Choosing A Dog Breeder - What To Look For In A Responsible Dog Breeder

by Debbie Moore

You have carefully considered the decision to add a new puppy to your household, and painstakingly educated yourself about the many different dog breeds from which to choose your potential puppy. Equally important as the type of puppy you have chosen for your family is the breeder from which you will purchase your puppy. There are many, many breeders advertising puppies for sale on the Internet; deciding on a breeder can be a daunting task - but by following our list of  important guidelines, you can learn to identify breeders who are die-hard dog lovers and breed out of their love for their chosen breed, rather than to profit from it.

Responsible Breeders:

• Register their dogs with the appropriate Kennel Club.

• Often have a waiting list for their puppies.

• Love their dogs and puppies and consider them to be first hand family members. Their dogs live with them in their homes, and participate in most family activities.

• Breed only once or twice per year, always with an eye towards improving their line of puppies.

• Whelp their puppies in their homes, and raise their puppies in their homes, where the puppies are given plenty of love, attention and gentle handling, as well as being socialized to various household noises, people, children and other pets. This helps to ensure that puppies grow into well mannered, even tempered, sociable dogs that will provide you and your family with many years of love, joy, laughter and companionship.

• Are well educated about their chosen breed. They should know their breed's history, characteristics, temperament, longevity, and - most importantly - health issues (health problems that may be prevalent in their breed).

• Are willing to help you learn more about their breed, and help you decide if the breed is the right fit for your lifestyle.

• Carefully screen their dogs for any health problems that are prevalent in their breed to help ensure that their dogs and puppy litters are free from congenital (hereditary) diseases.

• Have their dogs regularly vet-checked and vaccinated, and have puppies thoroughly examined by their veterinarian, de-wormed and vaccinated prior to being offered to potential buyers.

• Stand behind the health of their dogs and puppies with a comprehensive health guarantee, details of which they are willing to provide to potential puppy buyers.

• Are careful to ensure that you are the right fit for one of their puppies by asking questions of you, your decision to add a puppy to your home, and your commitment to providing the same level of care to that puppy for the duration of it's life. Will want to know about your home environment to ensure that you have the facilities and resources to safely care for a puppy.

• Care deeply about the welfare of their puppies after they join their new families, and want to keep in touch with you and receive updates and pictures of their puppies as they grow into dogs and beyond.

• Are dedicated to offering advice and support after you take your puppy home, and require that you contact them in the event that you cannot fulfill your commitment to your puppy so that they can assist in finding a suitable replacement home.

• Will gladly allow you to visit them (by appointment) to meet their dogs and puppies and view firsthand the environment in which the puppies are raised.

• Will gladly provide references from buyers of puppies from past litters.

Responsible Breeders May:

• Belong to one or more dog breed clubs.

• Participate in Obedience, Agility or other activities with their dogs.

• Agree to ship their puppies to carefully screened buyers.

• Have more than 1 breed, but no more than 3 breeds.

• Require a deposit to place you on their waiting list for a puppy.

Beware of Breeders Who:

• Put pressure on you to purchase a puppy from them.

• Always have puppies available.

• Sell puppies at "bargain" prices.

• Cannot or will not provide photos of their adult dogs.

• Keep their dogs and puppies outdoors or in a barn or other shelter.

• Will not allow you to visit them and meet their dogs and puppies.

• Do not seem well-educated about their dogs.

• Do not ask you a lot of questions about your situation.

• Have complaints against them with the SPCA, Better Business Bureau, etc. (Just "Google" them and see what comes up!)

• Sell puppies to pet stores or brokers.

• Do not offer health guarantee.

• Do not adequately screen for health problems.

• Can't or won't offer references.

• Give you the "Eebie Jeebies". Listen to your sixth sense!

As much as you may be anxious to have that furry little bundle in your arms, be sure to play it safe and obtain your new puppy only from the very best breeder you can find. As they say, "Haste makes waste", and puppies purchased from back yard breeders, pet stores and puppy mills come with a shopping list of potential problems. These include poor socialization, resulting in a puppy that grows up to be a nervous, nippy and neurotic dog; and poor health, leading to many veterinary bills and plenty of heartache for you and your family. Additionally, by buying a puppy from these sources, you are helping to keep these cruel profiteers doing what they do. For every adorable puppy that you see "in the window" of a pet store, there are two parent dogs who are kept in deplorable conditions that no dog lover would ever subject their family members to.

Remember, your new puppy is going to live anywhere from 10 to 16 years of age. Take your time to find just the right breeder - you'll be rewarded for your patience and determination with a healthy, well-socialized family companion that is sure to live a long, happy and vibrant life with you and your family.