Pax: Why being a good breeder is expensive!
There is so much more to being a responsible breeder than just bringing cute puppies into the world. One of the most important things a good breeder will do is perform all of the necessary health testing on their breeding dogs before using them as a stud or bitch in their breeding program.
This is where our story about Pax begins! We wanted to find an amazing stud dog to add to our family and our breeding program. After doing extensive research we decided to place a deposit on a male from a reputable breeder in Romania. I know, I know…people think it’s crazy to get a dog from so far away! But we loved the reputation of this Romanian breeder, the champion bloodlines in Pax’s lineage, and the history of amazing stud dogs they had already provided to breeders in the United States. We decided that Pax was going to be worth the hard road of getting him from Romania to Boise, Idaho ($$$$$$$).
When Pax was about four months old, he made the long journey over land and oceans to our home. I’ll save you from the sad story of how we first met Pax…let’s just say it involved a fork lift, a wood palate, and a very poopy kennel with our sweet boy inside who developed a severe UTI ($$$) on the journey. If you have questions about how it works to bring a puppy from another country, please reach out!
Pax quickly acclimated to our home and soaked in all of the love and attention. After Pax turned a year old, we began doing all of the recommended health testing for golden retrievers ($$$$). Based on the great health of his parents, Pax’s genetics and physical bone structure should have been awesome. His eyes, heart, and elbow testing went great - these were perfectly healthy. But sadly, Pax’s OFA x-rays showed he has moderate hip dysplasia with subluxation and remodeling of his femoral head/neck. We were really surprised and sad for Pax. Just to be sure, we had another round of OFA x-rays taken of his hips to confirm his condition and we got the same results ($$). Even with diligent research and careful breeding of parent dogs, a genetic anomaly can occur and this is what happened with Pax.
Pax may be incredibly cute and have the best disposition and temperament, but once we got this news it wasn’t hard to decide that he should never produce litters of puppies. His hip condition will mean lifelong supplements, possible hip replacements, and pain management. We would never want to pass this condition along to another dog! Even though we have made significant investments in adding Pax to our family, he can not be part of our breeding program. We will continue to love him to pieces and give him the very best life possible while keeping him comfortable and minimizing his pain levels.
Please - please - do not support breeders who don’t care about the health clearances of their studs and bitches! Ask if the parents have been health tested for all of the recommended tests for their breed. Here is a link from the AKC explaining each breed’s recommended tests. The tests are NOT CHEAP, but they are absolutely necessary for any puppies that may come from the parents! Thanks for supporting reputable breeders, friends!
