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Need advice on buying puppy

MastiffNewfieMom

New Member
Found a breeder that has a puppy left, but parents are not OFA certified. The grandparents are. Breeder is asking $2,500. Does this price reflect no OFA certification?
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
Why aren't the parents OFAed? Have they had any health testing, hips COULD be done Pennhip for example? Health testing is WAY more than a vet saying the dogs are healthy, but if you know to check the OFA database I'd hope you know that.

If they haven't been health tested why have they been bred? What makes THESE two dogs worth breeding? If they're going to charge that much for pups from non-health tested parents than the parents had better be not only in perfect health, but also champions at something!
 

Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
The price has no connection to certification or lack there of.
I do know that for me I would not trust that the joints on the parents are healthy just because the grandparents were. Healthy dogs can still have a puppy that is born with inherently bad joints.
The parents of mine had their hips x-rayed (no certification) so I'm ok with the lack there but it's not just hips that need to be checked. The elbows on the parents were not checked and Kryten was diagnosed with bilateral elbow dysplasia at 15 months. The cost for the breeder to give peace of mind to the puppy owner that the risks are minimized is far cheaper that having to correct the problem both financially and in the mental and physical well-being of both owner and puppy.
 
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DennasMom

Well-Known Member
$2500 seems high for a puppy with out a complete health cert on both parents... but I'm no expert.
 

Slinger-girl

Well-Known Member
Hmmm, there are some factors to consider.

I have purchased high end pup in the past from Parents that were not OFA'd from a very reputable breeder with an excellent hip/elbow warranty. To me, even more important than an OFA cert parent is a warranty 24-26 months on hip/elbow dysplasia. OFA's or Penn hips are excellent to have, but even if both parents have great hips and elbows it doesn't mean they wont throw a dysplastic puppy. There is no DNA test for dysplasia and one must always be sure there is something in the contract involving hips/elbows regardless of testing status of the parents.

2500? Depends on the breeding, is this for limited AKC or are you looking for a show breed potential? I have paid even more for a show/breed potential pup with the bloodlines I wanted, from the breeder who did not OFA. But as a rule of thumb I would expect a 2500 puppy to have excellent bloodlines and a breeder who will stand behind their puppy on all health aspects.
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
At the PMed request of MastiffNewfieMom I looked at the site of the breeder.

The dogs do not show or compete in any way. Though the OP stated that the grandparents had been OFAed I was unable to find them in the OFA database. The guarantee for genetic conditions ENDS at 24months (even though things like hips can't be officially OFAed till after that), and the dog is only considered dysplastic if the OFA comes back "moderate" or "severe", no mention of "mild" at all though I'd sure as heck consider anything less than "fair" to be dysplastic and I'm not the only one. There were no stacked photos of any of the dogs. Pedigrees were only availible on the site for some of the dogs. DOBs were not availible on the site for any of the dogs.

I've seen worse breeders by far, but for the $2500 price tag on this pup I'd expect the breeder to have done a heck of alot more with the parents (DO SOMETHING with your dogs for god's sake, I don't care if its agility, or therapy work, or what, DO SOMETHING to prove the dog worthwhile to pass on their genes), and a better warrenty if they aren't going to do the OFA work on the parents.
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
and I have to add, that OFA health testing is much more than just hips and elbows (though those are the ones that get stressed alot). For the "English" Mastiff the OFA/CHIC recommend not only hip and elbow dysplasia testing, but also eye exams, heart exams, thyroid testing, and urine testing for cystinuria. And last I checked the Mastiff Club of American takes it even further, recommending several pieces of DNA testing be done (I can't get a list right this minute as it appears their site might be down?).

Hips and elbows CAN be affected by a huge list of things besides genetics, current studies indicate a link between early spay/neuter in dogs to hip dysplasia. HOWEVER, that does not absolve a breeder from having their dog tested or offering a good health guarantee IMO. Because we don't know how much of a genetic link there is we have to assume that there is recessive genes involved and EVERY dog should be checked, and any dog showing dysplasia shouldn't be breed.