Buying dogs from Europe - Page 6

Since you’re talking $4000 price tag, I’m going to assume that’s a show line. What you’re probably missing is that people that have $4000+ to spend on a dog/puppy are usually not the type that care much about saving a buck or two. To them, convenience, guarantee, and breeder support are worth the extra money when buying a dog. On top of that, they’re also the type that believe if the price is higher, the quality must be higher. I’m also not sure where a lot of your information comes from, but a SL from untitled and therefore unrated parents doesn’t cost $4000 in the United States. Even the ones from VA grandparents. Sure, there are a few of those breeders who manage to find their suckers, but more often than not the breeders charging $4000+ for a puppy are those that are actively working and showing dogs in the United States, or sending them to Germany for titles.

When it comes to working lines, the cost is almost negligible and more than likely it will end up costing more to import a dog than to purchase one state side with comparable lines.

I think Susie is targeting pet people/people that don’t really understand the market and decide they need to import rather than buy “locally.” Those are the people that get taken because they just don’t know any better. They’re also the same people that would be taken if they were to contact a state side breeder who was less than honest. Unfortunately I don’t think it matters much because most people either get lucky or get screwed with their first “real GSD” purchase. Until you get into the game, you have no idea what’s going on and a dog is a dog is a dog. Not many people realize how complicated and yet how easy producing a stable dog is. Most Americans (in my experience) only learn when they get stuck with a problem dog, until then, the breeder really doesn’t matter and just has to fit into their price range and produce the type/color of dog they want.

Remus, do me a personal favour and don´t "quote me" as long as you don´t understand what I tried to say.

Kind regards

Susie, that was an excellent post that started this thread. To bad it is being obscured rather than being expounded on further. You really have a good understanding and your heart is in the right place. Maybe your initial post will be read by those who you wrote it for and they will learn. Keep up the good work.

I agree with Markobytes. It made me think of things I wouldn't have otherwise. So, thanks, Susie.

As long as I have no support....I am going to leave it...
Guys, are you going to give an answer to the topic question!?
Shall I import...

It wasn't a question originally, just advice. If you feel importing is the best option for you, be careful and be smart about it. Always ask questions and if something doesn't seem right, move on.

I'm not sure where it turned from "be cautious with importing" into "never import from Europe." Originally, Susie was just saying that it would be easier to hold a local breeder accountable if you purchase a dog or puppy for a specific task and it turns out to not be suitable for that task. If you were to import, in some cases, there is no breeder support and you get what you get. Plus, you could get the law involved if the breeder doesn't hold up their end of the contact, etc. A breeder abroad could tell you anything you'd like to hear to sell you a dog, take the money, and be gone with the wind.

 

Honestly I don,t understand why all that USA people today import dogs from
Europe, over the many many years they have imported very good dogs and
bloodlines some are lost here and I know I can find them in the USA makes me
litle jealous.

Just thinking must be someting wrong such a big country and so many
good dogs imported all those years..I can,t understand this just saying actualy
they don,t need europe.
 

 

We do because we don't breed at the same level as Germany. At least in Germany, all the bitches are titled. In the United States, even the big name stud dogs are constantly being bred to no titled and weaker bitches. The size of the country also doesn't help. You can drive across Germany in about 8 hours. It takes more than 40 to get across the United States. So most breeders aren't going to drive or send their bitch that far to get a breeding when a half brother or something compatible might be within the region. Which highly reduces the large pools of progeny to research from and truly get an idea of what dog is producing well. On top of that, 99% of puppies go to pet homes to never be worked again so it's even more difficult to see if a stud is producing good/better dogs.

I'm not sure what the feelings are towards champions in Germany are, but it seems to me that they are much more widely accepted and highly bred to. In the US I have noticed a negative connotation with breeding to "podium dogs" because no one wants to believe they're good dogs and it's just training. To me it seems that most of that talk is coming from a place of jealousy by breeders who cannot produce and/or train dogs to that level. In either case, many people get talked about negatively when they breed to podium dogs, or the "flavor of the month" dog, even when there are legitimate reasons to breed to that dog.

I'm interested to see my theory get tested over the next year now that Bolle Ja Na Ka is in the United States. I'm already hearing people speak negatively of the dog, question why he's here, and question why people are already making plans to breed to him. It's very interesting to see the intricacies of breeding GSD in the United States and follow the patterns that occur.

@ Bavarian Wagon  
On another note, its been my experience that WL pups bred here in the US from titled parents cost too damn much for me. I do understand that it cost $$ to bread and keep dogs healthy, but $2k+ for a pup just seems really high. Then agian buying from over seas just increases the risk. This whole puppy/young dog thing is just a gamble and one that i am not versed enough to do with favoring odds.