Dog Breeder

A good dog breeder will always be most interested in the safety and health of the puppy you are getting from them. They should ask you lots of questions about your knowledge of dogs in general and of the breed’s specific needs. They should also be inquisitive about your life and your activities. The best kind of dog breeder will even refuse to send their dogs to a home that may seem unsuitable, for whatever reason.

A good breeder should have vet papers on hand, genetic tests available, and the parents available for you to view as well as the facilities for the puppies and their parents. A good breeder should have time to discuss the puppies, the breed, and the parents, whatever you want to talk about. A good breeder should not seem to be secretive at all about anything regarding the dogs.

These are all signs of a responsible breeder. This doesn’t mean that they’re just nosy, but that they care for the dogs that they breed and they’re not willing to sell them to just anyone. Too often it’s easier to get a dog from a shady breeder than it is from a rescue group or from an animal shelter. Shelters and rescue groups ask lots of questions about you and your family. Breeders should be asking those same questions.

Kinds of Dog Breeders

There are many different opinions on the different kinds of breeders and which is good and which is bad. There are backyard breeders, pet owners, hobby breeders, show breeders, puppy mills and so on. What everyone agrees on is that you need to witness for yourself what kind of condition the puppies and their parents live in.

If you are not allowed to see where the puppies live, this should be a red flag about the breeder. They have something to hide from you and this should make you very suspicious of their practices. If they seem secretive or have things that they say they can’t show you, this should be your cue to leave.

Why Not to Get a Dog From a Bad Breeder

If you end up getting a puppy from this kind of breeder, there are several possible ramifications. First, not knowing what kind of situation the puppy has been living in can create all sorts of problems when you get the dog home. If it has been kept in a small area without means of entertainment, which is likely if the breeder won’t let you see the facilities, the puppy will probably have developed some sort of destructive behavior or neurosis. Once the puppy has learned this behavior, training becomes more difficult.

Second, you have just supported this breeder's twisted practices. It isn’t the puppy’s fault that it was born into such a situation and you may feel that you want to rescue it, but what you are ultimately doing is allowing this breeder to breed more and more puppies into the world. Another puppy sold is another justification for continuing unethical practices.

Finally, you will have no idea what kind of health problems to expect in your dog. Say the breeder doesn’t have information about the parents, such as genetic tests and vet histories. Without information on problems the parents might have had, you won’t know what kind of situation you’ll be getting yourself into.