if i was to buy a new pup, what is a good hip score?
how much should i be looking to pay? realistic.i know shows and breeders are the place to go,

Hi Cloe,
Hip scores depend on the breed of dog.  For example, anything under 19 is OK for a GSD, whereas anything under 12 for a Belgian.  As for prices to pay, that also depends on the breed.  Most important is to pick and research your breed, then find a good breeder.  Expect to be interrogated by the best breeders.  Beware of the breeder who asks you no questions!!!

and dont be afraid to ask them as many questions back too . Its a two way process :)

rottweilers. si what i am cosidering, another one, i would like to get into breeding but i want to do it properly

Average hip-score for Rotts is 13, so ideally both parents' scores would be less than that. Both parents should be eye-tested too. Price? They average about £300 - £500 depending on quality. More for a really super-duper one.

300-500, thats not bad we paid 350 for ours, she is not reg hip scored or anything, so a reputable breeder won't really want much in excess of that? they seem so much more expensive in the papers! is that false economy/

I think you are looking at the upper end of that scale for a Rotti. & maybe quite a bit more for a promising pup from show quality stock.

was going to say have been looking on a couple of sites...prices seem to be £500-£750
Archer

If you are keen to learn and buy a bitch worthy of showing and in the fullness of time breeding from, why not attend some shows, join a breed club, get to know a few breeders and spend a bit of time learning what a really good Rot looks like, then you can speak to the people who breed the sort of good quality dog that you like. At that stage and because you are new to showing and may wish in time to breed it is best if you buy a bitch from a breeder you like and trust because in the coming years they will be your friend and support.

how and where do i find out about breeders in my area,lancs and shows etc?

You could join one of the Breed Clubs listed at the bottom of the Breed Standard

You will meet breeders at shows and the best way to find out more about shows and dogs would be to start taking one of the dog papers. There will be some shows in your area but you may need to travel a bit too.

don't forget that just because you buy a puppy from good parents does not mean you will automatically be able to breed from it - most rotties are endorsed now so that you cannot breed off them until they are hip scored and temperament checked. If you want a decent pup then i suggest you get around the shows and meet some breeders, most top breeders will not sell their promising puppies to complete novices so if you get around some of the shows and get some knowledge of the breed and showing then you atand a better chance of knowing what to look for yourself and also getting friendly with some of the breeders. Don't make the mistake i did by buying from a top breeder and then realising that she really wanted to keep the puppy i had chosen but of course she had to honour the agreement i had with her and since then has offered no help or advice in showing the pup and even totoally snubbed me at crufts you'd think she'd be proud one of her pups did so well. My advice is to make friends with the breeders and then you are in a good position to pick a good breeder and a good puppy. Remember the competition in rotties is very stiff so don't be disapointed.

i have just been in touch with a k.c.reg breeder, what things should i be asking them?

what things do you think are important yourself ?
advice on Health checks/temperament/diet/health problems in the breed/advice on showing/showing successes/pedigree info/age of the bitch/how many times has the bitch been bred and therefore how many litters/ are they KC registered/would the breeder be willing to take back a pup if there were future problems etc etc......

and a million others but they can start you off :)

i have asked a couple of those things, they are registered i got the breeders number from the k.c., i didn't realize that breeders would consider taking back a problem pup!

a decent breeder will usually help rehome if something happened and you could no longer keep the dog you had bought. :)

(you could aslo ask whether they dock too .)

chloe, please try to be patient.  It's a mine field buying a puppy!!  I don't know who the breeder is that you have spoken to, but be aware that just because a breeder is on the Kennel Club list DOESN'T mean that they come recommended - it just means that they have paid their money!!

they seem nice people, they have told me regardless of where i buy my pup they will give me advice when i need it, on show and breeding.