Monarch Mastiffs

We are not currently breeding, but we decided to leave this page up to provide information to puppy buyers.

PUPPY BUYERS AND PUPS

We keep a permanent record of everyone that we have talked with concerning puppies. I send everyone an application which they are asked to fill out and return. This helps me to determine if they are suitable candidates for owning a Mastiff and gives us a feel for how the puppy will be treated and what the pup was purchased for in the first place. We ask that you answer the questions honestly, even if you feel silly!

We try to provide as much information as possible about the breed so that potential puppy buyers can make an informed decision and determine exactly what they want in their puppy. It's very detailed, down to the toenail color. After reviewing the questionnaires and evaluating the temperaments and type of the litter, we and the buyer go over each pup and determine which one would be best for them. We want our puppies to be a companions first, then possibly show/breeding animals if they measure up to the standard and pass all of the testing. Our puppies are occasionally sold to other breeders for the express intent of improving their bloodlines and adding genetic soundness to their kennel. All of our pet quality pups are sold on a limited registration with a spay/neuter contract. Any pup intended for breeding in the future is sold on a show contract, with specific requirements for testing.

Often, a litter or specific color or sex is not available at the time of the inquiry, or those calling are just trying to do their homework and find out what will be available in the future. We then add you to the waiting list for a future litter and contact you when the litter is born. If a family is waiting for a pup from a specific breeding, they will be notified when the bitch is confirmed pregnant. If the pup that a family was waiting for is not in a specific litter, then they are notified and given the option of choosing a different pup or waiting for another litter. We often refer buyers to other responsible breeders who may have just the pup they are looking for.

Show vs. Pet

A lot of people are under the impression that "pet" means less than perfect when actually, the pet temperament is a perfect temperament. A pet dog is a socialized domestic dog which is friendly towards all people, other dogs and other animals, and has been raised and trained to live as a household companion. Unfortunately, the majority of kennel reared dogs do not fit this description. It is our opinion that all dogs should be pets first and show dogs second. When we plan a breeding, we strive to breed only the best pet temperaments to produce 100% pets. Hopefully, about 50% will also be considered as show quality physically, 10% of which may become champions. Ideally, all of our pups would be show quality and have a perfect temperament, but, unfortunately, we all know this is rarely true. Anyone who says that ALL of their pups are show quality either have a rare and exceptional litter or are embellishing the truth. We hope that all of our pups will at least earn their CGC title, and ideally will go on to earn a TDI, CD or champion title.

Our puppies are raised in our house, with all of the noise and commotion that that entails. Puppies reared outside in kennels do not get the attention and socialization that home reared pups get. We try to have all of our pups socialized to children and other animals before they go to their new homes. Each pup is played with, and we have puppy parties as often as possible where several people come over with their children and play with the puppies. It is our goal to produce the best tempered pups available, and to have them become the perfect companion for each home they are placed with.

Guard Dogs

We do not sell any pup for the specific purpose of becomming a guard or watch dog as we feel that Mastiffs should be family companions. Mastiffs are not suited for formal guard dog training and especially do not have the correct temperament for attack training. A properly cared for and socialized Mastiff will bond to it's owners and family and generally will protect the family naturally against an intruder or threat. You do not want your Mastiff to protect you from friends and the neighbors children! A well adjusted Mastiff will know the difference and not be "guardy" except when the situation actually calls for it. Please allow you Mastiff to develop it's natural instincts and do not expect a 6 month old pup to guard your house. For more information of Mastiff temperament see the article in the Mastiff Reporter and the MCOA FAQ.

Pups

Our puppies are priced in two basic categories, pet and show. Pet puppies are an average of $1,000.00 each. Some litters are priced higher and some a little lower, depending on the pups. A show potential pup sold as a pet only will be at the higher end of the scale, usually $1,200.00. Sometimes there is a pup or two that have an abundance of faults such as four white feet, a long coat, small navel hernia, or maybe is the smallest of the litter. These may be priced less than the others, usually around $800.

Our show puppies start at $1,500 and can go up to $2,500 or more. The price depends on which litter, the titles of the parents, who the parents are, and if I will even part with the pup in the first place. Occasionally buyers are not sure if they want a show or a pet pup, or they cannot afford a show pup at this time. In these cases we try to place with them the best pup that we can according to their criteria. If, in the future, that pup turns out to be "show quality" and the owner wants to show or breed, we can write up a show contract with all that it entails - the buyer pays the difference between pet and show for that litter and the AKC papers are changed to full registration. The pup must first have had it's hips, elbows and eyes tested before any consideration is given to switching the pup to show status. This method enables a buyer to get to know the Mastiff breed and decide if showing or breeding is right for them. It also allows for the least initial investment in the event that they decide to just have a Mastiff as a pet. The price difference will be determined at the time of the sale.

Our advice to everyone is to buy as good a quality as you possible can. Remember, it will cost the same amount of money to raise, train, vaccinate, feed, and take care of a good quality pup as one of lesser quality. Actually, it costs less to raise a good pup in the long run due to the expense of health problems in a poor quality pup from untested parents.

Payments and Deposits

Puppies must be paid for at least a week before they leave. This give us time to purchase the crate, get a health certificate, make airline reservations if needed, and schedule a date. We do not accept credit cards since we are not set up as a business. When you decide to purchase a Monarch Mastiff, we ask that you send a deposit to hold your pup. The minimum deposit is $200.00, but of course you can pay more. All deposits are refundable up until a week before the pup is due to leave, unless you have already received your puppy pack. If the puppy pack has already been sent out, then we retain $100.00 to cover the cost of replacing it. If you are picking your pup up personally, then you may pay the balance due when you arrive. You may also send in payments while you are waiting for the pup to reach eight weeks or whatever time we have agreed upon to ship. We do not take deposits on pups that are not born yet and generally would prefer to wait until the pup is several weeks old.

Shipping

We do offer to ship your puppy if you are unable to pick it up personally. If at all possible, we prefer to ship by the counter-to-counter method. We use Delta Dash, Continental, and American Airlines. We have shipped pups in the past and so far have had only good experiences with the airlines. In many cases it is actually easier on the puppy to ship it by air than for it to have to travel long distances in a car. In order to ship a pup, it must be at least eight weeks old and have a current health certificate issued by a veterinarian. The price for a shipping crate depends on the size of the puppy. Normally, we simply charge a flat rate of $250-$300 depending on the weight of the pup and size of the crate being' shipped. That covers the air fare, health certificate and crate. Older pups that must go in a crate larger than a #300 size may have a higher freight charge, or lower if we use regular cargo instead of 'Dash'. With a "Dash" shipment there normally will not be any weather restrictions such as to hot or to cold. Sending regular cargo is weather dependent as well as taking the chance that the pup may wind up delayed at a transfer point, must be taken to the air port two hours early, and often takes up to two hours before arriving at the receiving cargo terminal. "Dash" is guaranteed to make the transfers and are offloaded and carried by hand to the terminal so arrive much sooner.

Monarch Mastiffs