What sets a reputable breeder apart?

The reputable breeder feels responsibility towards the breed itself, toward the dogs he/she breeds and to the people who have dogs of his/her breeding. They spend astounding amounts of time; energy and money on matters that they think are in the best interests of their dogs and puppies.

It is this awareness of responsibility that marks the difference between the good breeder and a mere "puppy-raiser.” The responsible breeder is motivated by a drive to ethically continue their breeding lines by planning mating’s that will give rise to healthy puppies with excellent temperaments and puppies which are of good quality and sound in both body and mind.

With responsible and ethical breeders, breeding plans are carefully thought-out, a suitable stud dog is chosen and all breed relevant health testing is undertaken. Reputable breeders show a willingness to invest time, effort and money into their dogs and puppies for the good of the breed; the "puppy raisers" are motivated by the desire to make money and treat dogs as tradable commodities.

Whereas a "puppy-raiser" may sell their puppies indiscriminately, a responsible breeder sells only after careful screening of a would-be purchaser in order to ascertain the mutual suitability of dog and buyer.

While often not fully appreciated until AFTER the dog is bought, this screening by the breeder is the greatest protection a dog purchaser can have. Though the cost of properly caring for his dogs may cause him sleepless nights and untold worries, the reputable breeder will never let a single puppy or older dog leave for a home that is not as good as or better than the one, he is providing. Once the dog has left the breeder’s care the breeder's help and advice do not end but continues throughout the dog's life, a responsibility cheerfully accepted by him.

When selecting a puppy, the reputable breeder will show you a copy of the pedigree and explain why they selected the bloodlines they used (if you are interested!). They will allow you to see the puppies and the mother and assist you in selecting the right puppy to meet your needs.

Responsible breeders want to make sure that their puppies go to good homes and are cared for well. Whilst they don't want to make prospective purchasers feel "interrogated" they want to be actively involved in screening all potential homes for their puppies.

Why do Breeders assess potential owners before homing a puppy?

Please understand that to a reputable breeder, a puppy is not a commodity. A puppy is a living, breathing creature that deserves the very best life and therefore deserves a good, caring and committed home. When you buy from a reputable breeder, you are not getting a puppy that has had the barest minimum of care and socialisation. You are getting a puppy that has had the maximum of care and socialisation, a puppy that has had a great deal of love, time, emotion and money invested in him and one that is loved by his breeder.

Breeders are also concerned about keeping track of their puppies after they leave the breeder's home. This way they will ensure the puppy/dog is still loved and wanted and they will have the opportunity to note any health issues that may crop up unexpectedly during the dogs life.

Less reputable breeders do not care about the future welfare of their puppies; once the puppy leaves their ownership and the money is banked, the pup and his owners are forgotten.

When you purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder, you are paying for more than a dog!

When buying a puppy from an experienced and reputable breeder you are paying for the dog's excellent ancestry and the reassurance that the pup has healthy and health screened parents (and therefore stands the highest chance of being healthy himself).

When you buy a puppy from a caring, conscientious and responsible breeder, you can be sure your puppy has had the best start in life. He will come to you as a socialised, healthy pup that should be easy to train and be a pleasure to own.

You should also have the benefit of your pups breeders help, advice and support during the lifetime of your dog. A breeder's knowledge and experience in rearing puppies can make a big difference to the enjoyment you as the new owner gets from having a puppy.

Caring breeders also provide a good living environment for their puppies which is clean, warm, comfortable, and stimulating. Good breeders also socialise their puppies to help them become well balanced dogs that are a pleasure to own and are not a nuisance to society.

Rearing a litter of puppies requires a lot of time, sleepless nights, patience, worry, cleaning, bathing, food, weighing, worming, record keeping, puppy health records, written information, puppy packs and information for the buyer, the proper equipment (e.g. whelping boxes, puppy pens, bedding, toys etc.), puppy grooming, worming and vet bills and so much more.

Contrary to what anyone may think, puppies do not rear themselves and neither does their mother shoulder the burden alone! It takes enormous commitment and hard work by a breeder to rear a litter successfully thereby ensuring all puppies are healthy, happy, socialised, clean, well fed and content.

You are not however paying for a breeder’s labour, for caring and reputable breeders rearing a litter is a true ‘labour of love’ with a breeder providing assistance to the puppy during its time with the breeder and the care of the litter’s mother throughout pregnancy/delivery.

And finally ...

Be patient! Reputable breeders do not have a constant supply of puppies and it may be that potential buyers will have to wait weeks, perhaps months for a suitable litter to be born. Mistakes are often made by buyers who will not wait … they want a puppy NOW and so will often rush out and buy in haste (perhaps ignoring the warning signs that the breeder is not reputable or hasn't had their dog's health tested!).

Remember, you will hopefully have your dog for 10-15 years - what is a wait of a few months for the "right" puppy compared to rushing in and not choosing a quality pup who has fully health tested parents and has been bred and reared to high standards by a caring and knowledgeable breeder?

Please also remember, that whilst you may pay a little more for a well bred, healthy and well cared for puppy, this extra cost is nothing compared to the amount you may find yourself paying in terms of vet bills and emotional upset should you purchase a cheaper puppy from a poor or inexperienced breeder.