I have personally reviewed over 400 Sheltie breeder sites and many dozen dog and Sheltie information sites and lists. Although I have certainly missed some sites, I feel like I probably have as broad a view of the current state of Sheltie related information on the world wide web as anyone. As a long time Sheltie owner, breeder, and competitor in AKC events, I also have learned enough over the years to see things on sites and in advertisements that less experienced buyers and newcomers might miss. The purpose of this page is to help less experienced Sheltie enthusiasts 'read between the lines'. Here is a list of items that you should find helpful. We intend to regularly add new items to the list so check back regularly for the newest twists. This is sort of like computer viruses, as soon as the web community gets educated on today's issues; the con artists will have already adjusted with their newest scams and moves.
- Things to look for on a web site
- Advertising techniques
- Show puppy sales
- The expenses of Showing Shelties
- The expenses of breeding Shelties
Things to look for on a web site - As great as the web is for disseminating information, the down side is that anyone who learns the right things to say can look and sound professional. When we talk on our site about developing a 'feel of what we are about', that is probably the best guide I can give you to start to differentiate the real careful and caring breeders from the opportunists. Honesty and caring usually come through regardless of whether the right words are used. In order to help you 'read between the lines', here are some tangible things to look for on a breeder web site.
- Does the breeder have affiliations with the clubs and organizations that are key to that breed? For example, in Shelties, membership in the local Sheltie specialty club and ASSA (American Shetland Sheepdog Association) are pretty good indicators that a breeder has a viable program. These clubs set ethical and application standards which breeders must meet in order to qualify for membership.
- Does the breeder show regularly in AKC sanctioned conformation, obedience, or performance events? Be careful here there are a lot of pitfalls. If a site regularly posts show wins and results and some of the dogs the breeder owns have AKC titles, then it is a pretty sure bet they are active in these events. If a breeder has no AKC titles on their dogs then they are either a new breeder program or they are more than likely opportunists. If a breeder lists other titles such as UKC, CAN., INT. CH., etc. there is nothing wrong with this in itself, but in conjunction with a lack of AKC titles could indicate that the breeders program is not competitive enough to do well at the most competitive AKC level. Another question that should be asked of any breeder is whether they were responsible for getting the dogs title? Some marginal breeders actually acquire retired Champion stock through purchase, but never actually finish any AKC titles themselves.
- How many litters does a breeder do in a year? The world as a whole and Shelties as a breed can no longer afford to overpopulate the market with sloppy breeding for the sake of profit. Most ethical breeders today limit their activities to select; occasional, well planned litters. A site that regularly posts multiple new litters and appears to promote the sale of puppies over all else, should be suspect. If these litters consist of a breeding where both parents are always from that breeder's in house dogs, then this is almost a sure sign of trouble.
- We have recently seen offers of rebates on puppies in return for the buyer obtaining performance titles. On the surface this would seem like a smart breeder practice. In fact, it is a slick ploy to make inferior programs attractive to puppy buyers, thus gaining a competitive edge. If you take notice you will see that these breeders have very few if any titles on their own dogs. At least not the tough AKC titles that indicate a quality program. By dangling a rebate in front of a potential buyer, the seed is planted that this puppy can be purchased for less money if a title is earned. Very few pet owners actually earn titles so on the one side it is a way to keep puppy sale prices at least equal to the quality breeder prices, but make them seem lower. On the other side, if a few pet owners do manage to get an obedience or performance title on their dogs, this is worth the rebate because the breeder then uses this as evidence that their dogs compete for and win titles. Believe me, it is much cheaper to give a small rebate than to invest in titling one of their own dogs and it is a slick way to give a quality appearance to an inferior-breeding program.
Advertising Techniques - it is very discouraging to see how puppy ads are being written. Consider the following sample ad:
Litter due soon. Sire is My Main Stud Dog 'Shooter' CH TOP SHELTIE KENNEL NAME son, out of CH ANOTHER TOP KENNEL NAME daughter. Dam is One of My Many Brood Bitches 'Poor Thing' CH THIRD TOP KENNEL NAME daughter, out of CH FOURTH TOP KENNEL NAME daughter. Our list for pet quality puppies for this litter has been closed, but inquiries for show/breeding quality prospects are welcomed. Pictures and pedigrees of the parents are available on our web site. Our puppies are guaranteed…bla, bla, bla!
So, let's analyze this ad:
- Neither parent has an AKC title. Also, both are from the breeder's own kennel (saves stud fees). A check of the kennels this ad was constructed from also revealed none of the breeder's dogs had any AKC titles.
- The names of well known kennels are used and capitalized to ad credibility to the ad, but the fact that these big name dogs are parents, or grandparents is minimized by writing 'son' or 'daughter' in small letters like it is part of the general text.
- Note that these breeders have duped several quality breeders along the line to purchase the offspring of AKC titled dogs to use in their breeding mill. On the surface it would seem that pet puppies out of these litters might be of reasonable quality, but the number of litters being produced from the same gene pool, lack of cross faulting to select the best outside stud dog (to save fees), and most likely lack of full genetic screenings (if they are not willing to pay stud fees, why should we assume they are willing to spend money on this), makes this a risky breeder to buy a puppy from.
- Sure their list for pet quality puppies is closed. Do you have an interest in a superior show or breeding quality puppy? That will be a couple hundred dollars more if they can sell you into it, and they would be glad to tell someone that is only paying the pet price that they have to wait a week, or two more until their next litter is ready to go home. Never mind that they have never finished an AKC titled dog. Never mind that a quality breeder would never sell a breeding quality animal to a novice without a lot of mentoring and questions. The Sheltie competition for AKC titles is unbelievably tough. It is foolish to believe that a breeder, who has never earned a title them selves, is capable of breeding animals of this quality. It is pure and simple a ploy to increase the sale price.
- Of coarse they have a web site and I assure you they know what to say to sound legitimate. They will be involved in Rescue (even though they are not members of any clubs). They will have a 'memories' page of some sort to soften you up. Of course they offer guarantees, would you buy from someone who didn't?
- As much as we love our Canadian neighbors, the truth is a Canadian Championship is much easier to obtain than an AKC Championship. Since dogs travel both directions across borders for shows, it is important to realize that while most US breeder stipulate a Canadian Championship, in Canada a Canadian Champion is simply a CH. When viewing Canadian breeder sites be aware that the number of Champions that these breeders often have is skewed by the fact these are Canadian Champions and not AKC Champions. Be aware of this when looking at ads from Canada.
Show Puppy Sales - I am just floored at the number of ads I see advertising show quality puppies for sale. The large majority of these breeders have never finished an AKC Champion. So, why would you believe that any puppy they could sell you would be capable of competing at that level? That is the first question to ask the breeder and yourself. These puppies are simply very nice quality pets.
Truth #1 - Breeders that are breeding show quality animals will keep the best for themselves. Your goal as a newcomer should be to obtain the highest quality second pick in a litter and selectively improve the line through carefully planned future breeding.
Truth #2 - Shelties are one of the most competitive and expensive breeds in which to show and finish a champion. It is not unusual to spend $4,000 to $6,000 to finish a Sheltie. You must be financially capable of doing this and committed to it going in, or you will fail.
Truth #3 - A quality breeder with a true show quality puppy to sell will not place it with a novice they do not know well. Investment in a relationship with such a breeder is necessary to obtain a truly competitive puppy. The breeder must be convinced that the new owner has a grasp of the requirements and expense involved in showing a Sheltie to a Championship and is committed to it.
Truth #4 - Shelties are just to competitive to let the really good ones go to novice homes that aren't fully committed to what it takes to get the job done. Quality breeders have learned that a very small percentage of 'show puppies' that are sold ever get finished, even if they are of the quality to do so. It is just too hard to breed a top prospect to let it go to waste. Newcomers not willing be patient and invest in a relationship with a quality breeder are doomed to failure before they start. They will consistently acquire inferior foundation stock. Quality breeders when convinced of the sincerity and dedication of a newcomer are normally willing to provide a quality start. Don't rush this part it takes time.
Truth #5 - In order to succeed, a novice must have a knowledgeable mentor. The politics and sheer amount of learning required to compete in Shelties is staggering. Consider this list: learning judges, ring procedure, genetics, whelping and litter care, health screening, handler ethics, personal ethics, grooming techniques, training, etc. If you want to buy a show puppy make sure the breeder is willing to provide this help. If they are not, be suspect of the deal.
Caution - Beware of contractual strings. In our opinion, most of the time things like puppies or litters back are just another way of increasing the monetary take on a sale. Certainly, a high quality show prospect is worth the asking price, but an outright purchase at the right price is the best deal. Unless you have developed a solid relationship with the breeder and trust them, beware of to many strings.
The Expense of Showing Shelties - Yes, Shelties are an expensive hobby. Because there are many talented Sheltie breeders and handlers, and because there are many very beautiful Shelties, it is not easy to finish a Sheltie Champion. In most areas of the country it takes 18 to 23 dogs of each gender to make a major. Allowing for no shows, move ups, and specials, this means the minimum typical entry for a show to produce majors is about 50 dogs. With the nature of entries lately, many of the dogs at major shows are otherwise 'pointed out' dogs, meaning they are all highly competitive specimens who need that win to advance toward, or to their title. Unless they are unusually talented, most Sheltie breeder handlers are simply not good enough to obtain major wins at this level of competition. So, the reality is a handler is normally the required route to finish a Sheltie Champion. Handlers charge a per show handling fee that varies from $35.00 to $60.00, per diem board of $4.00 to $7.00 per day, mileage to and from shows at the rate of 4 to 6 cents per mile and numerous other miscellaneous expenses. Add to these show entry fees which now average $20.00 per entry, and the grand total for a quality handler now runs in excess of $100.00 per show. Unless you happen to have that spectacular dog that rushes to it's Championship, you can expect a quality show Sheltie to take at least 40 shows to complete it's title. Believe it, or not, it is often cheaper to have a handler show your dog than to do it yourself. You still have the $20.00 per show entry fee, but now you pay gas expense, wear and tear on the car, motel expenses, meals, etc. The handler divides these expenses among multiple dogs and will win more than you will. So, do the math and you will begin to see, there is no inexpensive way to do this.
The expense of breeding Shelties - Although Sheltie on the whole are a relatively healthy breed, more and more things are popping up that require the attention of the ethical quality breeder. As it is usually not wise to in-breed on your own stud dogs, the first expense that is incurred will be a stud fee in the range of $400.00. Most owners of quality stud dogs today require pre-breeding tests such as Bruscelosis, hip x-rays and certification, eye certification, vWD, and thyroid panel. Family history for DM, a devastating disease, should also be investigated. These up front expenditures typically run in the neighborhood of $700 to $800 and this is before you know if puppies will even result from the efforts. In addition, if the bitch must be flown to the stud dog's location, round trip airfare and additional breeder fees may apply for pick up and return delivery to the airport when the breeding is complete.
If no puppies are conceived, which happens more than we would hope, then this has already been an expensive proposition. If puppies do result, how many determines what you will be able to recoup against your expenses. Assuming like most breeders, you intend to keep the pick puppy, you will not receive any money for that puppy. An average Sheltie litter is about 4, so that leaves 3 puppies to sell at the going rate of $400 to $450 current pet price. So, on average, you can expect to collect $1200 to $1300 against your expenses. But you still have food, vet care (which includes post whelping check ups, dew claw removal, shots, etc.), and any complications that might arise. Cesareans, Pyrometria, Eclampsia, post welping infections, and the like can run up a big vet bill very quickly. So, it is easy to see how this can quickly become a losing proposition. One, or two puppies, definitely a bummer. Six, or seven puppies, good if everything goes well, but a major drag if something goes wrong.
Consider the work required. The first two weeks are usually sleep deprived even when things go right, but what if the puppies won't nurse, or mamma's milk is bad, or not enough? The work of supplemental hand feedings on 2-hour intervals around the clock gets old real fast. It is heart breaking and expensive when puppies fade and die. Are you prepared for this? The AKC says there is a 33% mortality rate for newborn puppies. This is not scare tactics it is reality. What about the constant clean up required with a healthy litter? How about time invested in properly socializing a whole litter of puppies? Are you prepared for the emotional trauma when the puppies leave for their new homes? When all is said and done, if things go right and you make a little money, divide it by the number of hours you have invested and I assure you there are many other things (almost anything else) that you could do, if money is your objective.
We haven't even talked about the expense of purchasing a quality foundation bitch to start with, or the investments in time and relationship building it takes to accomplish this.
What is the reason to breed? Certainly it is not for money. Sure there are those out there making money by short circuiting the ethics, but this is not what got Shelties to the wonderful breed they are today, and this is a sure fire way to destroy the breed. If you want to raise quality show dogs and sell problem free pets, you need to love the breed. Ethical breeders always breed with care and for the betterment of the breed. Simply put, this is a costly proposition. You have to love the breed to make the investment. The money goes in, it does not come out.
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· Friends & Pets · Sheltie Tetherball · The Grapevine · Seasonal ·
· Rescue · Sheltie Links · Awards · Contact Us · Site Map ·
© 1999 - 2001 by John E. Rueckert - All Rights Reserved