Some bad news, some good news

The bad news: The litter I was waiting for had some complications. Only one puppy was born, and it was a red male. When this happens, the mother usually has difficulty giving birth because it’s hard to push out just one pup. She needed a c-section, but good news is that both mother and pup are well.

The good news: A litter of all black puppies is due September 8th. This litter has the same pedigree as the first, except in reverse. The sire of this litter is the brother of the dam in the first litter. And the dam of this litter is the sister of the sire in the first litter.

Now it’s time to cross my fingers again and wait patiently for Dobie to be born. The upside to all of this is now I have more time to prepare for Dobie’s arrival and develop a plan for puppy Schutzhund training.

These are puppy pictures of (hopefully) Dobie’s parents! If Dobie is even half has handsome as these two I would be extremely happy with him.

Sire: Garshangan's Union Jack AKA Jackson (Ch. Wrath's Soldier of Fortune x Ch. Garshangan's Legendary Dyna)

Dam: Garshangan's Take A Chance On Me AKA Abba
(Ch. Dobereich's One Of A Kind x Ch.Garshangan's Legendary Dyna)

Pictures courtesy of Garshangan Kennels

Finding The Right Breeder

Once you have determined your favourite breed of dog, it’s time to do more research. This is the fun part, but also the most important part.  As hard as this is to believe, choosing the right breeder is actually more important than choosing the right puppy.

In the case of Dobermans, this breed has a predisposition to many genetic defects such as Von Willebrand’s disease, hip dysplasia, cervical vertebral instability (wobbler syndrome), as well as heart defects and skin problems.  The good news is, if the parents are tested clear of these defects, you can be sure your puppy will also be in the clear.  It is also observed that some aspects of temperament are passed along as well.  If the parents have a problem with aggression, the puppies will also display aggressive behaviours that may not be acceptable to you, so make sure you find a reputable breeder who will answer your questions honestly.

The first thing I noticed when I was searching for Dobie’s breeder is that good breeders have as many questions to ask me as I have to ask them.  Don’t be offended if the breeder wants to “interview” you. This is a very good thing. It means they are a responsible breeder who wants to ensure their puppies go to good homes. I wanted a local breeder that I could always contact if any problems came up. Of all the breeders in southern Ontario, I chose Garshangan Kennels:
http://www.garshangan.ca/

Frank and Sheilah are wonderful people who breed their dogs with health, temperament and longevity in mind. Breeding is a hobby for them, they are not breeding for profit, so they only have 1 or 2 litters available each year. Good breeders always have waiting lists for puppies because they don't over-breed their dogs. Infact, I’m on Garshangan’s waiting list at this time.

Here are some of the questions I asked when I was choosing a breeder:
1. What type of health testing is done on your dogs?  Can you provide documentation certifying the health of the parents?
2. How old did the dogs in your bloodlines live to be?
3. How are the puppies socialized while in your care?
4. Will I have continued support throughout the puppy’s lifetime should any problems arise?
5. Do you have a contract guaranteeing the health of the puppy and whether it must be spayed/neutered in the future?

How much does a dog really cost?

Welcome to my dog blog!

Hi, my name is Karen and welcome to my Doberman Pinscher blog! I’ll try to keep all my posts as informative and concise as possible. This blog is dedicated to documenting everything about my Doberman right from the start. Beginning with choosing a breeder, to puppy training, to (hopefully) Schutzhund practice in the future. I have always wanted a dog, specifically a Doberman. But the first question I asked myself was...

Do I have the means to be a responsible dog owner?

Before deciding to bring home a puppy, I needed to evaluate myself on whether I could dedicate the time and resources required to properly raising a dog. The idea of getting a puppy is so exciting, it causes many people to jump at the chance of having a dog without any sort of preparation. This happens way too often, and that’s why we see so many dogs brought to the shelter because their owners simply “could not care for the dog anymore”. Dogs are lifetime pets. As a potential dog owner, I need to ensure that I can take care of my dog for the 10 years or more of its life.

I urge everyone considering adding a puppy to their lives to objectively review your cash-flow and create a “dog-schedule”. Here is a sample break down of how much it costs, money-wise and time-wise to own a dog.

Puppy purchase price = $1500
One-time dog supplies = $390
$130 - Crate with divider
$100 - Dog bed
$35 - Grooming brushes, nail clipper
$50 - Food/water bowls/diner
$10 - Puppy collar
$15 - 4’ training leash
$20 - Chew toys
$10 - Stain and odour remover
$20 - Kibble bin and measuring scoop

Dog consumables cost per month = $110/month
$50 - Dry Food
$5 - Training Treats
$5 - Puppy shampoo/conditioner/grooming
$10 - Replacing Chew Toys/Accessories/Clothes
$40 - Pet insurance

Time commitment = 3 hours per day
- 2 walks per day (1 in morning, 1 after dinner)
- at least 1 hour every night devoted to training
- at least 1 hour a week for grooming
- take 1 week off work for puppy’s first week at home

It costs $3210 the first year and $1320 every year after that for the rest of the dog’s life!
Owning a dog requires 3 hours/day of your time, everyday for the next 10 years or more!

I guess this means I want a dog pretty badly, because after taking all this into consideration, I still really want a Doberman. So stay posted for tips on selecting a breeder!