Asked on the Dog Forum by shelley48 on 5/1/2004, 7:03 am
Q: Puppies registered with ACA
I'm looking into buying a Boston Terrier puppy from someone who breeds dogs but does not use them for show. She told me the male is AKC registered and the female is ACA registered, which I had never heard of. She said it stands for the American Canine Association. The puppies will be ACA registered. She has both parents on premises. Does anyone know anything about the ACA? I'm not interested in having a dog for breeding or show, just a family pet. She said she'll give me the pedigree for the puppy. I have been trying for the past several weeks to get a Boston puppy from high-quality "show" breeders, and it has been so frustrating. I just want a pet quality puppy that is healthy. Can anyone give me suggestions on what to look for in the parents of the puppies, since they're both on premises? Other than being friendly and running up to you, what else can we look for in the parents and the puppies to determine temperment, sociability, etc? Thanks for your help.
Answered by Tviokh on 5/1/2004, 7:42 am
A: Stop!
> I'm looking into buying a Boston Terrier puppy from someone
> who breeds dogs but does not use them for show. She told me
> the male is AKC registered and the female is ACA registered,
> which I had never heard of. She said it stands for the
> American Canine Association. The puppies will be ACA
> registered. She has both parents on premises. Does anyone
> know anything about the ACA? I'm not interested in having a
> dog for breeding or show, just a family pet. She said
> she'll give me the pedigree for the puppy. I have been
> trying for the past several weeks to get a Boston puppy from
> high-quality ''show'' breeders, and it has been so
> frustrating. I just want a pet quality puppy that is
> healthy. Can anyone give me suggestions on what to look for
> in the parents of the puppies, since they're both on
> premises? Other than being friendly and running up to you,
> what else can we look for in the parents and the puppies to
> determine temperment, sociability, etc? Thanks for your
> help.
I think you should choose another breeder.
This one reeks of "backyard breeder"
You may get a healthy puppy, you may not.
You will not get a quality puppy from a breeder like this though.
Good breeders rarely own both parents, own show champions, show their dogs, are involved in the 'dog world' (shows, competitions, clubs, etc...), are involved with rescue and adoption, provide full health screenings, provide health guarantees, require a spay/neuter contract for pet quality pups, require that the dog be returned to THEM should you be unable to keep it for ANY REASON, has references, knows the full genetic history of their dogs, ...and really from what you've said it doens't sound like this breeder does any of this.
An ACA registration is iffy at best.
It would appear from their site that I'd be able to register my Elkhound despite the fact that she's a stray shelter dog with completely unknown genetic and health history.
They also only require that the dog's eyes, heart and teeth be checked for their 'health screenings'
This overlooks things like hip certification, nor do they require screening for genetic defects.
Whether it's required or not, it's something all good breeders know: The FULL genetic history of their dogs.
Unfortunatley, I really cannot recommend that you use this breeder.
Take a look at this link: http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Fair/1901/chart.html
If this breeder falls into the right hand column more often than not, they are not a good or responisible breeder.
Getting a good puppy from a good breeder isn't something you can just do one weekend; be prepared for waiting lists. High quality dogs (for pet OR show) take time, effort, and money to make and aren't always immediately available.
Have you considered trying a Boston Terrier rescue group instead? You'll still get a pet quality dog, and you'll be getting one that needs a good home.
Puppies aren't the only dogs that make good pets after all. :)
Some rescue links:
http://www.bostonrescue.net/
http://www.dreamscape.com/mishwahr/rescue.htm
http://bostonterrierclubofamerica.org/Rescue.html
Answered by GentlemanGeorge on 5/1/2004, 5:20 pm
A: ACA???
I agree with Tviokh and urge to you RUN from this person. A rescue Boston would be an excellent choice – you can see exactly what you are getting, save a great dog from a bad situation, and also avoid the hard work involved with raising a pup.
If you are intent on getting a pup, though, then you really need to find a reputable breeder. Reputable breeders are interested only in producing excellent specimens of the breed in terms of conformation, health, and temperament. They generally deal only with champion dogs that have complete AKC pedigrees. TIP – If a breeder that you are talking to has bred dogs that are not both AKC champions, you need to ask why and have to start wondering what the objective is. It is probably money.
Although you want a pet quality dog (in terms of conformation), you still want to make absolutely sure that you are getting a healthy dog, and one with a good temperament. You can only get this from a breeder that has made responsible choices about breeding and is not cutting corners to make money. Although all breeders hope that their pups are all show quality, many are not – those dogs are sold at a big discount, but not to just anyone by a breeder that really cares about their dogs. They usually want to know a LOT about you and the situation that the pup will go into. They also generally require a spay/neuter agreement to prevent breeding a non-conforming pup (a good thing).
To find a reputable breeder, simply contact a Boston Terrier Specialty Club in your area and ask for the breeder referral person. Usually they have members who breed that can offer pet quality pups occasionally, and they also know other reputable people that you can talk to.
Ask for references. When you visit - Evaluate the health and appearance of the puppy and all of the other dogs in the area. Do they look clean, healthy, happy? Are they free of fleas? Do they have positive interaction with the owners/handlers? Look at the parents if available (or recent pictures) for evaluation of general appearance, health, relationship with the owner, temperament, size. When you visit a recommended breeder it would be very unususal to spot any problems of this nature.
Good luck in your search for a dog!
> I'm looking into buying a Boston Terrier puppy from someone
> who breeds dogs but does not use them for show. She told me
> the male is AKC registered and the female is ACA registered,
> which I had never heard of. She said it stands for the
> American Canine Association. The puppies will be ACA
> registered. She has both parents on premises. Does anyone
> know anything about the ACA? I'm not interested in having a
> dog for breeding or show, just a family pet. She said
> she'll give me the pedigree for the puppy. I have been
> trying for the past several weeks to get a Boston puppy from
> high-quality ''show'' breeders, and it has been so
> frustrating. I just want a pet quality puppy that is
> healthy. Can anyone give me suggestions on what to look for
> in the parents of the puppies, since they're both on
> premises? Other than being friendly and running up to you,
> what else can we look for in the parents and the puppies to
> determine temperment, sociability, etc? Thanks for your
> help.
>
Answered by doggieloveryahoo on 5/2/2004, 6:59 pm
A: Puppies registered with ACA
ACA isn't a good registery and should not be used.
> I'm looking into buying a Boston Terrier puppy from someone
> who breeds dogs but does not use them for show. She told me
> the male is AKC registered and the female is ACA registered,
> which I had never heard of. She said it stands for the
> American Canine Association. The puppies will be ACA
> registered. She has both parents on premises. Does anyone
> know anything about the ACA? I'm not interested in having a
> dog for breeding or show, just a family pet. She said
> she'll give me the pedigree for the puppy. I have been
> trying for the past several weeks to get a Boston puppy from
> high-quality ''show'' breeders, and it has been so
> frustrating. I just want a pet quality puppy that is
> healthy. Can anyone give me suggestions on what to look for
> in the parents of the puppies, since they're both on
> premises? Other than being friendly and running up to you,
> what else can we look for in the parents and the puppies to
> determine temperment, sociability, etc? Thanks for your
> help.
>
