BUYING
A SCOTTISH TERRIER
If you think you want a Scottie,
then you need to
find a knowledgeable,
reputable, and
ethical breeder. A good breeder will want to know how the
puppy is getting along, will
stay in contact
with you after the sale, and will be
there as a source of information and guidance. A good breeder will
stand behind
his or her puppy for the long haul and will take the puppy back for the
full purchase price or replace the pup if
things don't work out.
Good Scotties are worth
waiting
for. Most good
breeders do not always
have puppies
available, and seldom have more than a few litters a
year. You may have to wait until
puppies are ready to
go to a new home. Don't be so
eager that you grab the first puppy available, even though you suspect
that breeder is not the
best you can find.
Contact the breeder frequently. The breeder
wants to get to know you too. Send some details about yourself and be
ready to complete an adoption
questionnaire.
Write frequently. A good breeder
will want the puppy to go to a home where it will be safe, well
cared for, and loved. A
good breeder will ask for references
and will want to know that you have a good vet and groomer available to
you.
Some people are looking for a
bargain. Because
the pup has AKC papers does not mean it is a quality puppy.
In reality you get what you pay
for. The AKC is not a seal of
approval. It is only a registry. The puppy you adopt will be your
family member for a lifetime. So
take the time and do your homework to find the best breeder and the
best puppy
you can.
How much can you expect to pay
for a Scottie puppy? The
price for puppies will vary
somewhat across the country, but
the going price for a well bred Scottie with a known pedigree
(champion dogs in the first two
generations) is generally about
$1,500. You will get what you pay for!
That said, you may see this
price and possibly
more for a puppy in a pet store and even in some ads in the newspapers.
The
price does not always predict the quality!
BEWARE OF THE PET STORES! They obtain puppies from puppy
mills. Every
puppy
that is bought from a pet store dooms its mother to more misery in a
puppy
mill, living in a cage, and having litter after litter.
Run, don’t walk, away from pet stores that
sell puppies.
Newspaper ads for puppies are
often placed by people
who are breeding for cash only and/or who don't have the knowledge needed
to produce quality
puppies without health
problems.
QUESTIONS to ask a Scottie
Breeder:
1) Are you a member of the
Scottish Terrier Club
of
2) Have you tested
your dogs for vWD?
vonWillebrand's disease is
a bleeding disorder which
can be fatal. We now have a DNA test available to identify Clear,
Carrier or
Affected dogs in our breeding stock. If the breeder has no
knowledge of
vWD or other health problems such as Cerebellar Abiotrophy (CA) or
Bladder
Cancer or Thyroid disorders, be very careful.
3) Have any of your dogs ever had
the following
diseases?
*
CMO (Cranial Mandibular Osteopathy) is a genetic disorder of growing
bone in a
young dog, most frequently in the jaw. CMO is extremely painful, but
can be
treated and the pup will ultimately outgrow it.
* Liver Shunt is another
fatal, genetic
problem that often does not show up until the pup is 4 or
5 months old.
* Thyroid disorder.
Hypothyroidism causes
hair loss, weight gain, greasy coat, lack
of energy, reproductive
problems, and often the dog will
suffer with a lifetime of allergic skin disease and poor hair growth.
Hypothyroidism often runs in families.
* How much do the sire and
dam weigh? If
the breeder is not aware of the AKC
standard, and the dogs are over
sized or undersized, then they may
not be well bred. Males should
weigh 19-22 LB
and females 18-21. Go to the
website of the AKC (URL below)
and print the Scottie
standard. Be familiar with it when you ask
questions.
GO and SEE the facility where
your puppy is
raised. Is
the facility clean?
Make sure you see the parents of the
puppy. Are they friendly? The pup will reflect the
disposition of its parents. Unfriendly parents give birth to
unfriendly dogs. All
pups are cute!
Do not trust what you
hear. Go see for
yourself. A puppy is for
life. It is important for you to see where it is born and
raised. The breeder should be happy to
show you every
building where dogs are kept. It is VERY HARD to walk away
from a cute puppy, but you must if you doubt even
for a minute that
the pup is not well bred or healthy or well socialized. In
the long run, your plane ticket
will be
less expensive than the price of the puppy with
health or
temperament problems.
I hope you have time to look
at
the AKC website
for Scottish Terriers