Available Puppies
 

SELECT FROM THE LIST AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE TO VIEW AVAILABLE PUPPIES... NOTE:Our link isn't working- our email address is: cedarcreekpuppies@yahoo.com

FIRST-BEFORE YOU BUY A PUPPY.......... I've heard so many stories from people that I have made a list of hints for you to help sort out the good from bad.

*Talk to the breeder on the phone. Visit, if at all possible, or at least ask if you can. A reputable breeder will welcome you to visit without hesitation! If you are able to, interact with your puppy's parents. Does this breeder make you feel at ease, sound knowledgeable about the breed, fully answer all your questions promptly? If you have the slightest uneasiness, look elsewhere. Trust your instincts and save yourself a ton of heartbreak.

*Questions to ask-
1. How long have they been breeding mastiffs? Do they seem knowledgeable about the breed? Even if they haven't been raising them for years they may have done their homework or are using a longtime breeder as a mentor for advice. Everyone has to start somewhere. Ask lots of questions & let your intuition guide you. Do they raise any other breeds of dogs? Too many breeds usually indicates a kennel operation.

2. Can you see both parents? You puppy will inherit their traits. Pay special attention to the parents personalities AND how they stand & move. Do they stand with the back "knees" bent & legs square under the hips? If they lock their back "knees" so the leg looks almost straight it's a very good indication they may have poor hips. If either parent acts aggressive move onto to another breeder. (Note: some moms may look thin & a little underfed for a little while after having her pups especially if it is a large litter.)

3. How old is the mother & how many litters has she had? Mastiffs females should NOT be breed before 2 yrs. A female is able to produce 2 litters a year. Good breeders will breed her once a year at most. Red light if mom is too young or has had too many litters for her age. This breeder probably either has little knowledge of the breed or just doesn't care.

4. At what age do they let their puppies go home? It should NEVER be before 8 wks. Mastiffs are slower to mature than a smaller breed. Most states don't allow puppies under 8 wks to cross state lines anyway. I will not fly a puppy under 10 wks.

5. Do they give a WRITTEN health guarantee? What does it cover & does it outline what they will do if there is a problem? It should say it protects against genetically passed problems & that you will be getting an AKC (or other) registered pup if nothing else. A person's word is not worth much these days & doesn't get you far in court, let alone the heartache & $$$ you will endure from an unhealthy puppy. Some small breeders have very good dogs & do a good job but hesitate to give a guarantee because their litters are few & far between. That's ok if you feel comfortable with them & want to take the chance. Keep in mind that just because you have a guarantee it doesn't mean the breeder will abide by it without taking them to court but it at least gives you some legal recourse if it outlines what's covered & what they will do. My guarantee is for 2 yrs. because hip problems may not become obvious until they are 18 mo. to 2 yrs. Be cautious of very detailed or wordy guarantees. I saw one once that was 8 pages long!

6. Are the puppies registered & with what organization? I only register with AKC. UKC & APRI are popular, as are a couple others. Some dogs may be registered with more than one. Be cautious of ones you are not familiar with. Some will register anything with 4 legs & a tail regardless of what they decended from. You should get your puppy's papers at the time you pick him/her up. If they tell you they have not received them yet & will mail them to you ask for copies of the parents registration papers & go to your car & call AKC. They will tell you if litter papers are pending on that pair! Most people apply for them online & will receive a notice listing the pair & stating that the application is being processed. On the rare occasions I don't have papers back in time I always let people picking puppies up know BEFORE they come & give them a copy of the email from AKC to verify that papers have been sent for.

7. Can & will they supply you with names/numbers of references in different areas with dogs at least a year or 2 old. I looked at a site one time & realized that all their references were from people that had puppies 6 mo. old or younger even though they had raised them for several years. I later learned from someone that had purchased a pup from them that their lines carried hip dysplasia & epilepsy, both of which don't generally show up until a yr. or more of age. Coincidence? I doubt it.

8. What information do they give you on taking care of your new puppy? Giant breeds have distinctive needs you HAVE to be aware of to raise him to a healthy adult. All of our puppies go home with a packet with all this information written down for you to refer to later. It includes info for your vet on vaccinations & worming (including the sticker from the vaccines given), your copy of our guarantee, & several sheets with information on feeding, exercise, training, etc. We are always available to you & your vet to answer any questions you have at anytime.

9. Testing. Ok, here we go. The main concern for most people is hip dysplasia. It is, no doubt, genetically passed but it can also be caused by diet, over supplementation and excessive exercise or injury. Just because the parents have been certified does not guarantee a puppy will not later have hip dysplasia but it does certainly lessen the risk. High protein diets can allow a puppy to grow too quickly & add to the risk of poor hips. My puppies are switched to a good adult dog food with around 21-24% protein by 12 weeks. Some vets may tell you a puppy needs puppy food until they are a year old. While this may be true for small or active dogs it is NOT for mastiffs. "Large breed" dog foods are made for large dogs with high energy levels, labs, shepards, retrievers, etc. A mastiff is a GIANT breed. There are now some giant breed foods available although I have been unable to find them in my area as yet so I don't know what the protein levels are. There are several other tests that can be done to check the dogs eyes, elbows, thyroid, etc. Most of the girls I now breed are 2nd to 4th generation from litters I have raised. We no longer do all the testing on those girls we've save back from our foundation dogs. We have had NO genetic problems with our own lines in the 15 years we've raised mastiffs. Any new males added to our program will be fully tested.

10. Finally... follow you own instints! I would rather walk away from a deposit on a puppy if I later smelled a rat than go through the heartache and expense of caring for an unhealthy puppy.

Sorry!!! One more thing. Several people have asked me about "American Mastiffs" They reportedly don't drool. They are a cross breed between an English mastiff & an Anatolian Shephard (a fiercely protective herding/guard dog) They are not a recognized breed & you will not know whether the puppies personality will be that of a mastiff or the shepard. Not worth the risk, in my opinion, especially if you have children. The one website that I found sold them for the same price as I sell my purebred english mastiff puppies.

****All puppies of our puppies will have been wormed several times, had their first 2 shots & come with a 2 yr health guarantee against all genetic defects. Each will have a puppy packet with information on mastiffs & raising them, vaccination/worming record for your vet & helpful tips. Pedigrees are also available. Puppies are usually ready to go home after 8 wks. Prices do not include shipping. We can ship but on a very limited basis in the spring or fall, weather permitting. Cost is $250-350 additional depending on the destination. You are welcome to visit us anytime or call 417-464-9602 for additional information. We do like to stay in touch with our adoptive families. It's very helpful to us to assess our breeding program & we really enjoy watching them grow! References are also available. We will try to give you references in your area. Most are willing to let you visit & meet the dogs adopted from us & can give you info on a vet in the area with experience with giant breeds, puppy classes, etc.