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Purchasing your First Boston Terrier
Now that you've had a family pow-wow and decided on
a Boston Terrier as the ideal pet, let's briefly
consider the following four points:
Reputable Breeder vs. Pet Store.
While there may be exceptions, the majority of pet
stores purchase their dogs from puppy mills. The workers
at air cargo tell us that these litters, sometimes more
than one litter of pups in one crate, are shipped in
almost daily when these puppies are only 5 weeks of age!
Even though the authorities do close down some of these
puppy ills, they immediately open again under another
family member's name.
Bitches are bred every time they come in season and little or no money is
spent on veterinary care. The only object here is to
make money. These puppies often times are unhealthy when
they arrive at the pet shops. The ideal situation is to
find yourself a reputable breeder.
How do you do that? At the end of this section you will
find listed the Breeder Referral Chairman for Minuteman
Boston Terrier Club. We'll help you in this endeavor.
When you do contact a local breeder don't be afraid to
ask lots of questions. It's a good feeling to know that
"your" breeder is at the other end of the phone wire,
willing to help you make the all important adjustment
period a huge success.
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Responsibility of the
Breeder
The breeder must raise healthy, well socialized puppies.
Parents must be healthy and in good temperment. The breeder
needs to know if there are dangerous genetic problems in
their lines, and to avoid them at all cost.
Unsuitable sires and dams should not be used in a breeding
program. Reputable breeders will first supply a healthy,
happy puppy and, secondly, be there for you when you need
guidance.
Responsibility of the Buyer
According to the "Bill of Sale" Contract" the buyer agrees
to attend to the health and welfare of the puppy. Puppies
are a lot of work and the buyer should be prepared to accept
this responsibility. Fresh water, a top grade dog food, as
suggested by the breeder, veternary care and lots of TLC is
the formula for a healthy happy puppy. Remember, your
breeder is there to help make this possible.
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Availability of puppies and expense
Boston Puppies are scarce and expensive. First of
all, most Boston mothers require Cesarean sections.
Remember the terrier type body and the bully head.
The pelvic area of the mother often can't pass the
large head of the puppy. Secondly, the average size
litter is 2-4 puppies. Third, the mortality rate in
Boston pups is high, so a breeder can start with a
litter of four and end up with only two or three. If
people are only breeding to make a "buck" they are
going to choose some other more prolific, free
whelping breed. So, this leaves us with a small
number of breeders, and a small number of puppies.
But if your family has it's heart set on a Boston
Terrier, be patient. One will turn up sooner or
later. It's worth the wait.
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