Please go through our articles carefully and take your time to make sure that you are a good match for your Tibetan Mastiff pup. Your ability to recognize and choose an ethical breeder has a good impact on the breed, in addition to determining whether or not you are suitable with the TM.
For a more comprehensive article about the importance of choosing the correct breeder and the red flags you should watch for, see Choosing a Breeder.
Responsible Breeder Requirements
- With the Tibetan Mastiff breed, crate training must be a top focus. It is a vital tool in the development of good manners.
- Because of the TM’s territorial and protective temperament, having a fenced-in yard is necessary. Ethical breeders will demand that you have a large, secure containment space. This is a crucial element of TM management, and there can be no shortcuts when it comes to keeping this huge breed and others safe.
How To Screen Tibetan Mastiff Kennels
- Contact long-time breeders and inquire about the Tibetan Mastiff experience for additional information and responses to any of your questions.
- A breeder should be honest about the Tibetan Mastiff’s issues and will not be reluctant to introduce you to other Tibetan Mastiff owners who may be eager to discuss their own experiences.
- If your preferred breeder does not have a puppy available, don’t be hesitant to ask for recommendations from other breeders.
- Look for a breeder who is a breed club member or is active with an organization dedicated to the Tibetan Mastiff’s protection and preservation.
- If you’re thinking about buying a puppy from a new breeder, ask if he or she is being taught by a more seasoned breeder.
- Statistics reveal that those who enter the dog breeding world rarely stay in it for more than 5 years. When dealing with a new breeder, inquire about how he or she will continue to provide advice and lifetime assistance for your future dog if that person leaves the breed.
- If the breeder you’re speaking with isn’t very active in the show ring, inquire about how breeding stock is assessed. Expect to learn about the kennel’s long-term breeding plans and objectives. This person should be knowledgeable about the Breed Standard, as well as health issues, movement, structure, temperament, and type. If this person is unable to express these crucial principles, continue your search.
- It’s essential to have breeding stock inspected by judges or an expert third party, but don’t be tricked into thinking that having yards of show ribbons assures you’re dealing with a trustworthy breeder. Breeders that are ethical and knowledgeable produce high-quality dogs. Inquire about the breeder’s techniques, ethics, beliefs, and perspectives on ongoing advice and support throughout the dog’s life.
Following Through And Visiting The Kennel
- Make plans to visit the kennel as soon as possible. Take note of how the kennel is set up and whether the dogs are well-loved, socialized, and cared for.
- Check to see if your preferred breeder raises no more than 2 to 3 breeds or 2 litters every year. Dog breeding is neither a business nor a money-making venture. When money is at the base of their breeding operations, puppy millers or backyard breeders reveal their true colors and motivation.
- Avoid breeders who are always criticizing and bashing the dogs and programs of other breeders. You don’t have to listen to any breeder who maligns others. Breeders who are truly reliable and passionate understand how much work it takes to raise puppies and should be entirely invested in the wellbeing of their own dogs.
- Make sure that you have a list of questions to ask the breeder prior to visiting a kennel or visiting with a litter of puppies. Evaluate whether the breeder volunteers information, is at ease with your questions and answers you thoroughly about health and other important issues.
- Ask questions about the sire and dam of the litter. The parents of your puppy should be very near 2 years of age or older, so get proof of their ages and ASK FOR COPIES of their medical checks, (i.e. hips or elbows certification) prior to agreeing to a puppy purchase. If the breeder cannot provide scores or evaluations on hips and elbows for the PARENTS OF THE LITTER, look for another breeder. Claims that relatives in the pedigree were evaluated so this somehow clears the parents of the litter is NOT SUFFICIENT.
- Prepare yourself for the questions that ethical breeders will ask. Questionnaires, emails, and long phone calls indicate that a responsible breeder is evaluating you as a prospective puppy owner.
- Do not expect that you will just be handed a puppy because you want one or because you have the cash. If getting a puppy is this easy, walk away. Quality breeders love their puppies/dogs and want only the best for them. Dedicated breeders have learned to say “NO” when they do not feel that a Tibetan Mastiff is a suitable dog for you, your family, your lifestyle or your present situation. This does not mean that you aren’t a WONDERFUL dog owner. This is a challenging breed and it is much easier to say “NO” at this stage, than face re-homing/rescue situations later.
- Make sure to find out if puppies are born on the premises. A breeder should not have puppies born elsewhere and then shipped into his/her facilities. Neither should a breeder claim puppies as his/her own if they are born elsewhere and “drop shipped” from other locations.
- Every breeder should recognize the value of early socialization and take the time and effort to socialize puppies with various people, animals, and situations.
- Your preferred breeder must give a contract, and you should read it carefully to understand what is expected of both the breeder and the owner.
- Breeding entails a significant amount of responsibility. It’s a difficult, time-consuming, and costly undertaking. Do not agree to a contract that requires you to breed a litter of puppies as a requirement of buying your puppy.
- All puppies sold as pets must be spayed or neutered at the right period, according to the breeder’s requirements.
- Puppies are not sold to wholesalers, brokers, dealers, or retail stores by an ethical breeder. Guarantee that the breeder forbids the new owner from doing the same in a written contract.
- If necessary, the breeder commits to cooperate with the owner to re-home or return the dog during the dog’s lifetime.
- No ethical breeder will send a puppy to his or her new home before he or she is 8 weeks old. Many states, in fact, have regulations prohibiting the selling of puppies under the age of 8 weeks.
- An ethical breeder should provide an overview and/or puppy packet that details the puppy’s pedigree, medical history, and future diet, grooming, training, and general care instructions.
- Choosing to open your home to a Tibetan Mastiff is a 10 to 14 year commitment. It is in your best interest to take your time and choose wisely. Should you feel any doubts at all, it is best to wait. Realize that your perfect puppy may not necessarily be the one that is most readily available.
- Please remember that while it may be in your best interest to purchase your puppy from an ethical breeder, it is also your obligation to do so. Rewarding bad breeders with puppy sales ultimately damages the entire Tibetan Mastiff breed.
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