Dog blog
How to find Responsible dog breeders?
Here you are – ready to welcome a canine friend in your life that will stay there for a long, long time! And you really want to get a German Shepherd, a Bulldog, or maybe a Labrador. But where is the right place to get a puppy of your favorite breed?
Finding a purebred is a process you should not rush because otherwise, you risk buying a puppy that could end up developing multiple health conditions that can cost thousands of dollars down the road, or worse a premature loss of your companion.
Unfortunately, many people ignore this and don’t understand the importance of research when buying a dog. The reality is that 20% of puppy buyers do not research before buying their puppy, and 36% of them take only 20 minutes or less to find a place where to get their dog.
Given these statistics, it is not surprising that many of these people end up buying their puppies from pet stores or directly from unethical breeders, who claim to be well-intentioned.
Why should you never buy puppies from pet stores?
If you are planning to buy a puppy from a pet store, find out that there are great chances of it developing serious health or even mental issues. The health problems include heart murmurs, zoonotic diseases such as salmonellosis, giardia, or ringworms, which can be passed on to other animals or humans.
One of the downsides that appear immediately after buying a puppy from pet stores is the huge bills at the vet, which you will inevitably have to pay to treat the many illnesses of your recently purchased puppy.
Often, despite the efforts of those who bought them, puppies have no chance of surviving.
Indeed, pet stores usually look like a very welcoming environment for puppies. With their promising sales speech and market reputation, it’s pretty hard to believe that they could be malicious in any way.
But there have been (and still are) many cases where puppies bought from pet stores suffer from serious illnesses, some of them even dying extremely early.
Why is this happening? Because, most likely, they were bred in puppy mills — unethical breeders who usually claim to be kennels or responsible breeders but whose purpose is to mass-produce puppies through over-breeding.
They do not care about puppies’ health or genetic defects and sell them to people looking for purebreds. Moreover, because puppies are born in large numbers, puppy mills sell them at a relatively low price.
Consequently, many pet stores take advantage of these prices and buy puppies to sell them for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
8 reasons to get your dog from a responsible breeder
The verdict is out – pet stores are NOT the best place to get a puppy.
But then where should you get a puppy from?
There actually is a reliable source from where you can buy healthy and well-socialized puppies. Of course, that 20% of buyers who didn’t research before making their purchase certainly don’t know anything about that.
Ethical or responsible dog breeders are the best place to buy your puppy from. These people take care of the entire dogs’ mating process to result in healthy puppies of specific breeds. They ensure that the puppies are mated in the best conditions, carefully caring for both parents and their puppies.
Here are some of the reasons why you should buy a puppy from a responsible dog breeder instead of anywhere else.
1. You will receive a much healthier puppy
Responsible breeders follow breed standards, recommended testing, and refuse to breed animals that don’t pass the required testing. That means that there will be an extremely small chance that your puppy will be born with genetic diseases and chronic breed problems.
HERE is a list of recommended genetic testing to be done by breeders.
2. Your future puppy will be better-socialized
Responsible breeders do not only deal with mating their dogs and growing the puppies by ensuring basic needs like food and a place to live. They treat these dogs and their puppies as their own, seeing them as family members. The dogs are not forced to live in cages, are well-socialized since birth, and are treated like normal dogs and are more acclimated around people and other dogs.
3. You will be informed about the puppy's background
Responsible dog breeders hold back from breeding animals that have known problems within the bloodline, aiming to find the best pair to produce healthy puppies with and to be great breed representatives. Also, by buying a puppy from responsible dog breeders, you should have the chance to meet its mother and father, and other siblings.
Meeting the puppy’s parents and other close relatives will give you a good picture of what the puppy will look like and how he/she will behave while growing up. Moreover, this step will help you remove any uncertainty related to your puppy’s origins.
💡 Meeting the mother and the rest of her puppies before buying one should be encouraged by a responsible breeder. It is normal for the mother to be a little worried when people look at her puppies; however, she should only act carefully, not nervous or aggressive, if so it could be a sign of concern.
4. You will have access to the health history of your puppy's parents
As we said before, responsible breeders will want to raise the healthiest puppies possible. Therefore, they are aware of the common diseases and problems of the breed and perform specialized health tests on dogs before mating to avoid puppies that may inherit “defective” genes or problems. Because they always check their parents’ health history, it means that your future puppy is less likely to develop genetic problems. Not only will responsible breeders check this aspect, but also they should provide you a complete record of it before buying a puppy. Also you should be able to do some research on the parents though OFA or k9data.com
5. The puppy comes with a health certificate
Responsible breeders are very attentive to the puppies’ health and should provide a health certificate for each of them. The terms of this certificate will vary from breeder to breeder, so we recommend you to ask for details when you are talking to the breeder. In general, health certificates may state that if the puppy develops a genetic problem or other possible issues that is or is not stated in the contract, you will either get some or all of your money back, receive help with the medical bills, or receive another puppy in some cases.
6. The puppy comes with a health certificate
All puppies are different. It may be impossible to find a dog that meets all your expectations without knowing anything about it. Because responsible dog breeders know their puppies best, they will help you choose the most suitable one for you and your family. For example, some dogs have a much higher energy level or temperament than others. Even within the breed, a responsible breeder will want to match the dog to your lifestyle. Unlike other breeders, responsible ones want their puppies to reach the right owners above all else, money being their last interest.
7. You will always receive help from responsible dog breeders
Ethical breeders will care about their puppies even after you buy them. Therefore, they will encourage you to keep in touch and offer advice throughout the puppy’s life, including health, care, training, nutrition, behavior, and whatever you need to know. Therefore, this is a great advantage for dog owners who have taken their puppies from ethical and responsible dog breeders because they can always get valuable advice from people who know their dog’s breed best.
8. Your puppy will always have a home
As we said above, ethical breeders will be responsible for the puppies they raise, even after they leave their homes. They will not want them to end up in animal shelters, on the streets, or worse, in puppy mills. Therefore, responsible breeders will almost always take your puppy back if you can’t keep it anymore, for various reasons, at any stage of their age.
Supposing a family member is allergic to dogs, or you are in a complicated situation due to a job loss, health crisis, or any other reason, giving up your dog can inevitably happen sometimes. In that case, it is reassuring to know that the person from whom you bought the puppy will take it back or help you find a new home.
💡 Among the causes of abandonment in dogs, such as lack of time and other unfortunate events in life, there is also incompatibility. Therefore, it is essential to think very carefully about what breed of dog you want before taking one home. Although it is very easy to be captivated by the big brown eyes of a puppy full of energy, do not forget that a dog involves building a long-term relationship, so you and your pet must be compatible.
What makes an ethical or responsible breeder and how to recognize one?
It is very easy to fall into the net of breeds that claim to be high-principled because there are so many — it is estimated that there are at least 10,000 puppy mills in the US.
However, in most cases, it is not only the breeders’ fault. Because people who want to buy a puppy do not do the research before, they are also responsible for this hasty decision and encouraging unethical breeders to continue their activities.
In case you are going to meet a breeder, here is how you can distinguish one responsible from one who just wants to make money from selling puppies.
Signs that the breeder is responsible:
✓ They provide a lot of information about their puppies.
✓ They are part of Dog Clubs and follow their code of ethics (here’s an example)
✓ They will encourage you to meet the puppy before buying. (a 6-12 month wait is not uncommon)
✓ They have a clean and safe area for the puppies and their mothers.
✓ They do not allow the separation of the mother and puppies before the age of eight weeks.
✓ They will only breed dogs that are in overall good health, and physically and mentally mature.
✓ They will ask you a lot of questions. (they want to know their puppy is going to a good home)
✓ They will sell the puppy with the contractual promise to take it back in case of health problems.
✓ They only have clean and well-groomed dogs & puppies.
✓ They only breed dogs that are most likely to result in happy and healthy pets, without forcing old or sick dogs to breed.
✓ They will provide the recommended phenotype & genetic testing, deworming, and vaccination documentation.
✓ They will ensure their puppies are microchipped.
✓ They will start training and socializing dogs from birth.
Signs that you should not buy from that breeder:
X They won’t let you meet the puppy’s mother or siblings.
X They will ask you to meet in a different place than the one puppies were born and raised.
X They won’t provide proof of vaccination, deworming, pedigree or a health certificate.
X Their puppies don’t have a microchip.
X They sell puppies at a very low price compared to the regular price for that specific breed.
X They don’t ask any questions about you or the puppy’s future.
X They won’t ask you to sign a contract.
❗ Unfortunately, there are many scammers out there passing as breeders, so don’t send anyone money for a puppy until you have done some research to make sure the breeder is legit.
Where to find responsible dog breeders?
Now that you know how to distinguish a responsible breeder from an unethical one, the next thing you have to do is to actually find an ethical breeder. To be sure that you will not fail and fall into the trap of unethical breeders, we recommend you try the following options.
🐾 Breed Clubs
You’ve probably heard of local and national breed clubs like The Kennel Club, American Kennel Club or Federation Cynologique Internationale. These are ok, but really they only a regulating body that only gives their approval based on if both of the parents are papered. They do not do any due diligence on if the breeders do the required testing, or if the dogs are part of a puppy mill or not.
Ultimately the responsibility falls on you to make sure the breeder is a responsible one. Start with national and local breed clubs for your specific breed. (Whether you are looking for a Labrador, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever or any other breed).
You can find them very easily by simply searching for their website, there you will find all the contact information you need. They will put you in touch with trusted breeders they recommend
🐾 Veterinarians & dog trainers
These professionals work with dogs every day, so they should be able to recommend an ethical dog breeder in your area. That’s because, in most cases, veterinarians or dog trainers in your city have probably already visited dog breeders to provide services for them.
🐾 Friends & family
If there are people in your family or friends who have a purebred, you can ask them where they got their dog from, but be careful as many people might think their breeder is great but this is no guarantee that it comes from a responsible breeder.
🐾 Dog Shows
Places that bring many dog lovers together – dog shows, competitions, and other dog events are a great start to making connections with people who know responsible breeders. Although you can’t always rely on strangers, more good reviews about the same breeder could mean you should give it a try.
🐾 Facebook Groups
The Internet can be misleading, but, even though Facebook groups are a virtual community, they bring together thousands of dog breeders and professionals that can give you a referral. Moreover, these groups often have members such as veterinarians, canine specialists or representatives of breed clubs within them.
Our recommendations for responsible puppy buyers
If you have already found a breeder or someone has recommended one to you, remember to analyze a few things before buying a puppy.
- Visit the puppy at least twice before taking him home.
- Find out as much as possible about the characteristics and habits of the breed.
- Find out if the puppies are weaned.
- Find out their mother’s age. It should be more than two years old in most cases without obvious signs of aging.
- Ask as many things as possible about the behavior of the puppy’s parents.
- Check the puppy’s eyes, ears, and buttocks to make sure they are clean.
- Make sure the mother has not given birth to more than 6 sets of puppies
- Inspect the living conditions of the mother and her puppies.
- Check how many breeds are there. A responsible breeder usually specializes in one or two breeds because it is difficult for one person to develop solid expertise and take care of many breeds simultaneously.
💡 If you managed to find an ethical breeder and you have already chosen your puppy, try to make regular visits so that your future puppy gets to know you. You can even go with other family members so that the puppy gets familiarized with everyone - after all, adopting a puppy involves the whole family. However, remember that new people can be overwhelming for puppies, so if you are a large family, it would be good not to go on a visit with all your relatives at once. After the visit, you can leave an item of your clothing to give the puppy a chance to get used to your smell even before entering his new home.
Buying a dog is a huge decision. As excited as you may be at the beginning of this process, you will be disappointed when you see that your puppy has health problems or is not what you expected if you do not do your proper research.
Although all this will take some time, proper research to find a good breeder will contribute to your pet’s long-term well-being and a happy transition to his new home.
FAQ'S
▶️ What is the difference between puppy mills and backyard breeders?
Both puppy mills and backyard breeders breed puppies to get profit. What sets the two apart is that puppy mills produce dogs on a large scale, while backyard breeders mate only a few dogs, usually their own. There are also some cases where backyard breeders, also called amateur breeders, may have good intentions of wanting to produce puppies for their loved ones. Still, they usually lack the knowledge, experience, and dedication to the breed to make proper decisions.
▶️What is a designer breeder?
These breeders are people who mate closely related dogs to create hybrid dogs, some rare breeds in great demand nowadays such as labradoodle, puggle, or pomsky. Designer breeders make these puppies to gain profit, without interest in the dogs’ background. Usually, the resulting puppies that are an outcome of controlled cross-breeding between two purebred dogs are born with many genetic problems.
▶️ Are teacup dogs bred in puppy mills?
These puppies are another result of irresponsible breeding. They are made by breeders who aim to get dogs as small as possible, weighing in at 5lbs or under. Unfortunately, these puppies often suffer from hypoglycemia, heart defects, collapsing trachea, and respiratory and digestive problems.
