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What To Consider When Purchasing A Westie From A Breeder
AWR always promotes full disclosure of any mental or physical health issues of every dog that comes into our care & we expect that all breeders do the same. Before considering purchasing a registered pup, we recommend that you do your research thoroughly & we are happy to be contacted to discuss anything Westie orientated. Here's a list of the main things to be aware of.
You MUST:
* Make sure they are a currently financial registered breeder with an Australian National Kennel Council eg. Dogs NSW, Dogs Vic etc. They will have paperwork to prove this, so ask to see it.
* Make sure to visit more than 1 breeder. This is a dogs lifetime investment, so you want to make sure you get it right. Same as buying a car or house, don't just go for the first 1 you see, even if you think this is the one.
* Go to the breeders house & not only see the pups, but also their parents & the rest of the dogs that live there. This gives you an idea of what temperament your pup will have & if the environment is up to standard.
* Ask if all the dogs that they breed with are health checked by a qualified veterinarian. Small dogs are 10 times more likely to suffer from luxating patellas aka dislocating knee caps. So make sure that both parents have been examined by a vet & given the all clear before they were bred with. A knee operation costs on average around $1200 & cruciate operations are approx $1500. Despite what some may lead you to believe, exercise doesn't help cure the problem, it can only be solved with an operation. This is just 1 health issue you must be aware of, so make sure your registered breeder is aware & knowledgeable of them all. That way you know they are more likely to identify a slight problem, before it becomes a huge one.
* Make sure to get registration papers & don't fall for the typical con that the papers will cost you more to have. All registered breeders (accept Dogs WA) MUST register their pups & so therefore registration papers automatically come with the pup. Papers cost less than $50 & so you are definitely NOT receiving a registered pedigree Westie if you don't have the pedigree papers. No matter what story you are being told.
You MUST NOT:
* Purchase a puppy over the phone or internet before seeing it & the rest of the family.
* Meet the breeder elsewhere to collect your pup, unless you have already visited their property beforehand.
* Accept any pup offered to you if it is not a happy healthy pup. If your registered pup is found to be not up to standard & the breeder is ignoring you, you have every right to complain to your state canine council eg. Dogs Victoria. They will investigate the situation & if the breeder is found guilt they will be reprimanded or even banned from breeding. Make sure that you have credible proof eg. written veterinary reports, photos etc.
All Westie Rescue Inc. is based in Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Email: mail@allwestierescue.com