Skip to main content

How to Choose an Experienced Dog Breeder


Are you in search of a purebred puppy? Picking the right breeder is the first and most important step. Remember, a healthy puppy is a beautiful puppy.


You really want a puppy. In fact, owning a puppy is something you’ve been dreaming of ever since your evil stepmother cruelly denied you one at the age of 10. So after years of therapy, you’ve suddenly realized the cure: get yourself a puppy.

Perhaps that isn’t the reason (although it does make for good dinner party conversation), but you do really want a puppy. If you've already decided against adopting a dog, choosing an ethical, reputable breeder is important. Your first task should be making a list of breeders who deals with your desired breed. Do a little research to see what their reputations are. Dog societies, friends with dogs, and vets are good sources of information. Then it's as easy as crossing off breeders with bad reviews off your list.

If there are reviews, do they come with pictures and stories of the dogs as adults? Sites that aren’t geared towards breeders (but geared towards offering a pet owner an unbiased and broad spectrum of information about animals) are another wealth of knowledge. People will often post about both good and bad experiences through such sites.

When you chat with a breeder, have questions lined up. Are they registered? Do they offer a guarantee against genetic defects? How do they keep defects to a minimum in their breeding? What documentation do they have to prove pedigree? Whatever your questions might be, do your research first and ask the things that are important to you.

Are They Registered?



If a breeder is registered, you are more likely to get a healthy, well-conditioned puppy with pure bloodlines. And while most breeders love dogs passionately, those merely in it for the money will often breed and keep their dogs in squalid and inhumane conditions. So a visit to each breeder is highly recommended. You may also want to make sure the dogs and puppies are kept in clean, comfy and safe surrounds. Otherwise, you may end up paying more than you bargained for in unforeseen vet bills.

Often, you can get a quick impression by taking a look at the breeder's home or place of business, or by chatting with the breeder. If by some chance the breeder seems cagey or does not want to give you a tour of the place, you should probably steer clear. Someone with nothing to hide will gladly talk to you or show you around. A breeder who interviews you to make sure you can provide a good home is another good sign of a qualified breeder.

Something worth remembering, however, is purebreds may have congenital defects. Research your chosen breed using petMD's Breedopedia and become familiar with it before you arrive to interview the breeder. Ask about how they avoid or keep defects to a minimum. A good, honest breeder will tell you about defects and faults in a breed.

Once you have found someone you trust, someone who fits your criteria and has met all your requirements, go pick out your puppy. And please, for humor's sake, name him Dogzilla. You know you want to.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Miracle Milly Named World's Smallest Dog

Miracle Milly, a 3.8 inch tall, one pound Chihuahua living in Puerto Rico, is officially the World’s Smallest Dog measured in height, according to Guinness World Records. Imagine having a dog as small as an athletic shoe. The nearly two-year-old dog may not be as big as a ham, but she knows how to act like one, according to her dog mom, Vanesa Semler, who lives in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Milly will stick her tongue out anytime someone points a camera at her. "She knows how to pose," Semler told the Associated Press, as reported by NBC News. Milly is one of ten dog siblings that live with Semler. Semler says Milly likes only certain foods such as chicken and salmon. The doted upon tiny pup even sleeps in a baby crib. "People are amazed when they see her because she is so small," Semler says. "And she has a big personality. People love her." Milly was apparently strong enough to push a slightly larger dog from Kentucky out of the seat for the title of the small...
Post a Comment
Read more

Battling Cancer - Annie's Story

With a Little Help from Her Friends, Annie Sage Found Love and Health Annie Sage might appear to the untrained eye like your standard, slightly walleyed Chihuahua, but the story of her winning battle with cancer is quite remarkable, and the fact that Annie has two talented actor parents lends an air of "celebreality" to her tale. Annie’s story begins in 2004, when she and two younger Chihuahuas were surrendered to  Pet Orphans , a Van Nuys, California animal shelter, by an owner who could no longer provide sufficient care. Many of the animals at Pet Orphans receive multiple adoption applications, but while Annie’s Chihuahua companions were adopted immediately, Annie was left behind, enduring three months of being overlooked for adoption. Fortunately, she had Judy, a Pet Orphans volunteer, lovingly looking after her while she waited. When Judy and her husband David first met Annie, they were recovering from the tragic loss of their Papillion, Tess. Getting a new dog was not so...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dying Man's Condition Improves After Seeing His Beloved Dog

Every pet lover knows and understands the bond between a dog and his human. It is an incredibly special connection that heals all wounds and lifts all spirits. And medical workers in a Kentucky hospital are experiencing that amazing, heartwarming love first-hand with one of their patients and his dog. According to The Dodo, James Wathern was admitted to Baptist Health Corbin a few weeks ago and the man’s condition continued to worsen over time. Wathern was near death and had stopped eating. But the dying man-made one last request to the staff members at the facility — he wanted to see his dog. Despite the hospital’s no-pets policy, the workers rallied together and partnered with Know-Whitley Animal Shelter to track down Wathern’s dog, aging, one-eyed Chihuahua named Bubba.  Bubba was turned over to the shelter around the same time Wathern was admitted to the hospital. A foster family stepped up to take care of Bubba, and the shelter and the family agreed to help make Wathern’s wish...
Post a Comment
Read more