I was just going to say it is no big deal being KC reg or not unless you are going to show or breed. She should be able to show you the hip score cert (it is green) and any other health tests that she has had done.
Believe me, from speaking to people who do breed, there are loads of timewasters out there. Plus she could have deliberately put people off who don't seem right to her. Alarm bells would ring for me if she told you something like that her dogs don't 'need' hip scoring certs. because they don't have it Of course they won't have it if she doesn't test for it
Apart from that if she has parents and siblings and the place is clean, pups are happy and sociable, and you give her the third degree (which is what SHE should be giving you as well) I would at least go and see him.

Hi H.

I'm afraid with having rescues, I don't know all the ins and outs of buying a pedigree pup, except to know that the breeder should be concerned about where the pups are going and that they should have health tests done.

With it being a long, long time since you got a pup, you may not be fully up to speed with exactly what health certificates/results you should be looking for....if that is the case, why not create another thread asking for some advice so that you know exactly what the breeder should show you and exactly what results you expect to see.

Many bybs say the mum/pups have been health tested but what they actually mean is that the vet has seen them and said they are healthy - not that they have been tested for all the known health problems with the particular breed!

Good luck H...I know you don't want to show, but if you are buying a pup you certainly want to make sure that you get the healthiest pup you can. If it was me, I probably wouldn't go and look at them until I had the answers to all my questions (because I know I'm a soft touch and would probably come away with one even if i wasn't satisfied with what they had told me!).

It is vital that they are health tested H and you get an explanation as to why they are not KCregistered. Some breeders just don't want to pay for it....do they come with insurance and a puppy pack?

Seems I missed all this yesterday I am very excited for you H but as several people have said there seems to be a lot of questions which need answering but I'm sure you know all about that, not much gets past your 'sixth' sense is there

I would be a little concerned about the timing of the litter, but if all else adds up and the place is clean and all the dogs look happy then for you (Not breeding or showing) it's probably not a worry.

Thing is people will say they are not going to breed their bitch any more and then turn around and do exactly that. Humans are the most devious of creatures sometimes.

I wouldn't worry toooooooooo much about the timing. A bitch comes into season when a bitch comes into season. Cosmo was his mum's last chance at a pregnancy and it was unlikely the mating would 'take' (long story) but it did and here he is. He was about 8 weeks Christmas week last year, but the breeder was going to keep the litter til after the festivities...we puppy owners begged though!!!

I would be concerned about health tests and why dad isn't kc registered. As Hali said I would want answers before going too.

As an aside are white GSDs more prone to deafness? Can that be tested for when they are pups?

I haven't read all your replies yet, but I will in a mo, and thanks!

Just spoken to the lady with this little white guy, had a long conversation. The mother is KC reg and she will give me a copy of her pedigree. The father is also KC reg but has german lines, chunky police dog she said. Both health tested and she will show me certificates. Like I said, SHE has mum and an older brother, but she also said, the lady next door bought one of her pups from the FIRST litter, and she said I can pop in and see her because she looks identical to the mum which this lady has at home obviously, with the pups.

She is a photographer, and has only bred these two litters and won't be breeding again. She doesn't want to go to the bother of registering these pups with the KC probably due to price perhaps? I don't know! She is e-mailing me now as I speak, with loads and loads of pics, so just wait and see!!!

Thanks and thanks again, I will read all of this valuable information you have given me here in a mo, but of course, I'm anxious to see my pics aren't I, bearing in mind the high state of excitement I'm in - me? nah!!!!

I'd want to know exactly why she isn't registering the pups, please make sure you see the hips scores of both parents H, my cousins last GSD was diagnosed with HD at a very young age and could never take a proper and full walk since he was just over a year old. Very sad to see.

If both parents are KC reg, then I think you would be able to reg the pup anyway even if she hasn't reg the litter. Not too sure of this to be honest though, I am trying to remember from my dobie days, and it was a very long time ago . I know you get a certificate to reg the pup in your name if the litter was KC reg, but lots of people never ever bother to do this as the majority are mainly pet owners. She should have a stud certificate, and I always take a piccie of the tie as well, and most people I know do.
I think I remember reading that dogs with white faces and ears were more susceptible to the deafness thing as it is the same gene that covers facial colouring and hearing, but not very well up on that one to be honest. You will know if he can hear you though won't you, so that is easily sorted.
The thing for you to find out is the lines they are from and do a bit of research and see if you can trace their parents and grand parents, and if they are still about. Then you will be able to find out if there are any health or skeletal problems in their close relatives. She may well have this information already and be able to give it you. As has already been said, the timing of the litter is unfortunate, but a bitch is in season when she is in season and there is very little you can do about it. The fact that he is 10 weeks old and still there means she hasn't just sold him to just anyone for the sake of a few quid either, which she would have done I think if she was purely after the money. Lets see more piccies

Well, I got my pics These dogs are not as longcoated as I was hoping and if I'm going to fill that gaping great hole that old Cassie left (bless her heart) then I'm going to do this right, and not only get EXACTLY what I'm after, (seeing as how it will be my last puppy possibly)plus all the relevant health tests, the proper KC certification etc. etc. it's only right in my book.

I have a proper KC breeder who I've been e-mailing and she has a litter planned in June this year, and if I have to wait, I have to wait, but both the mum and the dad are both seriously long coated, just like Cassie was, plus she's a KC reg breeder and I think that's my only wtg to be absolutely sure I get a healthy pup quite honestly.

I have just mailed her back and thanked her for her time, but told her the parents aren't quite what I was looking for, they were more rough coated than longcoated in my view, so there really isn't any point in me going to see the puppy tomorrow, coz I'm bound to fall in love, and I'm not quite happy with all of it.

Hey ho. Seems like this puppy search might end up just as tiring and frustrating as the rescue route I haven't completely ruled out a rescue, although Dave has, he doesn't feel it's fair on Georgie to bring another mature dog into his home, so we'll see. I am now going to contact one of the other KC accredited breeders I have been mailing over the past week and see if I can get my name down for the June litter. I don't mind waiting for the right pup! At least it will be a healthy one hopefully!

Thanks again guys, sorry I involved you in my disappointment now, but I really thought, seeing that pic, that this little guy would be exactly what I was after, but I don't think he will be, and something doesn't feel quite right here with all your comments, it's made me think a lot more about health quite honestly!!! Thanks again.xxxxx

Babe, I know what you're up to . . . . . hehehehehehe

x x x x x x