sTAFFHAVEN PERM REG'D Devoted to Staffordshire Bull Terriers
Always for the betterment of the breed!
This is Beau at his first Sanction Match July 2020 - Best in Group 4 and Best Puppy in Group 4
TESTIMONIALS
BUYER’S GUIDE FOR THE PURCHASING OF A STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER
The following are points to help prospective buyers understand some of the things which we know to be important to breeding a quality Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
WHAT ARE BREED STANDARDS AND CONFORMATION?
Breed standards define the structure and breed type of a purebred dog. Every breed has a written breed standard that preservation breeders adhere to. The breed standard describes two things, structure and breed type. The standard is the blueprint of the breed.
Structure of a dog is like the structure of a house. If the framework is structurally faulty it effects the integrity of the house; things over time will wear faster, crack, or even fall down. You must have sound structureto maintain the house’s integrity. The same theory applies to dogs.
Any dog must have sound structure so they can handle the wear and tear of a lifetime of running and jumping and playing and just being a dog. Dogs with unsound structure will become more arthritic, more prone to injuries and so on.
Good pure bred dogs will conform to their breed standard. ‘Conformation’ is an expression of how well an individual meets its breed standard.
WHAT IS BREED TYPE?
Breed type is what separates one breed from another. It’s those attributes that when you look at a breed you know what it is. It’s what sets breeds apart, what makes a Greyhound a Greyhound, or what makes a Staffy Bull a Staffy Bull. Size, head shape, coat, how they move, temperament and so on.
WHY ARE CONFORMATION SHOWS IMPORTANT?
We feel it is important that people look for their next family pet from a breeder who shows in conformation. The conformation shows are where breeding stock is evaluated against the breed standard. It is not just a beauty contest! It is the judge’s job to determine if the dog is structurally sound and has good breed type. Also, to determine if the dog is built the way it should be in order to be able to preform the job that the breed was originally bred and designed to do.
All these things are very important to producing the best family pet that will give you years with a happy, healthy dog that can keep up with all that your family throws at him whether that is performance events, hiking, running, throwing a ball or being a couch potato.
It is our goal as preservation breeders to provide the best quality for the health and longevity of the dog.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A BREEDER
Unfortunately, currently with social media, the selling of dogs of all breeds has become big business. Due to this there are more scammers and unethical people out there selling puppies than ever before. We would like to address some issues we have come across to help you make the best choice for your next family companion.
· Look for breeders who are CKC and or SBTCC members.
· Look for breeders active in the SBTCC breed club, and active in CKC or AKC events in conformation and or performance.
· Look for a breeder who health tests and provides a written health guarantee. Make sure the dog has passed the health testing done.
· Look for a breeder that does the ‘puppy evaluation’ testing of every puppy at 7 weeks of age.
· Look for a breeder who insists on personal (when possible) interviews at their home.
· DO NOT go to a breeder who wants to meet you in a parking lot the next day and wants money up front. There are scammers that steal pictures off the net and use them as their own and take your money and never delivers the puppy.
· DO NOT use a breeder that requires you to pay extra for registration papers. In Canada it is a federal offence to sell a dog as purebred and not supply the CKC registration papers. (The CKC is slow and this can take some time).
· DO NOT use a breeder that wants you to pay more for a certain colour or sex. Ethical breeders do not base their prices on colour or sex
HEALTH TESTING, WE RECOMMEND THAT:
· At the minimum all breeding dogs be L2hg and HC clear either by DNA or parentage. (3 generations); and eye certification by a board-certified ophthalmologist to be done.
The above tests are the minimum any breeder should do. Additional testing can also be done such as to determine if there is hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia.
Please note that some testing requires a perfect pass. Other tests have a grey area. No dogs are perfect and breeders test to be aware of any imperfections in order to make the best breeding choices for their dogs.
DNA versus Parentage CLEAR on many paperwork you will see dogs “DNA clear” or “clear by parentage”.
· DNA clear means that dog was tested and is clear for a specific disease. The breeder will have a certificate from the lab that did the testing confirming the DNA status. You can ask to see this certificate.
· DNA clear by parentage means the parents or grandparents of the dog were all tested DNA clear.
If all grandparents or parents of your puppy were tested clear, then your puppy will also be clear. Breeding clear to clear can only produce clear. Your breeder should be able to tell you how far back the testing was done. It is recommended that breeders check for mutations by testing the DNA parentage breeding dogs every 3-4 generations.
Please note. The SBT is typically a very healthy breed and our preservation breeders have worked very hard to keep it this way. The labs are developing new testing every day. Ethical breeders do more and more testing every year as tests become available to gain knowledge and information to help make the next generation even better than the last.
PLEASE NOTE. Currently the popularity of the blue colouris exploding. Be aware that this is an acceptable colour in our breed and is not rare. It is a dilute recessive gene. Due to it being a dilute colour most breeders have bred away from it due to the problems that can arise from it. This includes dilute gene alopecia and allergies. Ethical breeders breed for quality not colour. Occasionally we will see a beautiful blue or blue brindle puppy in our litters and that’s OK except for the possibility of increased health issues. It is never ethical to breed two blue dogs together. You are certain to get health issues by doing that.
Quality puppies from an ethical preservation breeder is worth the wait. Expect to wait 6-18 months for a puppy from any ethical preservation breeder.
There just aren’t enough of us! But, you will be happy you did!
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"My name is John Bonia and my fiancée and I first became familiar with Staffhaven Kennels when we purchased our first Staffordshire Bull Terrier from Belle decades ago. I did my research and homework and Belle's love and extreme devotion to his intrepid breed appealed to me and when we seriously explored getting a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to join our family as a pet/companion,
Belle was there through every step of the process with her knowledge and total honesty about the breed and total patience and what I respected most of all is that she told us everything about the breed - the pros and the cons with no sugar coating, which is so important in the process and we've been friends ever since.
I remember going to the airport to pick up our first Staffy, Oscar from the airport from Staffhaven Kennels. We looked in his crate and we were welcomed with great enthusiasm and a wagging tail that was like a metronome by this very handsome black brindle boy with a gleaming coat and we have loved the breed ever since. Oscar went on to become a dog that I would take to "Show & Tell" to children's schools by request of the children's parents and he was incredible, even though he was only a year old his first time. I was so very proud of Oscar that day and many other times and it told me volumes about the breed as a whole.
We just got our second Staffordshire Bull Terrier from Belle just last week and we are every bit as pleased as we were when we first got Oscar so many years ago, especially getting a puppy from her incredible female, Wicca. His name is Simon and he is exactly what I told Belle I wanted in temperament. I don't know how she did it, but she nailed it and it's been like Simon has been here for a year. He's so clever, friendly and outgoing, especially with people and kids, as all of Belle's Staffords are well known for and the breed as a whole and I look forward to a long life with Simon.
Thanks Belle for another incredible Staffordshire Bull Terrier and your patience and loyalty throughout the process, which was complicated this year by COVID, as we all know, but Belle got us through and we have many years to look forward to again with our stunning Staffhaven boy Simon. I have no doubt that he will be another awesome ambassador for the breed, as Oscar was and I look forward to the many adventures we will no doubt have in the future."
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"I met Belle at the Kars Dog Show but it was not until a number of years later that I would really get to know her.
I can not say enough, how wonderful of an experience it has been to work with Belle and Owen in obtaining my Stafford puppy, Jerrica.
I found her process to be through and fair. She welcomed my husband and I into her home to meet momma Wicca and get to know us as people and dog owners better before we were approved for a puppy.
I will never forget that phone call, I was so excited I thought I would burst when she said there was a puppy in this litter for us, my heart became a little more whole again. I had lost my Staffy mix of 15 years months before.
We would get weekly updates on puppy progress and got to see them in person before taking our baby girl home.
Belle walked us through the entire process and has continued to be extremely supportive since taking Jerrica home.
I feel that Belle is an incredible breeder that produces amazing puppies. She is a wonderful person who genuinely cares about her dogs and where Wicca’s beautiful babies go. I would highly recommend Staffhaven to any responsible dog owner.
Meghan Scott"
Wicca with her first litter July 2020 3 boys and 3 girls
MERKUR DOBERMANS
MERKUR DOBERMANS reg'd
My husband Owen has been involved and breeding Dobermans since the 1980s.
My love of the breed began in 2001 when I met Owen and his wonderful girls. Since then I've been devoted to the Doberman breed as well as my Staffords.
Ch. SIOUL HUGSNKISSES FOR LOLLIPOP, CGN, ND-N, SDDA-S
LOLLIE DOB Jan 9, 2019
Lollie is a wonderful Doberman and we will be breeding her for the first time in 2022
Lollie is also involved in Agility, Scent Work and Rally.
HEALTH CHECKS
OFA tests -
Eyes - normal OFA 21B65T (Aug 2021)
Hips - good OFA
Holter Monitor - Jan 2021 & 2022 excellent
VWG - carrier
EMBARK tested
UPCOMING BREEDING
LOLLIE will be bred to Am/Can Gr Ch. Gatehouse Mr. Wonderful, CGN, NTD
AKA - CASH in the Fall of 2022.
FAQs and Testimonial
Q - How much do you sell your Doberman puppies for?
A - $3,000.00
Q - What about a deposit?
A - No deposit is taken until the puppies are born then it's $1,000.00 which is non-refundable
Q - What does the price of a puppy include?
A - CKC registered, microchipped, first vaccination, de-worked at least three times, tail docked, ears cropped (if desired), bag of puppy food, 30 day Pet Insurance trial, Puppy Assessment which is done at seven weeks of age.
Q - Do we choose our own puppy?
A - No - we chose the best puppy for you based on your family and home circumstances as well as the puppy assessment and whether or not you have had previous experience with Dobermans and what you will be 'doing' with the pup..
Q - When can I take my puppy home?
A - It depends on whether or not you want the puppy's ears cropped. If the ears are to be cropped it would be one week after the cropping. If the ears are not cropped then at nine weeks of age.
"Merkur Doberman's are bred for health and above all temperament.
They not only look like a quality dog- they are also able to perform as one. Whether it be in the show ring or in obedience and agility trials. Puppies undergo a temperament test to ensure that they not only live up to their potential but meet and exceed the expectation of their new owners. They have proven to be a stable and sound companion to my family for almost 20 years. Not only are they wonderful with children of all ages, but gentle and nurturing to other animals. DeeDee and Enzo's first litter produced my finest and most intelligent Doberman yet "Siren". Siren is quick and willing to learn, highly motivated to please with a superb temperament which makes her a true ambassador of the breed at its best.
The Severn's are wonderful to work with, offering relevant, knowledgeable advice on any issue you may stumble upon. No question too big or small, at any time! There are Doberman's and then there is a Merkur Doberman.
Deb Mumby"
Photo Gallery
from left to right - Starkie, Iggy, Senna, Jerrica, Simon and in the back - BEAU
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Never placed - just retired in their forever home with us.
Retired dogs
Here's three generations of girls. From left to right, Ch. Staffhaven's I'm All That ( BRIDIE), her daughter Staffhaven's One More Time (CHANCY) and Grandma Ch. Geolyn Belle Noire (NELLIE). I only breed my females three times, then they are retired to the lap of luxury. They are NEVER sent to another home, they li
Photo Gallery
