About Us - European boxers - About Us
About Us
It all began in the 1980's. But the first pup didn't entered our house until 1994. Needless to say, that event changed our lives greatly.
We extensively showed and trained in mid 90's until an accidental death of our beloved companion. It took us a few years to welcome another pup into our hearts. We are very actively involved in European shows, Schutzhund training and health testing. Our health test program includes HD/OFA, cardio testing and regular vet exams.
We are located in Northern Virginia. Prior to our move here, we lived in Texas, prior to that - in Germany, Japan and Russia.
We also breed top-quality dobermans. Don't let this mislead you. We breed selectively. Not for money. But for the result of it. Most of our dobermans are champions and titled in Schutzhund. We have two Sch-3 dobes. We hope to achieve similar heights with boxers.
Awaiting a new litter is like being pregnant. What color eyes will they have? Flash or no flash? Fawn or brindle or both? Will they be strong? heathy? We fly all over Europe - all for the sake of finding the perfect match for our female. We pick breeding combinations based on our lengthy show and training experience. Breeders who never showed or trained a dog will not be able to pick the right partners, nor could/should they make claims regarding show or work potential of the litter. Breeding titles and names are not a guarantee of the pup's quality. But the breeder's intuition, knowledge and experience are what creates a top-quality litter and top-quality dogs. How many breeders can boast that?!
Dobermans and boxers are very different. Boxers have a higher level of activity, Dobermans are dogs of incredible intelligence. It's fun training and living with both breeds.
Showing and Training
Even if you are not interested in showing or training, you have to realize and appreciate why we do this.
1. Shows are what dictates the breeders what a modern boxer should look like, which traits are in higher regard, which studs are recommended for breeding etc.
2. By showing and training successfully we know our dogs are suitable candidates for quality breeding.
VERY important things that any potential buyer should be aware of while searching for a working breed puppy: breed surveys, temperament tests, Schutzhund/IPO or any similar training AND showing - all this DETERMINES WHAT DOG SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT BE BRED. Without training scores and showing titles, or with poor scores and poor conformation, the dog is NOT SUITABLE for breeding. And if a breeder tells you that trophies don't matter - this is the biggest FLAG you can get, run away. DO NOT buy from a breeder who doesn't do any of the required work with their breeding dogs. Same philosophy is applied to those who buy 'ready-made' dogs from Europe titled by previous owners with the only purpose of breeding and making money.
Many people ask us if we have parents on site. We are not a multi-dog kennel, so we are not able to keep dozens of studs for us to make our selection out of. We'd rather spend our money on flying our best females to Europe, to its best studs and bring something NEW, FRESH, MINDBLOWING to the States. So, no, we hardly ever have both parents on site.
All our dogs are our pride and joy, and our couches bear marks of their sleeping habits. Our toddlers make sure puppies go to new homes "well-prepared". Puppies are raised inside only, they are used to kids yelling, laughing, crying. We have a lot of visitors so this gives our pups a good start in life.
What kind of dogs we breed
Of course, we want them to be: conformation-wise as correct as possible, health-wise as sound as they can be, and training-wise as smart as we want them to be.
Pet Breeding
It's quite entertaining to examine various kennel websites and read what breeders write there. Sadly, people don't realize that what they read is normally absolute nonsense.
There is no such thing as breeding for pet. Period. ANY breeding is a selective process to establish a line, develop certain good traits, eliminate some flaws. NONE of this can be achieved by means of breeding pet-quality dogs. By accepting this, you accept the fact that you are getting a mediocre pup from a person aiming at degrading the breed.
Look at it this way.There is always first class and second class. Both go hand in hand. It's a tremendous luck to breed a litter full of champions. Most often, there is a pup or two - pick(s) of the litter who have potential to become champions, great working dogs, etc. The rest of the litter are fine dogs but they are not up to the highest conformation level so should be placed as pets. So, why go to a person who has no idea what and why he/she breeds and get a pet quality pup, while you can have a much nicer dog with a better chance of living a healthier life from a reputable breeder?! Or save a life, adopt a PET.
Prices and breeding...
$2000-2500.
To give you a rough idea how much we spend on raising ONE pup, here are some numbers:
- $3000-6000 on training parents
- $1000-2000+ on shipping
- $700+ on health testing
- $2000+ on showing parents
- $300+ on docking and dew claw removal
- $50/mo on dog food per ONE dog
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Multiply this by TWO if we use our own stud. Or add $1000 for the stud fee - add logistic expenses.
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Divide by the number of pups and you will get the cost of raising ONE puppy.
A LEXUS shouldn't and won't cost the same as a TOYOTA, right? Same applies to every product in our life. Puppies are a product of our hard work, enthusiasm, sleepless nights, high expenses. So, think twice before you skip the information we made available on the site just for you, and call us with the same and only question: "How much do your puppies run for?"
We justify the prices on our pups - read above. Now ask other kennels if they can do the same. And draw conclusions.
We also import if we don't have pups on the ground (read more below). Imported pups come with a full registration but we still give preference to pet homes. We only work with responsible breeders who title their dogs. While puppy milling is highly uncommon in Europe, we put a lot of trust in our European partners. Some kennels will only export through us. European dogs have very good lineages. Overall, European breeding is of a higher standard than American breeding. This is just how breed clubs work in Europe. Of course, titling dogs in Europe takes a lot of time, travel expenses are high but winning is highly rewarding.
Feeding
There are two components to successful dry food feeding.
1. Human. The owner picks the food with all the right ingredients.
2. Canine. The dog picks the food it likes out of what the owner selected.
We've tried raw diet. And it's great. Unfortunately, it's quite time consuming for us so we switched to dry feeding.
I am very well versed in what ingredients are considered best in a dog food formula. Here is my analysis.
1. 4Health. Probably best ingredients for a relatively low price. Large Breed Formula: $30. 2 first ingredients - chicken. Awesome! Then some grains but no corn which is great too. 23% protein. Chicken and rice. 30$. Same thing. 26 percent protein. Will definitely try it on my dogs as it is very similar to Authority that you can only get at Petsmart.
2. Taste of the Wild. With BISON and VENISON. A bit expensive $43. But the ingredients are worth it. No corn. No cheap meat, no by-products. High meat content. But very high protein - 32percent. Not for couch potatoes.
3. Blue. $47. 2 first ingredients - chicken. No corn. Good food.
4. Science Diet. $40. Large breed puppy. First and third ingredient - corn. 2nd - chicken by-product meal. I don't know about you but I don't see my dog growing up on corn. Not for this money.
5. Proplan. $41. 26percent protein. 2 corn ingredients. By-products.
6. Nutro. $40. Lots of rice, one corn ingredient. All of this outweighs chicken meal as the 1st ingredient.
7. Eukanuba. $40. A whole bunch of grains and by-products. Uhm, no!
8. Nature's recipe. $45. Very good content. A bit pricey. 25 percent protein
9. Diamond. Revised formula. $28. Great ingredients for the money. 26 percent protein.
10. IAMS. Caused massive diarrhea in my dog. Will pass that one.
What we expect from the buyer
* Love and care for the living being.
* Pet insurance is highly recommended.
* Regular exercising.
* No fenced-in living for ours! You've got to take the dog places.
* No outdoor kennel living!
* Lots of human interaction.
* Training.
* And lots of photos!
NB: If you can't care for the dog you got from us for any reason, we'll take it back!
Health
Pups are dewormed and vaccinated according to our veterinarian's schedule. Dews might or might not be removed. This depends on the vet who docks the tails. We perform regular fecals on all our dogs. We always deworm and re-vaccinate imported puppies once they come to us.
We live in a beautiful, rural area. Dogs are well taken care of, well fed, well exercised. They are walked 4 times a day, one-one and a half our free run each time. We do not keep them caged or fenced in indoor or outdoor runs, we let them satisfy their physical needs to the fullest. People praise us for how our dogs look. We care about the health of our pets.
Ear cropping is $450 extra. Usually done between 8 and 12 weeks at the Pender Vet Clinic.
Finding the right breeder:
1. Check the breeder's expertise in breeding and raising puppies.
2. Don't be afraid to contact a show breeder. Not every puppy is born a champion.
3. Field trials, obedience, shows - the more the better!
4. Health is important!
5. Plan, visit, talk.
6. The breeder has to be experienced enough to be able to select the right puppy for you depending on your criteria.
7. An ethical breeder will not trash another breeder but will ethically try to educate you which breeders are not considered reputable AND why.
8. Intuition.
9. Quality of dogs used in breeding.
10. Quality of past dogs, puppies and breedings.
Working boxers
When you are searching for a sport dog, the dog needs many drives to be successful in the sport. The dog should be balanced in conformation and health so he is physically able to reach the heights and demands for the sport. The scaling wall is vertical. A dog with too straight a front, front assembly to far forward, will have difficulty climbing this wall, with the added weight of a Schutzhund dumbbell. Same for any extremes. Longevity for the sport is compromised. Tracking requires another drive, that should be maintained throughout the pedigree. Hunt drive is often neglected in breeding decisions. It's difficult to train a drive that is not genetically sought after. Bite work requires a strong , confident dog. These dogs must still engage with the helper as the stick hits continue. There is a lot of pressure from the helper. Physical soundness affects mental soundness as well . You are fortunate if you have the mental and physical soundness, with the balances of drives, health, and conformation needed for the sport. That also will determine the dogs working longevity.
A lot of buyers ask me what the best time to start training their dog is. The best time is NOW. You start small. Potty training. Talking. Basic gesture commands. Basic commands: sit, down and come. Your dog has to listen to you and respect you. You are the pack leader. Before you start serious training, you need to accomplish two things: the dog has to be controllable (without fear), and your need to get to the point when your dog becomes either food motivated or toy motivated (fixated will be a better word here). Add praise, and you are off to a great start!
Socialization
The critical time frame for socialization is from around 8 to 16 weeks of age. How to socialize your puppy:
1) Invite a range of people and friendly, healthy pets to visit your home and visit their homes with your puppy.
2) Enroll your puppy in a puppy training class or kindergarten.
3) Introduce your puppy to noises that she'll encounter throughout life. Be very careful with fireworks.
4) Take your puppy to the vet's office. 5) Expose your puppy to unusual things.
6) Go places!
Purchasing
We accept checks, money orders and wire transfers. All checks are placed on a 5-business day hold!!! Deposits are non-refundable but can roll over to a different puppy.
Shipping can be done after all the funds are received and cleared.
Our dogs live in Europe, Mexico, Canada and throughout the US.
No payment plans anymore.
Pick-up day
- The day you pick your puppy has arrived. Please come prepared. With a leash and a collar and paper towels and a doggy blanket.
Also, you need to be able to examine your pup right there:
- Clear eyes, clean ears. Some wax is normal. But look for the redness and odor.
- Bite
- Touch your puppy all over, look for hard spots or sensitive areas.
- Testicles if buying a show/breeding potential.
- Coat
Shipping
$350-400 extra depending on the carrier and weight of the dog.
Rules
No soliciting.
No trading.
Spay/Neuter
One breeding pair of dogs and their offspring can produce 67,000 dogs in six years. Every year nearly 30 MILLION cats and dogs are born in the US. Only 10% will find safe and loving homes. Every year 6-10 MILLION are killed. Most are adoptable but can't find homes. Euthanasia is the single largest cause of death for cats and dogs in the US. Nearly 65% of animals in shelters are killed. The single biggest cause of animal overpopulation is people who do not sterilize their pets. Nationwide the costs of trying to manage animal overpopulation may be 2 BILLION dollars. SPAY AND NEUTER! Not everyone is born a breeder and not every dog should be bred!
Importing
We import. For the fun of it. For the enriching experience and knowledge. Because we've got great friends breeding awesome dogs in Europe. And we want to have some over here. Because we know what we import. Because it's gratifying. Because people want imports but don't know how to do it themselves or it becomes too expensive. Because it helps us offset the breeding expenses. Because we love working with animals but breeding is stressful, time and money consuming. Because we like to help, buyers and breeders, and know how to do it the best way possible. Because we like diversity. Because it's fun to get to know new breeds and results of new breeding combinations. That's why we import. And this has to be respected because we are driven by far greater motives than money.
Advice
The dog world is cruel. But most often a person buying a pup doesn't see it. He sees the glamorous side of it - because he/she is what keeps the dog world moving and booming. Here are a few things the Buyer should know:
1. There are millions of unwanted dogs euthanized in shelters every year simply because there are just not enough homes for all homeless pets.
2. It's a bitter competition in show and breeding. All tools are good to get to the goal. Kicking the competitor's dog while it's running. Spreading rumors about other kennels. Over-exaggerating the significance of your kennel, breeding, dogs and puppies.
Just recently we found out that the owner of Euro Dream Kennel (former Playtime Boxers), Amanda, a.k.a. Marlene, has been spreading lies about us. This is what we call "unhealthy" competition.
"Healthy" competition is what moves the economy, it is what gives you the best price for the quality, it is what gives you variety. "Healthy" competition in dog breeding is what you can ONLY meet in a show ring or during a work trial. The rest I deem as lies and rumors. What you go with - is your personal choice.
If I breed show-quality puppies or if my dogs prove their quality in the show ring, nothing a competitor says can change this fact.
And, to be honest, a buyer should listen to the fellow buyers who had experience with a particular kennel, not to some breeder who is not competent enough to even discuss another breeder.
We take great care of our dogs. Even when it costs us thousands to treat an ill pup. We are willing to provide all medical records for all dogs to show that we have never ever had any serious infectious diseases or congenital, life-threatening illnesses in our dogs.
A special warning for the owner of the Euro Dream Boxers. If the owner procedes with their wrong practices, we are willing to take this issue further to court with all the appropriate documentations, our vet testimony and, if necessary, additional testing of every dog or pup we have in our possession. "Unhealthy" competition should not be tolerated in any industry, in any aspect of life.
We are not assembling refridgerators. We are working with living beings. Things happen. But we are always here to solve or help with any arising issue. In case of imports, we only work with those breeders that provide support or replacements. If the latter is the case, you will save a great deal on shipping expenses. If you buy directly from a European breeder, you can spend up to $1000-1500 in shipping, which won't be refunded in case something goes wrong with your dog. And if you get the breeder to agree to a replacement, you will be out of another $1000-1500 to get your replacement shipped to you.
3. A cute pup has a mother and a father. And if there is nothing remarkable about the parents, there won't be anything remarkable about your pup. We are talking about conformation here. If neither mom or dad, or at least the second generation, has any titles, then what kind of breeding are we talking about... A first-time buyer will not know this but he/she should.
4. Your pup may not turn out as good/smart/healthy as you want it to be. What will you do? What will your breeder do? To decide if this is the right kennel for you, read the website, examine the dog pictures, check how and why the breeder picks a breeding combination, what kind of pups are produced/imported, read the reviews, ask for references, read the contract.. This is plenty to proceed to the next step. If you like all of this, call the breeder. If you don't "click" in a phone conversation, you won't "click" later. It's better to look somewhere else.
People are people. You can't love every breeder and vice versa. A breeder is like a match maker. He or she connects human hearts with canine hearts. Pick the wrong breeder - pick the wrong dog. Good luck puppy searching!
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