| SO YOU WANT A BRITTANY... but which breeder? Thanks for inquiring about our Brittany puppies! Selecting a puppy that's just right for your family is an adventure well worth taking and there guidelines to follow. When choosing a puppy you have many things to consider such as learning about the breed and its characteristics. You want to be certain the Brittany and its temperament will fit in well with your home, lifestyle and family. Brittanys are happiest when provided with adequate outlets to express their energy! Consider the longevity of the Brittany - many live active lives well beyond the age of 12 so think about the commitment of having a dog for that long. Identify and select Brittany traits that are important to you. If you've decided a Brittany is right for you, you'll want to find an ethical, reputable, responsible breeder. Beware of breeding kennels, puppy mills, backyard breeders, and pet shops. The following questions may be helpful for YOU as you continue to research whether or not a Brittany puppy is for you. Is the breeder active in any breed-related clubs? We are active in the Central Maine Brittany Club (John is the President, Ann is on the Board of Directors and publishes the clubs newsletter). We are both members of the York County Kennel Club of Maine, and Ann is a member on the Federation of Maine Dog Clubs Legislative Committee. If the breeder is not, ask them why not! The Brittany community is typically supportive and helpful to each other. Do they engage in any competitions, training, or hunting? We have always trained our Brittanys to be close working gun dogs and hunt with them. We also participate in field trials (for fun) and have just started to show. We frequently seek the help of professional trainers. What criteria does the breeder require of breeding stock, and why? As Canine Hip Dysplasia is a concern to all Brittany breeders, we screen for evidence of this as well as perform all necessary health screenings prior to any Brittany being used in our breeding program.. Do they provide a contract? (If so, what are the terms and guarantees?) We provide potential puppy customers with a WRITTEN brochure clearly explaining all policies. We also provide a purchase contract that outlines all our expectations for a new puppy owner. No verbal agreements. What type of registration does the breeder offer? We prefer to offer an AKC Limited registration which limits our puppies from being used for breeding. AKC registration papers accompany all our pups and we require AKC registration withing 14 days. Do they require spaying or neutering? We prefer this for our Brittanys who will be used for hunting and/or family pets. In the event a puppy is specifically sold as a show and/or field trial prospect the requirements are modified. What requirements must a puppy buyer meet to receive a puppy? We discourage spur of the moment puppy purchases. We require everyone complete and submit a questionairre, provide references, and to come and visit us here to meet our Brittanys. Will the Breeder provide references? We happily invite you to inquire of any and all of our previous customers. Can you see the puppies and at what age? We provide weekly updates and photos of the pups development and they may usually be visited @ 5 weeks. Can you visit more than once? We discourage this. What shots are included? All pups will have had their puppy shots before leaving. We do take a conservative approach to vaccinations. Have the puppies been wormed? Our puppies are dewormed several times prior to coming home with you. When will your AKC (registration) papers be released to you? Your AKC registration papers will be released to you at the time you bring your puppy home. In the rare instance AKC has not supplied them yet, you will have the option to wait until they are available. AKC advises people to NEVER take a dog home with just the promise of papers. Do they breed more than one breed? If so, how many different breeds? How many litters per year do they normally breed? Brittanys are our only breed. We plan our selective breeding program to produce an average of 2 litters a year. How are the puppies raised? Do they do puppy testing? Our pups are handled gently each day from birth. We follow the military's SMART puppies program during early neo natal development. We thoroughly socialize them according to what is expected at each age of development using the 'rule of 7's'. We perform Volhards PAT (puppy aptitude testing) at 5 weeks. We work very hard to identify specific personalities, traits, behaviors for our customers. Proper socialization and early training is one of the most important foundations for a well adjusted Brittany puppy. Accept nothing less, and educate yourself on what to look for when meeting a litter of pups. READ THE MONKS OF NEW SKETE - THE ART OF RAISING A PUPPY. How long do the pups stay with the mother, what age are they weaned? Again, we take a conservative approach with weaning, but it is completed by 5 weeks of age. We do not separate the pups entirely from the mother as we believe that the lessons a young puppy learns from it's mother about respect are the most valuable of all. They daily interact with their mother and older Brits until leaving. Will a vet see the puppy before you buy it? All of our pups see our vet at least twice. The first visit is shortly after birth for evaluation of a litter and dewclaws/tails removed. There is a second visit shortly before going home for a thorough physical, first shots, deworming, and receive a Maine State Health Certificate. At what age are the puppies placed in their new homes? Maine State Law requires all pups be at least 8 weeks old before leaving. We make the decision when an individual puppy is ready to go home based on what is best for the puppy. By the way - be advised, there are some breeders who charge for every day past 8 weeks that you cannot bring a puppy home. Ask about this when interviewing breeders. |