Tips for finding A Reputable Breeder


Selecting the breeder


After you compile a list of potential breeders to contact, screen them through the phone first. Here's a list of questions to ask (in no particular order).

  • Can you see the dam and if possible the sire?

  • Where are the pups being raised, in a family setting or in a kennel?

  • What health problems occur in the breed?

  • Have these problems been checked in the parents? As appropriate: OFA certification, CERF certification, blood tests, etc.

  • Request a copy of the sire and dam's lineage/pedigree.

  • Titles on sire and dam.

  • Info on puppies the sire and dam (together or with other mates) have previously produced? (That is, are either of the parents "proven"?)

  • Has the puppy been crated trained, paper trained, etc.

  • What breed clubs do you belong to? Do you have references?

  • How many puppies were in the litter?

  • Any difficulties during delivery?

  • How often is the bitch bred?

  • What guarantees do you offer on your animals?

  • What is in your sales contract?

  • Do you offer a spay/neuter contract for pet quality puppies?

  • Have they been to the vet yet? Wormed? Shots? Are the dogs bred for the ring, field, or for general pet purposes?

  • How many breedings have you done to date? How long have you been breeding? Names and phone numbers of several customers, and the vet you use.

  • How many different breeds have you bred? How many breeds are you breeding now?

  • If for some reason I cannot keep the dog, will you take it back, no matter how old it is?

  • If I want a bitch puppy so I can breed her as an adult, what kind of, if any, restrictions will you include in the sales contract?

  • Do you have a litter available? If not, when are you planning one? (If a litter isn't presently available, ask if/when they are next planning to show their dogs in your area. If you can go, this is a golden opportunity to observe the structure and temperament of the dogs they breed.)

  • When you meet with breeders, look for people that seem more concerned with the welfare of their dogs than the amount of money they're making. Look for ones raising the puppies "underfoot" and around people. If the breeder is using kennels, check for cleanliness, happy dogs, no overcrowding, shelter from the elements, plenty of fresh water. Check and see how many different breeds the breeder is breeding -- good breeders limit themselves to one or two (usually related) breeds because of the time, expense, and energy involved in producing excellent specimens of a particular breed. Otherwise, the breeder may be operating what is essentially a puppy mill (check this against how often the dam is being bred & what condition she is in).

  • A responsible breeder should have some history of breeding animals. They may be breeding for show or field work or just plain good pets. They should be able to tell you about some of their previous puppies. They should be able and willing to discuss the health and well being of the parents of your puppy including: eye conditions, hip dysplasia, etc. In general, be suspicious of puppies from anyone who has not had the parents at minimum x-rayed for hip dysplasia and had the eyes checked by a veterinarian, or for other problems associated with the breed. Not all breeds have the same problems, but breeders should know what they are and be able to tell you which ones they've tested for. And if you've done your homework beforehand, you'll know if they're checking the right things.

    Here are some red flags that should make you wary. The presence of any one of them is not necessarily an indication that something IS wrong, but you should definitely check further if you see any of these:

  • Breeding more than one breed

    A few breeders branch out into a second breed, but the truth is that there is so much work involved in breeding right that one breed is more than enough for most people. If they are breeding more than two breeds, something may be very wrong.

  • The sire and dam are both on the same premises

    Now, sometimes the breeder owns the dog they decided would be best for their bitch, it does happen. If you see this, ask who else the bitch has been bred to and generally try to find out if the breeder always uses her own stud dogs (a BIG red flag), or uses a variety of dogs depending on the bitch (the flashing red lights can turn off now)

  • The bitch was bred her previous season as well as this one

    This is called back to back breeding and is extremely rare among responsible breeders and all too common among unethical breeders. Unless the previous litter resulted in no live puppies (or perhaps only one or two pups) or there was a compelling reason to do this THIS TIME (the sire is on his last legs, etc), this should be reason enough to leave.

  • Expect to be shown the paperwork on the parents: OFA hip certificates are printed on heavy stock, white paper with a blue background; elbow certificates are similar but with a green background (and no grade is given). ACVO (eye examination) paperwork is on light tissue paper and will be a carbon copy; if they have the CERF paperwork, that will be a narrow computer printout with some blue lettering (and they will no longer have the original ACVO paper but a copy as the original is turned in when requesting a CERF number). Take note of the numbers assigned and CALL OFA and/or CERF and verify them. The sire's paperwork will probably all be photocopied unless the breeder owns the sire as well.

    Here are additional things you can do to verify the information the breeder gives you.

  • Call the AKC and confirm claimed points: 1-900-903-4252. Be prepared to enter the dog's AKC number when prompted. It costs 99 cents a minute, but most queries take just two minutes or so.

  • Use OFA's web site to confirm the certificate. Go to http://www.offa.org and enter the dog's OFA number or AKC number to verify.

    Yes, it's possible to fake all of these, but generally folks who are lying will trip up somewhere when you double check on the numbers and such. This is where checking references come in...you want to be satisfied of the breeder's overall integrity, etc.

  • Get references of previous clients and call them up and ask them how they liked their dog. Don't overlook this step, you can learn a lot about what the puppies are like and how well they did this way. A responsible breeder should have no problem supplying you with such references.

  • You should be able to see the mother of your puppy; her temperament will give you a good idea of your puppy's adult temperament. Obedience and temperament titles can indicate good temperament. Being unable to see the sire is not uncommon, picky breeders will often ship their bitch cross-country to a good prospect. If you've done your homework, though, chances are you are already familiar with the sire and know that he has the qualities you want. If both parents are owned by the breeder (and those are the only two), chances are this breeder is not responsible: what are the chances you'd own the perfect stud dog for your bitch? On the other hand, many long term breeders have developed distinct lines and will have breed two dogs of their breeding (whether they own both or not) for the puppies. So consider the big picture as well.

    Check for some basic health problems:

  • a litter that was larger than the breed average may mean that the puppies are smaller and not as healthy, a small litter might indicate trouble during pregnancy. A litter of size one or two means that the puppies are getting little or no socialization with littermates, regardless of health.

  • The puppies should look vigorous and be strongly sucking, beware of listless(though sleeping is OK) puppies and indifferent suckling. Try to see the puppies when they're likely to be active.

  • "Runts" are puppies that are significantly smaller than their littermates. If they are otherwise healthy (actively rooting and sucking, playing with littermates, etc.), then they are probably simply younger than their siblings. When dogs are bred, they mate over a period of several days, and it's possible for some of the puppies to be concieved on the first mating and others on subsequent matings. Over a period of four days, this can make the youngest puppy significantly smaller. These puppies frequently catch up several months later, and it's not uncommon for such a pup to turn out to be the largest one in the litter! Puppies that are runts due to health problems should be avoided. A responsible breeder will let you know which kind of runt the pup is.

  • Puppies should be at minimum dewormed by eight weeks of age. The first set of puppy shots is desireable as well. Beware of breeders who have not had a vet see the puppies (or mother) at all.

  • Many responsible breeders only guarantee the general health of a pup for a limited time (e.g. 48hours). This is not a rip-off. The breeder has no control over the pup once the new owner takes it. Reputable breeders will stand by that guarantee *if* the new owner takes the pup to a vet who finds something wrong (e.g. a communicable disease) within that period but the breeder can hardly be held responsible for a disease contracted after the pup is in its new home. Thus, such an early trip to the vet is for the protection of all concerned.

  • Guaranteeing against genetic defects is common: such a guarantee generally means a refund or replacement in the case of a defect occurring; it does NOT mean that the puppy will "never" develop a genetic defect. Be wary of breeders that claim their puppies can never develop some defect that does occur in the breed.

  • The breeder should also guarantee to take the puppy back if you are unable to keep it rather than having it go to the pound. The breeder should also be concerned about your living conditions and what you plan to use the dog for before they allow their puppy to go live with you. Many breeders will want to know what you plan to do about reproduction. Many will require that a pet quality puppy be neutered, and withhold registry papers until receipt of proof of neutering (thus making any puppies from that dog unregisterable).

  • If guarantees or other contracts (such as spay/neuter) are involved, get it all down in writing. A responsible breeder will not be offended by such a step. If something goes wrong, you have no legal recourse if there is nothing in writing, verbal contract laws in some states to the contrary.

  • If you're planning on a puppy for show (conformation or hunting or whatever else your breed does) and possible breeding, look for a breeder that is very picky about selling such puppies. If this is your first such puppy, expect an offer of co-ownership if they think you're serious. At the minimum, the breeder should be discussing how they'll remain involved with the puppy. This is a valuable resource, by the way, the breeder will be able to explain what the puppy's pedigree means, what other dogs it should be bred to, how to show it, and so on. Moreover, if you are planning something like this, definitely take your time and get to know several breeders doing the same things you are interested in. This will give you contacts, information, and a break when a good litter comes along and the breeders know you or you are vouched for by another breeder. It can be hard to "break into" showing and breeding, but a little patience on your part will give better results.

  • Good breeders often have a waiting list of potential puppy buyers and often will not breed until they know they can place all the resulting puppies. If you find a breeder you like, do not be surprised if you are placed on a waiting list for a puppy. The wait will be worth it!

  • Approach getting a puppy as if you were adopting a child. Expect a lot of questions and ASK a lot of questions! A responsible breeder is also looking for a responsible owner.

    Selecting the puppy

  • Many breeders let you see and play with the entire litter at once. One puppy may come right up to you and investigate. Of course, it's cute -- all puppies are. You may think this puppy has "chosen" you. Instead, it's likely to be the most dominant puppy in the litter. Dominant puppies will check new things out before the rest of the litter does. Your "chosen" puppy may not be right for you if you're a novice at dog ownership or obedience training.

  • A better way to select a pup from a litter is to do a little temperament testing and pick the dog with the temperament that best meets you and your family's needs. The Monks of New Skete's book, "The Art of Raising a Puppy," discusses the Puppy Aptitude Test developed by Joachim and Wendy Volhard. They indicate the degree of social compatability and how readily a pup will accept human leadership.

  • If the breeder picks a puppy out for you, that's also normal: responsible ones will have evaluated their puppies and match one to you based on what you've indicated you want. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Portions of this article were taken with permission from A Complete List of RPD FAQ's.
    There are nearly 100 FAQ's available for this group. For a complete listing of these, get the "Complete List of RPD FAQs". This article is posted bimonthly in rec.pets.dogs, and is available via anonymous ftp to rtfm.mit.edu under pub/usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/faq-list, via the Web at http://www.zmall.com/pet_talk/dog-faqs/lists/faq-list.html, or via email by sending your message to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with send usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/faq-list in the body of the message. This article is Copyright 1996 by the Author(s) listed below. It may be freely distributed on the Internet in its entirety without alteration provided that this copyright notice is not removed. It may NOT reside at another website other than the URL listed above without the permission of the Author(s). This article may not be sold for profit nor incorporated in other documents without he Author(s)'s permission and is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.

    Cindy Tittle Moore, rpd-info@zmall.com

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