Selecting A Reputable Breeder

EXPERT TIP

A diligent breeder who is confident in their decision making and their pups, will welcome your sensible questions. In fact, a reputable breeder who cares a great deal where their puppies go and who they live with, will be relieved when prospective puppy owners have taken the time to invest in their knowledge PRIOR to approaching a breeder. This indicates that they see their new puppy as a serious commitment…that they expect to share their home with for many, many years to come…

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When you select a puppy to raise as a member of your family, you are making a long-term commitment to that animal for 10-15 years, so it makes good sense to do your homework and make this process easy on yourself!

All puppies are cute, let’s face it...they are adorable! But the novelty of an innocent eyed puppy begins to disappear around 16 weeks of age, when health and behavioral development begin to affect your daily routine. Why then, would a pet dog buyer not research a puppy that has more likelihood of being free of health issues and have a temperament that is predisposed to being calm and compliant?

Before you view ANY puppies at all (remember they are all cute!) research many different breeds and make a decision as to what breed suits your lifestyle – how large do they grow, how much exercise will they demand, how much coat care will be involved, does the breed have any trends such as motion sickness, fussy appetite, short lifespan, expensive health issues, temperament trends such as fear, sound sensitivity (not great if you live in a storm prone area). Having worked in the service dog industry for more than 17 years and having assessed thousands of dogs and puppies, I can tell you that some breeds certainly possess such trends, and across an international platform. So do some research, visit many breeders before committing to a litter, and ask lots of questions!

Here are some handy hints to consider before placing a reservation for a puppy.

HOW WILL I KNOW A REPUTABLE BREEDER WHEN I MEET ONE?

Choosing a reputable breeder is very important. Since it is almost impossible for you to know what the puppy you are buying will grow to be like, physically and emotionally, you must put your faith in the person from whom you are purchasing your puppy. There are three (3) options open to you in choosing this person.

1. Pet Shop or Dealer

The worst possible choice in my opinion. For registered breeders, it is against the Kennel Council guidelines and the Club’s Codes of Ethics to sell puppies to pet shops or dealers in Australia. As a consequence, puppies sold through such outlets are likely to be poorly bred and raised. They are merchandise to be sold for profit. The high profit is the result of little being invested in the sire or dam, or litter rearing. Some may have health or behavioural issues that have not yet been realised, and it is highly likely that the person who has made the decision to breed the litter has very little (usually nil) knowledge of known inherited disorders in the breed, and therefore is not in a position to screen against such conditions before breeding the litter. Pet shops rely heavily on impulse buying from customers. This is not the most sensible way to choose an addition to your family.

Remember, if you are not willing to wait for a puppy on a breeder wait list – Adopt Don’t Shop😊 Rescue organizations will always be happy to speak with you about current opportunities to adopt a dog in need of a home.

2. Backyard Breeder

Also, a precarious choice. This is the person who owns a pet dog and thinks it would be “fun” to have puppies, that it would be a great experience for the children, or that the bitch should be bred once before she is spayed. Or worse, perhaps the breeding occurred with the hope of making money from the litter. Usually this breeder knows little about the “breed standard” or history of the breed, and still less about reproductive care. The casual breeder does not have annual eye examinations by a veterinary ophthalmologist and does not submit hip and elbow x-rays for scoring. The backyard breeder is not aware of breed problems and is usually disinterested in inherited traits if the dog they own does not exhibit any clinical health issues. The backyard breeder’s common goal is to produce puppies, and when the “cuteness” fades, to sell them quickly. Rarely do they consider offering husbandry or behavioural support to those dog owners in the future.

3. Serious Hobby Breeder

A sound choice, if well researched. The serious and dedicated hobby breeder regards his/her dogs as even more than a hobby. The true enthusiast does not expect to make a profit. When someone is involved in dogs for the enjoyment of each individual animal, for participating in any of the many aspects of “dog sports”, and for the challenge of producing the finest animals possible, the result is superior. These breeders acknowledge responsibility for each, and every puppy produced and (should) stand behind the dog they have bred.

Unequivocally, your choice should be from the ranks of the serious hobby breeder. It is an interesting fact that poor quality puppies from pet shops and backyard breeders are often sold for the same price, and sometimes even more, than those purchased from the serious hobby breeder.

Don’t be scared to ask for information. The basics you should ask for from a breeder is hip and elbow certificates (to ensure their joints sound, free from degeneration and healthy. Note perfect health is not guaranteed and what you offer your pup in the way of nutrition and exercise will impact on their joint health). Eye exam certificates for both sire and dam (ideally within the last 12 months as eye health can change in dogs over time) is a reasonable expectation. Ask the breeders about any inherited issues particular to their breed and whether they DNA test for those issues. DNA testing is widely accepted now, and diligent breeders will complete these.

Last but certainly not least – ask questions about the sire and dams’ temperament – this is often overlooked but is critical if you intend to spend quality time with your dog. What were the parents like as pups? Around what age did they mature? Were they fearful of anything? What are they like with other dogs, kids, sounds, possessions, travelling etc.?

As to see video of sire and dam if you cannot meet them in person. Remember, if they appear overstimulated, excitable, anxious…and you had your heart set on a calm, relaxed dog to wander down to the local coffee shop with you, then assess those dogs critically. You are not committed to place a reservation until you are ready to and feel comfortable with the adult dogs you are viewing.

4. Rescue Puppies

If you are in a position to adopt or rescue a puppy, then do so. You will be giving a dog with limited options a wonderful opportunity. Take into account the fact that you may not be able to receive a full history or background on the puppy or dog, and therefore you must be prepared to carry the risk of poor temperament or health rearing it’s head in the future. The shelter staff will be thorough and help you select a suitable companion for your home, as they always prefer a well-researched placement to go ahead so the risk of the puppy returning to them is lowered, for the dog’s sake😊

5. Inbred puppies

Ahh…. the age-old debate…media and vets commenting on health issues that are created by purebred dogs being too “inbred”.

Inbreeding is not necessarily the cause of poor health, poor conformation or poor temperament in a purebred dog. These issues are the result of poorly educated people breeding dogs. A poorly educated person may very well decide to inbreed with poor quality dogs and have a poor result. However, the same could be said for a person who decides to cross two different breeds (simply due to their ‘breed’ rather than their health or behavioural attributes or traits) to cater to a canine fashion fad. A purebred dog, or a cross bred dog, can have equal opportunity of having disastrous health that shortens its lifespan, if the sire and dam of the litter are poor specimens themselves and carry undesirable genes.

Without going into elaborate detail – livestock breeding is based heavily on inbreeding, however, because good quality data and statistics are kept on this process as it is a commercial enterprise with measurable results, educated decisions can be made as to how to breed the next generation of production animals and capitalize on required traits. Inbreeding concentrates the genes that are present in the two individuals – its common sense – if two individuals are closely related, their genes are more similar than two individuals that are not. Therefore, if you breed those two individuals you are concentrating those genes even further in the next generation. 

A canine breeding program that gathers good quality statistics over multiple generations can certainly successfully line breed or inbreed in order to concentrate quality genes into the breeding pool. That is why, when service dog organizations with canine colonies of 500-3000 dogs are asked by the media to comment on inbreeding, they will

simply say that ‘yes, given quality data and proven evidence of successful genotype (genetic makeup) in a breeding line’, they will make a decision to line breed or inbreed should the occasion call for it. This is not the response that the journalist was hoping for – they would have expected to hear that all inbreeding is unethical – but this is not so. Note that the people in charge of making such decisions for service dog breeding programs usually have degrees in genetics or have decades of experience in the industry.

Dog breeding falters at the point where human emotion interrupts common sense. Your irresponsible backyard breeder will often make a decision to breed two dogs based on “how well they play together at the park” or “what lovely colours the puppies will be” or “she would make such a good mum”. Remember, if you are considering a puppy and the breeder mentions any such comment – excuse yourself and resume your research 😊