[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: PUPPY BUYERS
- From: "arycrest@xxxxxxxxxxx" <arycrest@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: wmj1944@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 16:50:10 GMT
I guess we can all be judgmental in regards to how someone else goes about
purchasing a puppy, especially when they're attempting to handle their grief
over losing a much loved pet. I'm a pet owner and when I look for a GSD I'm
looking for a companion I can do something with, live with, enjoy my life with.
I don't think too many people are born knowing the proper way to purchase a
puppy or handle the grief of losing a beloved pet, I know I wasn't. For what
it's worth, I still don't handle losing one of my dogs any better than I did 60
some years ago.
When I was growing up my parents would find a puppy from an ad in the paper, go
out and look and if they liked what they saw they'd buy one (except when I won
my Cocker in a Safeway grocery store contest), and I'm positive they were all
BYB's. All our neighbors and friends did the same thing, though some went to
the pound to get their puppies, a few got them at pet shops.
It was a gradual education, with lots of patience from the breeders who took
the time to ask me questions, answer my questions, and explain when I didn't
understand. My best education came from the breeder of my OES - Sue spent a
long time with me and even after I purchased Abbey she was still there. She
became my mentor, not only educating me about the breed but on purebred dogs in
general. We've been friends for over 37 years, and though we're separated by
hundreds of miles now, I'm still learning from her.
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I got Tasha, my first GSD, in 1973 and have never owned another breed since
(sans my little mutt I adopted when he was 10). I'll never forget one GSD
breeder in Maryland who refused to sell me a dog because I worked (this was
before pet sitters and doggy day care) - it really hurt my feelings BUT,
looking back, if I ever bred a litter of babies I think I'd want a stay-at-home
owner too - we live and learn.
Over the years I've gotten some wonderful GSDs and the more I learn, the more I
know how to go about looking for my next one. I now have what I call my
"shopping list", I know the type of dog I like, and I can tell the breeder what
I'm looking for in a dog (and as I get older, the list changes). When getting
a puppy, after giving the breeder my shopping list and talking it over with
him/her, I don't select the dog, but allow the breeder to do it for me since
s/he knows more about the puppies than I'll ever know. Most of my dogs were
purchased or acquired sight unseen - I've never been disappointed in this
method - but what's right for me doesn't mean it's right for everyone.
I guess in making a short story long, what I'm saying is that while it's easy
to criticize this family, we have to also understand that they're probably
learning too, maybe next time they lose a pet they may search for a new one
differently, with more knowledge of doing it "the right way". At least they
had the good sense to call Dawnmarie in the first place so I'd give them credit
for that.
Gayle & the Hooligans!
Ringer-Honey-Kelly-Mac-Slider-Bruiser
Waiting at the Bridge:
Andy-Abbey-Tasha-Tex-Echo-Yukon-JR-Too-Niki-Bo
-- Stephen Reierstad <wmj1944@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Yes, it is a judgmental statement, but not intended to write off
people who are not as knowledgable as I am. Probably many GSD
buyers out there are far more knowledgable than I'll ever be.
My point was that instead of following through with a serious,
conscientious Breeder, it appeared to me that the Buyers rushed into
the purchase without really looking at it. I don't know if that was
the case, but the way Dawnmarie's post read, that was the impression
I got. If proper Homework wasn't done on both sides of the
transaction, the Puppy may well wind up paying for it. Will the
Breeders they bought from do the follow-up and give the support that
the Puppy and Owners need? I don't know. For the Puppy's sake, I
hope so.
Your point about Education is well taken. As a relative newcomer to
the Breed, I believe than my Education has to continue every day, and
that one of my jobs is to pass on what I know to our Buyers,
especially First-Time GSD Buyers and those who would buy from BYBs
and Pet Stores....
Steve
--- lollark@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > First, I think you are well rid of the Buyers who contacted you.
> > They don't sound serious or intelligent enough to own a dog.
>
> WHEW!! What a judgmental statement. Hope you didn't mean to just
> write people off who aren't as knowledgable as you are. I remember
> the pain of losing my pet gsd and wanting a new one right away...I
> didn't go out to the pet store but did research and study--still
> didn't know what I know even a year later. Ah...such is
> learning...you never get there.
>
>
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