How to Choose a Dog Breeder

So you’ve decided to get a puppy: a sweet, cuddly, smelly-breathed puppy.  You’ve thought a lot about what type of pup you’d like.  You know the breed, the look, that is just right for your personality and lifestyle.  But what now?  Where do you go next?

Don Abney Catahoula Puppies

Choosing a dog breeder is an extremely important step.  Your dog’s health, happiness, temperament and even life-span all depends on this choice.  Many people do not realize, but choosing the wrong breeder might mean that your dog is slow to become potty trained, or worse, is plagued by a breed-specific disease.

A great breeder does not breed for profit.  They do it for the love of the breed.  This means that they know everything there is to know about that particular breed, they are always learning new things through research or their breed association, and that they try to get the perfect dog in every litter.

5 Steps for Choosing a Responsible Breeder

1. First, I know you are excited to get a dog.  But take your time! Finding the right breeder is sometimes time-consuming and you won’t go home with your puppy right away.  That is okay.  Remember, this is an important decision for your puppy’s (and your) happiness and health.
2. Research the breed before you begin. (You’ve probably already done this because you’ve got a specific breed you like, right?)  Buy a book and read up on any health issues relating to the breed.  And read about their proper care (do they have special grooming needs?)  This information will be a valuable tool in evaluating the breeders own knowledge.
3. Email or call the national breeding club that represents the breed you are interested.  The club makes the breed standards known, and also research breed-specific diseases and other issues of great importance to their specific breed.  They should be able to give you a list of the top breeders in your area.
4. Visit multiple breeders.  You’ll know who is good and who is not by comparing them for yourself.
5. Check the breeders websites to see if they have a breeding policy posted.  If not, when you call to schedule a visit ask if they have a paper copy of a breeding policy.

Questions You Should Ask the Breeder (and Yourself) When You Visit

Take these questions with you to visit the breeder.  A good breeder will be willing to answer them.  And they’ll be happy you asked.  They will also take your questions seriously.

Ask yourself:

• Are the breeder’s own adult dogs friendly and sociable?  (After all, these are probably going to be your puppy’s relatives!  They just might take after them.)
• Is the kennel area cleaned often?  (If not, then your pup might have more trouble getting potty trained.)
• Is the breeder asking me enough questions? (A good breeder will want to make sure you will be a good puppy parent.  They might ask you for an interview, or ask you to fill out an application form. They won’t sell their dogs to just anyone.)

Ask the breeder:

• What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of the breed?  (This question tests their knowledge of the breed–and their commitment to having the best puppy litters possible.)
• When would I receive the pup’s registration papers?
• What type of diseases are prone to this particular breed? (You should already know this answer because of your research.  If they don’t know the answer–or claim that it isn’t really a problem then don’t trust them.)
• Have the parents and grandparents been tested for that health problem?  In other words, if a breed is prone to hip dysplasia, then the breeder should only be breeding OFA certified breeding animals. (That means dogs without hip problems).  Or if bad eyes are a problem, then the breeder should be doing CERF testing (Canine Eye Registration Foundation).
• Do you have the phone number to previous buyers?
• What is the life-expectancy of the kennel line?  (How long do the relatives live?)
• How soon could I bring a puppy home?  (A really great breeder will have a waiting list.  Some breeders won’t even breed dogs until all the dogs in the litter are spoken for, making sure that none end up without a home or in a shelter.  Remember, patience here is key!)
• How often are the mother’s bred? (Once a year at most.)
• How do you choose which dogs to breed?
• Do you give the puppies their first vaccination?  (Yes)

Six Warning Signs (to Turn Around and Run as Fast as Possible)

1. Kennel is too messy. Of course dogs make messes.  But a filthy kennel means dogs are not be cared for properly.  This can lead to poor health, difficult housebreaking, and be a sign that the pups are not getting proper interaction with humans.
2. They will give you your puppy before he is six weeks old. The puppy needs to be with its mother for the first six weeks.
3. They don’t care anything about you. You don’t want to buy a dog from someone who’d sell their dog to just anyone.  That means they don’t care about the dogs at all, they are just in it for the money.
4. They want to sell you a puppy as soon as you walk in. Remember, waiting lists are good.
5. They let you handle the newborns. This is not healthy for the puppies.
6. They want to meet you at your house, half-way at some agreed upon location, or drop the puppy off to you. Yes, they are hiding something.

What’s So Bad About Puppy Mills and Pet Stores Anyway?

First off, you are choosing a particular breed because you like the look and temperament of the dog you’ve chosen, right?  When  you buy from a pet store or unknowingly, from a puppy mill, the problem is you never know what you are going to get.

Did the mother of your pup have a genetic disease?  Was the father mean and aggressive? The pet store doesn’t know and neither will you!  The likelihood that your pup will be like their parents is pretty high, so if you are getting a purebred dog, you want to know who the parents and grandparents were.

Mass produced puppies are not socialized properly.  When dogs are bred purely for dollars, they don’t care if a puppy gets to spend time being handled by a human.  In fact, all of their contact with humans might be really scary experiences.  Causing the dogs to distrust all humans.  Or, they might take the puppy away from the mother prematurely.  This means the puppy might have more health problems.  And may be improperly socialized with other dogs.  You don’t want the neighborhood bully do you?

Look at it this way: if you were going to get a dog whose parents were unknown, why not just go to the not-for-profit animal shelter and save a dog’s life?

Choose a breeder wisely, and you may be able to avoid some of the big doggy problems.

Need More Puppy Info?

Try these great books:

The Art of Raising a Puppy

or

The Simple Guide to Puppies