How to find a reputable dog breeder
Last week, I wrote about puppy mills and back yard breeders. I stand by the information I provided. However, I received an email from a reader who's a local breeder. She was justifiably upset because she felt I painted all breeders, including conscientious ones, with the same tainted brush. I have to agree with her; I did paint all breeders as being irresponsible and uncaring, although that was certainly not my intent. In this column, I intend to rectify the injury I did to caring, responsible, ethical breeders.
Although animal shelters and breed rescue groups understandably prefer that dog lovers obtain dogs from their organizations, sometimes buyers desire certain breeds and want to know exactly where the dogs come from. That is to say, buyers want to see the puppies’ parents for themselves and have certified records of bloodlines. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Maintaining and improving breed standards is hard work and wouldn't be possible without the dedication of well-informed and reputable breeders. Their reward is the knowledge that the animals to which they have dedicated themselves are going to homes where they are loved and understood.
But how does one find a reputable breeder? There are certain, definite behaviors to look for. The following list is by no means exhaustive, but it’s a good start:
Ethical dog breeders will provide a written health guarantee for all their puppies. If any puppy needs to be returned for any reason, including medical problems, ethical breeders will always take their dogs back no matter the health or age of the dog. Most breeders demand that clients sign contracts requiring dogs either be returned to the kennel, or that the breeders be contacted for approval if the owners wish to re-home their dogs.
Because reputable breeders are passionate about their breeds, they never sell to pet shops! The reasons for this are obvious: how can breeders monitor the well being of their puppies and dogs if they don’t even know where they are? Good breeders want to know who has their dogs and how they’re being treated!
It follows, then, that ethical breeders absolutely will not sell their dogs or puppies to just anyone. Most feel it's imperative that their clients love and understand their breed. For example, no reputable breeders of high-energy dogs would sell them to apartment-dwelling couch potatoes! And good breeders will carefully screen potential buyers by interviewing references, including veterinarians, landlords and neighbors.
Many ethical breeders want purchasers to sign contracts stipulating that they must spay or neuter their pet-quality puppies to prevent unwanted offspring. Only show-quality dogs are allowed to remain intact. This is the only way that good breeders can ensure the quality of their breeds are maintained and improved. In fact, when selling show-quality dogs, some breeders insist that buyers show the dogs. They feel that if the dogs aren’t going to be shown, the buyers don't need them.
Most reputable breeders are enthusiastic about showing their dogs and/or entering them in competitions and field trials. This is the official way to have their dogs and breeding programs objectively judged by knowledgeable, respected peers. After all, show championships are recorded in the pedigrees, which indicate quality (health, temperament, etc). Therefore, dog shows and field trials are the best ways to maintain and improve breed standards.
Some of the other qualities to look for in an ethical breeder include: membership in the relevant breed club; limited AKC registration of pet-quality puppies; a full refund if the puppy is returned within a specified time; thorough knowledge of the breed being sold; written instructions about care and feeding; a detailed list and schedule of immunizations; and references from satisfied clients.
It’s really not difficult to find a good breeder; they’re people who are not only passionate about their breeds, but about all dogs and – ultimately -- all creatures. To repeat a famous saying, “they can’t save the whole world, but they can save a little piece of it”: the dog breed they love. I hope this makes up for the insult I foisted upon all the ethical dog breeders in my last column. I am truly sorry!
For those of you who love basset hounds, there's a local basset rescue right here in Frenchtown! These homeless, abandoned and neglected bassets need your love, support – and maybe your home? To see their pictures and read their biographies, please visit Basset Rescue of Montana’s web site at: bassetrescueofmontana.org/available.html, or contact Leslie Ames at 626-4331. On behalf of all the homeless bassets, thank you!
Kathleen Galayda is a devoted animal lover, pigeon rescuer and freelance writer living in Missoula, Montana. She can be contacted via email at: poot1e@msn.com