Our Pet Puppies

If you purchase a pet puppy, you will enter into a "pet contract" with us, which includes AKC Limited Registration and a spay/neuter agreement. 

AKC Limited Registration

A dog registered with an AKC Limited Registration is purebred and the parents are AKC registered.  Limited Registration is a tool offered by the American Kennel Club for responsible breeders to protect their breeding programs and their puppies.  Limited Registration is just like regular registration, except that Limited Registration dogs may not be shown in conformation, and their offspring cannot be AKC registered.  They may compete in any other AKC licensed or member events, such as agility, obedience, water work, tracking, rally, etc., and obtain titles in those areas.

Our Show Puppies

If you purchase a show prospect puppy, you will enter into a "show contract" with us, which includes a co-ownership agreement. 

Co-Ownership

This means that we, the breeders, will be listed on the AKC Registration Certificate along with you, the buyer.  The co-ownership agreement is used to give us, as breeders, certain rights pertaining to the showing and breeding of one of our highest quality puppies.  Those terms are spelled out in our show contract and will be discussed thoroughly with you. 

Responsibilities

There are always far fewer show quality puppies than there are pet quality puppies, so the placement of a show prospect puppy is extremely important to a breeder.  You should only purchase a show quality puppy if you intend to take the steps necessary to fulfill that puppy's potential.  Anything less than a full faith effort to do so is not only dishonorable but will be considered a breach of contract.

Before making the decision to purchase one of our select show prospect puppies, please carefully consider the following: 

Training/Discipline:

• We require a puppy kindergarten course for all of our puppies.  For a show prospect, we also require an additional obedience course.
• One of the desirable attributes of a show quality dog is a confident alpha temperament.  If not handled properly by the owner, this trait can result in a dog that becomes unmanageable.  An intact alpha puppy that has been allowed to "rule the roost" can become a dog who has difficulty obeying and/or exhibits overly assertive behavior.  It is critical that a show dog's owner be willing and able to be a strong pack leader (rule your dog rather than letting her/him rule you).

Conformation:

• You should be prepared to do your best to "finish" your PWD (attain AKC conformation championship) by the time s/he is three (3) years old.  You will be expected to enter her/him in dog conformation shows by the time s/he is eighteen (18) months old, and either show her/him yourself or make the necessary arrangements with a professional handler.  You may wish to try handling yourself, and see how you and your PWD do as a team.  However, we have found that it is usually much easier and quicker to get the required points by using the services of a good professional handler.  In either case, you should be willing and able to make a major time and financial commitment in order to fulfil this term of the contract. 
  
  Considerations:
  • Any puppies that we place as show quality will have been assessed as such by someone knowledgeable about the breed.  The only further evaluations we would be interested in are those of a professional PWD handler whose services have been engaged.  Most people are not knowledgeable enough to judge the "showability" of a PWD puppy.  Of those who are, some may have a hidden agenda behind any advice offered.  The dog show world is very competitive.  We have firsthand experience with "helpful" comments [made by show dog owners and handlers] whose sole purpose was to instill doubt about our dog and thus discourage us from competing.  Obviously we now take any such assessments with a grain of salt.
  • You will need to let your PWD's coat grow long beginning about six months prior to showing her/him, as a show coat is normally much longer than a pet coat.  That will mean lots of combing and brushing.  While your dog is being shown, her/his coat will need to be given the utmost care.  If you are unable to provide the necessary coat care yourself, you should be prepared to take your dog to a groomer once a week.
  • If you live in Texas, you will need to be willing and able to take/send your dog on one or more out-of-state show circuits, as most Texas dog shows do not have majors in PWDs. 
  • Very few show prospect puppies "have it all".  Some show prospect puppies will take longer to finish than others, but most are capable of attaining an AKC championship.  An owner's level of determination and commitment to the goal are key to the outcome.

Other:

• A dog must be intact (not spayed or neutered) to be shown.  Having an intact dog is a big responsibility.
  • Intact males tend to be more domineering than neutered dogs.  Other intact dogs may be threatened by your intact dog, and react negatively.  It is important that the owner of an intact male know how to be a strong leader. 
  • An intact female will start coming into season between 5 months and a year of age. She will generally be in season twice a year for several weeks at a time.  During that time she must be kept inside, going out only on a leash, to avoid unwanted pregnancies.  If you have any intact male dogs yourself, you may need to rehome them during the female's cycle. 

Breeding:

Our contract contains a number of stipulations regarding the breeding of any show quality dog that we place.  These include conformation and health prerequisites.

Transfer to Sole Ownership

We will transfer a Lakecrew show contract PWD from co-ownership to sole ownership upon one or the other of the following:

• The PWD obtains its AKC conformation championship and all other terms of the contract are met.
  
  - OR -
• We jointly agree that an AKC conformation championship is unattainable for this PWD or that s/he should not be bred due to health reasons.  S/he will then be spayed/neutered.

Please be absolutely certain that you are willing to assume all of the responsibilities associated with owning a show quality dog before you decide to purchase one.  If you just want a pet that looks like a show dog, find a breeder who has a really nice puppy that they will place as a pet.  There are typically many such available.