How to contact a breeder? I read on another forum that sending a breeder an email along the lines of "I want a puppy. What do you have? Colors/Sizes?" (that's a short version of course) is considered very rude and good breeders don't want to sell to someone who only asks about things like size. I'm not sure what else to ask about, other than if they are tested for genetic diseases. Their websites usually give all the information I need about whether they show, etc. So, breeders, what do you look for when a potential owner contacts you? Do you dislike email and prefer they call you instead? |
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You might want to give an abbreviated version of who you are, why you are interested in "their" breed, and what you are looking for in a puppy. It might look something like this: Hello; My name is _________. I visited your website today, and was pleased to see you are a member of the YTCA, that has been breeding for "x" number of years. I fell in love with the Yorkie breed, when I was a child as I grew up with 2 or more Yorkies. Now that I am settled, and in a place where I can spend the time, energy and money to devote to this special breed, I am looking for a puppy that is healthy, rambuctious, inquisitive, one that truly exhibits all the qualities of the Standard Yorkshire Terrier. I would love to talk with you more about your breeding program, and hope that we can establish a mutually convenient time to speak in person. Please feel free to contact at ..................... |
I would leave out the YTCA part if you don't know if the person is a member of that particular club. There are breeders who do show that do not belong to the YTCA. You also might try another club called Yorkshire Terrier Club of Ethical Hobby Breeders to see if anyone is in your area that can help you find a pup. Good luck in your search !! |
When contacting breeders I usually talk about myself and my knowledge of the breed- past experience with them, comments on certain health or behavioral problems I have encountered and I how I dealt with them. Then I will commend them on anything I liked about them that I found out from their site and ask other questions I have that I may not have found, what tests they do, how much they breed, etc. I think it is okay to say what you are looking for- for example when I was looking for a second I said I was interested in a male (ha! I ended up with a female anyway). Obviously a breeder wants to know what you are looking for- but they also want to know you are interested in more than price, size, and color. |
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I love getting emails like this! It shows respect and knowledge of the breed. It gives a starting point for the adoption process. Even those that haven't had a Yorkie before, should have researched the breed before buying. I will not answer the one line emails "How much are your puppies?" Or "How much are your females? Or my favorite.. Those that don't know enough about the breed, or colors. "I want a gray and brown teacup, How much?" Myself, I prefer emails at 1st, then phone calls. |
But the breeder, then the Pup! Do not take on under 12 weeks old. Research, and then research more. Be a bit leery if you receive PM's from people saying they have one for you now, cheap. Make sure you read the contract. Understand it. YTCA.org is a great start for breeders in your area. Yes, there may be a few not the best, but lots of info there. Best of luck. |
Thanks for the advice, very helpful. I plan to get my next puppy in a year or two, so I'm starting the research now. One more question, how far ahead of time should I contact the breeder? I know some of the best ones have waiting lists. Is contacting a year ahead of when I plan to get a puppy too long? |
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ditto Deb Quote:
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All people ever needed to say to me was...I/We want a Yorkie to add to our family..can you help me/us? Then I would respond and get to know the person through calls and a visit. I never respond to.."How much are your puppies"...and nothing more. |
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I think sometimes one has to look at the short emails as a time to educate the buying public. But I suppose so much time could be used up if one received a lot of emails like that. I have found that some people want to learn more and some just want that pup. Gets frustrating at times. I have some very strange questions asked of me. @Deb: Just wanted to say I looked at your website and your Yorkies are beautiful! |
i get a heck of a lot of 'hi, how much you looking?' emails, and i always make a point of putting in as much info as possible, but it is mostly ignored i imagine. i never expect a reponse to those emails (i know my puppies aren't 'cheap', as you can get a 6 week 'tcup' unreg pup delivered to your door for £280- how on earth?) and thats what people expect to pay for a well bred well cared for puppy as well. i now know one of the best show breeders in ni, and they have told me that in the past they have had issues getting good homes for their babies- and champion sired dogs are soo hard to find here! but, people want a bargin; if the price is all they care about, i don't mind not getting a reply! i have had a few people whos first email had just inquired about price, who after reading my infomail has ended up with one of my pups after realising they had not been looking for the right thing- but that is a rare event and i am very picky of course. one thing i Hate is when their 2nd email is 'How much? my last one was only £*** last year, and he is dlc registered !' dlc is the dog lovers club registry that would register Anything just by photo 'verification'. so i agree that you should tell the breeder a little about yourself- after reading their webpage or reading their ad (i know that mine at least are always soo detailed) you know a fair bit about them, so why not let them know a bit about who they are talking to? i'm not great at phone calls, so i like doing a lot of the communication through email if possible, but those conversations (the ones who are possible puppymommas/puppypappas) are pretty much as extensively detailed as calls... |
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One thing you could do is watch for shows in your area. Go to www.akc.org and look under events. Also, if you do find a breeder you're interested in and make contact with, you can also ask if they will be at a particular show, that you are going to attend, and that you would love to meet him/her. It's a good way to start meeting breeders in your area and to see some of their dogs first hand and at their best. Also, a very good way to meet breeders closer to you. This is also one of the easiest ways to keep a great relationship with your breeder. A way to stay in touch and see their current dogs or their up and coming dogs. I have met so many breeders I like and have obtained more great information about breeders of IGs, my other breed, by going to dog shows. Many of the shows are shows that are concurrent with agility trials, but you can just as easily go to conformation only shows. It really is a great way to meet a breeder. Just don't be too pushy at a show and its best to wait to approach them after they have shown, usually. |
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