We thank you for browsing our website and for taking the time to read about our two cents regarding the purchase of a potential new family member. While we may not be the experts and our opinions might not be valued by everyone and maybe even offend some of you we are only speaking from our own experiences from owning Rottweilers off and on for almost 15 years.
While we have grown and learned so much over the years we made many costly mistakes and more often than not we we're taken advantage of for lack of experience. For this reason we we're compelled to share our experiences and our opinions so that you may take what you feel is useful and make a more educated decision and have a more successful outcome without all the costly mistakes many make including ourselves. We hope that the following information helps at least one person and doesn't matter whether you buy from us or not, we just want you to find the right puppy suited to you and your family.
Searching for the right breeder may sound as easy as looking through your local newspaper or doing an online search but it can be a little more complicated if the breeder has his head in the clouds and his ego is too inflated. There are many good breeders out there but unfortunately there are some that do it only for the love of money and their dogs are just a breeding machine. Before we share the key points that you should look for lets talk about the reason you want a puppy in the first place.
While we believe Rottweilers are some of the best dogs, in our opinion they are not for everyone due to their size, strength and stubborn personality sometimes found in males. When we have looked for a puppy or an older adult dog we have met breeders who claim everything under the sun about their dogs including being movie stars. You will quickly realize that almost every breeder will state that their dogs are " The best in the world" or "that they are the biggest in the country" or "That they are imported from so and so country". There are no best in the world dogs, nor should a Rottweiler be the largest dog and being imported from a different country don't make a dog any better at any thing. Its like saying that People imported from a different country other than the USA makes them any better or less quality. After all, all Rottweilers originally originated from Germany so in a sense they are all imports.
If you are looking for a protector of property or family pet you might have no need to purchase a puppy from a breeder who claims that their dogs are from World Champion bloodlines. Champions of what you may be asking? Well probably not champions of being good with kids or making good family pets so it won't matter if your puppy comes from Champion Bloodlines if he or she isn't a champion at what you need them to be a champion of . You would be better of buying from a breeder who has the dogs in a family environment and where the puppies have been socialized around children. I remember when we we're looking for a great puppy that came from a good family environment many times the breeder would tell me that not only are their dogs from champions but are excellent with children and when I would show up their dogs would be chained up to a tree or pole and didn't own any kids. Don't get me wrong, dogs from Champion Bloodlines are great to own and are usually a proven way to know that they truly represent the breed. Just trying to make the point that you shouldn't loose focus on what you are wanting, if its a champion dog then by all means but if you're looking for a specific look or a dog great with kids look closer at other things besides titles.
If you are interested in showing dogs then it would be wise to purchase from a breeder who knows what to look for in a show quality puppy and keep in mind that just because you purchase a puppy from Champion Bloodlines does not mean that your puppy will also do well. Know what to look for in a show quality yourself so whether or not the puppies come from Champion bloodlines you can pick the one that you believe has the best show qualities. Its always hard to predict which puppies will be end up being the best candidates for show but if you find a good reputable breeder he might be better at picking out one with more potential and having the parents onsite can help you decide if the parents possess the look you're after. Just keep in mind that great breeders don't breed to just one male, so most times they seek a quality stud from another city, state or country so its not always possible to see the stud in person.
If the breeder breeds everything he owns to his same male over and over than he is not trying to improve the breed by going outside his backyard to find a stud who will improve his line. Typically "backyard" breeders are the ones who breed to just one unproven male and their only concern is to make a quick buck.
Maybe showing isn't your thing but you want bragging rights and want to feel good about knowing that your puppy came from great parents who have shown to be easily trainable and have worked very hard to please their Master in achieving titles. Nothing wrong with a dog showing his love for his owners by obtaining titles. It speaks of loyalty.
You may want a dog who is active, hard working, and can help with duties around your property like we do. If this is the case don't simply buy a puppy where the breeder claims that he breeds for temperament and working agility and has his dogs tied up or in a cage 24/7. While its important to kennel train a dog for its own good, if they truly care about their dogs they should be getting daily exercise and given activities that prove that their dogs are hard working. How hard working can a tied up or caged up dog be? Couch potatoes do not produce athletes.
Key Points
Registration
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is the most recognized and trusted kennel club in the country and around the world and they have established guidelines for every breed including Rottweilers. Find a breeder who not only own dogs registered to AKC but that also know the guidelines for Rottweilers. I'm always surprised to hear breeders claim that they raise AKC registered dogs but know nothing about the size, color and other guidelines that have been setup in order to maintain or improve the quality of the breed. I'm always hearing breeders or Rottweiler owners brag about how they have a Giant Rottweiler weighing 150-200 pounds. If they are breeding true AKC dogs then they wouldn't deviate from the standard weight of 95-130 pounds for males and 85-115 for females. Anything above that is not a true representation of the Rottweiler breed and is usually just a ego boost for the dog owner. Rottweilers are a medium large dog not a giant breed. If you want a giant purchase a Saint Bernard instead or a breed that has the hips, joints and heart to handle such massive size. If a breeder offers dogs outside of the AKC standards it would be best to keep looking. If you are planning on showing or breeding AKC registration and a puppy from stock that adheres to true Rottweiler standards is a must.
Most if not all breeds of dogs have some sort of health problems. Rottweilers are prone to Joint, hip and eye problems and for that reason one of the most common phrases being thrown around by breeders is the fact that their dogs are OFA certified. Meaning that they have been screened and certified of being free of hip dysplasia and other serious joint problems and usually charge you a premium for this bragging right. However, even though most breeders mean well with this certification it is something that you shouldn't solely base your buying decision on as it really means nothing. As they say proof is in the pudding not on any certifications.
While we do own dogs that have this certification in order to comply with ethical breeding guidelines, we are more concerned about the medical history of the parents and grandparents etc to determine if there is a hereditary condition that seems to run in that particular blood line and we use that information to determine if its a blood line that we feel we would want to own, not any type of certifications. In the past we have owned dogs that came with all this fancy certification and those dogs ended up being the ones who developed those same problems that they we're certified not to have. All dogs that we have owned that came from breeders without these certifications but had no history of these common problems ended up living a long and healthy life free of those conditions. We will never breed any of our females with a history of medical problems and will never use a stud dog that has a history of any problems as well.
So we strongly believe from personal experience that certification means absolutely nothing more than a guessed opinion . Such type of testing in not even possible in humans but yet its available on dogs? We don't buy it and we are not alone . Click on the following link to read information for yourself. Certifying health testing!
While we do believe that any animal with hereditary conditions should be spayed and not bred there hasn't been much help from these certifying organization to determine which are truly affected until its too late and obvious. So its best to do your homework and ask many questions about the health history of a particular dog's bloodline.
As previously mentioned many breeders are just in it for the love of money and not for the love of the breed. There are many dog mills not only in the US but also around the world who supply to those who want the bragging rights of owning an "Import" dog. Not that an import dog is a bad or a good thing but puppy mills around the country and around the world cash in on innocent victims due to the fact that buyer isn't able to physically inspect the dog's environment due to distance. If purchasing a dog from out of state or another country insist to be sent pictures of where their dogs are kept and do research to make sure breeder is a reputable breeder. Even if pictures show no evidence of abuse or inhumane living conditions keep in mind that pictures can easily be stolen off the internet to fool you into making you think its their kennel. Its always best to purchase from a local reputable breeder who won't hesitate to show you the parents and living conditions of their dogs. Some breeders won't let you get too close to where they keep their dogs to prevent diseases like Parvo from being brought in but they should provide you with other means to make you feel comfortable of where your puppy is coming from.
We believe that the best place to purchase your new puppy is from a local reputable breeder who loves his dogs as part of the family. Its best to purchase a puppy that is registered with AKC and where the breeder adheres to AKC standards. Keep in mind that there are other Kennel clubs that will allow you to register any dog even if its a crossbred so even if the breeder states that its registered and comes with papers double check that its AKC registration. Even if the puppy is AKC registered does not mean that its a good puppy and that's why this should be part of your selection process but not exclusive. Please do not buy from someone who is selling puppies out of a trunk or vehicle on the side of the road or from someone who has their dogs caged up in little wooden cages where the dogs can't even turn around. Other places to avoid are from dogs kept in warehouses, tied up and that show signs of neglect and abuse. Rottweilers are like Luxury or performance vehicles and require premium food to function and grow properly and cheap food from the same place you buy your groceries is usually a sign that they aren't looking out for the well being of their dogs.
If the breeder goes on and on about how they are the best and how everyone else is beneath them its probably best to move on. This type of breeder usually has a hard time taking any advice or criticism from anyone or any judge which is essential in order to fix faults or defects in any breeding program. This type of person is a very difficult person to deal with especially if something goes wrong since they believe their dogs are the best, they are right and you are wrong. If a seller won't stop insulting other breeders or shut up about how great they are just move on. Trust us, we've dealt with these type of breeders and its usually a bad outcome. You should be doing most of the talking in the way of asking questions and if you can't get a word in they are usually hiding something. A good breeder with good breeding stock will simply allow you to ask questions and will not have the need to prove him or herself.
Bottom line we believe that your new puppy should come from a reputable AKC breeder that sees their dogs as family members from a clean humane environment from dogs that receive a high quality premium diet, plenty of love and preferably from breeder who raise puppies around children. The parent dogs should possess all the standard qualities set forth by the American Kennel Club whether or not they are from Champion Bloodlines. Parents of puppies should not be aggressive or shy and puppies should be socialized around people, children and other animals. It's normal for dogs to be protective of their home and family but should be friendly when put on a leash. Make sure that you receive registration papers and any contracts in writing before you pay in full and do not accept the promise of them being sent in the mail as you may never receive them. Do not accept a puppy that appears sick, lethargic, underweight or overweight as these can be signs of serious and deadly diseases. Demand for proof of de-worming and puppy shots given and have your puppy seen by a reputable vet within 72 hours. A good quality Rottweiler puppy is a big investment averaging around $1500-$3500 so if something does not seem or feel right simply walk away.
We hope that this information was helpful and we ask that you send us an email with any questions or comments. We wish the best in the search for your new puppy and may you be blessed with a puppy that brings you and your family many healthy years full of smiles and laughter.
Wilber,
Wilber's Rottweilers