OwyheeStar Responses

We have had more than ten puppy inquiries in the last two days. I have answered each one; however, my answer was probably not what they wanted to hear. In light of the recent public litter updates, people are hoping we are trying to place these lovely Gray Ghost pups. The sheer volume of inquiries may be directly related to timing–we tend to get what I call a seasonal downpour. This avalanche happens about three times a year–before spring, before summer, and during the fall.

Each person contacting OwyheeStar hopes for a lengthy and personal reply explaining what we have available or what we plan to have available. Answering is not so easy to accomplish. Seriously, there is a limit to the number of keyboard strokes I (Shela) can yield in a given day. If you follow us, you probably realize I write a book every quarter but not the kind you publish. There are the blogs, the email replies, the application replies as well as the multiple websites. We do our best to answer to each person in a personalized mode, but in the end, it requires us to use shortcuts. If you contact us, you will get a generalized initial reply. We hope to get back to you on the same day and if not, then the next morning.

Here are some facts that dictate what is possible on our side of the fence:

1. Females come into season every 6-8 months; we mate only every other time. Sometimes we cannot mate a particular female because there are too many in heat at once, and that means are waiting for 1.5 years or more between litters.
2. Once a mating occurs, there is no guarantee it will produce a litter. We hear from folks all the time that have been on a breeder’s list for an extended time only to end up finding out the female didn’t produce a litter. This scenario is something most dog breeders would prefer not to discuss.
3. We cannot predict how many pups will be born. Yes, you can do an ultrasound or have an X-ray taken; however, once again–that doesn’t ensure those pups will all be born. Sometimes puppies just disappear. It is another one of those things no one talks about, but if everything is not perfect a non-viable pup can dissolve. We have gotten a phone call from a breeder saying they have had the entire litter (which showed up on the pre-testing) disappear. It is a very sad situation, and we avoid this type of prediction. If we mentioned a mating, we make it habit to disclose we cannot be sure it will produce a litter.
4. We cannot guess how many pups will be born.
5. We cannot predict the sex of the pups before they are born.
6. In many cases, we cannot estimate the percentage of blues to silver or gray pups.
7. There are situations where we cannot guess how many Longhairs pups will be born in a litter. If both parents carry the Longhair DNA marker (AKA the fluffy-coat marker), there should be some in the litter. When they are born, they all look the same. Statistically speaking we can guess; however, experience has taught us that is a slippery slope. The same pair mated two times in a row taught us this lesson. The first time they produced two Longhair pups and the second time it was six. Both litters were the same size–eight pups.

Other Factors

We normally have a Waiting List. The size of the list can vary. Sometimes the number of people waiting is not a big factor; however, if nearly every person on the list has the same criteria (for example, they all want a silver gray female) the wait would be longer. Predicting all of this even with every dab of information in hand is impossible. The human element is hard to predict. No one can say for sure what the folks on the list will do. Nevertheless, we function in the same manner always.

We accept an application from those who seem to be a good match for our process. As you see, it might be six to eight months to get a puppy. There are exceptions, but they are rare. Realistically we cannot accept an application from everyone who is interested in a pup from us. The investment is too great–it takes more than an hour to review an application and reply. Sometimes we invest two-three hours initially before the decision is made that this is going to be a win-win situation for the pup, for us, and for the person wishing to acquire the OwyheeStar Weimaraner.

Each person approved must give us a Waiting List deposit to lock in a place on the list. As you can understand, with all this information, it is a massive juggling act. There are no clear answers up front or even early on when the pups arrive. Nonetheless, pups are offered to people in the order of the Waiting List. Even then, a variable can affect whether this particular litter is going to work for you when your number comes up. Some folks are hunters and want a very hunt-potential pup. Size, color, sex, and temperament are all considered. These things are sorted out during the Discovery and Placement test process.

For Some

There are those who find it impossible to wait or to trust us to do what is in their best interest. Nevertheless, our reputation speaks for itself. We understand our process is not something everyone likes; however, we thank all of you who have entrusted us to what is right. We do not take that lightly. May we suggest that if you are interested you subscribe to this blog and follow us. Thank you!