Hi All,

How close to mating your bitch would you start a waiting list for puppies?

How long would you keep a waiting list open for potential puppy owners? i.e.would you close it after so many for each sex, or carry on taking names, knowing that some people do opt out of having a puppy for whatever reason?

Thanks for any info,

Chocymolly.

I think a lot depends in the breed and availability. I've had people up to 2 years in advance. At the moment I have 7 (hoping to mate bitch in April) and I am now telling people that I do have some waiting already so of course cannot say anything for definite until the pups are born (after all, she may only have all one sex, or no pups at all, or whatever -or she may have 5 of each!) -but if they want I can let them know once the pups are born, and in the meantime here are another couple of people the could try contacting. But in my breed litters are so few and far between most buyers realise they may well HAVE to wait a year. The breeders also tend to work together, so that if I put potential buyers on to somebody else now, when I have pups those others that will then probably not have any will put anybody that contacts them onto me -unless it is a case of people wanting a pup from a particular bitch (which is the case with all those I have waiting at the moment.)

I don't like taking bookings for more than 3 of either sex, as after that the chances of not having a puppy for the people increases.

I don't really start a waiting list. Once I know I'm going to definitely breed (usually about a year in advance), I tell inquirers that I'm expecting pups around such and such a time. Right up to the pups are placed however, I tell inquirers of other litters I know of and about the Breed Club puppy list. Even when I do have puppies or am due to have them shortly I advise people to look at several litters if at all possible. Some people obviously go elsewhere, especially when the expected litter is a long time off but by the time the pups are born enough always seem to want one of ours for whatever reason.

I don't close the 'list'. My breed can have very big litters and I have had two litters that were very unbalanced sex-wise. (One only two bitches, one only one male :) ). I just tell folks that there are X number of suitable people who have asked for pups before them and that I can't guarantee how many pups will arrive or what sex they will be. With the two litters that were unbalanced for sex, I told prospective owners that they could think about having the other sex, but if they decided against I'd do my best to find them a pup of the sex they wanted elsewhere (I don't breed often enough to suggest they wait until the next litter). In practice almost everyone chose to take a pup of the sex I had, and all of them were very happy with the pup they got.

My waiting list for this litter started 14months ago....I have a waiting list for Tia since she took reserve at SKC in Junior...

But prospective owners have to know that the possibilities of not getting a) sex and b) colour they wish could happen....

This happened with my last litter, I had 7 people on the waiting list, but when the litter was born, I found I had only one puppy who fit the bill for an owner...I kept Ellie, the only black bitch in the litter, and this is what most were waiting for. the rest were looking for yellow.  And from a Yellow bitch I got NO yellow pups in the litter....In our breed though, we are able to pass on a recomendation to another breeder who may have pups at a similar time

Hi All again,

I have started a waiting list although the puppies won't be due until April '06, I just seem to be getting so many people that are wanting a bitch i'm not sure if I should start declining people now or accept them and hope they may change to wanting a dog if no bitches are available, I also don't want to disappoint people who have waited a long time and I have suggested to the last 2 poeple that they approach other breeders and ask to be put on their lists as well.

My waiting list was prepared well before I mated my bitch, I wouldn't have a litter without having one.  But there again my breed is quite rare.  In previous years I've had new owners to be waiting for a number of years now it's done to around a year or less depending upon whether the people are suitable for the pups born.

I don't know about breeding, but I do know that when I enquired about getting my boy, we waited about 10 months for him. so I was on a waiting list for a long time before we got the pup. The pedigree and all I could find out about the two dogs was so good that I was willing to wait that long and it was certainly worth the wait!! So I'm sure if people are serious about buying a dog that they won't mind having to wait a year to get one. So I would say start a list now, if you have enquiries.
We were lucky enough that the dog we have has big litters, so we got exactly what we were looking for. (not sure if that was the same for all the other people on the list as I know I was one of the first)
but if i had to I would have waited another year for him too if there wasn't what I wanted within that litter :-)

Hi perrodeagua!

I hope that you do count us in among the people in your waiting list!!!  :) I also hope that the pups are doing well. When you have a moment, please send us a new photo with the pups at three weeks old. It'd be nice to now how fast they change as weeks go by.

Best regards,

Alex

Yes you sure are!!!  The boys are photographing very well but the girls aren't maybe because they are black and brown :d 

Will try and get some more tomorrow.  They are now up on their feet and getting quite cheeky.  They are a lot of fun!  It's amazing how much they can do at only 17 days of age.