RSS
Home
How to choose a reputable breeder
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Once you've decided to get a purebred dog, your next task is finding a good breeder. It isn't as easy it ought to be. There are many more opportunistic, financially-motivated breeders than there are reputable, honest, and dedicated breeders. That's because there is a high demand for puppies and the cute little things practically sell themselves to buyers who don't know any better or can't tell a good breeder or pup from a bad one.
Here are a few things you should know before you buy
1. A good breeder usually owns the parents (and sometimes the grandparents too) of the puppies you're viewing. This is important because meeting the parents (and grandparents) will give you a very accurate estimation of what the puppies will grow into. (If the puppies' parents aren't around when you're viewing the pups, ask to see them.)
2. This said, the parents/grandparents should be pets too, not just breeding animals in cages out back. A bad breeder keeps the dogs as breeding stock only and therefore never gets to know a lot about the individual dogs they're breeding. This translates to a puppy mill. A lot of issues can arise from such situations besides the neglect and the abuse; cross-breeding relatives, breeding them so young that potential health issues haven't had a chance to show yet, and poorly socialized and poorly handled puppies, to name a few.
3. There are no such breeds as Teacup anything or Royal anything - these are labels that non-conforming inferior
breeders use to describe dogs that are smaller or larger than the standard for the breed. Beware of such dogs - health issues are almost always guaranteed. The reason is multi fold. For one, the genetics of breeding is such that to be able to breed a smaller than normal or larger than normal, the quickest way is to cross unusually small relatives or unusually big relatives. This results in a flawed genetic make-up. Secondly, smaller than normal dogs can be of such delicate constitution that they injure very easily. Larger than normal dogs (i.e. 100 lb Labs or 130lb Rottweilers or even 100 lb Poodles) are more prone to skeletal and heart problems because of their disproportion. They also have significantly shorter lifespans. So read up on the breed you're interested in and make sure that the dog you choose fits into the accepted criteria of the breed.
4. Also beware of non-standard colors or coats in the breed you're looking for (i.e. red/blue Dobermans or parti-Poodles (partially colored Poodles, curly or long-haired German Shepherds). These colors & coats first arise as a simple (and sometimes random) genetic mutation but to perpetuate such a rare new line, Mendelian genetics dictates that you can only achieve a continued expression of the genes by breeding the individual with a close relative (parent or sibling) who might carry the trait (even though it's unexpressed) thereby increasing your likelihood that the next generation will have the gene. This practice can lead to the expression of additional recessive traits. Simply put, it's bad to breed close relatives.
5. No one can truly 'guarantee' that your new pet will be completely problem-free but a good breeder will stand by their dog. Almost all breeders will tell you that you can return the dog to them if a serious health problem arises but it's an empty promise. Once you've become attached to a dog, chances are that you won't return the dog to the breeder in that scenario because you're too attached. If you do though, chances are that the breeder will just euthanize the dog rather than deal with the financial burden of a sick dog. A better breeder will either have stipulated that he/she will refund all or part of the cost of the dog in a written guarantee to help offset the medical bills.
6. A good breeder will offer references. Don't be shy - call them. It's very important to talk to people who've bought dogs from them before; and the older their dog, the better, because major health problems, if they are going to, arise usually after the age of 3 years.
7. A responsible breeder will insist that your pup be neutered/spayed and require proof (sometimes before even sending you your pup's paperwork.) This means that they care enough to restrict wanton/careless/accidental breeding of their lines.
8. A good breeder will give you proof of your pup's shots AND veterinary visits. The latter is vitally important because a lot of breeders cut corners by giving the shots themselves but by doing so, they circumvent a crucial step - a veterinarian never checks the pups out to identify any potential health problems like heart murmers, hernias, bone structure issues/malformations.
9. Truly conscientious breeders only have a few prized dogs they breed for only a few limited cycles. The more dogs a breeder owns, the less he/she knows about each one of them or the litters they're producing. If they breed particularly fine dogs in very few litters and are extremely selective about the homes they choose, you may even find that they have waiting lists up to a year or two in advance.
10. Great breeders care about the dogs they're selling. They take time to educate you about that dog, the breed, and their needs. They interview you to see if you qualify for one of their dogs. They aren't afraid to turn you away if they don't believe their dog is a good fit for your lifestyle. Bad breeders just want the sale so they'll tell you anything you want to hear so beware.
And finally, there are countless ads for dogs in almost every newspaper and online. If possible, avoid purchasing puppies sight-unseen and having them shipped to you. Most of those selling from newspapers and street signs are from backyard breeders and the online puppy stores or brokers are agents of puppy mills. They are all people who are capitalizing on the demand for puppies by acquiring breeding pairs indiscriminately and churning out puppies for profit. They are usually ignorant of the breed's standards, health concerns, as well as breeding ethics. The goal of a truly reputable and conscientious breeder is to improve the breed by selecting only the healthiest, well-tempered , conforming individuals as sires and dams of the next generation. So think about this before choosing where (and from whom) you'll purchase your dog.
Related Articles:
Comments
.jpg)
