Choosing Your Puppy
One of the most common questions I
get from families waiting for a puppy is, how do you decide who gets which puppy? Will I be allowed to choose the one I want?
I do understand the natural desire
to choose that special puppy from the litter. However, please keep in mind that within each litter there are vast differences
in personality and temperament. All honest breeders carefully consider the needs and activity level of the family, and will
match each pup with its new home based on that. My primary concern as a breeder is each pup's potential success in its new
home!! My pups' welfare and happiness is my first priority, as well as the happiness of each family who chooses to buy a Kaviak
puppy.
Please remember that I live with the
litter and its relatives, and I've also carefully interviewed you to determine what you are looking for and what sort of pup
will succeed in your family environment. You probably will come to visit at least once before you take your puppy home. Each
pup has a different personality, which may not be immediately apparent when you have been here to visit. For example, you
may need a pup who is calm and quiet, but when you've visited the litter, the most outgoing pup is tired. You may pick him
up, and he snuggles into your chest--and of course, you are instantly in love with this puppy. However, I have lived with
him for eight weeks, and I happen to know he's the most energetic and dominant puppy in the litter. In fact, chances are that
this puppy is only quiet right now because he has been bouncing off the walls all morning! He'd make a great dog for an athletic
family, but since you really want a calm and quiet dog, this is not the right pup for you!!
Breeders who allow buyers to pick
their own puppies without guidance from the breeder usually don't know very much about their own dogs. Often their primary
interest is making money, and whether that pup is bested suited for that home isn't even considered. Many times, these are
the dogs end up in rescue programs or animal shelters as unwanted pets. These breeders will rarely take back a dog they have
bred, preferring instead to let the shelter workers or rescue personnel shoulder that burden.
If you have done your homework and
located an honest, ethical breeder, then trust that person to choose your puppy for you. It is quite all right to express
a preference for a specific color or to let the breeder know if a certain puppy has caught your eye, but please understand
that a responsible breeders are breeding for themselves, and will usually be keeping one to two pups from the litter,
or placing them in homes where they will be shown and the breeder will have access to the dog for their breeding program.
I always listen to my puppy buyers' desires and will try to give them what they want IF I can, but I will make NO promises
that they will get a certain color or specific pup. What I DO promise is that 1) I will provide them with a well bred, beautiful
malamute baby, and 2) once the show pups have been selected, I will choose the best pup that I can for them based on what
their family's lifestyle requires. By letting me select their puppy, each family stands a better chance of getting a dog that
is perfectly suited to their lifestyle. I haven't had any unhappy buyers yet!
Important: once you've
done the hard work by finding and selecting a good breeder with top quality malamutes, supply that person with a detailed
description of your home and family, and what you are looking for in a dog. This should be your main concern, as you will
love ANY puppy you take home.
