Now Vegas isn't my favorite place on the planet but it can be alot of fun. We saw a show (Spam-A-Lot) and did a bunch of sight seeing. We had been there before about 6 years ago to see Sigfried and Roy so it wasn't totally new to us. It was a good vacation but NOT very relaxing. The flight is long and there is alot of walking involved to get anywhere. Not a bad thing when you are staying in shape though. The kids had a blast staying with their aunt and uncle. They have a pool and a baby to play with so they were very entertained.
Here is a pic of a sign that was in a grassy area near the pool.
I saw a few people traveling with small dogs and one Old English Sheepdog service dog. Not a breed you commonly see in that job field. Sorry I didn't get any pics to share of them.
Jack stays at an excellent kennel in the area: http://www.mainely-dogs.com/ and Missy gets spoiled at my mom's house. They are fine with us being gone but they do seem quite happy when we return. Even if that means they get baths the next day, not their favorite activity.
Here is something I was sent with tips on chosing a reputable breeder. I thought it was a pretty good list so I wanted to share it.
Puppy Miller, Backyard Breeder Red Flags
1. if they accept PayPal, mastercard, visa, discover.....RUN
2. if they demand a non refundable deposit.......Run
3. if they do not proudly show photos and pedigrees of their dogs.......RUN
4. if they do not health test........RUN
5. if they show pictures of scared skinny little pathetic babies......RUN
6. if they can not, or are unwilling to provide references.......RUN
7. if they do not offer a health guarantee that covers the real health of that puppy for at least one year.........RUN
8. if they do not belong to dog clubs, organization, etc......RUN
9. if they try to pressure you in any way............RUN
10. if they dont show their dogs in true dog activities..........RUN
11. if they ship worldwide......or ship.......RUN
12. if they dont question you like you are adopting a human infant.........RUN
Consider adopting from animal shelters and breed rescues too. Did you know there is a breed rescue for EVERY breed of dog out there? Most have great websites with the real truths about the breed you are considering. If you are doing breed research I always recommend checking out their sites for great info on the good AND bad of each breed.
3 comments:
I'm glad you guys had fun in Vegas! What I'd give to go on a vacation right now. :] Doesn't it always feel good to be back home, though?
I'm bookmarking that kennel website in case we ever need to use one. I used to entrust Jenna to any family member willing to watch her because she's so low-maintenance, but Apollo is a different story. :]
I like that list and wish I'd listened to it when I got my puppy. :[ I do have to disagree with two points, though. Some really awesome breeders on the Dobe list do ship, some even worldwide. One breeder I looked into, Rhapsody Dobermans, had puppies as far away as Peru. I don't think that makes her a bad breeder. She still questioned them to the nth degree.
And she also took credit cards. When you're asking $1500 minimum for a pup (and it's usually a lot more) plus shipping, I don't think it's too surprising. Maybe she's the exception, but if you look at her website (www.rhapsodydobes.com) I think you'll agree she's an awesome, responsible, show breeder.
I agree. The shipping issue can be debated. I think it is more about how they advertise that point. Many reputable breeders don't need to advertise "We ship!" anyways. They might ship to the right home but not to just anyone. (of course that's why good breeders screen their puppy buyers anyhow) Many good breeders also have a waiting list of people wanting one of their pups so that type of advertising isn't needed. (or wanted in many cases)
Again it is about warning signs. Not saying that everything listed individually is a deal breaker. It is about the full big picture after all.
I have had two of my 3 akitas shipped to me. They both came from the same breeder that I know VERY well. It sure can be stressful shipping puppies though so I understand why many breeders refuse to.
Personally, if I were a breeder I would NOT take credit cards because if they can't afford the pet unless they use a card that can be a red flag to me. Granted that means I might have to save my pennies too to get a pup but that to me shows commitment. (We had to for Missy.) It can help weed out impulse buyers too in my opinion. I have to wonder how many puppies are sold in pet stores simply because they take credit cards?
I think some breeders also own businesses so it makes taking credit cards easier. So that alone to me isn't always a red flag. It might be if I thought they took cards just to make selling easier.
P.S. If they didn't health test that would be a HUGE deal breaker for me.
And the Rhapsody Dobes site looks lovely!! I bookmarked it. :-)
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