# Thinking of Importing a Pup



## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

I am seriously considering importing a pup from the Czech Republic. Who is the best person to work with? What are the average costs?


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## Zahnburg (Nov 13, 2009)

Why? There are many very good puppies in the US.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

Any particular reason? 

My import happened a bit by chance. Not sure I would have been able to pull the trigger and go through it all if Cliff also wasn't getting a pup from the same litter and I didn't have a lot of recommendations about Zybnek being easy to deal with, honest, and producing good dogs.

I think there are a lot of good breeders there and people probably can give your recommendations. Obviously the Aritar Bastet folks are the only ones I had experience with. I do know, just like anything, you have to be very careful and do your homework. If there is a language barrier or you don't know people who have personally imported dogs from that breeder, I think it's a pretty big risk. 

You also have Hans at AlpineK9 who pretty much is a direct pipeline to a lot of imported dogs to the US--minus having to deal with all the paperwork yourself (DISCLAIMER: not a recommendation--I have no personal experience with this person and don't know anyone who has).

Litters can be cheaper there than here (I'm sure depending on who you go with), but shipping is costly.....I'd say $700-900...maybe even more dpending on where the pup is being shipped from and to.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

Additionally, there is usually very little breeder support on a pup that is imported and they are often not sold with an kind of warranty like you see in the US. So unless you're looking to bring in a particular line or know someone who already works with someone over in Europe...your best bet really is to find a Stateside breeder.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

Oh yes, forgot to say that too. Definitely no warranties. Which is in part why I think prices are generally cheaper there than here.

Zynek likes to keep in touch with his puppy's parents, but I'm not sure every breeder is like that. But I am definitely on my own if he get's HD in 15 months. 

I've gotten rather ambivelant about guarantees, but that's very personal.


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

Nothing wrong with importing a pup if you know exactly what you want. There are a number of breeders you can go with. I got my import puppy at 8 weeks old from the Czech Republic and I have a warranty.

Shipping is about $450 in addition to the cost of the pup.

Questions....

1. What are your plans for the dog?
2. How much is in your budget for the puppy?


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

OK, here go the answers.....

I have a Czech pup. I love her to pieces and Chuck did perfect matching her to what I asked for. She is a little pistol and pain in my rear end.  I plan on getting another from him next year.
Now, as far as importing.....I want to get away from the lines that are more commonly used here in the states. I pm'd Cliff already but wanted other ideas as well. I still need to give Cliff a better reply than I did this morning.
As far as my plans, I absolutely love working with my pup. I am addicted  I plan on doing Schutzhund, herding, confirmation shows (SV/UScA), and possibly some AKC events. Can I do the same thing with pups over here? Of course. Like I said, I want to get away from a few of the bloodlines that are saturated in the Czech lines here.
As far as budget, that depends on the quality and bloodlines of the pup.
As far as warrenty, several places are now offering a warranty on their pups. I know Jinopo is now for health and hips.
Ace, $450 for shipping isn't bad. It was $300 in the states.


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

Wow you plan on staying busy for sure with yours.

I got my 9 month old from Jinopo at 8 weeks old. Just be careful what you ask for, Jiri will give you exactly that. I love mine but I swear he is the biggest high drive pain in the ass. I highly recommend Jinopo but again I am partial b/c Jax is from there. I paid $1600 + 450 s&h. I know I could sell him for more than double now.
Tank z Jirkova dvora - German shepherd dog


Aritar Bastet has some great looking dogs and I don't think you could go wrong with them. I frequent their site often. Certainly different lines than what you would find over here in the states.

I certainly understand you wanting different Czech lines as some of the breeders that I have seen here base their breeding's on many of the same dogs.


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Ace952 said:


> Wow you plan on staying busy for sure with yours.
> 
> I got my 9 month old from Jinopo at 8 weeks old. Just be careful what you ask for, Jiri will give you exactly that. I love mine but I swear he is the biggest high drive pain in the ass. I highly recommend Jinopo but again I am partial b/c Jax is from there. I paid $1600 + 450 s&h. I know I could sell him for more than double now.
> Tank z Jirkova dvora - German shepherd dog
> ...


I will be out of the Army in January and will be a stay at home wife and mom. Both of my kids are in school all day. The dogs will basically be my job. I love working with them.
I do love the dogs from Jinopo. It is just very difficult to make a decision because I have never imported anything.


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

jaggirl47 said:


> I will be out of the Army in January and will be a stay at home wife and mom. Both of my kids are in school all day. The dogs will basically be my job. I love working with them.
> I do love the dogs from Jinopo. It is just very difficult to make a decision because I have never imported anything.


Then you have it good!!! All day to train and stuff. I am at work from 9-5:30 + 30 minute each way commute time so that makes it hard to deal with a high drive pup. 

Being home all day will be the best thing for the pup and for you to do training.

Jinopo has great dogs and I really don't think you can go wrong with them as they have a great rep. If you go with Aritar, you won't be disappointed either and I hear they have a great rep as well. I wouldn't worry at all about either of those breeders when it comes to importing.


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Thanks Ace.
Having dogs to work is a full time job. When Leyna is a little older I would like to try and train her for SAR. I think she would be excellent at it. She is 10 months now and doing tracks with 2 turns that sit for 20-30 minutes. I will see where I go with the next one.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I would work one dog only so you can focus on the tributes of that one, vs working a younger pup along with a green dog and stretching yourself thin. I can't imagine having a dog training for SAR, or competition and trying to fit in another young pup....heat cycles/breeding would be the only reason for adding another, when one is in heat, or breeding, then you have another to work.

But that would come when the first dog already has titles or accomplishments to prove they are breedworthy. And it would seem the dog would be about 3 yrs by then.

Never to early to start researching, however~but I wouldn't rush to bring a pup with a pup in training, especially when you think down the road....seniors would be growing old together vs a few years apart.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

I helped a friend to get a pup from the Czech Republic last year....he is on the board occassionally.....

When you add up the price of the pup, the shipping, the bank fees, the paperwork/transfer fees there and AKC /DNA, the transportation, the customs broker if necessary, the possible travel to a far away international airport - you could well end up with a more expensive bottom line than buying here. We got his pup from Jana at ze Stribrneho Kamene (artzlipin.cz) - can't argue with the sucess of her dogs here in the States....Marsha (mnm) is pretty good friends with her and the quality of the pup sent was outstanding.

Lee


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Jane, you have to think though....the dogs will be my focus. I am lucky enough that I do not have to work when I am out of the Army. However, I am not the type to sit around either. I love working with my dog. Leyna is a green dog, you are correct. However, I feel like I am ready for another. Leyna is actually doing great and is almost ready for her BH in October. She will be doing her first confirmation show in July, herding in May, xrays in June. Hopefully she will be ready to test for her SchH1 next April. She is coming along nicely. She will still be getting worked whether or not she is in heat. It isn't about switching out dogs.

Lee, I understand the excess fees and I am ok with that to get what I want. I agree, you cannot argue with the z lipin dogs. They are outstanding. I haven't looked lately on their site but I do need to. Thanks.


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## Rei (Oct 10, 2008)

This is a bit of a hijack, but $450 for importing fees? Someone else gave me a price quote of $1200+(not including the price of the pup itself)!! :wild: I like the former number much more, I'll have to say!


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

I was quoted a shipping fee of $500 USD too for a pup from Czech. $1200 seems like a lot. :crazy:


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## Rei (Oct 10, 2008)

I think so, too! LOL I'm glad to hear that it is not the norm. $450 - $500 sounds much more reasonable.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

$1200 may be a broker fee (basically you are paying someone else for the convenience of having them find a reputable breeder, dog, and shipping).


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

$450 is cheaper than I've ever heard of for shipping. $1200 is crazy. $700 is what we recently paid, and I know others who have recentlyl paid the same, from the Czech Republic.


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

Yikes...$1200 and that isn't the price of the pup?

I know PetAir charges around $450-$500 and that was from Czech Republic to Az. Now that was last October so with gad prices and weak U.S. dollar it could be a little higher for shipping.


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

wolfstraum said:


> When you add up the price of the pup, the shipping, the bank fees, the paperwork/transfer fees there and AKC /DNA, the transportation, the customs broker if necessary, the possible travel to a far away international airport


I thought you only had to pay for the pup and the shipping.

I didn't have to pay for all that other stuff listed after that.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

Bank and custom fees combined were $70 for me. Nothing significant.

Not sure what a "customs broker" is?


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## Doc (Jan 13, 2009)

GSDElsa said:


> Bank and custom fees combined were $70 for me. Nothing significant.
> 
> Not sure what a "customs broker" is?


Sounds like a high paid pimp to me ...


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

EURO prices have to be converted - they price out in Euro !!!! So 500 Euro is about $650 - 700 depending on your banks! Add a trip to the airport by the breeder, paperwork, customs broker....plus a E600-800 puppy is US$800 to $1100 - the E800 puppy cost almost $1900 and the owner was able to clear the pup himself so saved Customs broker fees...but paid for gas and hotel for 700 mile round trip....

Queen SK is producing very nicely BTW

Lee


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

I think it just all depends on the breeder--Aritar Bastet just quotes you in USD and allows you to wire that to him. None of the mess with converting which made it nice..

Still don't get what a customs broker is. Why wouldn't you be able to clear the puppy yourself? I'm confused.


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

Yea i cleared my pup in customs myself. Jinopo sent me the papers to take to customs. Took me all of 2 min. Walk in...told them pup was a pet and they stamp paper and I was on my way.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

it cost me 1100 in total including vet crate and everything to ship my 85 LB puppy from slovakia i thought weight had to do with it they were using machines to carry her around vs a person?


took me a couple of hours to clear her but they lied to us they told wait for vet but the vet came and said he didnt care about seeing any dog and that he was there for birds it was just a hellish day


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## boeselager (Feb 26, 2008)

I think it also depends on what the Euro is with our USD. The prices can change dramatically just with that alone. When we shipped 2 pups here from Germany in 2009 we paid $900 USD which would be $450 a piece, but like someone else said you also have to add the AKC/DNA, broker if necessary which thank Gawd we didn't need one and we also had to have our bank transfer the USD to Euro when sent to the breeder. It all adds up in the end. Totally understand about wanting lines that are not all over in the US, that's 1 reason why we got our girls from Germany. Are you looking at getting an older pup?? b/c that's going to be a lot to handle with the 1 you have now, plus an import, plus a new puppy next year. If you can do it, Kudos to you!!!!


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## Zahnburg (Nov 13, 2009)

If you do decide to import a pup from Czech I would recommend that you look at kennel Stribneho Kamene. If I am not mistaken, there were three dogs from this kennel at the AWDF. One of those dogs I know very well, and he is a MONSTER of a dog.


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

I'm trying to time everything right so I have at least 1 puppy year between them all. That first year is a doozy  .
I do want to thank everyone for all of the suggestions. I do not make my decisions lightly and this is a big one. 
As far as the cost, it is actually cheaper than I thought it was, so that is good to know.


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## boeselager (Feb 26, 2008)

For us, the $900 was just for the shipping of the 2 pups. They were able to be shipped in 1 crate. Also the breeder did give us a bit of a discount b/c we purchased 2 instead of 1. We were actually getting 1 for ourselves and someone else was getting the other, but backed out when everything was said and done. So we have both of them now. Just keep an eye on the Euro/USD when your getting close to getting your pup.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Zahnburg said:


> If you do decide to import a pup from Czech I would recommend that you look at kennel Stribneho Kamene. If I am not mistaken, there were three dogs from this kennel at the AWDF. One of those dogs I know very well, and he is a MONSTER of a dog.


That is the kennel I was citing.....got a Zico Adelegg son from Queen SK....super pup for the work - a bit dominant - probably this particular individual is right for a more experienced person - but doing really well in teh work...

Lee


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

GSDElsa said:


> I think it just all depends on the breeder--Aritar Bastet just quotes you in USD and allows you to wire that to him. None of the mess with converting which made it nice..
> 
> Still don't get what a customs broker is. Why wouldn't you be able to clear the puppy yourself? I'm confused.




It depends on where port of entry is for the dog....if it lands in Atlanta, and is transferred to another flight - you must pay a customs broker to clear the dogs paperwork where it enters the US....if you do alot of importing, you will have to pay a broker without a doubt...if you are very infrequent, and can get to the airport yourself, you can save that....at our airport there has always been a small fee at cargo (10 or 20 bucks) - which is a rip coz you PAID for the shipping!!! The price of the pup is just the start - if you use a credit card to pay shipping, your cc will have a much higher exchange rate (maybe 10 cents per Euro)...you have bank transfer fees....mine is $25 - you have to foreign register the dog with AKC ($70) plus DNA it (another 30??) - all these little things add up!

Lee


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

So it sounds like it just all depends on who you deal with and how they do things on if the price is ridiculous, the same, or a good bargain. Mine, even with all the fees and even after adding the AKC reg and DNA will still be a little under most WL litters I was looking at in the US.

But, it doesn't sound like price is a big concern to Kendra


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

boeselager said:


> We were actually getting 1 for ourselves and someone else was getting the other, but backed out when everything was said and done. So we have both of them now. Just keep an eye on the Euro/USD when your getting close to getting your pup.


I would have been pissed!!

Yes keep eye on exchange rate or just ask for price in USD.


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

wolfstraum said:


> It depends on where port of entry is for the dog....if it lands in Atlanta, and is transferred to another flight - you must pay a customs broker to clear the dogs paperwork where it enters the US....if you do alot of importing, you will have to pay a broker without a doubt...if you are very infrequent, and can get to the airport yourself, you can save that....at our airport there has always been a small fee at cargo (10 or 20 bucks) - which is a rip coz you PAID for the shipping!!! The price of the pup is just the start - if you use a credit card to pay shipping, your cc will have a much higher exchange rate (maybe 10 cents per Euro)...you have bank transfer fees....mine is $25 - you have to foreign register the dog with AKC ($70) plus DNA it (another 30??) - all these little things add up!
> 
> Lee


No you don't. My pup came in from Czech Republic. Cleared customs in Atlanta and then 2nd flight was from Atl to Phoenix. You don't have to pay for a custom broker...I didn't.

Yes if you import a lot of dogs then you will need a custom broker. But if you don't you can do it yourself.

I got lucky with no fees with my breeder.


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## boeselager (Feb 26, 2008)

To do the foreign registration to AKC it is actually $50 per dog and the DNA is $35 per dog if you do prepaid over the internet for the DNA. 

OH, I did have to pay an additional $35 when I went to pick up the pups, forgot about that...


Ace952, Yes I was very upset with what had happened and it took awhile to get back on my feet financially from it, but I look at it as We have a couple of Real Nice DDR imports that have an alternative bloodline. So it was our gain in the long run


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## JLOCKHART29 (Aug 23, 2009)

wolfstraum said:


> That is the kennel I was citing.....got a Zico Adelegg son from Queen SK....super pup for the work - a bit dominant - probably this particular individual is right for a more experienced person - but doing really well in teh work...
> 
> Lee




I'm Lee's friend with the Zico pup. Tried for over a year to get a pup from Lee but she has had one problem after another trying to get a litter on the ground. Such is breeding sometimes. Lee found out from Marsha that Jana in Czech had a 10 week old pup that she had been holding for a man in Germany that was doing Schutzhund. He was well known and she didn't take a deposit. Couple days before he was to pick the pup up he saw some pics of him on internet and decided he was to light color for him. OK what ever. Marsh knew I had been trying to get a pup from Lee and had just found out her bitch was not pregnant. They knew I wanted to do Schutzhund and Jana agreed to sell Auron to me. Having Lee and Marsh who had imported dogs before as well as Jana who shipped them all over the world handle everything for me was wonderful and forever appreciated. I ended up paying probably $1900 US after everything was said and done last Sept. Cost of pup (private), shipping $400, Lufthconsa air fee $35, gas for the trip to Dallas international, ect. Temps were in the upper 90's and wanted non stop for him.
Sent Lee a cert check and she handled the wire transfer for me from her big city bank other wise in the small town I live in it was going to cost me a couple 100 more Western Union OR my banks would not guarantee the money would get to the Czech Republic once it was sent!!! Acted as my own broker so no fees there and was not bad at all in Dallas. Jana wanted it in Euros so that hit me a bit and am sure it is even worse now. 
Now a word about importing a dog in general from Europe. Be careful what you wish for. Auron is not a beginner dog. He has been dog dominant from day one. He would charge a strange full grown dog and never check up. Not dog aggressive as doesn't really want to fight but throws them to the ground and bark to control them. The club is taking bets of not if but when he will bit me out of frustration and drive as building his grips and drives are a non issue. Control of these drives are the key and what we are working on an. Only been on a sleeve once at about 16 weeks and could tell that was a done deal. Rest of the time we have been working with bite pillow on controlling his aus and fass. Handler aggression also which is being dealt with which might not be Peta approved!
Not trying to scare any one just that you tend to get what you ask for whether you need it are not. I am absolutely loving everything about Auron. I want and train to be on the podium one day. This is my first Schutzhund dog but have trained AKC/UKC retriever trials before and worked with some high drive dogs. Yes Labs can be high drive. Had one that bit someone not out of fear but protection drive. The club is helping train both of us for this. Every time we train with them I take a pounding as they want us to do better and they know as do I he must be handled appropriately now as a pup to be what he can and should when grown.
As to his looks being lite well you be the judge.


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

He is cettainly dark enough for me!


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## boeselager (Feb 26, 2008)

He's gorgeous!!! Their loss and your gain


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