ask about a contract. A breeder should supply you with one that explains all agreements between you and the kennel. It safeguards you and the breeder. Some contracts are for spay/neuter and usually the price is lower for this type of contract. The contract should explain what recourse you have in case of problems and explain what recourse the breeder has if you break the contract. (i.e. if you bought a pup on a spay contract and end up breeding her or if you bought a puppy to breed and did not do the required health tests before breeding. There would be some serious consequences.) When the breeder has a contract, it means the breeder is serious about their relationship with clients.
References: Ask for references of other families who have purchased a dog from the breeders. You can find a lot of information about the kennel through other people.
Breeder Dedication: The breeder should be a resource to you throughout the life of your dog. They should be concerned about the health and welfare of him or her. They should be available via email or phone to answer any questions you may have. If you have problems or issues your breeder should be able to help you. They should be willing to take the dog back at any time during the life of the dog.
I think you get the gist of the selection process. Everyone should be asking a lot of questions.