If you intend to buy a purebred puppy, it’s vital that you find the best dog breeder for the breed. For one thing, there is a danger of buying a dog from a puppy mill. Such quasi dog breeders typically don’t have purebreds at all. Worse still, dogs from puppy mills are sickly due to appalling living conditions, which are kept from sight by showing the puppies in a different home. There are important steps you should take to find the best dog breeder. It’s not hard if you know where to look and what to focus your attention on. Here are 10 tips to help you find the best dog breeder in your area.
Finding the Best Dog Breeder:Tip #1. Breed Club
It’s easy to go online and search for local dog clubs of the breed you wish to own. A dog breeder who is permitted to advertise or become a member of the club is going to be known to some of its members. This is tantamount to receiving a personal recommendation from someone who already owns a dog in the breed you like best.
Finding the Best Dog Breeder:Tip #2. Dog Shows
The best dogs compete in dog shows, and the best dog breeders are typically represented at dog shoes. Begin by going to www.info.dog.com to look for dog shows in your area. Once there, try to find a few minutes to talk with a dog breeder, or simply buy the dog catalogue to discover the information you need. Remember that just having the breeder’s kennel name is sufficient for you start looking them up on the internet.
Finding the Best Dog Breeder:Tip #3. Healthy Past
Parentage matters when it come to the best dog breeders. Ask to see health certificates for the parents of the puppy you wish to buy, so that you can be shown that the parents have a clear bill of health. If you’ve done some reading about the breed and know that they suffer from certain ailments, ask specific questions about that. For example: does either parent suffer from Hip Dysplasia.
Finding the Best Dog Breeder:Tip #4. Business Heritage
Find out how long a breeder has been in business. Years of experience not only make a breeder better, but also more reputable, in that he has succeeded in staying in business owning to hard work and excellence.
Finding the Best Dog Breeder:Tip #5. Breeder Shows
The best dog breeders do their own dog shows, presenting their dogs to the world. It’s a great way to see the dogs and to get objective feedback from others who attend the show. A dog breeder who participates in such shows pride in his dogs, as well as a desire to get community feedback on any improvements that could benefit the dogs and breeder kennel.
Finding the Best Dog Breeder:Tip #6. Take Your Time
The best dog breeder will have a waiting list. It’s a good idea to take your time once you decide on the breed you’d like to adopt. Think about it, you may have to wait a few months, but the healthy dog will be with you for around 15 years. The healthier he is the longer he will live and the better his quality of life, and yours.
Finding the Best Dog Breeder:Tip #7. Beauty
The best dog breeder will understand the importance of a dog’s beauty, but also the importance of the dog’s nature, temperament and personality. A beautiful dog is fun to look at, but dogs aren’t works of art. The personality and suitability of the dog to his family is more important than all the beauty contest ribbons in the world.
Finding the Best Dog Breeder:Tip #8. Hygiene
Know how to judge the surroundings of the puppy. There may be a fur, drool, and other sources of mess which you could imagine happening in the last ten minutes. But then there the kinds of “mess” that indicate a warning sign. Rust on a kennel, an air of fear about the place, lack of cleanliness everywhere-these are indicative of a problem with the breeder.
Finding the Best Dog Breeder:Tip #9. Lineage
The best dog breeder will typically have one parent who is an AKC champion. This helps to confirm that the puppy conforms to breed standards and is healthy and likely to be a fine example of the breed. Therefore, though you may not care about dog shows and championships, having a parent who is a champion ensures that your dog will be the best that the breed has to offer.
Finding the Best Dog Breeder:Tip #10. Contract
The best dog breeder will have you sign a contract when you buy a dog. The contract outlines your responsibilities to care for the dog. Often the best dog breeders will give you the contract in advance, to give you time to go over it point by point and ask any questions before the day you come to choose a puppy, when you will be distracted by other, cuddlier questions.
Remember to check Pet Finder, to see if any purebred dogs have ended up in a rescue organization. You can search by your zip code and the dog requirements you have. And read about how to choose the best dog breed for your lifestyle.
Source:
1. Dogs USA. 25 Tips for Finding a Great Breeder. 25th Anniversary issue, # 25. PP. 6-18.
