Maybe not anytime soon, but probably by summer next year. I have finally found a breeder that I would like to buy from. She is a very friendly, down to earth woman with stunning dogs. I find her very easy to talk to and she seems genuinely interested in me and Sierra. She has even talked to her vet about Sierra's skin issues to see if she could provide any info that may help resolve it. I was pretty impressed by that. Apparently I have passed her application process and she has deemed me worthy to care for one of her pups. She emailed me today and asked if I would be willing to co-own a male puppy that is currently two weeks old. I don't think I will take this pup, only because I did not intend to get a puppy this quickly, I'm not ready yet. She is planning two more litters in Spring 2009, so maybe one of those!
Regarding the co-ownership, on one hand, I kind of feel that if I am paying for the puppy, which has quite a hefty price tag, doing all of the training, footing the vet bills, etc, I want to be the one to make the decisions regarding that dog. However, deep down, I think that line of thinking is me just being a brat. What can I say? I'm an Aries and I'm the youngest of my siblings. Being a brat comes naturally to me!
The logical line of thinking goes like this: From what I've heard/read about co-ownership, it is a benefit for the breeder. However, as long as the contract is fair, I could get quite a lot out of it too. Brattiness aside, when I think about it, footing the bill for the puppy isn't really an issue, because I'd have to anyway. But the thought of having an established breeder to turn to, who has proven experience in the ring is a great thing. Especially since I'm re-entering the sport of dog shows after 20 years.
I thought I was going to have to fight to get a puppy since I'm not established yet, and I never expected to be accepted so quickly. So when she offered her pups to me, I got scared and started to panic that I was going to screw up something crucial and ruin the pups chance for showing. As soon as she mentioned co-owning, that fear was suddenly alleviated. It's actually kind of comforting to know I'll have her to learn from.
ANYWAY, if you are still reading this rambling
, has anyone had any experience with co-owning? And was it good or bad?