How to find a reputable breeder

So you’ve done your research and found a breed that is the perfect match for you and your lifestyle, great job! Now it’s time for a little more research in order to find a reputable breeder. Who would have thought there was so much reading involved in bringing a puppy home?!

Finding a reputable breeder to adopt your puppy from is an incredibly important step, and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. You must put time into researching multiple breeders in order to be sure you are supporting a trustworthy and reliable breeder, as well as to give you peace of mind that the puppy you bring home will have spent the first eight weeks of his or her life in a safe, healthy, and happy environment.

Unfortunately, there are many ‘breeders’ out there who are only in the puppy business to make a quick buck, and who will not take the health of the puppies or the parents into account when having litters. With puppy mills becoming more and more common, I felt it important to include some signs that the ‘breeder’ you are looking at may in fact be running one of these facilities.

Below are some puppy mill red flags to look out for;

• Many puppy mills do not have official websites, and are typically found only on Kijiji or Facebook

• If they do have a website, there will be no pictures of the facility or their dogs, and if you ask them to send you any they will likely decline

• They will not let you visit their facility, and if they do you will not be allowed to see where the dogs are kept or meet more than one or two of their dogs at a time

• They will be comfortable sending a puppy home before 8 weeks of age

• They will have many litters each year

• They will not provide any vet records, genetic testing, or CKC registration papers

• They will not ask you any questions about your home or lifestyle, or how you will be caring for the puppy

• They will want payment before you take the puppy home. While it is very common for reputable breeders to ask for a deposit in order to “hold” your puppy in a litter, they would never ask for full payment up front before you come to pick up your puppy

  
  

A good place to start looking for a trustworthy breeder is on the breed’s club website (ie. The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Canada), as they often have a page dedicated specifically to respected, registered breeders.

Here are some signs that the breeder you are researching is reputable;

• They will be open to answering any questions you have – any breeder who is hesitant to answer questions about their facility, their dogs, and their breeding program may not have the dog’s best interests at heart

• They will be open to you visiting their facility and meeting their dogs, as well as visiting your puppy’s litter, though for health reasons some breeders wait until the puppies are 8 weeks old to allow visitors

• They will have a gallery of photos on their website of current and past breeding dogs and puppies. These galleries are also helpful in gauging the health and breed standard of the puppies they breed. For instance, when researching French bulldog breeders I was careful to look at the snouts and body conformation of each breeder’s moms and dads. I knew I didn’t want a frenchie with stunted posture or a nose that was too squished in, so any breeders whose dogs exhibited these qualities were ones I passed on

• They will have a detailed questionnaire that you must fill out before being approved to adopt one of their puppies – they may ask you about your experience with the breed, the size of your yard, how long the puppy will be left alone each day, etc.

• Their puppies have been vet checked before going home

• They will require you to spay or neuter your dog before they provide you with CKC registration papers for the puppy

• For breeds prone to genetic health conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia, their breeding dogs must have documentation from a veterinarian stating that their hips and elbows are in good health. Because it is a genetic condition, if your puppy’s parents have poor hip and elbow health the likelihood your puppy will develop issues is much greater

• They will provide a health guarantee for your new puppy that usually covers any genetic issues that could affect the health and wellbeing of your puppy

• Their website will have testimonials from other clients who have purchased puppies in the past

• Their website will contain lots of useful information about the breed, usually in the form of blog posts or articles. They want to ensure that anyone adopting one of their puppies is well versed in the specific needs of the breed they are interested in

• They will NEVER send a puppy home with you before they are eight weeks old – some will even keep the puppies with their mother until 10-12 weeks of age

• They will make it clear that if you need to rehome your puppy for any reason throughout his or her life, you must bring the puppy back to the breeder rather than to a shelter

• They will not have many litters throughout the year

• One or both parents are on sight and available for you to meet

It is important to note that any breeder who meets all of the above criteria will likely not come cheap - and that is okay! It is not uncommon for people looking to purchase a puppy to value price over quality, but this approach is not at all what I recommend. Whatever money you may be saving up front by purchasing a puppy from an inexperienced breeder will likely come back to haunt you in expensive vet bills down the road. Remember that a reputable breeder will be breeding for both health AND temperament, and will do all the necessary genetic testing in order to ensure the puppies they breed will live long, healthy, happy lives.

If the cost of a well bred puppy is simply too high for you to justify at this point in time, then I would suggest looking into rescuing. There are plenty of older dogs with clean bills of health looking for their furever homes, and lots of local rescues who will help you find the dog that fits your family best!

Just as you did with your breed specific research, take your time and be honest with yourself. This step in the process is not one you want to rush, and if you are feeling at all uncertain or uncomfortable about a breeder you are looking at, trust your gut and move on. The breeder you choose will be bringing your new family member into the world and caring for them for their first 8 weeks of life, after all. You want to make sure you trust them!