Ruger Dachshunds

I am often asked, "Where do I find a good breeder?" or "How do I find a reputable breeder?"

There isn't a black and white answer to these questions, unfortunately. For me, the short answer is that a reputable breeder is someone who regularly shows and finishes titles on the majority of their dogs, breeds to better the breed, tests for and discloses any health problems in their dogs and is someone whose main goal in breeding isn't breeding for profit. I will add here a very important distinction. There are many breeds of dogs who are NOT AKC registered and/or shown to "titles" who are still bred by reputable breeders. Examples of this include Working Border Collies, tribal-bred dogs like Salukis and other Middle Eastern breeds and breeds not recognized by AKC. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE DELIBERATE MUTT MIXES LIKE LABRADOODLES, PUGGLES and the like. AKC is not the be all and end all, certainly. But for most breeds and breeders, showing and titles are really needed. If someone is simply breeding for pets, you want to run the other way. Folks who are reputable breeeders are breeding for a purpose other than just cranking out pets for profit or because they think it's kinda fun. Sometimes that purpose involves AKC and sometimes it doesn't. This is not a black and white issue.

This has nothing to do with elitism or anything else....it has to do with helping to prove that dogs are of the conformation (structure), temperament and hopefully working ability (if the breed was developed for a purpose other than companionship) to warrant passing on their genes. The qualities that reputable breeders want in their show dogs are the same qualities that non-show dog people DESERVE in their pets! All this said, most people looking for well-bred pets are going to find breeders who breed and show to AKC standards.

I am also often told by people looking for a Dachshund puppy, "I'm not looking for a show dog.I just want a pet." Well, I will say that the same attributes that show breeders want in a show dog (health, correct conformation, good temperaments) are the same attributes that you DESERVE in your pet!! From the Dachshund Club of America's "Dachshund FAQ": You might be tempted to purchase a puppy from a breeder who does not have show dogs, to save a little money. Or you might be tempted to purchase a puppy from a pet store because it's convenient. And honestly, you might be very lucky with your choice. But given the fact that you've decided you want a dachshund who looks and acts like... well, a dachshund, do you really want to take that chance? The odds are much more in your favor if you buy one from a breeder who shows her dogs, and who lets you meet at least one parent of the puppy who you are considering buying.

Perhaps a puppy's bite is off or they have a kink in their tail. Or maybe their earset isn't quite right. Things that prevent a dog from being shown definitely don't prevent that dog from being a cherished pet.

Still, navigating the unfamiliar waters of finding a reputable breeder can be pretty intimidating. My friend, Karen Murray of Karavel Dachshunds in Houston TX, wrote a little essay on how to tell the difference between a reputable breeder and what I refer to as "producers". Producers breed dogs to make money and/or without much, if any, thought to health, temperament or structure. Two dogs with 'papers' are good enough for them to produce puppies. These folks are getting more and more savvy. They are requiring contracts, denoting size and coat at the end of their dogs' registered names as many show breeders do (MS, miniature smooth; SL, standard long; MW, miniature wire and so on), saying that they are against puppy mills and that they help with Rescue and they are even showing here and there! Some of them even belong to either the Dachshund Club of America and/or the National Miniature Dachshund Club. If something bothers you about a breeder you are talking to, please listen to that little voice and find another breeder.

Anyway, enough of my rambling and on to Karen's awesome primer, which I have expanded in some areas...

Dachshund Breeders:

Dachshund Breeders and General Information

If you are someone who wants to buy just any dachshund from anyone who will sell you one, read no further. The information below is to assist those who want to buy a healthy, quality dachshund from a reputable breeder.

Quick List of Terms

• Show breeder: a breeder who actively shows or pays someone to show their dogs in conformation and/or working events or someone who breeds primarily to improve the breed of their choice based on an authentic, written breed standard
  
• Backyard or Volume breeder: a breeder who does not show or pay someone to show their dogs in conformation and/or working events and who breeds primarily for profit

Reputable vs. Irreputable Breeders

Reputable Dachshund Breeders

• Minimally test their breeding stock by doing eye CERF's (checking for PRA, cataracts and other deformities and diseases of the eye) and patella luxation. They usually will have proof of testing by means of CERF number or other veterinary documentation.
• Have a written contract stating they will take back any dog they have bred no matter the age or condition of dog.
• Ask you many questions.
• Their dachshund puppies are raised in a home environment. Keep in mind irreputable breeders will try to pass themselves off as being reputable.

Irreputable Dachshund Breeders

• Do not do any health testing on their adults before being bred. They will claim that they are breeding "healthy" dachshunds but will have no proof that they had the dogs tested by a vet for ANYTHING. Being "seen by a vet" only means that the dog is outwardly healthy on the day the vet saw the dog.
• Most have no written guarantee; some will only accept a dog back within a year or less and some will only take them back for the first 24 hours!
• Asks you minimal questions other than how fast can you get them a deposit or how do you intend to pay - cash or credit card.
• Often sell puppies registered with bogus registeries such as CKC (Continental Kennel Club), APRI, ACA and many others.
• Note: The reason for the non-AKC can be the fact that the AKC has higher registration fees and also requires DNA testing on frequently-used stud dogs to prove parentage. AKC also has strict paperwork rules to follow to insure 'purebred' pedigrees. Many lower-end breeders avoid AKC registration for these and other reasons. This should be a red flag to potentialbuyers."AKC registered" doesn't guarantee the quality of a dog but it is a better place to begin a search for a good breeder than CKC or ACA or the other shady registering businesses. Many of those you only need to send in a photo of what 'looks' like a dachshund to get registered papers for that dog. What a sham.

Show vs. Backyard/Pet Breeders

Dachshund Show Breeders

• One of the ways a show breeder proves the quality of her/his dogs is by competing against other dachshunds in the show ring. A professional expert on dachshunds judges all the dogs and selects the best male and female to earn points for that day. It takes 15 points to earn the coveted Champion title which is officially recorded on the dog's AKC registration papers as "CH" before the dog's registered name. There is a class that dogs that are already champions can compete in, too. This is called "Best of Variety" in dachshunds(smooth, longhair and wirehair coats all compete against only their own coat variety). Even if you simply want a 'pet' dachshund, what is wrong with having a pet with a family tree full of Show Champions or Den, Field and Obedience titled dogs? Remember that to obtain these titles, a dog needs to not only have good conformation and intelligence, it has also to be well adjusted, stable and able to cope with travel, competitions, spectators and other dogs. Judges don't award winning ribbons to dogs that growl, snap, cower, panic or relieve themselves in fear; so you stand a better chance of getting a good temperament from a family of dogs that have proven themselves!
• Have a written contract stating that dogs sold as pets must be spayed/neutered and are being sold on something called AKC limited registration. Show breeders want to improve the breed so they only want the best of the best bred. The puppies that do not meet the high standards of the show ring are sold as pets (on spay/neuter contracts). Although they are not champion quality, they are virtually indistinguishable from the champion quality dachshunds pups by someone who is not a dachshund expert. Pet or companion quality dachshunds have just as nice markings and personalities as the show dogs.
• Spayed/neutered dogs and/or those with Limited Registration can be entered in field trials, earthdog events, tracking events and obedience trials as well as agility. They just can't be bred or shown in conformation events.
• Not all show breeders are reputable. While titles are impressive, there are -sadly- some show breeders who place winning above the individual dogs they own.

Dachshund Backyard Breeders

• Do not have proof their dachshunds are healthy and of good quality.
• Some may claim their dogs are show quality and will make up some kind of excuse as to why they haven't shown their dog. You may choose to believe them because you really want a puppy, or you may choose to use common sense and realize that this breeder is trying to make a sale. There is no such thing as a show breeder that does not show on a regular and ongoing basis, putting titles on the majority of their dogs.
• Breed pet quality dachshunds with no titles. They will always claim they are breeding toward the AKC written standard.How do they know that their interpretation of the standard is correct? People study Dachshund conformation and movement for years before fully understanding both. Dachshunds are a structurally complicated breed and it takes more study than breezing through the written standard in one's spare time to truly UNDERSTAND proper Dachshund structure.
• Do not require a spay/neuter contract. Obviously since the dogs they are breeding are pet quality dogs themselves, they don't mind if their buyers breed pet quality animals. While this is great for someone who is interested in becoming a backyard breeder, this only produces more and more generations of potentially unhealthy dachshunds of lesser quality who look less and less like the ideal dachshund (ears get short, eyes get really round and buggy, legs get long, backs get rounded, rears get high and dogs look like they are running downhill). As a buyer you have to choose what it is that you want in a pet. Health and good temperament are important as you have to live with this dog for a long number of years.
• Not all pet breeders are irreputable. There are many small time breeders who are breeding pet quality dachshunds simply because they enjoy having pups and they are concerned about the welfare of their dogs. To be reputable, however, they still must health test their breeding dogs, sell puppies and dogs on limited registration/spay neuter and provide contracts that state they will take back any dog they produced. In all our years of being in dachshunds - we have never met a backyard breeder that health tested their adult dogs before breeding them. Deep down, they all want to make money and spending money at a specialty vet for health testing is a waste of money in their world.

Finding a Breeder

For a complete list of Dachshund Clubs and breeder contacts, visit the AKC http://www.akc.org/ and The Dachshund Club of America breeder referral by state: http://www.dachshund-dca.org/kennelads.html

However, just because a breeder is a DCA member does not guarantee that she or he will share your same ethical views. Also, there are reputable and ethical breeders who are not DCA members. In order to be able to distinguish between good vs. bad breeders, it is imperative that you read as much information as possible about finding a 'good' breeder, what questions to ask them and what answers are 'good' answers!

Special Note: Obviously no breeder is perfect and no puppy is perfect. However, it is important that new owners try to find the absolute best breeder that they can. You should feel comfortable with your puppy's breeder. You should be able to contact your breeder anytime and consider him or her your mentor to the breed. A good breeder will stand by their puppies and puppy buyers for the entirety of the dog's life, and will always be concerned about the welfare of the animals they produce.

It is also a good idea to visit several dog shows where you can see the two sizes and three coats of dachshunds in person and talk to several breeders and owners. This is a link to listings of dog shows http://www.onofrio.com/shwpubs.html that will include Colorado cities as well as other states. The drop box at the top of the page offers Purina sponsored shows as well as a drop box for a 'complete listing' of shows. The complete listing drop box will have the most lengthy list of shows. There is also a link for 'closed' shows....meaning the dog show entries have 'closed' but the show will be upcoming in the next few weeks. There is a judging program link on the closed shows that will give ring numbers and times that dachshunds will be shown. If you need help understanding this feature just email me or call me and I will try to explain what the numbers mean.

Dachshunds in Pet Stores

ALL pet store dogs are either "produced" in puppy mills or by unethical breeders. Do not be fooled by pet stores that claim to get their puppies from "local breeders." All puppy mills are owned by breeders. Pet stores will claim that they get their puppies from breeders and will just casually omit the fact that these breeders run puppy mills.

Please don't feel compelled to buy a puppy from a pet store because it is suffering. However bad its situation is, it's parents back in the puppy mill are so much worse off! If more people would stop buying dogs from pet stores, then pet stores would not find pet sales profitable and would stop buying dogs from puppy mills. Therefore, the continuing cycle of suffering would end. However, it's not the fault of an uninformed individual who buys from a pet shop. You, however, have been informed, so please don't walk into another pet store that sells animals. Several pet stores sell supplies and not animals. There are also numerous mail-order catalogs that sell pet products. (Note: Purebred cats and other animals are also produced in animal mills and by unscrupulous breeders.)

If you still feel the need to "rescue" a pet store puppy, perhaps you should consider rescuing its mother instead! Purebred dachshunds rescued from puppy mills are often available for adoption.

Click on the link below to witness first hand where pet stores get their puppies:

http://www.prisonersofgreed.org/index.html