WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE
YOU PURCHASE AN AUSSIE
Price usually equals quality. It is better to pay more for a dog you can get a guarantee on that to pay less for one you can't. The more expensive dogs will come from the better breeders. Those breeders will insure that the parent's hips and eyes are certified free of defects and that the puppy's eyes are certified free of defects, and you will get a written guarantee stating that the breeder will replace any puppy that shows a genetic defect with a puppy of equal value, or you will get your money back. The better breeder will also be more careful as to whom is bred to whom, taking into account the ancestors, known and suspected genetic defects, temperaments, working ability and intelligence of the parents before deciding on breeding them together. Below are some of the most important things you should ask your breeder before deciding on a puppy.
WHAT ARE THE PARENT'S TEMPERAMENTS LIKE?
If possible, the breeder should let you interview the parents of the puppy. Usually the mother is available; most times you will have to take the breeder's word on the father. Aussies are naturally cautious of strangers. Especially a mother with puppies around. The mother should be especially cautious but not shy. She should not run away in a crouched position, rather, she should merely avoid you while looking at you to see who you are. She should NEVER offer to bite, lunge at you or snarl, especially with her owner accompanying you and the puppies in another part of the yard. If this happens, leave. These puppies are not for you.
ARE THE PARENT'S HIPS AND EYES CLEARED?
This is one question uninformed buyers rarely ask. Hip dysplasia is fairly uncommon in Aussies, but it is out there. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) certifies canine hips and now elbows according to their standards as Excellent, Good and Fair (non-dysplastic); Mild, Moderate and Severe (dysplastic); and Borderline (suspicious). Elbows are graded Normal, Grade I, Grade II and Grade III abnormal. These ratings are taken from an X-ray performed usually under anesthesia and read by 3 board certified radiologists from OFA. Breeding stock is X-rayed at 2 years of age, although preliminary X-rays prior to 2 years of age may be done if the dog is to be bred before he or she is 2 years old (not a good idea anyway). Both parents should be certified Good or Excellent. Ask the breeder about grand and great grandparents. Were they also certified Good or Excellent? This is not a compete guarantee that your puppy will not become dysplastic, but it gives you the best possible odds, and shows that the breeder is knowledgeable and responsible. OFA certification on hips and elbows is only done once.
By the same token, the parent's eyes should be certified yearly through the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF). This assures you that neither parent has an inheritable eye defect that could lead to the loss of vision in your puppy. In addition, a responsible breeder will certify your puppy's eyes in the same manner at 7-8 weeks of age. Aussies can have cataracts, retinal dysplasia, microphthalmos, iris colobomas, persistent pupillary membranes and subluxation of the lens - all heritable and some that lead to blindness. You should ask to see copies of both the parent's CERF and OFA certificates, and the puppy's CERF also if it has been done.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BREED THESE TWO DOGS TOGETHER?
A good breeder will be able to answer that one quickly and confidently. Generally, one or both parents are conformation champions, there may be obedience titles and working titles involved but most of all, the breeder felt that the breeding would produce puppies better than the parents. If the breeder says he or she produced the litter to "try to make some money back" on one or both parents, don't walk away - RUN!! This is a backyard breeder who probably hasn't a clue and doesn't care. They had a "cute" (in their opinion) male or female or both, and decided they could mate them and make money. Good breeders ALWAYS spend more than they make on a litter! Good breeders always insure that their breeding stock is as close to the breed standard as possible by showing in Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) sanctioned shows, participating in obedience trials and instinct testing their dogs.
WHAT KIND OF GUARANTEE DO I GET WITH MY PUPPY?
An ethical, responsible breeder will cheerfully guarantee their puppies IN WRITING against genetic defects and temperament problems. An ethical, responsible breeder will also guarantee help and advice for the life of their puppies. An ethical breeder will take one of their puppies back should it be necessary, with or without monetary refund being involved, at any time during their puppies lifetime. Without these guarantees, you are taking a grave chance that the breeder didn't know what they were doing when they bred this litter, and as a result refuse to do anything beyond whelping the litter and selling the puppies as fast as possible to whomever has the money, never expecting to see that puppy again. They probably didn't do OFA or CERF on the parents, didn't do CERF on the puppies, and probably only tossed food at the puppies and maybe cleaned up after them - no socialization, no love, no cuddling, nothing beyond basic survival. Thus, absolutely no guarantees. Consider this-would you buy a brand new, expensive automobile without a written guarantee? An expensive automobile is a long term investment that the manufacturer should stand behind. Same thing with a high quality, expensive puppy. Never buy a puppy without a written guarantee.