Selecting a breeder

[Tucker'sMom]

If you have decided to purchase a purebred dog, finding the right breeder can be a difficult task. I have written this article to help you find a responsible breeder as opposed to a backyard breeder or a puppy mill. You may spend more money, but the chances are you will get a healthier dog and a dog that is a good representative of the breed. I recently chose to purchase another GSP (I must need mental help, I swear! LOL) and I used these steps and feel that I have found a wonderful breeder and look forward to my new puppy. Hope these tips help some of you.

1. The best breeders rarely advertise - usually their reputation speaks for itself.

2. Check out breed clubs' wesites. They usually offer referrals to breeders who adhere to the club's Code of Ethics. You can usually find the contact info for a breed's club at the AKC's website, American Kennel Club - akc.org.

3. A bargain is rarely a bargain. If a dog is cheaper than most others of the same breed, there is usually a reason.

4. Consider OFA ratings for each dog in at least a 4 generation pedigree (a 7 generation pedigree would be better). For more information on OFA and ratings, check Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.

5. Check titles - plenty can be told about a dog's temperament by finding out what titles the dog or its relatives have attained.

6. Ask lots of questions. A good breeder will take all the time you need to answer all your questions. The following are some good ones to ask.
-How many litters do you breed a year? If the breeder breeds more than a couple litters a year, they are probably closer to being a puppy mill rather than a responsible breeder.
-Do you breed other breeds? One or two breeds is reasonable, especially if they are in the same AKC Group. It takes years to gain the knowledge of breeding one breed let alone 3 or 4.
-How many years have you been working with this breed? Avoid novices unless the novice is working closely with an experienced breeder.
-What do you do for a living? Reputable breeders are luck to break even and should not rely on puppies as their sole source of income.
-Will this litter be linebred or outcrossed? First of all, a backyard breeder will not know what you are talking about. Linebreeding is the pairing of 2 dogs that have some common ancestors. This is NOT inbreeding. Linebreeding uses proven bloodlines and results in some predictability and uniformity. Outcrossing is the pairing of 2 dogs that have no ancestors in common. This technique is more difficult but can invigorate the gene pool.
-What health screenings have been done? Do research on common health problems with the breed you are considering. IE. thyroid, hip dysplasia (covered earlier in the OFA section), hereditary eye disorders.
-What is your procedure for socializing the litter? Good breeders are more than happy to explain their plan for socializing the puppies in detail.
-Do you screen your buyers? Good breeders want their puppies to go to good, well-suited homes.
-Why are these puppies available? Good breeders usually don't breed a dog until they have buyers lined up in advance. The litter could be larger than expected, a buyer changed plans at the last minute, or the litter was bred for show and some of the pups turned out to not be perfect for conformation.
-May I see the sire and the dam? The dam is the bare minimum on site. The sire could be in another state, which is common. The temperament of the dam will tell a lot.
-What guarantees do you offer? Good breeders will stand behind their dogs, guarantee or not.
-Do you restrict breeding rights? Good breeders most often do.
-Do you have references? If the answer is no, walk away! If the breeder provides a list, contact at least some of the people on the list.
-What are your goals in breeding these dogs? Usually, good breeders breed to improve the breed. If the breeder cannot supply a well-thought answer, be wary.

If you are asked to sign a contract, (most good breeders will have a contract already drawn up) read it carefully. Exceptionally good breeders may include items such as: a guarantee against hip dysplasia; a rebate for every title the owner puts on his or her dog; a clause forbidding the owner to breed the dog if it doesn't have a title by a certain age.

Remember, these are guidelines and tips. They are not the only things you should look for when checking out a breeder. Happy hunting!

[palehorse]

Very good article!

I made it a sticky so it stays on top. I often wondered about inbreeding, how often it happens and so forth. Schnauzers, though little dogs, seem to have an abnormally short lifespan. I wonder if in part it has to do with a little accidental "in-breeding" instead of "line breeding".

Thank you very much for the article, I found it very informative!

[Tucker'sMom]

Thank you. There will be more coming on some different topics in the future. I did this one because I just used those ideas in finding a breeder for our next GSP. I had done some research and those were the ideas that kept coming up.

[Whizzy]

I'd like to add a question that will help weed out the not-so-responsible breeders from the really responsible ones.

What if I can't keep the dog? If something happens 5 years from now, and I'm no longer able to keep this dog, will you take it back? Will you keep it or find it a suitable home?

A responsible breeder takes the dog back, at any time, for any reason. As a breeder myself, I made the decision to bring these puppies into the world. I'm responsible for the fact that they're here, and I'm responsible for them until they leave this world.

Now that I no longer breed, that was one of the criteria that I used, and that tipped the scale in favor of one breeder over another, when I decided to buy my current dog, Oli. Not only is his breeding impecable (his litter brother was UKCs #1 show dog, all breeds, in 2004), his temperment is wonderful, and his breeder insists that he goes back to her should anything happen to me.

[palehorse]

Originally Posted by Whizzy

What if I can't keep the dog? If something happens 5 years from now, and I'm no longer able to keep this dog, will you take it back? Will you keep it or find it a suitable home?.

I think that is REALLY too much to ask that a breeder take back a 5 year old dog. I have never heard of a single one that would even consider doing this.

I would not rule out a breeder based on this.

[Whizzy]

Honestly, this is not too much to ask. A really responsible breeder will take back a dog, even an old dog, and find it a suitable home, or take care of it for the rest of it's life.

Anyone who is involved in breeding should also be involved in rescue. If you're going to contribute to the number of pets on the planet, you should be taking resposibility for the pets you produce. And taking back a dog is no different than taking in a rescue to foster.

I don't breed anymore, but when I did, I developed a deep sense of commitment to those innocent little babies. They were just as precious to me when they were adults as they were when they were born. I wouldn't want a single one of them to end up in a shelter, or being passed on to an owner that I had not personally interviewed and approved. My contract included a "Right of First Refusal", meaning if the owner could not keep the dog, it came back to me unless I agreed to it being placed elsewhere.

Every breeder I've ever dealt with includes a Right of First Refusal clause in their contract. It may not be a widespread practice, but it does indicate the level of dedication the breeder has to the puppies they produce.

I currently work with several rescue organizations. Right now we have 5 Dobermans in the kennel. Dobermans who should be the responsibility of the people responsible for their having been born. But instead they were thrown away for one reason or another. They ended up in the pound, and we pulled them out before they were euthanized. Their breeders didn't care. The same breeders who made the decision to bring them into the world don't care enough to see that they're rehomed now that they aren't cute little puppies anymore.

I'd sure hate it if I found out one of my pups was killed because I didn't take it back. I'm responsible for their having been born; I'm responsible for them until they leave this world.

And think about it; if you have a dog, if you suddenly became ill or incapacitated, or if you died, wouldn't you like to know that there's a dedicated, responsible person who's willing to take your pet and find it a suitable home?

The breeder I bought Oli from will take him back at any time. She took him back from his first owner at age 14 months. She'd take him back from me if he were 20 years old. She'd see to it that he is well cared for. And I wouldn't buy a dog from anyone who doesn't have that level of commitment.

[Tucker'sMom]

While I agree with many of your points, I have found that many breeders do not do this because there is no way to enforce it. I am involved in rescue. I volunteer with the German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America's GSP Rescue PA (Pennsylvania), and I am here to tell you that breeders would love to take some of these dogs back if they knew. They don't always know.

[Whizzy]

Originally Posted by Tucker'sMom

While I agree with many of your points, I have found that many breeders do not do this because there is no way to enforce it. I am involved in rescue. I volunteer with the German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America's GSP Rescue PA (Pennsylvania), and I am here to tell you that breeders would love to take some of these dogs back if they knew. They don't always know.

Of course they don't always know. However, how many of them included a clause in their contract stating they'll take the dog back and rehome it? If they did, if they stressed to the buyer that they're willing to help with any problem, and willing to take the dog back, a lot more owners would be contacting the breeder first, not just heading off to the shelter when their cute little puppy isn't so cute, isn't so little, and they decide they just don't want it or can't keep it.

A lot of the national breed clubs include this in their code of ethics. If you breed, you should be willing to assist the buyer, including taking the dog back, for the life of the dogs you produce.

But there are way too many breeders who don't care. Once they have your money, you are totally on your own.

[Tucker'sMom]

Originally Posted by Whizzy

I currently work with several rescue organizations. Right now we have 5 Dobermans in the kennel. Dobermans who should be the responsibility of the people responsible for their having been born. But instead they were thrown away for one reason or another. They ended up in the pound, and we pulled them out before they were euthanized. Their breeders didn't care. The same breeders who made the decision to bring them into the world don't care enough to see that they're rehomed now that they aren't cute little puppies anymore.

The fact that you have 5 Dobies in the kennel now, could that possibly have anything to do with owner who do not commit to the proper care of their dogs, and possibly not the breeder's lack of caring??? People who are going to just discard their dogs rather than deal with the responsibility and commitment are not going to take the time to contact the breeder and arrange return of the dog, they are going to dump them off at the nearest pound where they can be rid of the dog instantly.