Which Puppy to Choose?

Hi All, after a fair amount of research (books, various website, Cav. owners, and of course, this great great forum), we are likely to get a Cavalier puppy soon. I found that through internet and newspaper, two of the local breeders have puppies available. I checked out their websites and corresponded with them via emails a few times. They both seem reputable to me. They are both memers of kennel clubs and actively participate in dog shows. Here is my question:

Breeder A: Puppies are about 8-weeks old now and can be picked up in a week.

Breeder B: Puppies are 12-weeks old right now and can be picked up anytime. This breeder started litterbox training her puppies when they were around 5-weeks old.


For someone like me who has zero experience (other than reading a few books) in housebreaking puppies, which breeder's puppy will be relatively easier for me to train in the first few weeks? We are going to take the puppy ourside to do the business. Would a litterbox-trained, 12-week old puppy have the head start?

Thank you all in advance. You are great and helpful.

Bimmerguy

PLEASE be careful, although it's going to sound like generalizing, most reputable breeders do not advertise in the newspaper and on the internet. They may have their own website, but advertising is usually not a good sign, with a few exceptions. If you would like , I would be happy to look at their sites and tell you whether I think they sound like a breeder that one should consider. I am both a breeder , and in rescue, and I am pretty good at spotting this. Also, your location would be helpful. Also, most US breeders never place a puppy before 10 weeks, and usually it's 12. I happen to really like litter box training, and feel it's a great head start to them at least knowing there is a designated place to go. you can email me their information in a PM. private message, there is that option after the post.

I agree with Nancy. Reputable breeders really never advertise in the local papers. Many have internet sites but they would not simply have puppies available to be collected -- you would expect to be going through a screening process and they would have wanted to meet you long ago if they are local to you, before homing a puppy! I homecheck all my rescue dogs first for example -- I'd never just take phonecalls and applications and allow people to come take a rescue and I know no good breeder would be so indifferent about his or her puppies either.

Far more important is, have you talked to them about the health history of their dogs? Have you seen the cardiologist certificates for the heart clearances on the parents? Are the parents at least 2.5 years old? Does the breeder have the heart certs for all four grandparents? Do they hip score and test patellas and ophthalmologist-test their breeding stock? Can you see these results? Are the dogs AKC or CKCSC registered? Also consider whether they MRI?

This is a breed with two very serious and widespread and potentially costly genetic conditions: MVD and SM. You want to opt only for breeders who do their professional best to breed knowledgably to avoid both of these conditions and who give their puppoies the best chance at a long and healthy life.

Finding a reputable breeder and recognising a questionable one:

http://board.cavaliertalk.com/showthread.php?t=11335

Nancy said:

PLEASE be careful, although it's going to sound like generalizing, most reputable breeders do not advertise in the newspaper and on the internet. They may have their own website, but advertising is usually not a good sign, with a few exceptions. If you would like , I would be happy to look at their sites and tell you whether I think they sound like a breeder that one should consider. I am both a breeder , and in rescue, and I am pretty good at spotting this. Also, your location would be helpful. Also, most US breeders never place a puppy before 10 weeks, and usually it's 12. I happen to really like litter box training, and feel it's a great head start to them at least knowing there is a designated place to go. you can email me their information in a PM. private message, there is that option after the post.

Click to expand...

Thank you Nancy. I will PM you their websites later.

Thank you Karlin. I will ask the list of questions you provided.