Contacting breeders?

1663 Views 26 Replies 8 Participants Last post by LeoRose, Sep 23, 2021

medusashep

Discussion Starter · Sep 13, 2021 (Edited)

Hello! I’m 18 and currently looking for my first well-bred dog for a service prospect, and I’m not quite sure what to say to breeders. The following is what I currently have - would this be appropriate? Is there more information I should include or should I make it shorter? Any feedback is appreciated, thanks!

Hello,

My name is [name] and I’m looking for a service dog prospect. I came across your website while researching breeders and would love to learn more about, you, your breeding, and hopefully get a puppy from you.

I currently live with my parents and my childhood dog, an 11-year-old poodle/golden retriever. I’m a part time student with class twice a week for four hours - other than that, which the dog will hopefully accompany me to once training for public access, all my free time will be dedicated to training and socializing the puppy.

I’ve had an interest in Russian dog breeds for awhile, and came across the [breed] while researching larger dogs for service work. I’m also interested in showing and amateur sports, namely agility, barn hunt, scent work, flyball and dock diving, though I don’t have experience with any of these.

My only dog experience is with my childhood dogs, the aforementioned poodle/golden mix and a terrier mutt I grew up with, but I’m eager to learn and follow guidance.

Thank you for your time, I look forward to hearing back from you!

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Lillith

· #2 · Sep 14, 2021

I would add something about why you are interested in that particular breed. Mention a specific trait. I know service work is at the top of your list, but there's lots of breeds known for service work, so maybe slip in something else unique to that breed. You don't have to go into great detail, just indicate you have in fact done your research on the breed in question. You might also mention why you are interested in that particular breeder, such as "I noticed your dogs participate in therapy work" or something.

Instead of "get a puppy from you" I would instead say something along the lines of "I hope to be placed on your waiting list for a future litter" or something similar.

You should also delete the "all my time will be dedicated to training and socializing the puppy" because no it won't and breeders know that. You have a life outside of school and the dog! Breeders don't expect you to dedicate your life to training a dog, and it sounds a bit weird and like you're trying to hard to get in their good graces. Instead, just give a very brief overview of your training plans and goals.

Good luck!

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Lillith

· #4 · Sep 14, 2021

medusashep said:
Thanks for the advice! As for the “all my time will be dedicated to puppy,” I mean that literally lol. One of the reasons I’m seeking a service dog is debilitating social anxiety - I quite literally don’t do anything other than school and doctor’s appointments haha, but I’ll take that out anyway.

Okay. You can probably talk about that with the breeder if she decides to follow up with you. In your initial email you might mention the venue or organization you plan on training with and taking lessons from (I'm assuming since you mentioned dog sports, and few people have courses in their back yard!). Specificity as opposed to a broad statement will help you stand out a bit if she's a popular breeder and it's hard to get a puppy from her!

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Lillith

· #7 · Sep 14, 2021

LeoRose said:
Honestly, if a breeder is so "hungry" that they will sell a puppy to any Tom, Dick, or Harry who is willing to fork over the money, no questions asked, that's a breeder I'm not interested in. Good breeders care about where their puppies go, and if your first contact with them is "I'd like to order XYZ, give me a call", then the odds of them doing anything more than just hitting the delete button are pretty slim.

As far as your last statement, yes, bitches will sometimes lose a litter after being confirmed pregnant, and yes, sometimes a breeding won't take. Sometimes, the litter is lost for other reasons. A friend of mine had a bitch confirmed in whelp to a very good male, only to wind up spaying the bitch halfway through gestation in order to save her life after she developed complications.

Yes, I would have to agree. You're not going to find a "hungry" reputable breeder, especially if you're after a rarer breed. Most reputable breeders have one litter a year, and they might be spoken for years in advance. They are not in it for the money and don't need to hawk their wares. As difficult as it may be to wait, you might get stuck on a waiting list for a few years. My dog just turned 6 in July and I don't want another puppy until my current dog has passed, and I'm already researching breeders, because I know the breeders/breeds I'm interested in have 2-3 year wait lists! Choosing to support a reputable breeder who cares about the betterment of their breed is a lot less satisfyingly then picking up a pup at a pet store on a whim, but it's so worth it!

There are also breeders out there who are incredibly picky about who they place their puppies with, and you may get rejected for a reason that seems absurd to you, but don't get discouraged. This is more common among very rare breeds. There are other breeders out there, so it's good to have a few picked out if your first option is a no-go or you find out you don't quite jive with the first breeder and her practices.

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