I'm planning a litter for the end of this year, ready for the beginning of next. My bitch had six puppies in her last litter with four viable; I currently have five people on my list but am wondering when I should start turning people away? Her mother has had two litters, each had seven puppies in it, so should I take it to seven? I realise that to be safe I should take as many as I can but I really hate to think of someone getting attached to my bitch and her daughter and waiting for up to six months only to be told that there isn't a puppy born for them. I can redirect to other breeders but it seems a it shabby all the same.

Any help, as always, much appreciated.

Beth I had a waiting list of 6-7, had 7 pups and only one ended up going to a pre-booked home (and only after a long period of time as they had wanted a bitch, but decided later they would take a dog) due to several bizarre (but honest) circumstances.  I know you know the struggle I had - and it's not uncommon in any breed.

People can and will drop off, so don't count on those who have already booked.  I would start by saying you have several on your waiting list but you're happy to add them but suggest they keep looking as well.  Let them know you'll be in touch with them and ask that if they find another in the meantime could they let you know so you can bump others off the list (I would ask that of everyone on the waiting list). 

I worried originally that I wouldn't have enough people for puppies, then when I got the large waiting list I worried about not having enough puppies for people.  After my last experience I will always accept a few more than I think I'm expecting.  While it hurts to turn people away, it also hurts (financially, emotionally and STRESS) to have those homes you counted on disappear.  So just be up front with how many you have on your list, that you can't guarantee a home, but you're happy to take their info and contact them closer to the dates.

Hope this helps.

I had a waiting list of 12 and 11 dropped out....... you just never know. I also learnt my lesson never to tell people they are number so and so on the list because if number 4, for argument's sake, turned out to be a much better home than number 3, who was a good home but not the very best you could imagine, I'd rather let number 4 come before number 3. (Trying to clarify, I don't mean number 3 wouldn't be a good home, but say that number 3 wanted to show, had no experience of the breed but had experience of other breeds, was working part time and would get a dog walker in once a day etc, and number 4 wanted to show AND do agility AND had 10 years experience of the breed and was at home all day, then to me, number 4 is a step better and I want the BEST possible homes so if I have a choice, I want to be able to make that choice.)

Thanks Wendy, Marianne. It seems as if I should just risk disappointing then, I have mentioned to everyone that if they find a litter that's fine but to just let me know. I do have one couple that openly said that one month in particular was a better month for them to take the pup home and if they (or I) found one in that month then they may go for that pup, which is fine as I can understand it.

Best get baking with all these introduction visits then! Thanks again. x

Just as one should apply for as many jobs as possible, not just one at a time, I'd expect puppy-seekers to contact several breeders at the same time, and be on more than one waiting list. Unless you have a really really rare breed with very few litters per year.

Beth I would explain to other future enquiries that you have X number on list and would be happy to add their name but there may not be enough in the next litter.

Those wanting specific colour/pattern/sex combinations later in the list may be harder to accommodate too.

> I would explain to other future enquiries that you have X number on list and would be happy to add their name but there may not be enough in the next litter.
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I do this, but also managing ones list every step of the way can be helpful

I contact everyone when the bitch comes in season and ask them to confirm they wish to stay on the waiting list (some will have dropped out).  Then once bitch mated, contact them to confirm again, then a month or so later when pregnancy confirmed, and lastly when pups born.

In this way you are very unlikely to loose a large number of potential homes by the time pups are born.

when pups are born and are viable you can contact each person in your preferred order offering a puppy and asking for confirmation as you have others on your list to contact.

So far after this stage most people do not back out, but I do ask for a small but meaningful deposit of £50, and then with any I have to disappoint I put them in touch with other breeders who may have a spare space on their current litter or are in the planning stages of the next.

We are a numerically small breed with low registration figures so it can be a feast or famine, re puppy and home availability.  Also we are a one colour breed so for those looking for purely companion the only real choice is the sex and finding a reputable breeder.  the potential owners will have met the dogs and breeder or several breeders beforehand.

I have found it very useful to invite people not only to meet my own dogs but invite them to attend a show to see more of them.  this has the advantage that often contact with the other breeders is already made.

Majority of my enquiries want a pup there and then, I explain that I don't have pups all the time and will leave a message on my website of any plans I will have in the future.

I had 3 names last year for Chase's litter which didn't survive and gave them a list of other breeders I knew and could recommend as I had no idea if or when I would next have pups, not heard back from any of them.

This is the difference between breeds with small numbers and also of course also fairly small numbers of potential homes, and breeds readily available who expect this availability.

The former have to expect to wait, unless they happen to be lucky when there is a cancellation or several breeders having a mis-balance of sexes.  It also means breeders need to have vetted homes in advance, as they don't come along at the drop of a hat, but in dribs and drabs.

For example at the moment there are two litters on the ground to my knowledge born in last two weeks, making 6 bitches and 8 males.

When my friend bred 3 years ago there were 3 litters at roughly the same time but between tehm there were only 6 girls but 17 boys!  In numercially large breeds these differences over litters are smoothed out.

At the moment I have 12 (Including me) on my list 6 are previous owners...and me and the others phone vetted but not all met yet. I will add others but do explain that untill fully vetted nearer the time no one is confirmed except the previous owners. I too let pups go to the best homes reguardless of place on the list so in theory the last on could be the first chosen. They all know how I work it and I expect some to have found pups elswere or to drop out for whatever reason, I am however getting 2 - 3 calls a week at the moment for my breed.
Aileen

Well the breed is quite popular and a few of my enquiries have been from people who want one now, but after a couple of months have come back and said 'Actually we would rather wait' kind of thing. Only one of them has made it through vetting though.

I thought vetting to get on the waiting list was a good idea? Just because I didn't want them to wait all that time and then for me to tell them that in fact they aren't suitable. My listers haven't minded at all so hopefully that's ok.

I was lucky in my last litter, one lady on the list visited each week before they were even born and another traveled from Mereseyside for one of the pups (I'm in Norfolk), but likewise we did have a lady I had to drop out because of her health. Difficult to gauge really but hopefully this time we will have similar luck.
Colour-wise we do have four different kinds in our breed, I breed the most popular/traditional colour and by far the most common, but one lady on my list did want a rarer colour. She was happy to compromise though for the litter being so recommended and the right timing for her and her family. I suppose it's all from varying factors!

Thanks again everyone, I'll let people know that the list does have others on it so that they can check for other litters too.

I also never tell people that they are number so and so as I decide when they come to see the pups whether they are suitable, if I think a pup would suit them and their family.  I may even say that the next litter may be better suited though in reality I don't have many litters. 

I would never stop either at taking names, so many things can happen in even a short time.

Experience has taught me not to tell people where they are on a waiting list... that way I can base my decision as to who gets a puppy on which families are likely to offer the very best of homes and not feel pressured because they know where they are on the list.