Has anyone had any experience with BigMac Boxers out of Walton ky?

[kingan936]

I am seriously looking into this breeder she really seems to have it together. I was wanting to know if anyone had dealt with them her name is Jeannie McElroy. She is also a strong believer in the puppy aptitude testing any feelings with that? This is my first boxer I just want it to be healthy is my main concern. She is akc licensed an akc titling judge and does Healy testing anything else I should look for?

[cadkids]

health testing heart and hips especially also linage how far back does she have records? these would be the first thing I will be looking for in a breeder when I get my next boxer (hopefuly not for a long time though ) yes I want a puppy but 3 is all I can handle right now and I dont want to lose any of them any time soon

[Mom2Titan]

welcome, sounds like you are doing your research - good for you...you can also look at the Breeder Forum. This will advise what to look for in a breeder...heath testing: heart, hips, thyroid etc I have heard about the puppy aptitude test although I haven't known anyone to have this done with their potential puppy - it is where they try to match puppy's personality to the personality of new owners which I think is a cool concept. I am sure others here will chime in with their thoughts and ideas - good luck

[kingan936]

They have pedigrees that go back 5 or 6 generations and multiple Int champions and ati box champs. They are mainly from old German linage. I'm hoping for this one to have a long healthy life I recently put down my 4 and a half year old boy basset due to lymphoma and it was horrible. I guess the weirdest thing for me about the aptitude testing is the breeder picking my dog for me but I imagine she knows better than me

[Mom2Rocky]

I don't know much about her except that they have a LOT of litters each year and I seen their ads on classified sites (red flag). Personally, a kennel that produces that many litters each year raises red flags. Another red flag I see is that they breed from within their kennel on a regular basis. Meaning they pair their own dogs together for mating. Most reputable breeders don't do that very often, if at all.

Right now the big trend is to import dogs from kennels over seas and then breed, breed, breed.. All to make money. I'd be seriously looking at what the breeder is doing besides just breeding. Are they working and titling their dogs, are they showing in conformation on a regular basis, are they doing ALL they health tests recommened before breeding?? WHY do they breed? To supply a demand of puppies for pet homes or mainly for themselves and other performance homes? I would never support a breeder who breeds to supply a demand for pet homes. Do they know the longevity, reasons for death in past generations, health clearance info all in depth? Do they repeat holters yearly? Hips x-rayed? Thyroid tests normal? Echo normal? Not only ask if these things have been done, but ask for PROOF. Also.. how many litters has the dam had and how often is she bred?

I cannot say if they are a good breeder or not. I've never dealth with them nor known anyone that has. Just do your research and go from there

Good luck with your puppy search.

[BULLDOG3777]

Only one experience with her. I emailed her and told her I wanted the last available pup. She said fine. I ask her if she could hold it for a couple of weeks due to a trip we had planned and she said no problem. After that, no communications from her at all. I called and emailed. Nothing!!! She kept putting me off. Next thing I knew, she had sold it to someone else. I feel she was waiting for the other couple's check to clear. Just be careful.

[kingan936]

I hope I have luck with I hear, I checked the OFA website and her dogs were listed there to be checked in hips, heart, and thyroid. hopefully its a good experience my only worry is I put a depositin very early and she has 3 litters due in september, when I asked where I was on the list her response was she is pretty sure there will be a puppy that will fit my families needs out of one of the litterws, I tell her the traits Im looking for and she does PAT and picks one for us, so we will see, I will give a full review after my expereince, so i am staying optimistic for now

[Ril-Mas]

Originally Posted by kingan936

I hope I have luck with I hear, I checked the OFA website and her dogs were listed there to be checked in hips, heart, and thyroid. hopefully its a good experience my only worry is I put a depositin very early and she has 3 litters due in september, when I asked where I was on the list her response was she is pretty sure there will be a puppy that will fit my families needs out of one of the litterws, I tell her the traits Im looking for and she does PAT and picks one for us, so we will see, I will give a full review after my expereince, so i am staying optimistic for now

If you have ANY worries at all when dealing with a breeder, I personally feel it's best to move on. Trust your gut instinct. If something is causing you concern, it's best to keep looking.

When I was looking for Logan I contacted several breeders. A few of them didn't meet my criteria. There was one that met everything I was looking for, but she seemed to be very stuck up. I just didn't find talking with her to be very pleasant so I kept searching. Not long after, I found Logan's breeder. She was great! She was very nice to deal with and she met my criteria.

My point is, it's very important that you feel 100% comfortable with the puppy you're getting and with the breeder you're dealing with. If there are any red flags for you, it's really best to move on.

[cadkids]

Originally Posted by Ril-Mas

If you have ANY worries at all when dealing with a breeder, I personally feel it's best to move on. Trust your gut instinct. If something is causing you concern, it's best to keep looking.

When I was looking for Logan I contacted several breeders. A few of them didn't meet my criteria. There was one that met everything I was looking for, but she seemed to be very stuck up. I just didn't find talking with her to be very pleasant so I kept searching. Not long after, I found Logan's breeder. She was great! She was very nice to deal with and she met my criteria.

My point is, it's very important that you feel 100% comfortable with the puppy you're getting and with the breeder you're dealing with. If there are any red flags for you, it's really best to move on.

100% agree

[Newcastle]

A few grey areas here.

Some general observations that would be helpful for anyone evaluating a breeder:

As far as PAT goes, lots of breeders do it, but many of those who have actually followed their puppies into adulthood find it's often not really a reliable indicator of adult temperament. It may lend some information about trainability, although I'm starting to like the PAWS assessment better for that purpose.

"Euro" breeders in general should be looked at closely, because "Euro" is a growing fad and many breeders are using the term to justify charging high prices for their puppies. (Pricing based on "percent Euro blood" is a huge giveaway.) Most responsible breeders don't use the term "Euro" -- they aren't marketing their dogs based on geography in the first place, and they recognize that "Europe" includes such countries as England, Scotland, Ireland, etc. The term "Continental" more accurately refers to dogs from Continental Europe, but most responsible breeders -- if the need arises when discussing their puppies or the parents -- simply use the country from where the "foreign" dog came.

I'm also naturally wary of breeders who promote "working dogs" but don't actually work their own dogs. How can they possibly know if the puppies would make good working prospects? (Same goes for "show puppies", for that matter, if the breeder doesn't show.)

Specifically about this breeder, some areas to explore further. (It could be they don't have the information posted, but it's certainly something about which I'd ask.)

I don't see anything about holter monitoring; IMO this is the most important health testing in Boxers, since the condition for which it screens (ARVC) can result in dogs dropping dead at 2-3 years of age. ARVC is found in Boxers in every country in the world; it is more common in some areas than others, but no countries or lines are free of the disease.

The number of litters is a concern -- some people are able to manage a litter every month or two (or three or four litters at a time), but some aren't and cut corners, which can lead to bad conditions for the puppies.

And just to clarify, the breeder is not AKC licensed -- the AKC does not license breeders -- and she is not an AKC judge. She is a CGC Evaluator, meaning she can pass or fail a dog taking the Canine Good Citizen test.