Information on Cavalier, Cavachon and Cavapoo

FINDING THE RIGHT BREEDER

6/1/2020

Many families choose to adopt from a neighborhood shelter or rescue; however healthy Cavaliers are frequently impossible to find since they are rarely surrendered. Once all other options have been exhausted in your search for a Cavalier puppy, it's time to determine what type of breeder you want to work with . . .

Many people are asked if they want to work with a "reputable breeder" or an "ethical breeder," but they have no idea what those terms mean or how to tell what type of breeder you may have already spoken with. We've seen many poorly bred puppies sold to unwary purchasers for the same price as or more than well-bred pups, so our first tip is simple - price alone is not an indicator. We hope this blog post will assist you in identifying the breeder you want to work with, have already contacted or may have purchased a dog from.

Even though we are aware that there are always exceptions to the rule, these three groups comprise the majority of breeders:

1. THOSE WHO CUT CORNERS FOR COST - Some breeders, often called "backyard breeders," - might not know any better. In contrast, others do know better but want to boost their profit margins by slicing costs associated with their breeding programs. These breeders can be recognized by their refusal to provide their dogs or puppies with any care that would be expensive. Breeders in this group frequently exhibit some or all of the following characteristics:

Their breeding parents' DNA has not been analyzed.
They do not have their breeding parents' annual eye, heart, hip, or patella checks.
The puppies did not receive thorough veterinary examinations.
They are breeding pets who aren't AKC registered.
Feeding their puppies and pets inferior food.
They never turn down a transaction (will sell to anyone) and rarely conduct interviews with potential families.
They sell their entire litter to brokers or puppy shops, no questions asked.
They keep more pets than they can comfortably accommodate in their home.
They know that once a family falls in love with a puppy, they won't exchange it for another; so they offer no health warranties or warranties with little to no guarantee.

2. THOSE WHO OVERBREED - These breeders may come under Category #1 and overbreed their dogs as well (i.e., puppy mills), or they may present as respected breeders but overbreed their female dogs repeatedly to boost earnings. Always ask a potential breeder how many litters the female has had and how many she will have. These breeders often draw higher-quality buyers and have higher prices, but they disregard the best interest of the mother to maximize their profits. With regards to this particular breed, experts are in agreement that having more than four litters in a lifetime can be bad for the female's health and shorten her life.

3. BREEDERS WHO PRIORITIZE QUALITY OVER PROFIT - This is the gold standard in breeding and what the majority of customers are looking for. These breeders who don't have to breed their dogs to make money, they do it because they genuinely adore the breed or breeds and enjoy sharing them with carefully vetted families. Here are a few methods to recognize these breeders:

The breeder is delighted to provide registrations, proper health certifications, and their dogs have undergone DNA testing.
They don't breed pets with inherited diseases. They immediately discontinue breeding a dog in their program if a health problem is found, regardless of what it would entail for their financial situation.
They will never sell to a broker or retailer.
They do not depend on breeding to provide for their family's needs and have other sources of income. Breeding with integrity isn't really that profitable!
Their dogs have vet & vaccination records, a vet reference, and plenty of client references in addition to being usually healthy (there will always be the rare issue that is out of anyone's control).
They only own a small number of dogs and are familiar with each of them. If their program is more extensive, they may house and care for their animals via Guardian Homes or other methods.
They provide high-quality food and inform you about optimal puppy nutrition.
They are pleased to demonstrate their animals' lack of neglect by letting you see their parents, pedigrees, and records, and their animals don't exhibit any signs of mistreatment.
Both their breeding pairings and their offspring have received the correct socialization and don't exhibit any behavioral, anxiety- or fear-related disorders at an early stage.
They never permit their pets to be given away or placed in shelters without their consent.

We hope that this blog post, together with our other resources, will assist you in identifying and locating the breeder you wish to collaborate with. Searching for the least expensive puppy, working with a broker or "rescuing a puppy" from the pet store are all risky propositions when purchasing a Cavalier. Should you need a referral to a breeder in your area, please check out our blog posts on recommended breeders or shoot us an email at [email protected].

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THE NUMBER OF PUPPY SCAMS IS GROWING - LEARN WHY!

4/25/2020

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Covid has left many people are searching for a new puppy for various reasons such as having more time at home to train them, feeling lonely, wanting to do something for their children, or experiencing general depression. They seek the companionship and loyalty of man's best friend! The desperate hunt for a new dog started the first week of March, and there are still loads of new posts on Facebook forums daily. However, there are a limited number of puppies from reputable breeders and those starting their search now are falling victim to scams.

Desperation, low supply, and high demand lead to numerous issues including:

• Panicked shoppers desperate for a puppy.
• Rising costs that have made healthy puppies unaffordable for some households.
• The impatience and annoyance of customers who find it difficult to comprehend why there aren't any puppies available.
• Exhaustion & frustration from breeders who have nothing more to offer.

Around Christmas, the exact same thing takes place. Now you see why this is a perfect storm for two types of people who benefit:

Breeders with Poor Reputation - Breeders who do not DNA or health test their Cavalier King Charles Spaniels or other breeds. They could be low volume (often known as a backyard breeder) or high volume (like a puppy mill). They have frequently been in the news for using poor breeding procedures, but since customers are buying online and relying on recommendations from people they don't even know, they are unaware of this until it's too late. This breeder knows you won't return a puppy once you've bought it and fallen in love with it, so they can take advantage of your desperation and offer worthless health guarantees. They know very well that people will put down a deposit on anything right now and aren't doing their research because they fear they won't be able to find another puppy if they don't get this one!
Scammers – While bad, breeders with a bad reputation at least offer puppies for sale. Scammers exploiting the Covid puppy situation are simply con artists. They pretend to have puppies, send pictures, and answer your forum request on Facebook telling you about their available puppies. They may even create a website. In reality, they don't have a puppy to offer, but once more, consumers will put down a deposit on ANYTHING at the moment, and even if they receive your $50 or $100, they're delighted since they didn't work for it! As a lawyer, I frequently receive requests to represent victims of fraud. The worst scammers target puppies purchasers and they are EVERYWHERE right now.

Here are some precautions you can take:

Do a name search on the forums to view their earlier posts. Are they always sharing the same photos? Saying the same thing? How is their English? Do they have references from people you can actually SPEAK to?
Check their date of forum registration, the number of Facebook friends they have, and whether or not you can actually discover images of them WITH their pets.
Request to see the breeding dogs' AKC pedigree. Find out who owns the dogs by looking up their names on the OFA, if they provide them (mostly do not provide).
Request a copy of the breeding pair's DNA tests. DNA testing can be faked or taken from other sources, but the majority of con artists go for easy targets and don't make an effort to do these things.
Find out their mobile number and FACETIME them. Request to visit the dog's parent and puppy (unexpectedly). Keep calling again if they don't respond; don't leave a message to alert them.
Type their name into Google, followed by the words "scam" and "puppy mill." Do the same with ANY breeder you are thinking about. This straightforward search will yield a wealth of information. Every every day, it shocks me that individuals promote a breeder they have never even looked into.
Don't ever WIRE cash. Choose a payment option with protection if you're making an online buy! Consider using GoodDog.com to fully protect your purchase.

As I've repeatedly mentioned on this page, I don't expect you to rely on my statements regarding any subject matter - I encourage you to conduct your own research. In case you are skeptical about the existence of puppy scams in your area, here are some references covering regions from the east coast to the west coast.

Better Business Bureau Report on Covid Puppy Scams
North Carolina Department of Justice Puppy Scam Alert
Three Oaks Farm Christmas Puppy Scam in Charleston
Concord News Article on Current Puppy Scams

Please take precautions. Please check the shelters in your area, as pets are given up every day due to job loss and other problems. Please choose one or two breeders you trust and join their waiting lists; Before you know it, the ideal puppy will be yours!

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FINDING THE RIGHT BREEDER

THE NUMBER OF PUPPY SCAMS IS GROWING - LEARN WHY!

FTC DISCLOSURE

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LOCATED NEAR CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

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FINDING THE RIGHT BREEDER

THE NUMBER OF PUPPY SCAMS IS GROWING - LEARN WHY!

FTC DISCLOSURE

Categories

Archives

LOCATED NEAR CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA​ JOIN US ONLINE!

LOCATED NEAR CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

JOIN US ONLINE!