*runs around in happy circles*

[wordinista]

Okay, so there's this breeder I've been in contact with for about a week now.  I started writing to her with general questions about Aussies, and what questions I should ask other breeders.  We kind of clicked, and when the landlord gave us the okay to get a dog, I wrote her first and expressed interest in one of her pups (at the time she'd been expecting a litter -- the pups were born today).  However, her prices were... well, a bit steep. 

Very steep.  About $200 more than we were prepared to pay.  I was heartbroken, because I really liked this woman, and was really impressed with her dogs and the series of health checks she puts the puppies through, and -- just everything.

So, today I was out and about, and decided to come home and write Tora-kun, and tell him that I'd be more than willing to make some sort of sacrifice to make up the difference -- even taking a few temp jobs to help pay for the puppy.  When I sat down at the computer, there was an email from L, the breeder.  She was writing to tell me that one of the pups had a "mismark," which had no negative effect on his health, sight, or hearing, and she would let us have him with the stipulation that he'd be "fixed" and never bred (which is totally okay with us).

She's offering the puppy to us for $300 less than she normally charges, and $100 less than the lowest price we were prepared to pay.

From the email she sent:

Well, Angel has finished having her pups...I think :)  We have 7 babies!  We expected only 5 so it was a surprise :)  One of the pups is a mis mark..meaning it has too much white on its head.  It has no effect on health or sight or hearing, as a pup with similar markings might have from a merle to merle breeding.  This was a merle to tri breeding and is not a problem situation.  He is a beautiful red merle with a big white collar and blaze, but the blaze goes too wide and surrounds the eye on one side. Our breed standard says that white should not predominate on the head. Some breeders put a pup that is mismarked down, but if a pup is healthy I can see no reason to do so.  I will place it in a pet home with the stipulation that it must be spayed or neutered.  If you would like to consider this pup, I would let you have him for X.   When I can get him away from Mom for a moment, I will take a picture.

I have no idea if the puppy is male or female (I don't even know if SHE knows, since the litter was just born TODAY), but I don't think it really matters.  It's a red merle Aussie -- and I love the merles.  And the blaze surrounding the eye on one side sounds too damned adorable for words.

And I'm just really excited right now. 

I'm totally sharing pics when she sends them.

EDIT: OHMYGOD, IT'S AN EXPLOSION OF CUTE! I HAVE CUTE ALL OVER ME!

Comments

[therhoda.livejournal.com]

Too cute. I am now in puppy lust, I adore puppies. That is great are you going to be okay with it being a little boy? Personally I like boys better I seem to have issues with female dogs for some reason. :)

As for the putting down of a dog for being out of spec. I hate to say it but it is rather more common than you would think. Some kennels don't want even their pet puppies to be bad representatives of what they see as their look. I once had an argument with a breeder because she wanted to put a puppy down because it had a white marking that she though was offensive. I thought she was kidding then spent 2 hours arguing with her till I got her to agree that she could find a home for it and just not issue papers. The only reason I won that from her was I used the it would be cheaper argument. Personally I figure that a dog with a white mark that looks like it is flipping you the finger has to have character in some way. The not out of my line though is a big deal to some. Sound like though you are talking to a good breeder who is more after a good home for her dogs.

I will of course want updates and any more cute puppy pictures you get sent.

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

Hee! I fully plan on posting every pic she sends me. XD

As for the sex of the puppy -- Tora-kun had his heart set on either a red or blue merle female. He wanted a female really badly, because in his experience, female dogs are smarter and sweeter. When I mentioned this to the breeder, she said the smartest dog she's ever had was this little guy's grandsire, Dennis. She said the males are a bit more eager to please, while the females are usually a little more independent.

Honestly, I didn't care whether the puppy was a little girl or a little boy. Mostly, I wanted a dog from this woman, because I was so impressed with how she does everything. (And she's invited us to visit him even before we take him home. It's over 2 hours away, but I'm going to see if my mom might be willing to take the trip with me during the week.)

I don't LIKE to believe that breeders will destroy a pup just because of a cosmetic "problem," but Tora-kun's mother's mother used to breed Daschunds, and would have a pup put down if it didn't meet the breed "standard," and that just pissed me off. But then, in his words, she was a "steel cold bitch," so there you go.