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There is no one way to identify a good breeder. Obviously a lot
depends on what kind of puppy you are looking for -- if you want to
show, course, race, or participate competitively in other activities,
you'll look for a breeder who has a winning record in those things.
But we'll assume that you're looking for a healthy, well-socialized
pet who will fit into your household, not cost you a fortune in vet
bills the first month, and can be expected to live as long as a whippet
ought to live. (The average lifespan is 12-14 years...not nearly long
enough!) All the books say to buy from a "reputable" breeder. But what
does one look like?
Some people say that all good breeders show their dogs. But we
certainly know some show breeders we would not recommend and others who
do not show but do produce very nice puppies. So it's not that easy.
Lots of trophies and ribbons don't necessarily mean the breeder cares
about her dogs. She might just care about winning!
Others say anyone "breeding for profit" is a bad breeder. We
believed that too for awhile, till we met some commercial breeders who
love their dogs and care just as well for them as any breeder we've met
at a show. People have different motivations for breeding and you don't
want someone who cuts corners on dog care to make a profit. But, in
spite of the animal rights rhetoric, a commercial breeder is not by
definition a "puppy mill." As long as the profit is not more important
than the dogs' well-being, there's nothing wrong with making a profit.
However, people who concentrate on one breed -- maybe two -- and "do
stuff" with their dogs tend to know the breed well and care about its
future. They usually belong to dog clubs, understand at least basic
genetics, and are up to date on breed health issues. They network with
other breeders and have peer pressure to do things right.
So how can you tell a good breeder from a bad one? You can see it's
not as simple as going to a dog show and picking a breeder from
ringside and certainly not as simple as choosing an ad in the newspaper
or from a puppies-for-sale website.
Raising good puppies makes some very specific demands, so there are
signs -- we call them traffic lights -- that the careful buyer can spot.
A good breeder will have all or most of the green lights from our
list, few or no yellow lights, and no red lights. Some of these may
show up in advertisements, others are things you can check on the
telephone, by email, or during a visit. There may be exceptions to the
rules--you should always ask questions if in doubt.
It's hard to walk away, but if you buy a puppy because you feel
sorry for it, you are supporting that breeder and encouraging her to
breed more...as well as letting yourself in for possible high
veterinary costs. If you think the breeder is truly abusive or
neglectful, report her to animal control and keep calling till
something is done. But don't buy a puppy!
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Red Lights -- Avoid This Breeder!
1. Breeder's kennel/home is dirty. The breeder you visit may not
have a House Beautiful home, but it should smell and look reasonably
clean. Anyone can have a bad day or just keep a cluttered house, but
you will be able to tell if the place hasn't been cleaned in ages. The
area where the dogs are kept should be as clean as is possible, but
remember that all puppies tend to poop as soon as a guest arrives!
2. Dogs appear unhealthy, extremely shy, or snappy. Your very first
requirement for buying a purebred puppy is health. The adult dogs
should appear healthy and have the correct temperament for the breed.
Puppies should be clean, have bright eyes, no discharges from nose or
eyes, and no signs of diarrhea.
3. Breeder advertises "Puppies always available."
That means lots
of litters per year. If a puppy is to have the best chance to be happy
in your home, he must be raised with lots of attention and love. It's
less likely that a "mass-produced" puppy will receive the same
socialization as one raised by a breeder who produces just a few
litters a year.
4. The breeder asks no questions about your home or your dog experience.
A
good breeder spends plenty of time talking to you, not only about her
puppies, but about the breed in general, your situation, and whether
this is the right breed for you. Most require a written application. If
the conversation consists mostly of "This is how much they cost, you
can pick up your puppy Saturday," that's not a breeder who cares where
her puppy is going.
5. The breeder offers stud service to the public, breeding pairs, and there is no mention of spaying or neutering your puppy.
Good
breeders are stewards of their breeds--this means they are very careful
with health, quality, and the welfare of their own dogs. They do not
offer stud service or sell breeding animals to anyone who has not made
a study of and commitment to the breed. Breeding dogs should not be
undertaken casually; a good breeder will offer to mentor someone who
wants to learn, but will not encourage everyone who enters the door
with cash in hand to breed.
6. "I'm sorry but the mother is (at the groomer, at a dog show, at the vet...) so you won't be able to meet her."
Offer
to come back when she's available and if you can't make arrangements,
look elsewhere for a puppy. Mom's influence makes up for about 75% of
your puppy's temperament, and if you don't like her, you don't want her
pup. Why 75%? Her genes contribute half, and her attitude while she is
raising the puppies accounts for another large percentage. A nervous,
fearful mother produces nervous, fearful puppies. The father may or may
not be on the premises, as many breeders use "outside studs." If he is
there, ask to meet him.
7. Offers to sell puppies that are under eight weeks old.
Puppies
need to be with mom and their siblings for eight weeks or more in order
to learn skills that are near impossible for humans to teach. You can
consider buying a puppy from this breeder (if other traffic lights are
okay) but do not take your puppy home before he's eight weeks old, even
if she encourages you to. Some breeds mature more slowly, and these
puppies should stay with mom at least another week or two. Puppies must
be exposed to humans regularly before 12 weeks of age, and that's a big
part of the breeder's job. A puppy that has this contact but has stayed
with his litter at least eight weeks will easily bond to your family at
any age.
8. Advertising 'Easy payment plans.'
Payments are usually way too
much trouble and risk for a breeder. She's already sunk a lot of her
own money into this litter, and most breeders are not wealthy. A good
breeder doesn't want you to buy a dog you can't afford. If you can't
pay for the dog, how will you pay for vet care? Figure out how you will
pay for the puppy before contacting the breeder and don't ask if she
can float you a loan.
9. "Ready for Christmas!"
Holidays usually mean lots of confusion
and just going to a new home is plenty of stress. Christmas is the
worst time to take a puppy home if you have children, and most breeders
won't even sell you a puppy as a Christmas gift. Some may allow you to
take a puppy home at that time if you can convince them that you'll
keep things calm, but a breeder using Christmas as a marketing tool
does not have the best interests of the puppies at heart. Even many
shelters don't allow dogs to go home during Christmas week.
10. Puppies are sold at a public place like a flea market or in a
parking lot.
The only sure way to sell a puppy humanely is with an
interview and plenty of time to talk about your new family member, ask
questions, and get answers. The poor little fellows sold at flea
markets and other public places are handed to the first person who
shows up with cash or a credit card, whether or not that person will
provide a suitable home. Never buy from these places even if you feel
sorry for the puppy. For every one bought, another litter is bred, and
the more clever salespeople encourage you to feel sorry for the puppies
so you will "rescue" them. The only way to stop the practice is to
boycott flea markets and other venues where puppies are sold...and let
management know why you're staying away!
11. The breeder is rude.
It doesn't matter how beautiful the home
or the puppies or how famous or successful the breeder. If she is not
someone you can imagine calling with a problem about your pup, steer
clear. Your relationship with the breeder is as important as your
relationship with your puppy's veterinarian. She needs to be someone
you can like!
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Yellow Lights -- Get more information!
1. Advertising "licensed kennel"
If a license is required by a
state or locality, it has nothing to do with puppy quality. So why is
the breeder advertising this? There's obviously nothing wrong with
being licensed, but it's not a selling point.
2. "We ship anywhere."
Many good breeders will ship your puppy
and there is nothing wrong with that. But most prefer that you pick him
up if at all possible. That's much less stressful and dangerous for him
and most breeders want to meet you face to face. Advertising shipping
usually indicates more interest in making sales than in finding good
homes.
3. "We'll meet you at the rest stop."
Some kennels really are
hard to find, but anyone can take directions. Often this just means
"We'd rather you not see our kennel." A puppy from a dirty or
overcrowded kennel is very likely to have parasites and/or other
communicable illness. Corners probably have been cut on other breeding
practices. Insist on coming to the kennel or home of the breeder.
4. Credit cards accepted.
Most of the best breeders are small
volume - - they can't afford to take credit cards, unless they run it
through another business, such as a pet supplies store, grooming shop,
etc. Any breeder, however, can use Paypal or other online payment
methods. If you need to use a credit card to buy your puppy, ask about
those plans, or get a cash advance. "Credit cards accepted" sounds like
the only requirement to get a puppy is a credit card.
5. Dogs registered with unfamiliar registries.
The American
Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC) and (for Canadians) the
Canadian Kennel Club are the only general registries that guarantee
your puppy is purebred. These registries maintain pedigrees and protect
their databases through inspections and DNA testing. Rare breeds which
have not been recognized by the organizations above are registered with
other organizations, as are many field/hunting dogs and some working
dogs. A few breeds may be registered with their specific breed
registries. (Border collies and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are two
examples.) Though no registry is a guarantee of quality, real
registries maintain the pedigrees of purebred dogs: If you pay for a
purebred you can be reasonably sure you actually get a purebred. If as
the dog matures, you realize it is not purebred, you can file a
complaint against the breeder and the registry will investigate.
The term registered by itself is meaningless and the same is true of
pedigreed. A pedigree is just a list of ancestors. Every dog, even a
mixed breed, has one simply because he has parents and grandparents.
Write down those names and your mix is "pedigreed."
6. Special deals require you to allow the breeding of a litter from your pet.
A
good breeder sometimes will sell a male puppy and ask that you not
neuter him without permission, in case she needs him as backup to her
bloodline. A breeder with a rare bloodline (or a rare breed) may have a
good reason for not wanting to lose a certain female, but usually that
breeder simply won't sell the dog. Whelping a litter of puppies is
emotionally and physically draining for the owner as well as the mother
and there's a lot that can go wrong. Most of these "puppies back" deals
though are simply pyramid schemes. Look elsewhere for a puppy. Pet
owners should not be required to breed their dogs.
7. You see signs that the breeder has more dogs than she can properly maintain.
Everyone
has a bad day sometimes and a lot of dogs can mean a lot of confusion
and noise, but if conditions don't look right to you, ask questions.
Maybe the dog with the infected eye has an appointment this afternoon;
perhaps most of the dogs are crated when company comes to simplify the
visit but actually get plenty of exercise. But dogs in dirty pens,
matted or smelly dogs, those who appear to need medical care and have
not gotten it, or dogs stacked in crates for most of every day cannot
be healthy, well-adjusted dogs. You don't want a puppy from this
environment.
8.The breeder advertises oddball or specialized varieties that may have health problems or may not be purebred.
Rare
longhaired whippets, Warlock or white Dobermans, teacup Yorkies,
extreme large or big boned dogs -- check all these out before you
decide you want one. There are breed standards for each breed, and dogs
who are bred intentionally not to meet them (colors that are not
"recognized" by AKC, etc) may be perfectly fine. But sometimes these
'improvements' are often done by mixing in other breeds; the advertised
animals may not even be purebred. If you want, say, a parti-colored dog
in a breed that specifies solid colors, just be sure you study before
buying. Some qualities are associated with health problems. Tiny-tiny
dogs often have trouble with hypoglycemia. Very large dogs may have
joint problems.
Note: "Longhaired whippets" are produced by people who state that
theirs is a purebred whippet with a "lost" gene for long hair. The
consensus of the American Whippet Club and the decision by AKC is that
there is and was no such gene. Most whippet breeders believe that this
breed is a mix between the whippet and another breed with long hair,
such as the Sheltie. Healthwise, there is nothing wrong with these
dogs, but be aware that according to the American Whippet Club anyway,
they are not really purebred whippets. Other people are developing new
breeds that closely resemble a whippet with long hair, but they state
clearly that their breeds began as a mix, not that they are purebred
whippets with a rare gene.
Before contacting any breeder, you should read the breed standard
and know what it says about color, size, and so on. Cosmetic "faults"
are okay for a pet. For example, the breeder might say "This puppy is
going to be oversized, so we won't be able to show him," or "Look at
the way he carries his tail -- that's a fault." You might like the way
your whippet's tail curls over his back, but be aware that in the show
ring, that would be counted against him.
Read your breed standard at the AKC web site and be sure you
understand any breed fault in a puppy you're considering buying and
whether the fault is related to health. (The Whippet Standard is also
at the American Whippet Club site.) For example, light colored eyes are
a fault in whippets but they don't cause any health problems--it's
strictly a cosmetic issue. Floppy ears in a German Shepherd Dog are
also cosmetic. And parti-colored poodles and Yorkies should be as
healthy as those of the accepted colors. In some breeds, white coats
are simply a color choice -- in others, a white coat can be associated
with severe health problems. Research these things before starting to
look for a puppy.
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Green Lights -- This looks like a good breeder!
1. Breeder offers a list of specific health checks done before breeding and/or on puppies before selling.
Examples
might be CERF (eye), OFA (hips, heart), thyroid tests, von Willebrands
Disease (blood clotting) and BAER (hearing) as appropriate to the
breed. You must know which problems are likely to occur in your breed
and what checks should be done. 'Vet checked' is too general -- that
statement is a yellow light if given as the answer to "What health
checks do you do?"
2. A lifetime "takeback guarantee" is offered with a requirement
that you contact the breeder before placing your dog in another home.
Good
breeders do everything in their power to prevent their puppies from
winding up in an animal shelter or a pen in some friend of a friend's
backyard, and that includes giving the dogs they've bred a home for
life if necessary.
3. A detailed written (or on-line) application is required.
Good
breeders put too much work and love into their puppies to sell them to
just anyone, and they have learned by experience what kinds of home are
likely to work out and which ones probably will not. Most, but not all,
require a written application.
4. The breeder makes sure you know the breed's disadvantges and special requirements.
All
breeds have some drawbacks. If the breed you're considering drools a
lot, is hard to housebreak, does not live long, may instinctively chase
and kill small animals, or (fill in the blank!), a good breeder makes
sure you understand those characteristics. If your dog must be kept as
an indoor dog, must always be leashed or fenced, requires lots of
grooming, or is subject to heatstroke, a responsible breeder tells you
these things upfront. If a breeder starts to sound like a used-car
salesman, telling you only the good things and she refuses to talk
about the bad ones, find another breeder.
5. A written contract with specific requirements and guarantees is provided.
But
watch out for extremely restrictive contracts -- for example, specific
feeding instructions or you forfeit the dog, no vaccinations regardless
of veterinary advice, etc. This may be a very dedicated breeder but is
likely to be way more trouble than you want. In some situations good
breeders may offer a special deal for retaining control of the puppy.
You get a cheaper price, but the breeder's name stays on the puppy's
registration papers as co-owner. We advise against doing this unless
you're very experienced. Though a breeder who cares about her puppies
will encourage you to keep in touch, a breeder who cannot let go of
control can be very difficult.
Note from Ruger: We require ALL puppies here go on co-ownerships to pet homes to help protect them from being bred without our permission. Once a Ruger puppy is old enough and is altered, we sign off on the co-ownership.
6. You receive a written health record for your puppy.
This
should include the date of whelping, any health problems, the date and
kind of each shot he got, and the dates of deworming and drug that was
used. Your vet will want this information and having it in writing
makes it more likely that your puppy has gotten the care he needs.
7. You are asked lots and lots of questions about your lifestyle and how the puppy will fit in.
Good
breeders care where their puppies are going and what sorts of lives
they will have. They want to keep track and will encourage you to send
pictures and updates. They are as interested in their "pet quality"
puppies lives as much as their show puppies' careers.
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