Deciding which dog breeder to get your new puppy from is no easy task, and some times it can feel like a jungle. So today I will be sharing with you a few things to look for to ensure you are getting your puppy from an ethical and responsible dog breeder.
The Facilities
If a dog breeder refuses to allow you to view their entire facilities INCLUDING where all of the mothers and fathers live, then they have something to hide. Often times they will use the excuse of not wanting to bring any foreign contaminates in their living area, which is fair, but you should still be able to look at the very least. Also, if a breeder wants to meet you somewhere away from their facilities such as a Walmart parking lot, this is a HUGE RED FLAG! Beware!
Experience
Although it is not necessarily a requirement for a breeder to have many years of experience raising dogs, it is definitely a good thing. When a breeder has several years of experience they tend to know how to keep their pups healthier as well as being more knowledgeable during the process of guiding you though the process of picking your puppy.
Past Customers
This is perhaps one of the most important factors. If a breeder is not taking care of their dogs or customers well, they WILL NOT have a large group of happy customers who you can talk to and share stories about how great their experience was. Always ask any breeder you are researching if they have contact information of some past customers who you could contact and ask questions to. Even if you don’t actually contact them, just the fact of them having that information to share speaks volumes.
The Parents
You should be able to actually spend time with and handle both of the parents of your potential puppy. If the dog breeder refuses this often times it is because the parents are not taken care of well, or they do not have a good temperament and they don’t want you to find out.
No Inbreeding
This is pretty straight forward, but you want to be sure the parents aren’t related to each other for the health of the puppies.
Online Reputation
Nowadays just about every breeder has an online presence. With that presence comes a reputation and paper trail. Be sure to do some googling and see what people have to say about that breeder. If someone has had a bad experience with them, be sure they will be saying something about it online.
Gut Feeling
I don’t hear people talking about this much, but it is perhaps one of your most valuable tools when assessing a breeder. If you are getting a bad vibe from someone over emails, or on the phone, then there is probably a reason. Do not dismiss your intuition.
