Is This the Puppy for Me?
Making the decision to buy a mastiff puppy is an important one and it is crucial to examine your lifestyle and study the mastiff breed thoroughly beforehand. You must be totally sure that the mastiff is right for you and your family. Once you are certain that the mastiff is for you, the next step still remains – looking for a mastiff for sale and taking it home.
These days, you can find a mastiff sale just about anywhere – from the large number of online ads to pet shops. Concerned parties, however, warn against the hasty purchase of a mastiff pup, especially if you are not sure of the background of the place or person you are getting the puppy from. There are various places where you can find a mastiff for sale but not all of them are going to give you the dog you’re looking for. Some of these suppliers are downright unethical. Finding a mastiff sale is one thing, finding the mastiff that you can be happy with can be a totally different thing and you should be aware of the pitfalls.
Before you jump at the first puppy that is offered to you, know first that not all puppy sellers out there know how to properly raise mastiffs. If you do get a mastiff pup from an untrustworthy source, beware. Chances are the puppies that come from this source are poorly bred. This means that it will be very likely that the puppy you are going to raise will end up with various health problems and might have a poor temperament.
If things are this bad, is there any way you can find out if the source is trustworthy? Well, it is actually up to you to find out if the source of the puppy you’re getting is a good one. Don’t worry though; there are signs which you can spot with enough patience and asking of questions. I want you to find a mastiff that’s perfect for you; so here is some advice on places to avoid and places to check out when in the market for a mastiff.
What to Expect from Breeders
Just about anyone can call themselves a breeder. This is why you are on the lookout for a responsible breeder in the first place. Still, there are things that irresponsible breeders don’t bother doing that are necessary for reputable mastiff breeders.
There are basically two types of breeders; the reputable one and the backyard one. The reputable breeder is someone that has a passion for their mastiff breed, tracks pedigree, and should be easy to deal with. For the reputable breeder, mastiff breeding is a passion and a serious business; they will deliver you with a quality mastiff with a health guarantee and sustain a relationship with you.
The backyard breeder, on the other hand, can be a little snaky. Their motive is usually tied to making a quick profit, even with little or no experience. You want to avoid the backyard breeder because you can really end up with a low-quality mastiff puppy. If a puppy is obviously the product of irresponsible breeding methods, its chances of getting sick with something debilitating is higher. It also might have a bad temperament and in which case, there is hardly anything you can do to train it. Ultimately, you really shouldn’t support the methods of these people by supporting their businesses.
The fact is, buying from a reputable breeder is the best way to get a mastiff puppy otherwise you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment. It is in accomplishing the steps leading to the purchase of the puppy, that you’ll be able to determine if the person you’re dealing with is a reputable breeder.
Finding the Right Breeder
To find the right breeder, you have to talk to as many breeders as you can find. You don’t have to talk to all of them and exhaust yourself, though! Perhaps, try to set a number, and contact your top picks from the rest. This way, you’ll get to know a good number of people who can help you as you take care of your mastiff. Here are a few details that you may want to take note of when talking to the breeder. It might help you determine if the breeder is actually the second type of seller – the one that cares only about the sale. Take time to ask as many questions as you can. Good breeders will know where you’re coming from and will have an answer for all of your questions related to dog care. They’ve been in your situation countless times before, after all.
Price
When considering the price that you’re paying for the puppy, you should be able to gain some information. Low priced puppies are more likely to be poorly bred. Now, this does not mean that you should be looking for the most expensive pups out there. This just means that considering all the things necessary to raise dogs, the price of the puppy should just be about enough to cover that.
Health
If you ask about information on the health tests of the puppy’s parents, a good breeder should be able to tell you the results. Some breeders may tell you that it’s unnecessary to do health testing, but responsible breeders know that it is necessary to reduce the chances of producing a puppy that will inherit its parents’ health problems. Try to find out if the puppy has had any of its puppy shots and other routine vet care procedures. Also, consider what food the breeder feeds the adult dogs and the puppies.
Age
What age is the puppy that is being offered to you? If the puppy is less than eight weeks old, then you should say goodbye to that person instead and look for the next one on your list. A reputable mastiff breeder knows that this is much too early for the pup to be handed over.
Asking Questions
Finally, a good breeder will be asking questions about you before they give the puppy to you since they’re really out to check if you’re going to be a good owner to the puppy they’re giving up. Just be honest with your answers and pretty soon you’ll be taking home your mastiff puppy! The sale of the puppy is not the only goal of a reputable breeder, so you can expect to be asked about your lifestyle, your home, and your family. This is because good breeders try to determine if you are the right master for the mastiff puppy. You might be even asked to sign a contract in case you cannot take care of the puppy anymore; it will still be your responsibility to inform the breeder. Because he cares deeply for the puppy, he will then take back the puppy from you and try to find another owner himself.
If your source has met all of this, then you can be more or less sure that you will be getting a good mastiff puppy. With confidence, you can now go ahead and complete that mastiff sale.
Rescue Operations and Shelters
You love the mastiff breed and you’re considering the option of adoption.
Good for you! This option is a very honorable one. Every year hundreds if not thousands of mastiffs are abandoned, abused, and left without a home. These poor creatures end up in shelters or in foster care where they are rehabilitated and then put up for adoption.
If you’re looking for a brand new mastiff puppy – then a shelter or mastiff rescue may not be the answer. But if you’re looking for a new mastiff companion, that can be a few years old, and would love a second chance at life I recommend looking further into local Mastiff Rescue and Shelters in your area.
Adoption has its rewards but also its risks. There are some procedures for adoption that you may not be aware of, unfortunately, it’s not as easy and just going to the shelter and picking one up; fortunately. Let’s go over the pros and cons, what you should be aware of and what to expect when it comes to mastiff adoption.
The Risks of Mastiff Adoptions
Where did the animal come from? How was it raised? How is its health?
When it comes to the past history of an abandoned mastiff, you really only got your assumptions and educated guesses. Shelter and mastiff specialized rescue centers bring in hundreds of mastiffs each year under a variation circumstances.
These abandoned mastiffs can be found undernourished, neglected, untrained, under socialized and in poor health. Basic shelters can only do so much; rescue operations will take in a mastiff and put it under foster care, give them vaccinations, some basic training and re-nourish them.
So adoption from a general shelter could be less beneficial then adoption from a foster or rescue operation that specialized in mastiff care. That being said adoption from a rescue operation may initially cost more out of pocket since all rescue efforts have been done.
So the background historical information on an adopted mastiff will most likely be foggy. You will not likely receive the genetic health background of the dog or its documented pedigree; unless you have obtained the mastiff from a previous owner, who originally bought through a breeder.
The Benefits of Mastiff Adoption
For lovers of the Mastiff breed, the initial cost is lower when adopting – sometimes even free. If you adopt from an individual owner – that just can no longer keep a home for the pet – then it’s could be free. However, obtaining an adopted mastiff from a rescue operation will require a “donation”. If obtained from a shelter, a “fee” will be required for the cost of operation. The cost is always lower than a purebred from a breeder; bonus
You feel great. I mean, adoption is a charitable service for these mastiffs, it gives them a second chance at life and really the benefit is mostly yours. Your new companion can add so much love and joy to your life so hey… It’s really a win-win.
What To Expect
When you want to adopt there is a process that many do not anticipate. You will be required to fill out an application, be approved, make a contribution or pay a fee. The application process varies but it could ask you for information regarding your living and life conditions, to ensure the mastiff is going to good home.
If you adopt from an individual then the process can be a little more straightforward, as it’s more of a verbal interview and exchange.
Even after you apply, you may not be accepted, and even if you are accepted there can be a waiting period to receive your mastiff. The delay might be due to the time it takes to completely rehabilitate the dog to health and temperament. Sometimes the delay could be due to no available mastiffs that meet your requirements; basically, you’re on a waiting list
Go visit some shelters and a local mastiff rescue center, if only to ask some questions and go visit.
Be careful you might fall in love!
Should You Consider Pet Stores?
Rephrasing this question, would you buy from someone who treats puppies like mere goods or merchandise? If you answered no to that one, then the answer is the same for the first question. Avoiding pet stores, when buying a mastiff, comes with a good reason. Many pet shops buy their dogs from people with unethical breeding standards. The cute adorable puppies in pet shops are often supplied by “puppy-farms” or “puppy-mills” where there is little or no consideration for proper purebred bloodlines and the well being of the mother dog.
As a result, the puppies don’t have any pedigree. Worse, these pet stores will not be able to give you any information on the health of the puppies. Pet shops actually sell low-quality puppies that can have many health problems in the future; ranking up huge vet bills. Pet shops almost directly support the continued devaluation and degrading standards of the mastiff breed. Stay away from pet shops that are supplied by these practices!
Previous Owners
Buying directly from a previous owner is a bit tricky; you often find them in the classifieds ads selling their mastiff they can no longer keep for whatever reason. Buying from an owner is not necessarily a bad choice if the owner bought directly from a reputable breeder; you could even end up with a pre-trained dog. However it could spell trouble if they got their pet from a pet shop, and they neglected to train their pet
If you do go with this option, ensure you know where they got their mastiff and their motivation for selling the dog. You don’t want to end up falling in love with a dog that has a huge list of health problems with bad habits; vet bills and rehabilitative training can be expensive and time-consuming.
Conclusion
There are two kinds of sellers – the first, and hopefully, the one you get in touch with, are those who really care about mastiffs, and are dedicated to preserve and improve the condition of the future generations of mastiffs. The other kind, however, are those who are only out to make a quick profit.
Being cautious about mastiffs for sale isn’t really bad. Sure, it took a while before you were able to take home that puppy, but a few months down the line you’re sure to think – the effort was really worth it!
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