How to Find a Responsible Breeder

by Lisa Frankland, 2001 Update

Starting the Search:

[ ] [Go to the Breeder Directory on this site.]
Attend a local dog show or breed match. Show catalogs list the names and addresses of the owners of entered dogs. You can also talk to the owners and handlers of the dogs (though not when they're about to go into the ring!) and get some leads that way.
Learn about your breed before you look to buy one. There is no such thing as the "perfect breed for everyone," as there are as many different lifestyles and personal preferences as there are breeds of dog. Read the breed standard, find out about grooming requirements, typical temperaments, health problems that are common in the breed, etc. Irresponsible breeders hate educated buyers!
Price alone should not be a factor in deciding what breeder to buy from. While a high price doesn't necessarily guarantee high quality, a very low price often does not turn out to be a bargain in the long run. Find out what typical prices are for show and pet quality puppies of your breed in your area.
Be patient. You may have to wait a few months (or longer) to find the right dog from a good breeder. This is a very short time compared with the ten to fifteen years that a dog will live with you.

Responsible Breeders DO:

Breed in order to improve the breed and produce the best puppies they possibly can, and usually plan to keep at least one of them
Ask as many questions of you as you do of them
Allow potential owners to visit, meet the dam and other dogs owned by the breeder, see the conditions that the pups are raised under, and ask questions.
Show evidence of at least two or three years of serious interest in their breed, i.e. dog club memberships (the AKC doesn't count!), show and match ribbons and win photos, and championship and/or performance (obedience, agility, tracking, field, etc.) titles
Breed only dogs that closely match the breed standard and are free of serious health and temperament problems. Championship titles and health clearances such as OFA and CERF are good indicators of this
Register their dogs with the accepted registry for their breed and the country they're in. For Kerry Blue Terriers in the United States, this would be the American Kennel Club (AKC)
Tell you if they think you would be better off with another breed of dog, or no dog at all
Provide referrals to other breeders if they don't have anything available
Use a written contract and guarantee ("guarantee" meaning that they will either replace the dog or refund part or all of your money if health or temperament problems should arise), or at least an oral agreement when selling a dog, with clear and reasonable terms that you can live with
Use spay/neuter agreements, co-ownerships, and/or limited registrations to ensure that dogs going to pet homes are not bred
Provide a registration slip from a legitimate breed registry, a pedigree, and up-to-date shots/health records with every puppy they sell
Honestly discuss any special problems/requirements associated with the breed
Offer assistance and advice on grooming, training, etc., for the life of the dog
If, for any reason and at any time, you cannot keep the dog, will take it back
Normally breed only one or two litters a year, max!
Have dogs that are clean, healthy, happy, and humanely cared for

Responsible Breeders DO NOT:

Accept credit cards, or offer financing or easy payment plans
Appear overly eager to sell/"get rid of" a puppy
Breed simply to produce puppies to sell
Breed a bitch on every season, or more than once a year
Have breeding stock that consists of a "mated pair"
Claim that all of their puppies are "show/breeding quality" or makes unsubstantiated claims of their dogs' superiority to those of other breeders
Claim that their breed has no problems (some have fewer than others, but every breed has at least a couple)
Sell puppies through pet stores, brokers, auctions, or to anyone that they have not met/screened personally
Sell puppies that are less than eight to twelve weeks old (note: the USKBTC Code of Ethics requires pups to be at least 10 weeks of age, and preferably 12, before they are sold)
Sell puppies without papers (registration slip and 3-5 generation pedigree), provide only a photocopy (a clue that the registration may be forged, especially if it is a foreign registry), or charge extra for papers
Have more than one or two litters at any given time, or litters of multiple breeds
Refuse to guarantee their dogs, or if they do, attach such unreasonable conditions to the guarantee, i.e., "dog must not be spayed or neutered, must never have been bred, and the ears must stand correctly," that it is unlikely that they would ever have to honor it

Phrases to be aware of in breeder's ads:

"Rare"--This is often because either the breeder is using the wrong term for a common trait (i.e., "teacup" for toy size) or the dogs in question have a trait that no responsible breeder would deliberately produce, either because it is not allowed or is considered a serious fault in the breed standard, and/or is associated with health problems in the breed (e.g. white Boxers and Dobermans, parti-colored Poodles, "king" Labs, lemon spotted Dalmatians, and blue-eyed Malamutes). Although it can also mean that the breed is not well known or widely recognized, it does almost always mean that the breeder expects you to pay top dollar for the privilege and snob appeal of owning one.
"Aggressive"--Most dogs are naturally protective, the extent depending on their breed and individual personalities. Why would anyone in their right mind deliberately breed dogs with unstable temperaments?
"Champion"--A dog becomes a breed champion by earning points defeating a specified number of other dogs of its breed in competition. A dog can have a whole wall full of blue ribbons, yet still not have earned a single point, let alone a championship title.
"Grand Champion"--the AKC does not award a Grand Champion title. Some other registries do, such as the UKC, but make sure the breeder explains how and where that title was earned.
"Champion lines"--Almost all dogs have some champions in their pedigrees if you go a few generations back. Ideally, at least one parent and the majority of the dogs listed in the pedigree should have a championship or other title.
"Champion puppies"--Dogs cannot be shown towards a championship before they are six months old. Maybe the breeder means that the parents are champions. Maybe it means that you'd be better off buying from somebody that's honest.
"OFA puppies"--OFA stands for Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, a registry that screens dogs for hip dysplasia. Dogs must be at least two years of age to be screened. If a breeder claims that any dog younger than that has OFA numbers, run!
"Show quality"--What does the breeder mean by this? Expected to finish a championship fairly easily? No disqualifying faults? Has "perfect markings and is really cute?" Make sure you understand exactly what this means before you buy. By the way, unless you are serious about breeding and showing, there is nothing wrong with a dog that is "pet quality."
"AKC registered (or just "AKC')"--the AKC (American Kennel Club) is a registry that issues registration papers to dogs of the more than 140 breeds that are currently recognized, whose parents were also registered. While great to have (essential if you plan to show and breed), AKC registration is no guarantee of a dog's quality, or of a breeder's integrity. Other popular registries include the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the American Rare Breeds Association (ARBA), as well as breed-specific registries such as the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA). However, there are some registries, such as the World Wide Kennel Club (WWKC), the Continental Kennel Club (CKC), the American Kennel Association (AKA), and the Federation of International Canines (FIC), whose sole purpose seems to be to provide papers to otherwise unregisterable dogs/"breeds." Many of these so called "effigy" or "puppymill" registries are purposely named to sound like their legitimate cousins. If in doubt, ask around.
"Foreign bloodlines" (or "foreign-bred")--Although this can be a legitimate claim (especially with breeds used for protection work, such as German Shepherds), there are an increasing number of brokers who are importing litters of puppies from other countries (or at least claiming they are) in order to cash in on the implied superiority of these Irish/German/Russian/etc. dogs. These pups often are sold only with a photocopy of their foreign registration papers, which strongly implies that those papers are forged. In any case, the fact that these dogs originate from outside the country make any claims the seller makes virtually
impossible to verify.

This list is intended to provide general guidelines, so there may be some valid exceptions to what is listed. For example, some breeders may withhold papers until a pet quality puppy is spayed or neutered or until full
payment is received, though this should be specified in writing. If a breeder can give a satisfactory reason for a single discrepancy, and otherwise checks out as responsible, they may still be okay. Again, if in doubt, ask around.

A Note About Pet Stores

Many people believe that a local pet store is a great way to obtain a puppy. This couldn't be further from the truth.

For a number of reasons a pet store is probably the worst possible place to purchase a family pet. Many of these puppies are bred in "puppymills," large-scale commercial breeding operations whose sole objective is to turn out as many puppies as possible, as cheaply as possible. The rest are obtained from "backyard breeders," people who know and care little about the breed standard or health and genetics. Whether these pups were bred solely for money, or so the kids could see the miracle of birth, the end result is the same--many of the puppies suffer from health, temperament, and behavioral problems that are the direct result of poor breeding and poor upbringing.

Another problem with pet store purchases is that they are very often done on impulse, without the buyer really knowing or thinking about the requirements of a particular breed.

Finally, if the new owner has questions or problems, there will be no caring, knowledgable breeder around to provide help and support. The real irony is that the pet stores typically charge just as much, if not more than a reputable breeder would!

Some people buy pet store puppies in spite of knowing all this, believing that they are "rescuing" them. All this does is encourage the practice. Please, if you care about dogs, do not purchase one from a pet store! The same goes for backyard breeders, internet brokers, and other disreputable sources.