Looking for a Reputable breeder.

[mona_b]

Many of us on here know what to look for in a Reputable Breeder.But I just wanted to try and educate those who don't.

Reputable Breeders Show/Title their dogs.When I say Title,this could be in SchH,Herding,Agility,Flyball,Pointing,Retrieving.T his all depends on the breed.Showing their dogs to Champion means that they are of breed standard.

They also have thier dogs health and genetic tested/certified.This means OFA,OVC(Hips,Elbows)CERF'D(eyes,done by an Optomoligist)Heart(done by a Cardiologist)Thyroid.If their Dam does not pass any of the tests,they will not breed them.

They can tell you everything about the Dam and Sires Pedigree,and will supply you with Pedigree Papers.

They are registered Kennel.And registered with the Kennel Club.This could be the CKC(Canadian Kennel Club)or AKC.And are with good standing.

They belong to number of clubs for their breed.Be it National or Regional.

They will put you on a waiting list.This is done before the breeding takes place.They screen you and ask you a TON of questions.They will not give up their pups to any Joe Blow.They care where their pups are going.

They have written contracts.This is either a Non Breeding contract or a S/N contract.They will take back a pup they sold.

They will be there for you to answer any questions you have.Be it training,grooming,showing(if that's what you want to do)and also with any of the sporting trials you want to put your dog in.

They will gladly allow you to come check out their home.And once the pups are born,they encourage you to come and visit them.

They want to keep in contact with the new owner.And know how the pup/dog is doing.This even means 5,10 even 15 years down the road.

They breed to better the breed.They are not in it for the money.

They do not breed more than twice a year.And they do not breed their Dams under the age of 2.

They show passion and love for their dogs.And tremendous knowledge of their breed.And are very experienced.


They do NOT place ads in the newspaper or even under classified ads on the net.No reputable breeder does this.

I'm sure I have forgotten something.But this,in a nutshell is what a Reputable Breeder is.And this is know.I have dealt with an amazing breeder,whom I got my first GSD from at the age of 17.And when I lost him at 13,I got 2 more from her.Even though she is not showing/breeding(due to Cancer)I still keep in contact with her,and have that special bond with her.And I do visit her when I can.Her dogs were Champions and Titled in SCH III.And my current GSD made it as a K9 Police Dog.

So if anyone is wanting to seek out a Reputable breeder,PLEASE do your research.And keep what I have posted about them in mind.This is what you should be looking for.

[Beaglemom]

Mona, that is great, you covered most of it. They also offer a written guarantee for a year or two guaranteeing that their pups are free from genetic disorders and will take the pup back should any develop within the time guaranteed. They also write into their contracts that should the new owner ever have to give up their pup, the breeder is the first to know and is the first to have the option to take the dog back, even 10 years down the road.

The puppies are always vet checked, dewormed, microchipped and/or tattoed and already have had a series of shots. They are never released to a home prior to 8 weeks, some will only release them when they are 12 weeks old.

[mona_b]

Thank you Beaglemom,I knew I was forgetting a few things...

Lack of sleep is taking a toll on my brain.....LOL

[Beaglemom]

Your welcome. You did get all the main things.

[mona_b]

So then that means half my brain is still working.....

[BMDLuver]

Looks like a pretty darn good Sticky to me!

[White Wolf]

Done. It's a sticky.

[shannon1233A]

Absolutely WONDERFUL JOB!!!! Thank you for taking the time to make such a comprehensive, educational post!

[db7]

You will meet meet not just the dam and litter mates but perhaps the Sire and/or other closely related dogs - bros/sis from previous breeding, aunts,uncles, and they are also disease free.

AND they all have even temperaments.

BTW, for those that are interested, the OFA database is online and you can research the test results of Hips, heart, eyes.... for free.

[mastifflover]

That was a great post MonaB. As we all know it is way easier to find bad breeders and byb and mills but you have to really do your research to find a good breeder. A reputable breeder will be happy to let you speak to people who have purchased dogs from them. As soon as they say no run far and fast

[mona_b]

Thank you.

And thank you White Wolf.

mastifflover,you are so right.It is way to easy to find bad breeders and BYB's.

This is why I needed to have this info posted on here.

[lperms]

That's Great! I agree with everything that you have said with the exception of advertising in newspapers and online. . . I know that one of the number one German Shepherd breeders in Canada often advertises online or in her local newspaper when she has a litter available. How else are you supposed to find homes for puppies, especially if you would like to keep them local? Not everyone has access to the internet. . . So I think that Reputable breeders do advertise sometimes! But other than that everything that you have said I think is great and should help puppy buyers choose the right breeder.

Martine

[Prin]

You're supposed to sell ALL the puppies BEFORE the litter is born. Most good breeders have waiting lists and have no need to advertise at all.

[lperms]

I agree, most of the time breeders do have lists of people waiting for puppies, however in some cases and quite often lists can fall through and it is often tiring trying to figure out and investigate potential puppy owners via the web. I personally have not advertised puppies in a local newspaper in quite sometime, but in the same sence I can see myself doing it in the future if I have a dog/puppy that I would like to place. I like the idea of having my puppies local, where I can keep an eye on things, check out the potential buyers home, visit with the puppy as she/he matures, talk to the owner in person, see how the dog is with his owner and make sure that the owner has fufilled the contract that I give, etc, and there is NOTHING unreputable about that!

[Prin]

The lists are not limited to one litter. Waiting lists can be very long, thus never fall through. If you have good puppies, you will not have to advertise.

And I know one breeder who sends representatives of her breed's club to your home to do checks if they can't go themselves.

As for advertising in the paper- a lot of the dogs in the paper end up in labs. The target audience is so broad for a newspaper. It's just a bad idea. People are very equipped to get by regular folks' screening processes. Be careful.

[lperms]

I definately agree with most of your points! I only breed about one litter every one to two years with my puppies and I have had very long waiting lists, but often when I finally have a litter on the ground, I find that people got too anxious from waiting, circumstances changed,finaces,etc,etc, furthermore I like to meet my owners in person, not have someone else do the meeting for me. I like to trust my natural instincts when I meet someone and you just can't do that via the web. . . But I do agree that newspapers are often not the best way to sell your puppies, most of my puppy owners have found me on breeder lists on the web, pet sites, etc, but I guess that is probably wrong too?
I definately consider myself a reputable breeder since I promote spay & neuter, have all Champion/Schutzhund/Obediance titled dogs with hip,elbow,spinal X-rays and very strict contracts, attend shows, title my own dogs, and I have found wonderful owners for my puppies via the web or locally through a newspaper. I don't like to keep lists any longer unless I know I am expecting a litter, because frankly I just don't breed that much to have a long ongoing list.
I just don't know how you expect people to get a running list in the first place. . . Please explain how you can do this. . . I would love the info.

Martine

[Prin]

I don't understand how so many back out. Are they just not serious then? What happens when they learn that a dog is expensive? What happens if their financial situation changes after getting the dog?

I think that advertising in dog-friendly or dog specific places will attract a more specific market.

[CyberKitten]

We should have a sticky for cat breeders as well.

[lperms]

It happens. . . people have babies and are unable to take a dog at the time, therefore stay on the list or drop off, families run into health problems, divorces, people walk into a shelter and fall in love there, etc, etc. I just know so many reputable breeders who have lists but sometime, SOMETIMES, they DO and CAN fall through! It's really never happened to me where I was left to have to advertise my whole litter but the odd time I have had to place an ad for maybe one or two puppies of a large litter. It's never been a negative experiance for me so I guess I don't understand but I do hear what your saying. You can NEVER be too careful!

Martine

[lperms]

I agree Sticky!

[StaceyB]

I can understand why someone wouldn't wait 1 or two years to get a pup and still not know if I would be getting a pup. I would find several breeders that cover the criteria that I am looking for. I wouldn't be setting everything on one opportunity. Many people that were on her lists may have chosen a different breeder.

[ZonkaDaisy]

In regards to the dogs being "Titled and shown", I think exceptions should be made to breeders whos dogs are not necessarily titled but are actually working dogs. How do others view dogs that are working rather than titled??

[Prin]

There are working titles too, aren't there?

[mafiaprincess]

Yes there are. I would want both parents field titled if they aren't being shown.
Depending upon breed..
Schutzhund
Herding titles
Field trials - AKC, CKC
Go To Ground/Terrier Trials/Tests
Coursing titles
Hunt Test Titles

There is no excuse to be breeding working dogs that aren't excelling at one of the above, lot of times it's more than one, including agility, flyball etc, but even mixed breeds dogs excel at other things. Only a well bred dog will bring home field titles. Weeds out the mediocre ones like the show ring does..

[ZonkaDaisy]

They are working as FBI bomb detection and drug detection dogs... So I am sure they are titled in some way, But I think that is different from what you mean.. not sure

[kaytris]

The only thing I slightly disagree with is this:

that their pups are free from genetic disorders and will take the pup back should any develop within the time guaranteed

This can be slightly misleading, and provides breeders with a way to sound responsible without having to fulfill their duty. Many buyers will not return a puppy that they have bonded with, when puppy is diagnosed with a problem at 9 months or 2 years. Also, some breeders will take back a puppy and then euthanize it - and then claim "my lines have no genetic issues" - dead puppies tell no tales.

I would rather see a clause like this:
"If the puppy should ever develop a genetic defect that makes it unsuitable as a pet, a refund up to but not over the original purchase price will be provided. To receive refund the puppy MUST be spayed or neutered. Return of the puppy will not be required."

or this:
"Should this dog during the first 30 months of it's life, be diagnosed with a genetic related disease rendering the dog unfit for hunting, breeder agrees to FULLY refund OR replace the dog with another of equal purchase value. The dog does NOT have to be returned but breeder must be notified in writing within 30 days of DVM Diagnosis and proof of spay/neuter for this guarantee to be valid"

[Writing4Fun]

Kaytris, a reputable breeder would be making sure that the puppies are spayed/neutered regardless. They can be the picture of health. If the breeder isn't keeping them him/herself for breeding purposes, they must be speutered. No compromise on that one.

[technodoll]

a reputable breeder would be making sure that the puppies are spayed/neutered regardless. They can be the picture of health. If the breeder isn't keeping them him/herself for breeding purposes, they must be speutered. No compromise on that one.

or a non-breeding contract is also acceptable... most reputable breeders will only sell to people they trust and contracts are not written up for nothing. granted, it's a trust issue, but nonetheless you cannot "force" a buyer to sterilize their pet, i mean who has time for policing? and withholding papers until proof of spay/neuter only works for some buyers, some don't care one way or the other... it's a sticky situation, all right. We own a papered, purebred dog under a non-breeding contract and he's not neutered, we might get it done down the road but for now, we like him this way and the breeder is fine with it. our female is spayed so the household remains quiet. so... every situation is different, IMO.

[Beaglemom]

Reputable breeders sell their puppies on nonbreeding contracts with a clause that states that the only way that can be lifted is when the dog attains his/her championship title and then only with the breeders' permission is the dog allowed for breeding. Many times, even if you intend on showing your dog, the breeder puts the nonbreeding clause in, not always does it mean that you must spay/neuter. There are breeders who do demand spay/neuter proof on all dogs sold as pets only and/or that are not intended to be shown. I know of someone that had to provide proof, according to her contract, that her puppy has been spayed prior to her 6th month. The puppy has already been spayed and the breeder has a copy of the certificate from the veterinarian. This breeder has checked up on her puppy to make sure all is well.

[kaytris]

what I wanted to emphasize was that a good breeder doesn't require the return of the puppy.