I was just wondering how many of you searched around until you found a breeder you liked and then waited until they had a litter, and how many of you searched out available litters and from that list picked the "best" breeder.

I have found a breeder that I like, but they have very long waiting lists and also like to choose the pup for each future home specifically (which I don't necessarily have a problem with but I do like the idea of meeting the pups and if possible having some sort of choice ie letting the pup choose me!). I haven't met them in person or anything yet but know that they like to home to people they know or know someone they know etc I do not fit this and am worried I could be on a waiting list for a long time only to be over looked...

Would I be better off, when I'm ready, to search around for litters already born/due soon?

I searched through available litters on the Kennel Club "Find a Puppy" site, and found Ollie's breeder. The sire was health tested and I was happy with the environment the pups were brought up in, how they wwere socialised and also toilet training. I didn't get to choose my pup because he was the last left, but the breeder was very happy to let us have him.

There's nothing wrong with being on a long waiting list if that is what you want to do. However, I know, unless I was getting a show potential puppy, I couldn't wait that long for a pup. So I'd always search the available litters and choose the best breeder from that selection. If nothing took my fancy, I would try a few days later. There are constantly puppies being uploaded on sites, so if nothing is suitable right away, you can check a few days later.

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I OWN A CHOCOLATE ROAN COCKER SPANIEL
RIP David xx Run free at the bridge. Love you always xx 19th February 2011
RIP Jack and Mickey xx Run free at the bridge. Love you forever xx 20th June 2011

First choice for me is rescue but knowing what I know now I would be happy to put myself on a waiting list for a breeder I knew was an ethical one and cared about the health of the breed concerned even past the initial purchase. Of course just because a breeder has pups available doesn't mean they are not ethical but I would take even more care I do not fall into the trap of looking at the pup and saying "yes I'll take cute blah", forgetting some of the basic checks etc. I'd also be wary if the breeder didn't do lots of checks on me and my situation.

A good question to ask is perhaps Why does a breeder have a waiting list? I'd even go as far as possibly asking for previous puppy owners and get references.

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When I took my dog I searched a few months about the breed and breeders. After that I started to meet the breeders. The 3rd was perfect for us.

We've wanted a girl in 2010, but the breeder has a litter and I loved Festus the 1st time I saw him. So...on 22 December 2009 we got our huge male, at 3 months & 15 kg

In 2 years I talk with the breeder many times and he helped us a lot. So I strongly recommend to wait until you find a breeder you can talk to and who is there for you with advices.

good luck!

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Festus & Anca
“No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive.” - Mahatma Gandhi
Don't assume...ask

I would not wait for ages for a puppy. When the time is right for me I want one but I am fussy what I have so would not go to a rescue.

I think my current two are the only ones that have not just happened. I did spend a lot of time searching and when I found Candy they had been advertised for a few days and she was the last pup left. She was a very long way away so I could not get there for a couple of weeks. The breeder was quite happy to keep her and he has kept in touch and been very supportive. He has even offered to take her to see an eye specialist if I am struggling to get that far. He is about 3 hours away from them, I am at least one night away from home and several hundred miles. I am hoping the specialist is visiting here though so the problem will not arise.

the other one is locally bred and is what would be considered on here as a very poorly planned litter but probably is more like what the majority buy from. I have become very good friends with the breeder, she looks after my dogs if I need someone to and I look after hers in return.
Again I looked for a pup for a while and only took Toffee from this litter because I really liked her. As I have told the breeder, if Toffee had not been there I would not have had any of the other pups.
So from that point of view I would not buy from a breeder that allocated pups, I am the person that knows what I want and am going to live with that dog for many years - I think I will choose my own.

If you want a very rare breed pup, you HAVE to wait (unless you are reeeeally lucky and just happen to want one when there is a litter with pups left, not very likely) - no choice about that unfortunately.

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Check out my English Shepherds
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Breed for a useful dog and you often get a beautiful, useful dog... breed only for a beautiful dog and you are on your own in the useful department.

With my first pup I found a litter without knowing anything really about buying a pup and made lots of mistakes - the only good decision was my pup - Kim see below - was the most fantastic dog.

For my second pup I went to a rescue and he too was fantastic. With my next pups I knew the breeder and that made it easier. With my last pup I fell in love with the sire and went to Germany for Merc, but an ethical breeder and all health tests done etc.

People have my pups and some go on a 'waiting list' and others when I 'advertise' a litter - some go to friends and some to 'new' friends. I'm more than happy for people to speak with existing owners and to see my dogs and home.

Sometimes people want to wait and other times they want a pup straight away - it all depends on the person and their circumstances. For Sophie (GSD) I fell in love with her mother and was happy to wait the 18 months before she had a litter. With Oswy I heard about a forthcoming litter, with Ski I put my name down for a pup in the litter planning stage.

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Penny
Funfastquick Agility Dogs

I've spoken to another breeder who recommends this breeder and also two people who have had pups off her. She also happens to be local to me which although complete luck (I originally assumed I'd have to travel hours to find someone I felt comfortable homing from and was perfectly prepared to), her being so close is a definitely bonus - besides the obvious reasons, I'd love to keep in touch with "the family"! I get the impression that she's the kind of breeder who would like this too.

I am happy to wait, now is not the right time quite yet anyway. However, I'd hate to wait potentially years (she only breeds one litter a year and her litter for this year already has homes lined up) only to find out that there aren't any boys in the litter or that other homes have been put first and so on. She'll be at Crufts on the day I'm going so I was planning on hunting her down and showing her how great I am so that she would be more likely to put me ahead of another stranger emailing her

In some ways finding a litter when I am actually ready to home seems like a way of to avoid such disappointment, but at the same time, I would not want to compromise on the breeder...

I'd wait for a pup if you have found a breeder you are happy with. And you might not even click with her when you meet her. So, maybe still keep your options open.

Good luck.

I decided on the breed I wanted after months and months of research then proceeded to look for a breeder.

Seeing as my breed of choice was a Chihuahua I met a lot of horrible breeders who had dogs they swore were 100% Chihuahua but easily looked more like a Great Dane

I then contacted a lovely lady in MK who would have had Chihuahuas by the end of the year so I went with her. It was then out of sheer coincidence that I stumbled across Phoebe. I still remember browsing at 1am and seeing her little tiny photo, I wrote everything down and called him at 10am the next morning. I think I got about an hours sleep that night.

I still think to this day that getting Phoebe was some sort of fate, it just so happened that my partner's mum was travelling that way when Phoebe would be ready to leave and it all happened from there. I hate to think where I'd be now if I never stumbled across the breeders website, she's my perfect little girl

Good luck finding your perfect little pup too!

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