Hi everyone,

I've been using the ChampDogs website for my research before getting a puppy in a few months (first time owner!) and have found both the website and this forum really helpful. I'm very aware of the potential for unscrupulous breeders and people taking advantage of the current pandemic but having done lots (and lots!!) of research, I feel that I've found a reputable breeder and have been placed on their waiting list. Something I'm very happy about! :) 

I had a really nice and in-depth initial conversation with the breeder by telephone but my question is, to other breeders who are reading this, when might I expect to hear an update or more information?  Is it the done thing to wait until the puppies are born, or do you contact potential owners/those on the waiting list before then?

I don't want to come across as impatient, I'm just very excited and eager to know roughly when I might hear an update. I also don't want to call the breeder just yet as I'm sure, like everyone else, they'll have a lot on their plate at the moment.

Any advice and/or personal experiences would be really helpful and much appreciated. Thanks in advance! :)

I send an email out to those on my waiting list when I have definite plans for example, when I am close to the season when I am going to mate my both (month before). Then when a mating has taken place, when pregnancy is confirmed by ultrasound and then when pups are born. Each time I ask people to confirm by return email that they are still interested in being on the waiting list. If I do not hear back from anyone within a couple of weeks of the email they are removed from the list. I give details of the stud being used, health testing and also why I have chosen that stud.

I am happy for people to email/phone me if they have questions or want a quick update earlier but I make people aware of my plans for my next litter when they get added to the waiting list so there won’t be any new info until a lot closer to the time. It also takes me a couple of weeks to reply by email at the moment because of volume.

Hope that helps.

I contact those vetted potential owners when the bitch comes in season, to check if still interested.

Those who reply, stay on.

Then same again when bitch successfully mated, to give an aproximate due date, then when bitch scanned/confirmed pregnant.

At each stage I expect confirmation of continued interest.

When puppies are born, and look like surviving I can decide on allication if available pups.

I then contact people on my list and especially if oversubscribed (the usual case) then I offer a puppy and ask for a 10% deposit to reserve a puppy.

Those who have been unlucky I will pass onto other breeders who have litters due, had an unexpectedly large litter or a cancellation, or onto another breeders waiting list in plenty of time.

My breed is small in numbers so all our few breeders know each other and abide by our breed clubs code of ethics

Thanks so much Brainless and masajackrussell. That's really helpful! 

Are scans/ultrasounds still going ahead as expected during the pandemic? I read somewhere that scans could happen at around 4 weeks after mating but wasn't sure if that was breed dependent or a general rule of thumb.

Scans generally about 30 days after mating. Mobile scanners would be your best bet. Mine has a van and takes the dog in there to scan. She links up to video chat with me so I can see what’s going on.

When I had mine I sent everyone an update checking in email when my girl came into season to both let them know the processes was starting and to find out if they still wanted to be on the list. Then updated them if we had a maiting and when confirmed preg or not.

I let people know when my bitch has been scanned and I have a rough idea on numbers if she has taken.

Not all breeders do scans. I think, if you have confirmed that you are on a waiting list, there isn't really any need for a breeding to be expected to contact you until the litter is born to let you know if there is a pup for you. There's not really much to tell you, before then...

Scans are not accurate enough to be defining waiting lists by, that's for sure.

If the bitch hasn't taken then you can tell these people and they can move on elsewhere or wait. If you say have a list of 10 people and scan only shows 4 then you have some people to let down.

I know scanning is only a guide at the time of the scan.
Right now many people who haven't met the breeder yet due to covid aren't or shouldn't be on a confirmed list until they have met surely?

They are handy if a bitch misses, especially in numerically small breeds, as hopeful people can quickly move onto another breeders waiting list.

Thanks for your responses everyone. I realise that there might not seem like much news to give before the puppies are born, but depending on numbers on the waiting list, as someone else said, it's just perhaps nice to let someone know if it definitely won't be this time around. I realise, of course, there are always going to be variables...

This will be my first dog, something I've been waiting to be in the right situation for for almost 10 years, so it's hard not to get a little excited/impatient. Plus, there's not much else to look forward to at the moment

For me keeping people up to date and the conversations we have whilst doing this are also part of the getting to know my owners process. I can be chatting to them for a year or so sometimes before pups are on the ground which creates a really nice relationship and gives me more time to get to know them and make the right decision than if I just contact them when I have pups available.

Exactly.

Nothing worse than having to decide on a homing at short notice, from my point of view as a breeder.

It's more like getting to know the family one of your children is marrying into.

> It's more like getting to know the family one of your children is marrying into.

Yes very good analogy!

I'm very reluctant to give too much information out before pups are born.  I don't like to give anyone definites until numbers are known because I don't want prospective owners to invest too much too soon and then be disappointed.   Apart from confirming being in pup I won't give pregnancy updates at all.  It's very hard to contact every enquiry and even harder to vet and find more suitable homes than you can possibly satisfy and have to decide between them.  I prioritise word of mouth and currently close distance and I try to reply to all enquiries but currently that's just not possible.

Me again! Firstly, I just wanted to say the previous comments were very helpful and I really appreciate there are different views and different breeders will operate differently so there's no "one size fits all".

The whelping window for the litter concerned is imminent and, of course, I'm very excited and hope that everything goes smoothly for all concerned. I completely understand the breeder will be hugely busy at this time and for a good while afterwards, but I was wondering when I might expect the next contact to be? Again, I don't want to seem impatient, but I'm getting my hopes up more and more and am so scared of disappointment. I imagine it also takes a little while to be sure that puppies are healthy and thriving?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

I wouldn't wait for the breeder to contact you, I would email them and tell them that you know the whelping is approaching and you just want to wish them all the best and you hope they'll have a stress-free whelping during the day time (ha ha) or something.

That way you stay in touch without being pushy because you're not asking for anything, you are wishing them well. You are showing you are interested and are thinking about the litter and that you haven't got cold feet since your original enquiry.

That's what I do anyway.

I agree 1234, perfect thing to do.

I did exactly as suggested by 1234 and will be welcoming my new  puppy at the beginning of May!

Thanks 1234, that's really good advice! :)