Hi!
So I've seen quite a few threads about Foxfire (please dont kill me :cheeseygr ) but they'd didnt really answer the questions that i was looking for so i set up an account to find more info. So ill post my questions and if anyone could kindly answer them that would be great!
I've had a series of Foxfire Dobes starting with a puppy whelped in 1998 (and his predecessor was sired by a Foxfire Dobe. I'll see if I can answer your questions but I know from the beginning that some answers have to come from Michelle.
How much are one of Michelles puppies? Whats included? do they come with ears cropped or would that be extra?
Only Michelle can give you an answer to how much a puppy will cost--what I can tell you is that her puppies are always within the reasonable range (that is to say what better quality breeders would be charging for puppies). Her pet puppies and show prospects are always close to the same price--or at least they always have been--like other quality breeders Michelle has always said that her pets come from the same carefully chosen parents and are raised and socialized in the same way.
Yes, the puppies come cropped and if you've never dealt with a cropped breed/puppy before she nearly always can refer you to someone in your general area who can help you with posting. Sale price of the puppy includes cropping and it is not extra. I'm not sure what the question "What's included?" means--could you explain?
Has anyone ever gotten an older puppy from her? (6-8mnths?)
Whats the process time? (say from when you first emailed her- to getting the puppy home?)
Yes, occasionally. My fawn dog was six months. She sometimes has older puppies who were kept waiting for them to grow up some to see if they were the best of two possible show prospects. But you need to discuss that possibility with her.
Ditto for process time--Michelle always has waiting lists--some lists are longer than others for particular breedings. But if you are on a list sometimes you get a happy surprise like John (4 X 4 bike) did when the person who was to have taken his McCoy could not take a puppy at that time so he got his boy many months earlier than he had expected.
I can tell you that the more specific you are about what you want the longer you are likely to need to be prepared to wait. For example--Michelle knows I only ever am going to want a male puppy. She also knows I want a show prospect. But I don't care what color they are. But if you are asking for a black pet bitch (which is probably the most commonly asked for particularly with first time owners) you are likely to have to wait longer.
Obviously to some degree it depends on what is in the litter itself. I remember a litter of either 8 or 9 red males when Michelle had an extensive list of people only wanting black females.
I know she gets hundreds of emails a day so i want to do my research without wasting her time, so when the time comes i will be prepared so this can run smoothly if i decide to go with her.
About contacting Michelle and how to do it--she is often away from home at shows--shows most often are on weekends and for dog shows they are often 4 day clusters so she might be at show on Fri, Sat, Sun and Mon--which means she probably finally got home very late on Monday and may be leaving again on the following Thursday. So if you try a couple of e-mails and don't get an answer I'd try calling her mid week. I know she now carries a lap top and tries to answer questions even when she's on the road but show days are time consuming with dogs to exercise, feed etc plus the people at shows who come hoping to talk to her there.
Ive been wanting a doberman for quite a while-growing up we had them on our street and I've always been in love. Now that i have the time, space and money (and a whippet needing a companion) i have been slowly researching breeders and talking to people with dobermans and they say foxfire is the way to go!
I've been very happy with my Foxfire dogs and those that I've dog sat for other people so my personal opinion is that whatever the wait is it's worth it.
Also as John said--there are other breeders whose foundation is Foxfire dogs and some with whom Michelle co-breeds. She also refers buyers to litters from these breeders.
Good luck--just bear in mind that some of your questions don't have cut and dried answers and/or can only be answered by Michelle herself.
Any more information-pointers would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!!
Hope this helps some--if not or if you need clarification, keep asking...
