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For years, we have been working to develop a quality line of dogs that are
stable, intelligent, and that reflects the natural qualities and abilities
of the breed, as well as good looks. We feel that has been achieved.
Rarely, if ever, is there a complaint. When there has been, we do honor
our guarantee, and we are willing to spend time with you to solve any
particular difficulty that you may encounter. We recommend that you
purchase a puppy with AKC "Limited" Registration. This type of
registration ensures the pedigree of your puppy, although it does restrict
you from breeding and showing your dog in most AKC-sponsored events.
Often enthusiastic people will purchase a very young puppy with hopes of
breeding and showing in the future. With a Limited registration, you can
still participate in AKC Puppy Matches, which will give you a feel for the
dog show world, then you can decide if you like it or not.
In breeding Elkhounds, be aware that they are not a very well-known breed,
and it is often difficult to sell the puppies, simply because most people
have no idea that the breed even exists. Also, to breed the dogs
responsibly requires time and expense – and often more time and expense
than you may have. We encourage you to go slowly, to get to know your dog,
especially if you have never had an Elkhound before. If you do decide that
showing or breeding is for you, the registration can be changed to Full
status later.
Like human babies, there is no real way to guarantee how an eight-week-old
puppy will be when it becomes an adult. We become disheartened when we
hear of breeders who make such promises.
The procedures for changing the type of registration are dictated by the American
Kennel Club. In brief, what you have to do is to go back to the
breeder, who is supposed to decide, in his or her opinion, that the dog is
worthy of the status. You have to pay the breeder the difference in price
plus incidental AKC processing fees. All of this takes about two months,
from start to finish.
At Castlebar Elkhounds, to change the type of registration, this is
what we need: a veterinarian's statement of good health, which would
include hip x-rays, although they do not have to be OFA certified;
photographs (or a visit here) to determine size and coloration. If photos
are used, a standard 12" ruler must be included in the photo so that
we can gauge the size of the dog. That, and payment of the additional cost
is all that's required.
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| Why you
should stay away from the pet store in the mall! |
We have investigated how pet stores obtain the puppies they sell. Here's
what happens:
Most pet shops in shopping malls are franchises – part of a chain of
nationwide stores. There are puppy mills, usually located in the central
part of the United States, that buy litters of puppies from breeders as
soon as they are weaned--this means as soon as they begin to eat solid
food. It's the first moment in a puppy's life when it can physically
survive without its mother. Dog-brokers are employed for this purpose, and
currently, they buy up litters for about $50-$150 per puppy, depending on
the breed. After the litter is purchased, it is shipped to one of the
puppy-mills where it receives food, veterinary care, and whatever else it
needs. Essentially, the puppies are warehoused for a few weeks until they
are old enough to sell.
After that, the pups are sold to pet stores all over the country. They are
shipped out in semi-tractor trailers that are set up with cages. So the
store in your local mall may have placed an order for, let's say, ten
puppies. The owner gets ten puppies of different breeds, and sells them
for a mark-up that is seven to fifteen times what the puppy-broker
initially paid.
While there is no crime in mass-marketing puppies this way, this does
present problems for you. On occasion, we take in "rescue" dogs
and find homes for them, if we have available space. Every single dog that
was brought to us as a rescue came from a pet shop--every one that was
brought to us was given up because of behavioral problems. The reason for
this is because the puppies were separated from their mother at a very
young age. Before your puppy can be a well-mannered member of your family,
it needs to learn how to be a well-mannered dog. Your puppy's mother
teaches her litter the rules of being a dog in that precious few weeks,
and those lessons then translate into the things that enable you to train
your dog. Puppies which are deprived of this time often become difficult,
very aggressive, stubborn, and a training problem for all but experienced
handlers.
Regardless of the breed of dog that you prefer, you should be wary of
buying any puppy from a pet store. Also, be certain, when dealing with a
pet store, that you demand to see the puppy's pedigree before you hand
over your credit card. Do not purchase a puppy without an AKC pedigree.
These are distinctive – blue and white in color with a gold seal. All
puppy mills will provide a pedigree, but if it isn't an AKC pedigree, you
can not be certain that the bloodline is true.
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| Wolf
Hybrids |
Elkhounds, because of their stable temperaments, are often used to breed
with wolves, to create the hybrids that are gaining popularity.
Wolf-hybrids may be "cool" but they are inherently dangerous,
and in many states are prohibited, or strictly regulated. New York is one
such state. The reason for this is because of the number of dogs (even
ordinary pets, not just wolf-hybrids) that are turned out and abandoned.
When left to roam, dogs (and wolves) form packs that can be dangerous to
our society. The US Government is carefully reintroducing the wolf
population into the United States. Wolf-hybrids are like a wild card here,
and they are often bred illegally.
We encourage you to understand the distinction between domestic dogs and
wolves. Norwegian Elkhounds are domestic dogs, a breed that is over 6,000
years old, and a well-known companion of man. Wolves are wolves,
temperamentally and physically different.
Sometimes a wolf-hybrid is bred back into an Elkhound line and is passed
off as an Elkhound. We have seen this happen with so-called
"pedigreed" dogs that came from pet shops, with another pedigree
other than AKC. One came to us as a rescue, because it was uncontrollable
for an unsuspecting family that simply wanted a pet. It was a shame,
because these people paid $800 in 1996 for the dog, from a pet store.
The clearest indication of a compromised pedigree is this: any other face
mask color other than pure black (older dogs may have a gray muzzle); any
brown tint to the dog's coat. Norwegian Elkhound puppies usually don't
show the bright colors of the adults.
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| Training
and Housebreaking |
If you decide to purchase one of our puppies, we will provide you with
written housebreaking, training, and feeding guidelines. We are in the
process of writing a short book to cover everything – but it's not
finished yet. Until then, we encourage you to call us if you have a
problem or need some advice. The important thing to remember about
Norwegian Elkhounds is that they respond to love and affection – which
they will return a thousand-fold. If you do need to correct some behavior,
all you need is a stern voice. |
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©Copyright 2002; Castlebar Elkhounds
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