The primary focus of a good breeder is the quality of the puppies. They breed their dogs to uphold the standards of the breed, not for profit.

 

Signs of a Reputable Breeder:

1. A responsible breeder should allowed you to visit the breeding site/kennel and to view the parents of the puppy.

2. A responsible breeder's Premises are clean and odor-free.

3. A responsible breeder should ensure Dogs are clean, well fed, lively and friendly. No signs of malnutrition such as protruding rib cages or illness such as runny nose/eyes, coughing, lethargy and skin sores.

4. Both dogs and puppies should not shy away from the breeder and should be outgoing with strangers.

5. A responsible breeder should be able to provide a pedigree tracing a few generations back. These generations should have competition certificates as proof that they are improving what the breed was bred for - be it agility, scent-trials, personal protection, conformation, and so on.

6. A responsible breeder has in depth knowledge about the breed’s strengths and weaknesses and knowledgeable about the genetic diseases that can affect their breed – including what’s being done to avoid them.

7. Vet test results showing that the parents/breeding dogs do not possess/have very low chance of passing on breed-specific genetic diseases. Every breed has a different disease to test for!

8. A responsible breeder will not allow Puppies to go to their new home until they are at least 8-12 weeks of age. Puppies need ample time to mature and socialize with its mother and littermates. Puppies should be well-socialized to other dogs, people, different materials and textures (flooring, loud noises, cars etc) during this time.

9. A responsible breeder should be willing to answer any questions you have and should ask many of you as well. Breeders will want to make sure their puppies are going to good homes, with people who know what to expect and have made all the necessary preparations.

10. A responsible breeder will select a puppy for you, based on its personality and your reported lifestyle.

11. A responsible breeder may ask you to sign a contract indicating that if specified conditions of care are not met or you become unable to keep the puppy, he/she will reclaim it or find a better home for it. This ensures they do not add to the surplus of homeless dogs.

12. A responsible breeder should be ready and willing to offer you advice, and be open to  communication over the entirety of the dog's life.

 

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What should you ask a breeder?

1. About the genetic health conditions of the puppies

2. Ask to meet the parents of the puppies

3. Are the parents genetically screened and clear of defects inherent to the breed?

4. Ask to view certificates issued by registered vets.

5. Ask to see pedigree certificate (not breed certificate!)

6. How long he/she has been breeding dogs

7. How long he/she has been breeding this particular breed.

8. How many months/years apart are the dogs bred (Be careful of breeders who breed every time the female dog is on heat).

9. How have the puppies been socialized (meeting people/other dogs in safe environments, being exposed to different sounds and smells etc).

10. If the breeder can guarantee against health and behavioural defects.

 

 

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What you should avoid:

1.     No Visitation: If you are disallowed from visiting the breeding site and from meeting the parents of the puppy, there is a high chance that your puppy is from a puppy mill. Reputable breeders will be transparent and provide assurance that their puppies are being brought up in a healthy and happy environment with plenty of socialization. These visits allow you to evaluate the health of the parents as well, to have an idea of how your puppy will turn out.

2.     Multiple Breeds: If a breeder has more than 2 or more different breeds for sale (or mixes of these breeds), it is highly likely to be a puppy mill or works closely with one. Reputable breeders usually focus on one or a maximum of two breeds. Few reputable breeders will focus on mixed breeds (E.g. maltipoo, labradoodle) as cross breeding is variable.

3.     Lack of Vet Records: Puppy mills often sell unvaccinated puppies. Always ask for the vet records of vaccinations. Another more insidious practice is to vaccinate puppies before the recommended vaccination period, to be able to sell them earlier (AVA stipulates that a puppy has to have “x” number of vaccinations prior to sale). Check with your local vet and/or other professionals to ensure that this was not done to your puppy.

4.     BEWARE OF "TRENDY" breeds, colours or traits. Eg "special rare colour for x breed", teacup varieties, or albinos. These are not healthy dogs. Do not purchase from such breeders!

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Where to find such breeders:

1. Do a quick google search such as: "Responsible, ethical _breed_ breeders in _location_".      

2. Kennel club websites.

3. Breed forums

Note: not all kennel clubs or breed forums do the right checks. You are your best check!

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Further Resources:
·         Example of a fantastic guide on finding ethical breeders for a specific breed, in this case the Doberman Pinscher: https://dpca.org/BreedEd/buying-a-doberman-pinscher/

·         https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-find-responsible-dog-breeder

·         http://www.awarewisconsin.com/twelve-points-to-identifying-a-quality-breeder/

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This guide was adapted from the following resources:
 

Position Statement on Criteria for Responsible Breeding. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-criteria-responsible-breeding

 

Responsible Breeders. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.akc.org/press-center/articles/responsible-breeders/
 

Twelve Points to Identifying a Quality Breeder. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.awarewisconsin.com/twelve-points-to-identifying-a-quality-breeder/

 

Buying A Doberman Pinscher. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://dpca.org/BreedEd/buying-a-doberman-pinscher/

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