I'm just curious about whether or not I should keep sending pictures and progress reports to my breeder. She's a very nice lady and the family loved the puppy. I thought she would enjoy getting pictures and progress reports but don't want to become a pest. I sent some photos and a card at Christmas and never heard anything. We spoke in January when I had a question and she said she enjoyed the photos. The reason for the call was because the puppy needed surgery and I had some questions about growth in his family (TPLO surgery on a puppy ). I sent another photo with him wearing his Bronze GC award in February to say that the surgery went well and he passed his first good cit test. Once again, no response. Do you think I should still send updates occasionally or should I take a hint and just leave it now. I'm just curious if the breeders here would respond to updates, not respond but enjoy getting them, or would rather the owners stay out of their lives.

I have found different breeders react in different ways. One I had a pup from never replied but when I stopped wrting she turned up on the door step! She was worried something was wrong. Another always replied and others have only sent cards on the pups birthday and / or Christmas, but each time they said they were pleased to know we really were pleased with our puppy. One never contacted us and it was all one way, until we got fed up and stopped writing.

Once the dog is older I do gradually cut down contact in which case the breeder will get a letter on the pup's birthday and at Christmas. Mostly I buy puppies off people I know so would speak to them regualrly anyway.

I have always tried to keep in contact with my dogs pups, although I find some owners think I'm a pest! lol

It's a tough one. As a buyer, I know I get disheartened if I don't get any replies, and yes then I do stop sending updates. As a breeder, I ALWAYS reply to letters, mails etc, and also do so fairly quickly -certainly within a week, as it is such a nice experience and I want to encourage the owners to keep doing it. On the other hand, one of my dogs is from a breeder that I very well know likes me to keep in touch, but she is rubbish at answering letters or mails. However she gets in touch herself once or twice a year and always makes it clear she has enjoyed the updates.

I love to get updates, but am the worlds worst keeper in touch as regards replying.

I haven't written to my friends in some cases for years, and am dreadfully remiss aobut Christmas ans Birthday cards.

Think about it this way you have just one breeder to keep in touch with (or maybe more :D), but the breeder very soon will have an awful lot of people to keep in touch with, so may tend to keep in the most regualr touch with the most recent litter to ensure they settle into their new homes over the first year or so.

I haven't bred more than 50 or so pups, but must admit I don't send them all cards, as with family and freinds on top it woudl jsut get too much.

It is one reason I love the computer and email so much.

It is so easy to update your website for tehm all to see, and share any special news.

It would be a hard breeder who didn't like recieving photos and cards and updates! Its just its hardto come back on all of them. I produce a newsletter once a year and send it round everyone I still have a current address for. I love pictures especially, helps develop the directions I go with future matings when I can see a cross section of my produce, even if its just head shots usually.

And thats not even starting to say how much i love the funny and lovely stories one gets through too... especially when the dam or sire and dam share this quirk! Its also knowing you are still happy with the dog and have no major problems which need discussing...

Keep writing occasionally from my point of view as a breeder, but yes it probably seems rude no replies, you would think the occasional thank you wouldn't go amiss to you.
Di

Thanks for the input everyone. I don't mind not getting replies for all the reasons you have all mentioned; mainly one breeder - many owners. I'mnot at all offended I just don't want to be an annoying pest. I'll keep doing the Christmas card and birthday updates.

My oldest boy's breeder often shows photos to me when I visit but rarely replies to my emails I'd keep in touch :D

Anne

Speaking personally, I love to hear about any of my puppies, but like has been said before, its difficult for a breeder to respond to them all and not easy to know how much input individuals want - everyone is different. I always send at least Christmas and birthday cards with the request to keep the info and pictures coming.

George's breeder is always happy to hear when I phone, but the only time she actually phoned me was when my other dog won a CC!! But I do get Christmas cards from them, and I send Christmas cards to all three of my dog's breeders. :-)

We had a reunion last night :)

Four out of the 7 pups which I bred last year came to visit.The others couldn't come as they live at the other end of the country.
They are now almost 7 months old and it was fantastic to see how they have come on.They are all doing reallly well and all got along fine.Callah was overjoyed to see them and had great fun chasing them around the garden.I think when they all went though I heard her breath a sigh of relief :DThe pups which didn't come are all doing well too as I get updates from them too.
I love the fact that my buyers stay in touch as it shows me that they appreciate what I have done for them.
I have no worries about any of them although 1 owner dresses her boy in hoodies and tracksuits and you can tell by his face he is less than impressed but he is adored by them so what more can I ask for. :)

I love it!  Infact I can never get enough and am always happy for photo's funny stories and home visits to see my pups fully grown.

I am very close to my girls breeder too, and we frequently send e-mails and photo's.  I always take the time to reply and keep in touch with everyone.

In your position at getting no replies I would feel like yourself though, it needs to be a two way thing and hearing nothing at all would give me the impression that she/he is not of much interest probably feels the pup is happy so does not wish contact. (Some people are just like that.) In which case I would now just send a Christmas card and if still no reply then cease contact. There's nothing worse than being ignored. (Whether meaning to or not.)

When I purchased my previous dog I sent the breeder updates and never got one reply, so gave up and said I would never be like that if I ever bred myself and I am happy to say am the complete opposite, I personally think a dog owner likes to know the breeder is always there in the background if needed and to show off what a good job you are doing.

Yours no longer appears to be there. :-(

It doesn't matter that much if I get a reply. I think my dog is perfect. I'll send a Christmas card next year. Being an American I'm a little sensitive about appearing over-friendly so I thought I'd take a poll here. If I was a breeder I would definitely want photos, updates, visits - everything! Who knows, maybe she'll get the litter together for a birthday party. That would be great fun. If not, four of the six live within a couple miles of me and he gets to play with his brother in the local park. They just love each other.

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I feel better about sending stuff now.

I'm in the same position as you Lori.  We've only had our girl 4 months and I sent a letter (with pic) to her bringer-upperer about 6 weeks after we got her but got no response.  Have just sent of an Easter card with another piccy in.  It doesn't annoy me or anything just leaves me thinking am I sending it to the right address?  I got the addy off the registration cert we got which we sent off to change ownership (the cover letter was attached with bringer-upperers name and addy on you see).  Theoretically they could have moved since registration.  I also sent an Easter card to our pups actual breeder whom we got our other 2 dogs from.  We know she likes to hear about all her dogs but not sure how good she is at responding.  I don't feel like a pest at all cos both breeder and bringer-upperer stressed to us how much they wanted us to keep in touch.  Just wish we got some sort of response to acknowledge that the stuffs been recieved or whatever you know.  But hey ho... :)

I still send our dogs breeder updates etc on any news we have and he's now 20 months old.  Saying that i'm hopeless at replying to people so if i was the breeder i'd be meaning to reply but would always be putting it off.
If i was a breeder i would love to hear updates as well.

At about 4 months old we sent a letter and some pic's to 'Dear Mum', this was because I didn't really expect breeder to reply. I thought that she would like an update, but that addressed to her bitch she would be under no pressure to respond. A s I think she has probably got a lot of customers out there. And one of the dogs she breeds (two types) produces litters of large quantities.

My breed club run "fun days" which are always good for breeders to see many of their "puppies"

Hi Fillis

We have fun days as well and it is great to see the puppies progressing as well as meeting mums and dads again (canine).  All but one of my puppy people send me weekly updates and chat on the phone.  I love it all especially the pictures.  The one that does not write so often does keep in touch but perhaps doesn't want to bother me.  I never thought of it like that so perhaps I will send a picture of the litter mates to her to jog her memory.