You very likely did a ton of work before choosing a reputable breeder: they’re dedicated to the work they do, they have a reputation of adopting out healthy dogs, and they came highly recommended. You spent a lot of time in touch with them before the birth and during the first few formative weeks, but picking your puppy up to take him home shouldn’t be the last time you have a conversation with your breeder. Instead, you should be prepared to maintain regular contact with your breeder for life.
Breed Experience Is Valuable
Your breeder has a plethora of breed-specific experience – and that experience is often happily shared with you to help you care for your dog. He or she has a fantastic understanding of your
dog’s temperament all the way from puppyhood through mature adulthood (and even into the senior years). Staying in touch ensures that you always have someone other than your vet to reach out to when you have questions about your new pet’s behavior. It’s also a fantastic way to gain new knowledge of your pet’s entire bloodline (especially the parents), which can provide clues as to your new puppy’s potential.
Good breeders are always open to you calling or emailing on a regular basis with questions or concerns because they know each unique pup has specific needs. Some have trouble gaining weight in their early years, while others turn up their noses at different types of food and need more creative feeding rituals. Still others go through the “terrible twos” and make you wonder whether they’ll ever mature. Your breeder can help you overcome these challenges without tearing your hair out.
Breeders are also masters at breed-specific health. Alongside your vet, they can help to identify difficult-to-pin-down health issues, like autoimmune problems or neurological issues. They’re also a great resource when you aren’t sure whether something is behavioral or health-related.
You may just be surprised at the creativity of the suggestions your breeder has when it comes to solutions to everyday problems. He may even know something specific to your particular puppy that he saw during the initial rearing and training that occurred before you took him home.
You Need Help Training
Dog training during the puppy and adolescent years is critical and should be continued throughout the first year or two, but a lot of people have trouble finding the time to commit to a regular training schedule in the early months. A lack of early training makes it difficult later on when your puppy enters his “teen” years and starts to forget things. Having your dog work with a trainer will help ensure the old commands aren’t forgotten and that new ones continue to develop. There are a lot of different programs available.
For example, some breeders use the “Rule of 7” or “
Von Falconer Way,” two methods which are both proven to be immensely valuable early in your dog’s life. There are benchmarks for training that can’t always be met before a puppy is adopted, simply because of their maturity or young age; working with a breeder who also trains is the best way to make that process less frustrating.
Here’s an example of how breeder/trainers might prepare puppies for adoption. At around four weeks, most breeders have their puppies responding to at least a whistle or a clap. At six weeks, many start leash training and working on individual commands. By eight or 12 weeks, trainers can often have
pups trained to sit, stay, and (maybe) do a high five.
That’s a significant amount of training, but it’s so early in the dog’s life that it’s remarkably easy for puppies to lose those skills if they aren’t practiced. So, pups head home with new parents, who are just thrilled to have a cuddy ball of fur to love, and training changes or doesn’t continue.
Staying in contact with your breeder also gives you the opportunity to keep training your pup long-term. Even if it’s just a few check-ins once a month continued training will strengthen your puppy’s skills so he retains them for life.
Breed Bloodline Specifics
Believe it or not, constant contact is important to the breeder, too. He or she will, of course, have a personal interest in being kept in the loop about your
puppy’s progression, including how he develops, how he behaves, and any health issues that arise. The more information breeders have about your adopted puppy, the more information he’ll have to use as he tries to better the dog’s genetic line.
You don’t need to report every change to your breeder, but there are a few specific ways you can help. Photos at various stages of your puppy’s life will help the breeder asses the line’s general looks. Your reports about personality, talents, and working skills are all valuable because they help the breeder to judge temperament and nature vs. nurture.
Most importantly, you should always report the details of any health issues you encounter along the way, especially if they’re genetic in nature or your vet suspects a genetic tie. Doing so just might help your breeder prevent further dogs from experiencing health problems later on down the line.
You May Want to Adopt Again
You bring your furry friend home, raise him, love him, and spend glorious days in companionship. You begin to consider adding to the family with another dog to keep him company. Or, maybe you’ve recently
lost a dog you adopted to old age. Is it time to consider adopting again?
As much as we’d all love them to live forever, our dogs remain with us for such a limited time compared to our own lives. For many of us, this means we’ll adopt again and again, expanding our families when our lives make it possible to spread the love.
If you love your current dog and want a similar new friend, going back to the same breeder is an excellent choice. You’ll be able to find out if they’re still breeding the same mother and/or father and what changes have been made in the bloodline since your initial adoption. You’ll also have the ability to get the same specific information about genetics, potential size, and other traits as you were with your initial adoption. Successive lines often share similar personalities and traits, too, making your new pup instantly familiar.
You Need to Give Up Your Dog
With the exception of
truly irresponsible owners, most people don’t adopt a dog with the intention to give them up. That said, times are tough; it doesn’t take much for someone to go from working and comfortable to destitute or struggling with serious health issues. These scenarios can force you to make hard choices about what’s best for you and your dog, and sometimes, that choice ends up being rehoming.
It doesn’t matter if you lose your job, have to move to a restricted location, develop an allergy, or suddenly fall ill; your breeder wants to know if you
can no longer care for your animal. He or she will very likely take your dog back into the fold and care for them, including overseeing the next adoption, to ensure they’re cared for long-term, whether they’re six months old or 12 years old.
As a matter of fact, most breeders have adopters signing a contract promising to bring the puppy back if an issue arises. Make sure this is a question you ask a breeder before you even agree to take a puppy. Those who are genuinely dedicated to the breed will tell you that you should always call them first, no matter what your reason for needing to give up your dog. They respect the difficulty of your decision and will not judge you, and rehoming back to the breeder is a much safer choice than dropping your dog off at the local shelter.
How to Stay in Touch
Breeders really do love being in touch with their adopters! We all know raising new puppies is a lot of work, though, so it is important to reach out in the right way at the right moments. What this means is that calling at 3 a.m. about a
puppy who won’t stop crying or chewing your toes
probably isn’t the right moment – but you can certainly call the next morning!
Ultimately, you should keep in mind that a breeder’s main job is breeding (and in some cases, training). Start by asking your breeder when and how it’s best to contact them if you have problems or questions. Most will take phone calls gladly, but you shouldn’t always expect an immediate call back unless you are having an emergency with your dog.
Email is another great option because it’s quick and easy to respond to at awkward hours (without waking everyone up). You can send off an email at your leisure; likewise, the breeder can respond when they have time. Alternatively, if your breeder has a social media page, you can try to contact them there. Some even have social media pages and groups where all of their adopters can network together and share experiences. This is also a great place to share updates!
Adopting a purebred dog from a breeder is a unique and rewarding experience. Consider the breeder a part of your extended family and stay in touch – even if it’s just once a month once things settle down and you are comfortable with your dog’s care. Your breeder will prove a valuable asset as your
puppy’s progresses into adulthood!
