Signs to Look for of a Responsible Dog Breeder
Sometimes it’s hard to know who is the best expert for your issues, but what’s harder is finding the best dog breeder for the dog you want.
There is no directory to find the most responsible or reputable breeder, you will have to do your own research to find the best breeder for the dog you want.
To help your search, here are some things to keep in mind.
Show Me Who Your Friends Are
Like-minded individuals who share values are drawn to one another. In terms of breeders, they often belong to their breeds parent club – these organizations are recognized by the American Kennel Club as the official club of that breed in the U.S. Members of these clubs must sign a code of ethics that includes mandated health test and more.
See how these breeders interact with their clubs beyond basic membership. Although being in the club is a good sign, this shouldn’t be your only criteria. Bad apples find their way into the club sometime, and the best of breeders don’t always join their club. One of the biggest questions to ask is has the breeder given back to their breed.
Experience
The longer a breeder has been breeding, the easier it will be to research them. Skimming their Facebook page can give you a good sense on how stablished and reputable they are. Long time breeders have waiting lists, and often will give priority to repeat customers over newcomers. They will most often have an established mentor or co-breeder who is guiding them, ask about those people and research them as well. Breeders are knowledgable but don’t have the answers to every question no matter how long they have been in the business.
Tradition Over Trends
Reputable breeders have one goal: produce healthy, and physically and behaviorally stable dogs that meet the standard. Run from breeders who are actively marketing puppies, including those who boast about their teacup puppies. These puppies are susceptible to many health problems.
Healthy Habits
Health issues can develop at any time, and breeders can’t always control that. What they can do is make sure that their breeding dogs are healthy. There are two test for breeding puppies: health screenings and blood tests. Although these test can confirm that the parents are free from disease, it doesn’t mean they can’t pass them onto their offspring. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has a database of tests that breeders complete on their dogs. You can look for your potential puppies parents and their ancestors.
See Them Here First
Pre-COVID, breeders required potential buyers to visit as part of the screening process. However, these meetings now take place on Zoom or sometimes a video has to be requested. Pay attention to the surroundings of the puppy and their appearance. You and the breeder should want the puppy in the most suitable home and not the most convenient.
Sign Here, Please
Reputable breeders will require the buyers to sign a contract. The contract will outline the basics of the puppy including parents names, AKC registration number, and a return-to-breeder clause.
Make sure you trust your breeder. You will need to know if you’re comfortable calling them in the middle of the night if there was an emergency with the puppy, if so, you’ve picked a person you can trust.