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ABC's of Irish Wolfhounds Puppy Tales: Find a person in your area for help and information
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Novice Owner - Perfect Victim?
By Christiana C. Hartenstein Naiveté can be charming. A young girl knocking at the door of womanhood, how precious a time. Sweet, sweet sixteen. However, danger lurks around the corner. Naiveté is so seductive. Look at Goethe's Faust. Hasn't he studied about anything and everything? Yet, he still doesn't know what life is all about. Poor confused Gretchen! With Mephisto's guile and cunning, Faust pursues the virgin. She doesn't have the slightest clue she is (not only) flirting with disaster. Ultimately, Faust corrupts her and destroys her life. Quite a drama, don't you think?  People on the mission of getting their first Irish Wolfhound puppy may face a similardilemma. Right, not to such an extent, but still. Where to find information, addresses and phone numbers? How to contact other owners, ethical breeders? What to feed, how to train? How much exercise? The "Do's" and the "Don'ts". So many questions - so many answers. But are the answers people eventually get always the right ones, and most of all, honest? The Internet - Curse and Blessing Anyone looking for an Irish Wolfhound has a wide range of options. The fastest: The Internet. It turns the search for about anything into a matter of seconds. Nothing is easier than entering "Irish Wolfhound puppy". Here they come. Website after website, you can check out colors, age and price.  On January 12, 2008, two websites alone offered a total of 27 ads for Irish Wolfhounds, among them unborn litters, newborn litters, puppies of different ages and mature hounds for "different purposes". Some of the "breeders" advertise that the last litter was "completely sold out in 24 hours". Novice owners are thrilled. Wow, is it really that easy: Only one e-mail, and Fuzzy is mine? What they don't know is that most of these cute faces are being sold by puppy mills, which have only one thing in mind: Breeding dogs of different breeds around the clock to make a profit. Once the puppy is shipped, you are forgotten. Out of sight, out of mind. Entering any combination containing "Irish Wolfhound" shows, among others, personal  websites of breeders and kennels inviting you to share "many successful years" in the breed. You read heartwarming stories of "How I became a breeder", admire pictures of countless champions, click on "pedigrees" to find names which sound wonderfully strange, and last, but not least, you succumb to these irresistible puppy pictures of the advertised latest litter. 13 puppies? Oh my god, aren't they darling? Again, after dropping a few e-mails or so, a puppy is booked. But does the soon- to- be owner really knows anything about the quality of the puppies and their parents? Does he/she have an idea about health problems of the puppy's ancestors, and what they died from at what age? And how many puppies leave this particular kennel per year? Most likely not. If one reads the guest books of breeder's websites, you learn how easy it is to impress a naïve novice. Yes, the Internet is a blessing. But is also is a curse. All-Breed Shows - (Beyond) The first look So what about going to a near by All Breed Show, see the dogs, talk to owners and breeders? Actually, this is a good idea, and very popular. There is nothing better than seeing the dog you always dreamt of in flesh and blood. The size, the fuzzy face, the beautiful eyes. At ringside, you watch the dogs (more or less) masterfully handled and you are wondering how a judge can ever make a decision whom to award the ribbons. Because to the novice eye, all wolfhounds look alike, and they are all beautiful. What many novices may now do is ask the owner or breeder of the winner, if a litter is planned or better, already on the ground. A puppy by a winning kennel is considered a good decision. However, some wolfhounds doing well at All Breed Shows can be but the novice does not know this. Despite the fact that many future wolfhound owners fall even deeper in love with the breed after spending time at an All Breed Show, such a show is hard business. It is not only a competition for points, but also for puppy homes. It is a platform for breeders of any breed to advertise their kennels and sell dogs. You may see big kennel signs with pictures of champions and available puppies. Of course everyone is nice and friendly to potential buyers. However, in some cases, the necessity of selling dogs is bigger than the obligation of telling the truth. Yes, there are honest, dedicated breeders at these shows who do not denunciate their peers, but there are always some out who try to convince the newcomer that only they have good dogs and better not to buy from this or that competitor. For this kind of breeder, being active in a club comes for sure handy, as it sounds impressive to the novice, but - unfortunately - not for the right reasons. Specialty Shows - Chance to train the eye and compare Specialties are shows where a single breed is being exhibited, and depending on the location, they in general draw between 100 and 350 entries, sometimes even more. They are an excellent opportunity to see a variety of wolfhounds, bred in the US, Canada, and abroad, compare them and learn about the breed. Even the most untrained eye will find some dogs he/she likes better than others, and that might not be the ones winning on that particular day. The winning ones are not necessarily the best, as they only represent the opinion of one judge at a particular day. But in general, the wolfhounds exhibited at Specialties are of higher quality. Sometimes, specialty shows can be intimidating for future owners. Breeders are normally busy with a number of hounds they need to get ready for the ring, and since everybody knows each other, novices may easily feel left out. But just by getting a catalogue, watching the hounds being judged, someone can decide whom he/she may want to approach after the show is over. Many breeders don't mind spending time with patient people when everything is said and done. The more dogs a novice sees and is allowed to go over, the better he/she should eventually become in evaluating what is correct wolfhound type. And the more often a novice takes actual time - and yes, money - to spend learning about all aspects of the breed, the sooner he/she will know what to expect in a wolfhound, what to look for when it comes to choosing one, where to find it. Local Club - Invitation to (serious) fun Sometimes, people simply don't have the time, money or the access to watch an Irish Wolfhound specialty. For them, trying to contact a wolfhound person in their area may be a good alternative. Many regions in the US have their own local clubs, which are a good way of getting in touch with the Irish Wolfhound world. A wide range of activities like seminars, workshops, coursing, training classes and participation in parades, picnics, fun days and walks allows novices and owners to learn about the breed. Some clubs have an annual Fun Match where novices can see dogs of different kennels of a certain area without visiting each single one of them. This way, they can find out which type of dog they like, an important factor when it comes to booking a pup. Another advantage local is that people can volunteer at events and get a look even behind the scenes. The local club in general is informed about who has puppies available at the time you are looking. People are being referred to breeders in good standing with the club who themselves have different screening tools, such as questionnaires and visits, to figure out whom to put on their waiting list or not. However, depending of the club, the number of breeders and the quality of their breeding stock may vary from area to area. A breeder may very well be a good and active club member, but fall short to produce quality puppies, exemplifying the standard. It does not take much to love the Irish Wolfhound. Raising one quality generation after another does. Locating a Hound
Some people do not have a local club or other wolfhound owners nearby. They are more or less on their own. For them, contacting the national club may be their best option. The club provides information regarding history, standard, health, research, and contacts. People who have been involved with the breed for many years are elected into the board of the club to support and promote the breed. At request, people also receive referrals to breeders when looking for a puppy. The club should provide referrals to the closest regional clubs and/or breeders in the general locality of the inquirer, although in some cases that still may not be very close. From that point, the inquirer can contact the regional club for information on those breeders near them and learn about their breeding programs. What a novice can really do … ... is to learn as much about the breed as possible before purchasing one. Being educated and informed allows people to think critically, and weigh options and offers wisely. Just like in college, this costs time and money, but surely pays off in the long run. Since being patient is nothing most people are good at, it might not sound very exciting at the beginning. But the more the novice knows about the breed, the better a chance he/she has for getting a quality puppy from an ethical, honest breeder, even if it is only meant to be a pet. Disappointments, for instance regarding looks, health and temperament of the pup can be avoided that way. After reading one or more of the numerous fascinating books on Irish Wolfhounds, after talking to owners and breeders at shows, it is time to go and visit kennels. Look at the dogs, see how they are being taken care of, and talk to the breeders in more detail. Ideally, a number of kennels in different areas should be visited, not only the ones close to home. To develop a feeling for the breeder is crucial. After all, he/she should be the first one to contact in case of a problem with the pup, and he/she should be a source of support and friendship throughout the hound's life. Is he or she competent? Does the novice feel in good hands, or does he/she get the impression of being only interesting when it is time to pick up the puppy and pay for it? These are important questions in need to be answered ahead of time. And no, not only does the breeder have the right to ask questions. The potential buyer should interview the breeder as well. Among questions to ask could be: 1. How many puppies leave the kennel per year?An ethical breeder will disclose honestly what his or her old dogs died from and at what age. Someone who tries telling a novice they never had this or that health problem is not trustworthy. Everyone long enough in wolfhounds knows that this is a lie - all breeders share the same problems A novice, who has made his homework, should by now know whose dogs he likes best and whom he/she trusts so he can imagine him or her being around for the next years. He/she will then go ahead and decide to obtain a puppy from the current litter or reserve one for later. Even if that means to wait - again. Novice owner - perfect victim? Not necessarily.
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