Finding a Good Breeder

One of the most important lessons a future puppy buyer can learn is to tell the difference between a breeder who is a good, reputable breeder, and one who is not.

The key to finding the right breeder is to first educate yourself. Don't rely on the breeder to educate you, as there are many dishonest breeders out there and without prior knowledge of your own it will be difficult, if not impossible, to sort out the good breeders from the bad and the truth from the lies. Read books, research on the Internet, and talk to as many different dog enthusiasts and professionals as you can. Learn of the different types of bloodlines within your chosen breed (show, working, hunting, etc), learn what the breed standard is, and learn about the different health and temperament faults common within that breed.

Good dogs are rarely found in newspaper advertisements or at pet stores. No reputable breeder would be so desperate as to sell his puppies to a pet store. Pet store puppies come from puppy mills. Like the name suggests, puppy mills are designed to produce a great number of puppies at low cost, which are then sold to pet stores who turn around and sell them to the public at exorbitant prices. The only criteria that a puppy mill has for breeding dogs are that they be registered purebreds of the same breed. That's it, and as a result, these dogs are often unhealthy with major temperament faults.

Puppies advertised for sale in the newspapers are more often than not the result of someone putting two purebred dogs together in order to make a few dollars. These puppies may or may not be good dogs with good temperaments, but if they are it is luck, not planning. Someone mating the two family pets is not likely to put the time and money into researching pedigrees, screening the dogs for genetic defects and temperament faults, and overall ensuring that such a mating is beneficial to the breed as a whole. They may or may not even put the time and money into proper care of the dam and of the puppies. No reputable breeder would need to take out an ad in the local classifieds in order to find homes for his puppies. In fact, it is not uncommon for a conscientious breeder to sell his puppies with limited registration, often with stipulations to lift the limitation should the dog prove breed worthy, in order to prevent these kinds of back-yard breedings.

When you do talk to breeders, do not be afraid to ask questions. Likewise, don't be put off if the breeder asks you as many questions as you ask him. Good breeders feel responsibility for their puppies, and put a great deal of effort into finding good homes for them and matching the right customer with the right puppy. Screening of potential buyers and asking a lot of questions is the best thing a breeder can do to ensure that not only is the customer happy with their purchase, but the puppy has gone to the best possible home.

Look for breeders who are breeding for a purpose. Ask the breeder straight out what are the goals of his breeding program. If the breeder cannot answer this question, or answers with something along the lines of "well, she's the best dog I've ever had and I wanted a puppy out of her" or "she's a great dog and there should be more like her", go elsewhere. There are a lot of nice dogs in the world, but that doesn't mean that they should be bred. Good breeders do not breed just to produce puppies and make money. They breed out of love of the dogs and to better their breed. Good breeders have long term goals for their breeding program, and will carefully select each mating to further these goals and improve the breed.

Ask the breeder what the faults of his dogs are. Kennel blindness is common in the dog world. Many breeders will openly berate the dogs from other bloodlines or breeders, but will not discuss or are completely oblivious to the faults in their own dogs. The fact is no dog is perfect. Every dog has faults. There is an axiom in breeding that when you breed something in, you breed something else out. Thus, the goal of a good breeding program is not to produce the perfect dog, there is no such thing, but to create the least imperfect dogs. It is a constant battle to minimize the faults, while highlighting the good points. When looking at a particular breeding or puppy, ask the breeder what the goals for that particular mating are. Why was that particular stud chosen for that particular bitch? A good breeder will be able to tell you how the dogs compliment each other, the good points of each dog that he hoped to bring out in the breeding, and the faults that he hoped to minimize.

Every breed of dog has common health problems that are genetic within that breed. Good breeders should work very hard to eliminate these issues. Educate yourself regarding the genetic health concerns of your chosen breed, and ask the breeder what he is doing to prevent them in his dogs. In German Shepherd Dogs, hip and elbow dysplasia are very common, as are other disorders such as EPI, DM, cataracts, thyroid problems, and the list goes on. When possible, the breeder should take measures to screen his breeding stock for these problems. In the case of dysplasia, hip and elbow certifications from OFA or the German SV ("a" stamp program) should be obtained on all breeding stock.

It is not feasible, or even possible, for a breeder to screen for every existing genetic defect within a breed. In addition, most of these disorders are the result of recessive genes; in many cases more than one recessive gene must work together to produce the disorder, so even screening the parents for these problems does not ensure that the puppies will not inherit them. Therefore, it is also important that the breeder knows not only his own dogs and their physical soundness, but also be knowledgeable about his dogs' pedigrees and the bloodlines from which they descend. Different bloodlines of dogs are known for carrying the genes for different faults and health concerns. This is not to say that these dogs should not be bred, but breeding partners should be carefully selected to minimize the likelihood of these problems coming to the surface. If the bitch's bloodline is known to produce the occasional dog with EPI, for example, finding a bloodline that is clear of EPI should be a top priority when selecting a stud to mate her to. A reputable breeder will offer a health guarantee on his puppies. Should the puppy develop a health problem that is the result of genetics, the breeder will replace the pup or refund the customer's money. The actual wording and stipulations of guarantees varies from breeder to breeder, but the point is that the breeder is willing to stand behind his dogs and is confident enough to do so.

Look for a breeder who does something with his dogs other than just breed. If you are looking for a dog to perform a specific task, find a breeder who specializes in that type of dog. If you want a hunting dog, find a breeder who hunts or competes in field trials with his dogs. If you want a conformation dog, look for someone who shows his dogs. If you want an obedience dog, find a breeder who puts CDXs on his dogs. Needless to say, if the breeder has no experience in the activity for which he claims to be breeding dogs, it's not real likely that he knows what he is doing. Someone who has never done any herding isn't going to know what to look for in a good herding dog. In addition, just because a dog comes from a long line of working dogs or champion show dogs does not mean that he has what it takes to be one himself. And no one will ever know if he does or not unless someone tries with him.

It is through working or showing the dogs that the breeder knows what it is he needs to be looking for in successful breeding stock and whether or not his dogs have what it takes. Through working the dogs, the breeder is able to get a better understanding of the dog's nerves and temperament by seeing its reaction to a variety of different situations. The stress of training, travel and competition, of going to new places and being surrounded by strange dogs and people, may bring to light temperament and nerve faults that would otherwise remain hidden when the dog is at home in familiar surroundings. Training and working the dogs allows breeders to gather intimate knowledge of each dog's individual personality and it's true ability to do what it's bred to do. This knowledge could never be obtained if the dogs just lie on the couch, or live in a kennel all day, and is invaluable both to deciding whether or not a dog is worth breeding and in selecting the right mate for the dog.

Shows and competitions also provide excellent third party evaluations of the dogs, both objectively compared to the standard and subjectively compared to other representatives of the breed. They test the dog's structure, temperament, nerves and trainability in ways that would never be done if the dog never left the breeder's property. Even if all you are looking for is a family pet and you have no plans to ever show or compete with your dog, this is very important. The pup need not be a top show or performance prospect, but the sound temperament that comes with generations of breeding only dogs who are thoroghly tested in this area is of great importance, even for people who want "just a pet".

If you find a good breeder locally, visit them. Ask to see all their dogs, particularly the parents of any puppies you are interested in. It is not always possible to see the sire, as many breeders stud their bitches out to outside dogs, but you should certainly be able to meet the dam. Watch the dogs carefully for any signs of temperament problems. Temperament is the result of both genetic and environmental factors, and as the puppies spend so much time with the dam during their early development she will have a bigger impact on their future personalities than the sire will. Avoid purchasing a puppy from a breeder whose dogs show any kind of fear or shyness, skittish behavior, or unprovoked aggression. Some barking and such behavior when you first arrive is acceptable, after all dogs are protective animals and if the bitch already has her puppies she will be more so. However the dogs, including the dam, should tolerate your presence and be approachable by adults and children alike when the breeder is present. Not all dogs are overly friendly and outgoing and will engage a complete stranger in a game of fetch. Some are more aloof and standoffish, and depending on what the dog is bred for this is not necessarily a bad thing. However, even aloof dogs should allow themselves to be calmly petted and should show no shyness or skittishness. Regardless of the purpose for which you intend to use your dog, good temperament is always a priority. A dog that is confident, curious and friendly is always a good thing.

When at the breeders, also take a look at the overall set up of their facility. Whether the dogs are house dogs, kennel dogs, or some of both, take note of their living situation. Are things clean, or is there dog poop all over everything? Do all the dogs appear healthy and happy? Are they well fed, well exercised, and do they have access to fresh water? Just because a breeder takes excellent care of his dogs doesn't necessarily mean that he will put the same time and effort into his puppies, but if a breeder doesn't take good care of his dogs it's a sure bet he won't with the puppies either. If the breeder does have a litter of puppies when you visit, ask to see them. Pay special attention to the area where the puppies are kept to ensure that they are in a clean environment. Keeping the puppy area clean is not only important in terms of health, but is vitally important to success in future housebreaking.

Ask the breeder how his puppies are socialized. Are they just kept in a kennel with mom and their littermates until they are old enough to go to their new homes? They shouldn't be. Early socialization is very important for puppies. The breeder should make sure that the pups are handled by people several times a day, every day. This exposure to people shouldn't just be limited to the breeder himself. The puppies should also be exposed to strange people, adults and children alike, strange sounds, smells, objects and surroundings. In fact, when you first ask to see the litter beware of any breeder who hesitates to show them to you. A good breeder will happily jump at the chance for some extra puppy socialization. The more early socialization a young pup gets, the more curious and confident he will be as an adult.

Find out how the breeder goes about selecting puppies for customers. There is much more to puppy selection than the customer handing the breeder a check and the breeder handing the customer a puppy. At least there should be. Good breeders put a lot of time into puppy selection. They interview their customers to determine what type of puppy would suit them best, and select puppies for customers accordingly. In addition to daily observations of the puppies, there are several commonly used puppy tests to assist with selection. The advantage to these tests is that they are conducted with the puppies by themselves, in unfamiliar surroundings, so that the breeder can see how the puppy reacts to different stimuli when away from his home and littermates. Few good breeders will let customers select their own pups, or if they do it will be from just a couple of possible candidates, not the entire litter. No matter what a customer's experience, he is not going to be able to observe a puppy for a few minutes, or even a few hours, and know as much about the puppy's individual personality as the breeder who has been observing the pup daily since birth. The breeder's experience and more thorough knowledge of the puppies makes him better able to select the pup that fits the criteria given by the customer, and in this way the customer gets the pup that is the best for him and his own goals and situation.

And finally, find out what kind of long term support that the breeder provides to his customers. A good breeder will ask that you keep in touch, and provide photos and updates as to how the puppy is doing. They will make sure you know how to contact them should you have any questions or concerns with the pup, even years down the road. And they will be happy to answer those questions. A good breeder will offer that if ever, at any time, you are unable to keep the puppy, they will take it back and either keep it themselves or find a good home for it. Many breeders will even put such stipulations in their sales contracts in order to ensure that they know where all their puppies are at all times. Someone who is willing to do this shows that his concern for the pups goes beyond raising them until 8 weeks old and then sending them off. A good breeder is concerned with the welfare of his puppies for their entire lives, not just until they leave his kennel.

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I could keep going... I think it's pretty clear that there are some significant differences. Good vs Bad breeder has nothing to do with the size of the facility, number of litters the produced, or flashy marketing. It has to do with their overall knowledge, goals, ethics and concern for their dogs, puppies, customers and the breed in general.

Sure, well bred dogs cost more because there is a lot of cost, not to mention time and energy, involved in a good breeder doing what they do. But a poorly bred dog can easily end up costing much, much more in the long run due to health problems, training for behavioral/temperamental problems, etc... that while possible, are much less likely in a well bred dog.

Can good dogs come from bad breeders? Of course they can. The most ignorant, careless and irresponsible person will succeed on occasion just due to chance. Can bad dogs come out of good breeders? Yes. Even the most careful, conscientious and responsible person will sometimes fail due to chance. But getting a dog from a good breeder certainly loads the odds in the buyer's favor.