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Deciding between two breeders

PRIMEHS

Member
Breeder A)

veterinarian , 3000$ a puppy hip and eye tests done. Lines are good , scandi dogs but the mother and father are on the small side of the breed standard 90 and 100 lbs 24-25 at the withers.

good temperament parents, decent sized dogs.

Breeder B)

Newer breeder , second litter. Import lines directly from Italy. Much better dogs structurally , 100 and 130 lbs for mom and dad. Amazing to look at , must ear crop on own time. No hip or eye tests yet , but he plans on doing it in the future. Gives me the freedom of not having to neuter dog as long as I sign a contract stating I won’t breed. Provides champion 6 generation pedigree. 2500$.

( much better looking dogs, great temperament )
 

Loverboy Skyline

Well-Known Member
I would go with B. If they are imported from Italy, I'm guessing there's less chance of Boxers being in the line and you're getting something closer to the original Italian Mastiff. I'm not a big fan of ear cropping anyway, and I like the freedom of not having to neuter my dog. Ectropian, Entropian, and Hip Dysplaysia can all be developed later, so while puppy testing is nice it's not a deal breaker for me.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
The puppy isn't the one that needs to be tested. It's the parents. The pup gets tested after age 2. For that amount of money I'd expect testing to be done. It's not a guarantee, but I know the hard way that testing the parents can save a lot of heartbreak with the pups and I prefer to support a breeder that takes the time to get it done. Hip/elbow and cardiac being the most important for the CC, imo. I guess I'd want to know why it hasn't been done and I'd have to really trust that his dogs from the last six generations haven't had any issues with testable things. If you're comfortable with the testing not having been done, and many people are, then it sounds like you prefer the second breeder. If you prefer the look of those dogs then you'll most likely end up disappointed if you go with the first breeder. FWIW, if you're going to choose to crop you need to get that done before the pup is 12 weeks old and make sure you go to someone with experience. No vet that I know will crop beyond that age.
 

Loverboy Skyline

Well-Known Member
I might have read the original post wrong. If the eyes and hips are tested on the parents and not the puppy, then that's a few points in A's favor. I think that's what you meant because no one I know does those tests on puppies. That makes it a tougher call, although I'd probably still take B.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
I went back and read the original post about choosing between two pups. Are these the same two breeders? I was confused because in the original post you mentioned the non-vet breeder had more "boxer-like" dogs and the temperament seemed to be less suited to your circumstances. Just clarifying. Because out of the two descriptions in the first post, I thought the vet bred pup was the better fit for your family due to temperament and testing.
 

PRIMEHS

Member
I went back and read the original post about choosing between two pups. Are these the same two breeders? I was confused because in the original post you mentioned the non-vet breeder had more "boxer-like" dogs and the temperament seemed to be less suited to your circumstances. Just clarifying. Because out of the two descriptions in the first post, I thought the vet bred pup was the better fit for your family due to temperament and testing.

These are two different breeders, the breeder in my previous post was someone whom I walked away from.

.And yes the parents are the ones with the testing!

I’m just debating if I want colour and testing vs an import lineage with larger dogs 120lb, more substance etc.
 

PRIMEHS

Member
I went back and read the original post about choosing between two pups. Are these the same two breeders? I was confused because in the original post you mentioned the non-vet breeder had more "boxer-like" dogs and the temperament seemed to be less suited to your circumstances. Just clarifying. Because out of the two descriptions in the first post, I thought the vet bred pup was the better fit for your family due to temperament and testing.


Breeder A has a nice brindle puppy, however the parents are on the much smaller side of the breed standard. Father is still stocky though. That’s the biggest push back from me.

Breeder B has more energetic bigger bone 120 lb dogs with more substance. With a perfect muzzle and weight to height ratio. Beautiful dogs, all parents down the pedigree were GR CH.
 

Loverboy Skyline

Well-Known Member
You might find this video helpful. It gives some names and also explains the Boxer lineage that's in there and why they have it.

 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
My personal opinion is that color should be the least important consideration. Temperament, health, and adhering to standard first. The cost of the puppy is a drop in the bucket compared to what you'll spend over a lifetime, especially if health issues crop up that could have been possibly avoided by health testing. I've learned this the hard way and it's why I push testing. The possible extra cost of a pup from health tested lines is a worthwhile investment to me, personally.

You have special considerations with your current dog which necessitate a certain temperament . Ask questions about temperament upon maturity in the lines. I think if you are comfortable with the breeder and trust them enough to purchase a pup (whichever breeder) then you should trust them to help you choose the pup that will fit with the needs of your older dog. Good luck with your choice.
 

Ralo

Well-Known Member
Breeder A)

veterinarian , 3000$ a puppy hip and eye tests done. Lines are good , scandi dogs but the mother and father are on the small side of the breed standard 90 and 100 lbs 24-25 at the withers.

good temperament parents, decent sized dogs.

Breeder B)

Newer breeder , second litter. Import lines directly from Italy. Much better dogs structurally , 100 and 130 lbs for mom and dad. Amazing to look at , must ear crop on own time. No hip or eye tests yet , but he plans on doing it in the future. Gives me the freedom of not having to neuter dog as long as I sign a contract stating I won’t breed. Provides champion 6 generation pedigree. 2500$.

( much better looking dogs, great temperament )

Mind PM'ing me the kennel names?