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A Few Guidlines for Selecting a Breeder

A reputable breeder will not breed dogs under the age of 2.

1. A reputable breeder will conduct (and can provide proof of) the following genetic health tests on their breeding animals and will require them of the sire (father) should they use an outside stud dog for the litter:

yearly CERF/OFA (for hip displasia), a one time deal done at or after age 2.

Beware of breeders who scoff at genetic testing and say their particular breed/line is "problem-free".

2. A reputable breeder requires that "pet-quality" animals be spayed or neutered and sells them on Limited Registration. Be wary of breeders who do not mention altering.

3. A reputable breeder provides a written contract with the sale of the pup. This will vary from breeder to breeder, but usually spells out the rights of the seller and buyer, health information, genetic health guarantees (should be at least 2 years), required altering and buy-back/return policy.

4. A reputable breeder typically has a waiting list for the unborn puppies and usually does not advertise in the newspaper classifieds.

5. A reputable breeder shows passion, love, and tremendous knowledge about the breed. He or she cares about placing puppies in excellent homes and will often interview potential buyers thoroughly, will make referrals to the local rescue group, ask for references and will refuse to sell a dog if the home is not appropriate for the breed or for a puppy.

6. A reputable breeder recommends the local rescue organization to potential homes. Explaining that these dogs make wonderful family pets and companions.

7. A reputable breeder will hold on to puppies as long as it takes to place them in the right homes and will continue to recommend rescue even though they have puppies available.

8. The environment (typically a home) in which the breeder keeps the dogs should be clean and well-maintained. Do not agree to meet the breeder off site. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS ON THIS!

9. A reputable breeder is actively involved in the dog fancy, including showing and/or breed clubs. While there are exceptions--a retired individual who has shown dogs for 20 years--a person who is not involved with others in the breed can be suspect.

10. A reputable breeder is willing to provide answers to questions you may have and is willing to provide names of others who have purchased pups from them.

11. A reputable breeder will allow you to meet the puppies parents if available and, if the father isn't available, they will show you pictures and provide you with the information on how to contact the owner of the sire(father).

12. A reputable breeder follows up on puppies. He or she is interested in how the pups develop physically and mentally, difficulties in the owner/dog relationship and health problems.

13. A reputable breeder will not let puppies leave their home prior to 8 weeks of age and often not until 10 weeks of age.

14. Tails and dew claws should have been removed from the puppies by 3 days old.

Responsible breeders choose the best mate for their dogs based on the qualities of the stud, not on his availability or nearness! In most cases, they do not breed to their own dogs. If both parents are on site, ask why- there may be a good reason, but it is usually a bad sign.

A responsible breeder doesn't produce pups on demand. She produces only when she herself wants a pup to continue her line. Thus, a good breeder is unlikely to have pups whenever you want, and a wait is common. It's worth it to wait and get the right pup, not the mot convenient one!

Responsible breeders are the best repositories of knowledge about a breed. If they think the breed is not suitable for you, they usually have good reasons why.

I don't want to pay $600.00 for a dog! I'd rather have the $150.00 dog from the paper.

The purchase price of a dog is one of the smallest investments! After you buy the dog, you still have many years of paying for feeding, vet checks, etc. That "bargain" Golden Retriever puppy becomes less of a good deal when, at 10 months of age, you find that the dog needs $3000.00 worth of surgery for hip dysplasia. The "cheap" Chihuahua isn't such a bargain when it grows up to be a temperamentally-unstable kid-biter.

The puppies are AKC, so they must be healthy.

The American Kennel Club is only a registry. AKC registration does not guarantee you a quality puppy any more than DMV registration guarantees you a quality car.

I am looking for a working dog. They don't need all those health clearances.

Yes they do. A working dog needs the health and stamina to run and perform all day. Don't buy this excuse.

I don't know what OFA or CERF are. What are they and why are they important?

Dogs- both purebred and mixed-breed- can have a wide variety of genetic defects. Responsible breeders test that their dogs are free of such defects before they breed them, thus a purebred dog from a responsible breeder is more likely to be healthy than one from an irresponsible breeder that does not test. Here are some of the common abbreviations and terms you may see...

OFA- Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. They are most well-known for certifying hip x-rays to determine if a dog is free from hip dysplasia, a crippling malformation of the hip joint. Your best chance of getting a dysplasia-free dog is to choose one from a pedigree where at least the last two generations have OFA clearances. OFA also screens dogs for a wide variety of other genetic maladies, including elbow dysplasia, copper toxicosis, etc. Their databases are searchable online, so you can check if a certain dog has been certified by OFA.

CERF- Canine Eye Registry Foundation. This organization certifies that a dog's eyes are free from visible genetic disease. A breeding dog should have a current CERF, done within the last year. Their database is also searchable online.

Penn-HIP- This is a test of hip joint laxity. The lower the number, the tighter the hip. It is not an indication, on its own, whether a dog has dysplasia.

What's all the fuss about genetic disorders? I haven't ever seen a dog with one.

Have you ever seen an old dog with "arthritis"? A young dog that couldn't move around very well? Chances are they had any of a number of genetic defects such as hip dysplasia, Legg-Calve-Perthe's disease or patellar luxation. Ever met a blind or deaf dog? Except in extreme old age, most blind and deaf dogs become that way because of genetic disorders such as PRA and congenital deafness of white animals. Ever met a dog with extreme allergies? This tendency is inherited. The list could be a very long one. Many times, we just don't think of our dogs' problems as genetic when, in fact, they are.

Only fancy show dogs need testing before they are bred.

Genetic disease in dogs is devastating. Every year, uncounted families are heartbroken when their beloved pets are crippled from hip dysplasia, go blind from progressive retinal atrophy, are found to be deaf, die of cardiomyopathy, or suffer from many other disorders. Many of these tragic incidents could have been prevented with proper genetic testing before breeding and/or screening of the puppies. Responsible breeders do this; irresponsible ones do not.

By conducting thorough genetic screening programs, responsible breeders can greatly reduce their chances of producing an affected puppy. Irresponsible breeders can make no such claim.

A GOOD breeder will also supply some sort of hip and eye guarantee on pet puppies as well.

The breeder said both parent dogs had been checked by a vet, so I guess the pups should be healthy.

Most vets are not experts in canine reproduction. They also may not want to lose business by telling their clients not to breed. In addition, the breeder may have heard only what he wanted to hear, not what the vet actually told him!

No vet can tell that a dog is free of genetic disease just by looking at the dog. Most genetic tests require special examinations by qualified veterinarians. Your best bet is to know what genetic tests are needed for the breed that you are interested in, and to ask the breeder to show you the results of those tests.

The show breeders just don't want anyone else to sell puppies cheaper than they do and ruin their business.

Responsible breeding is not a business. Most good breeders lose money on their litters. As an idea and an example, a breeder of a litter of 6 pups may have paid:

$150.00 for an OFA screening and evaluation

$60.00 for the yearly CERF screen

$85.00 for a brucellosis screening and pre-breeding exam

$500.00 for a stud fee

$600.00 for shipping the bitch to the stud and boarding the bitch, then shipping the bitch back

$150.00 for pre-whelping vet visits

$200.00 for extra food and supplements during and after the bitch's pregnancy

$75.00 for a whelping box

$50.00 for needed supplies for the delivery

$150.00 for 2 days minimum off-work for puppy delivery and care

$50.00 for an after-birth checkup

$300.00 for puppy food

$500.00 for puppy checkups, shots, wormings, and CERF

$60.00 to register the litter with AKC, ASCA, and UKC

$100.00 for miscellaneous puppy supplies

Thus, at a minimum, the breeder has spent over $3000.00 on this litter. This doesn't count any medical emergencies, such as a caesarian delivery. It also doesn't count all the fees for performance activities, such as conformation showing and obedience, that responsible breeders engage in to prove that their dogs are breed-worthy. This can easily cost several thousand dollars.