Choosing Dog Breeders
— Be Careful! —

Tan and White Jack Russell Puppy

Know how to choose reputable dog breeders. Good breeders have clean, healthy puppies. Learn how to spot bad breeders.

If you have a specific breed in mind and no other kind of dog will work out, and you’re in a hurry to get the dog, then look for dog breeders on the Internet or phone book. You can ask around. Veterinarians and dog groomers often know of reputable breeders.

This is especially true if you are looking for a rare breed that is seldom seen, such as a Neapolitan Mastiff or a Tibetan Spaniel. Those just don’t turn up in kennels everyday so you need to research, for example, the Tibetan Spaniel breeders.

Other than word of mouth, finding reputable dog breeders takes a bit of time and investigation. If you already know a groomer and/or vet, ask them who is good;. especially the vet. If you have never had a dog and don’t know vets, go online and search for “dog breeders” in your area. You can also look for specific breed groups or organizations while online.

What To Expect From REPUTABLE Dog Breeders.

Reputable dog breeders will keep the breeding operation in CLEAN facilities, in his/her house where there are no offensive odors and no urine or feces parked on the floor. Look for this when you visit. Are the puppies clean? Are the puppies happy to see you? Do the puppies come toddling over to greet you? That’s a good sign!

The puppies should be in a house so they become accustomed to hearing normal household noises such as the vacuum cleaner, dishwasher, toaster, pots and pans rattling and so on.

Is the breeder friendly? Welcoming and pleasant? Knowledgeable about the breed standards? A good dog breeder should be happy to show you around and explain the operation to you in detail Does the breeder insist you see the parents before letting you see the puppies? Inspect the parents and grandparents if possible. Are they healthy? Friendly? Sociable? These are all signs of a good breeder and reflect on the puppies.

If the breeder is grumpy and not interested in you or answering your questions, walk away. Good dog breeders are in the business not for money but for the joy of perpetuating the breed. Money is secondary. Their goal is to find the perfect home for their perfect pups.

Don’t ever let dog breeders “push” a puppy on you. It’s your decision. It’s one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make. If you find dog breeders (or anyone) who gets pushy, WALK AWAY. No one but you can decide which dog you want to buy.

You should get a puppy from a reputable dog breeder that has been properly fed, cared for, handled and socialized. (“Cared for” includes bathing and special eye care for puppies.)

“Socialized” Comes In Two Forms.

ONE:
When puppies are very young and still with their mothers, they play hard by knocking each other around, wrestling and biting each other… not biting to injure but biting enough to get the other puppy to yelp a little. When the other puppy “yelps”, the biting puppy knows that’s too much and backs off. The same goes for biting the mother. She let’s her pups know when the bite is too much to. Dog breeders know this happens and encourage their puppies to play.

When the puppy grows up, he will know how hard to bite down on your hand without hurting you because he learned that when he was little and biting his litter mates and mom.

That’s “play-biting” and it is at that point that dogs learn just how hard to bite without HURTING their opponent. That’s ONE form of dog socialization.Take the dog away from his mother and puppies too soon and he will never learn that part of doggie socialization.

TWO:
form of breeder-induced socialization… A GOOD dog breeder will spend time holding the puppies, stroking them, handling their tails, ears, paws and so on. The puppies will be passed among the family members, neighbors, the mailman and anyone else they can find, and will become familiar with humans at that very young, impressionable age. Extremely important for later in life.

The puppies will have had the necessary shots for their age and will be guaranteed healthy. The pup will have no hang-ups from being trained improperly. Prices can range from $600 to $2000 (in our area) depending on the breed and dog breeder. Be prepared to drive 50 to 1000 miles to find a reputable dog breeder for the particular breed you have selected.

If you are looking for a puppy, and have decided on a specific breed of dog, an AKA recognized breeder is your best bet. Reputable dog breeders are in the game out of love for the breed.

Reputable Dog Breeders Will…
A little English Bulldog puppy
Dog breeders delight
Keep the dogs inside the house as part of the family. The puppies need to be handled and talked to by as many different people, including children, and strangers as possible. The socialization needs to start even before the pups open their eyes all the way. The more the handling and talking to, the better.

A good dog breeder will not sell the puppies before they are eight weeks old.

Qualified dog breeders will take care of this and more. By the time you buy your puppy at eight weeks, it should already have some idea of potty training and good manners as well as chew-toy training. (Chew-toy training is when you stuff a chew toy with food such as small kibbles or other dog food and the pup learns to chew on the toy instead of your own belongings. The toy becomes “his.”

Your puppy may even have an idea what the commands “come,” ”lie down” and “sit” on command mean by the time you buy him/her. Ask the breeder and if so, continue practicing the commands immediately when you get home.

Socialization and training are the two key factors that will determine what the puppy will be when she grows up. If the breeder isn’t already providing this, FIND ANOTHER DOG BREEDERS.

By 8 weeks, a puppy should be fully sensitized to common household noises like vacuums, dishes, television and kids shouting. The puppy should also be able to do “come” “sit” “roll over: and “down” on command.

If the breeder won’t show you the parents of the puppy, walk away. Something’s wrong.