It can be very difficult for people looking to buy a Cocker puppy to know how to find a reputable and responsible breeder. Cockers are a popular breed which has meant there are hundreds of breeders in the UK with a significant majority of breeders showing no commitment to the breed and/or breeding only for financial gain. Determining who is reputable, ethical & genuinely caring is not always easy.

You might be wondering why a breeder who breeds to make a profit is frowned upon by 'hobby' show breeders? To put it quite simply, businesses need to make profits; every good business person knows that profit is total revenue minus explicit costs.

To maximise profits, expenditure needs to be kept low which equates to the less money you spend on your business the more profit you can achieve. Caring breeders do not seek to make a profit (most litters make a loss, occasionally a litter 'breaks even'), therefore they are free to spend as much money as it takes to rear a litter correctly and responsibly and consequently do not economise when rearing a litter.

The type of breeder who breeds with profit in mind often has little interest in the health and temperament of their puppies, usually uses their own stud dog or a local stud dog (repeatedly) and may not be willing or able to provide any after sales help or advice. Distinguishing this type of breeder from the caring, responsible breeder who does everything possible to breed happy, healthy puppies is not always easy.

There are several good ways of finding experienced and reputable breeders:

	Cocker Breed Clubs are a good place to start your search. For Cocker Breed Club Secretaries please visit the Cocker Club site here. The Secretaries of each Club should be able to recommend breeders who may have puppies available or who are expecting a litter. Contact numbers for all the Breed Clubs (for other breeds) are available from the Kennel Club.
	Many show breeders (and breeders engaged in other dog-related hobbies) will have web sites of their own. Using a "Search Engine" with the appropriate words (cocker spaniel puppies, cocker spaniel breeders, cocker spaniel puppies for sale etc.), should produce a list of breeder's web sites. You should be able to tell from the "feel" of the web site whether you wish to approach a particular breeder. Clearly any breeder can have a website and within reason they can advertise themselves as reputable, however when you "read between the lines" you should get a feel for the breeder. Reputable breeders generally have websites to introduce their dogs. There will be plenty of photos of their dogs, including background information about their dogs, the dog's pedigrees and their Kennel Club name (not just 'pet' name). There will also be information on their health test results etc. In addition to this, their sites will offer advice about the breed and will usually demonstrate their commitment to their own dogs and the breed in general. Reputable breeder's websites are not about selling puppies i.e. there is no hard sell, just information about their dogs and details of their commitment to any puppies they may breed. Warning signs of websites from less reputable breeders contain: The main content of the website is about litters available Most of the photos on the website are of available puppies for sale A lack of a friendly commentary about the adult dogs and no pedigrees and few photos Little or no information about the breed in general Little or no photos of the dog's living (home) environment Their dogs are shown only with their 'pet' name i.e. no pedigree name If the website is all about litters or there is no helpful information or friendly commentary about their dogs, the breed in general and very few photos then probably the breeder has a website as a means to sell puppies and that is their only interest in the breed! There are literally dozens of cocker spaniel breeder websites, would-be puppy owners should not assume a breeder is reputable just because they have a website. Another important thing to note is it is best not to judge a breeder by the quality of their website, it is the content not the design that you should concentrate upon. Amateurish sites may give the impression that the breeder is a hobby breeder, likewise well made and professional sites may give the impression that the breeder is a commercial breeder neither could be further from the truth. Some caring hobby breeders have great sites and many commercial breeders have dismal websites! Content is the key!
	Another way to find a reputable breeder is by "word of mouth". Often you will meet people with lovely dogs - if you like the dog (and the people) ask them where they got him/her. People who are happy with and enjoy their dog are usually only too willing to recommend "their" breeder to other people.
	Many dog-related web sites have listings for breeders. However, enquirers should not assume a breeder is reputable because their name appears on an internet listing - commercial breeders and puppy farmers can often be found on these lists.
	There are quite a few internet sites which contain listings for Cocker breeders - you could try the following:- Cockers Online (breeder list on this site is NOT open to commercial breeders and/or puppy farmers) Champdogs (NB: some commercial breeders and backyard breeders are included on the breeders list on this site) Pet Plan (puppy insurance company "Find A Puppy" website) The Kennel Club also maintains a list of available puppies on its 'Find A Puppy Service', however there is no guarantee that breeders are reputable

The Kennel Club Accredited Breeders Scheme (KCABS):

What are the Requirements of membership?

1. Ensure that all breeding stock is Kennel Club registered, and take all reasonable steps to ensure that it is healthy and able to function normally (i.e. fit for function: fit for life.)
2. Hand over the dog's registration certificate at time of sale if available, or forward it to the new owner as soon as possible. Explain any endorsements that might pertain and obtain written and signed confirmation from the new owner, at or before the date on which the dog is physically transferred, that the new owner is aware of the endorsement(s), regardless of whether or not the endorsed registration certificate is available.
3. Follow Kennel Club policy regarding maximum age and number/frequency of litters.
4. Permanently identify breeding stock by DNA profile, microchip, or tattoo.
5. Make use of Kennel Club health screening schemes, relevant to their breed, on all breeding stock. These schemes currently include:  KC/BVA Eye Screening, DNA PRA Testing & DNA FN Testing.
6. Give written, breed-specific advice in the Puppy Sales Wallet on: a) tendencies or potential traits in the breed b) socialization, exercise and training c) feeding and worming programmes d) grooming.
7. Inform the buyer in writing of any vaccination which has been carried out.
8. Provide reasonable post-sales telephone advice and endeavour to deal with any issues arising in good faith.
9. Inform buyers of the requirements and the recommendations that apply to Kennel Club Accredited Breeders as well as the existence of the complaints procedure.
10. Draw up a contract of sale for each puppy and provide a copy in the Puppy Sales Wallet.

In addition, there are a number of recommendations:

1. Make sure that whelping facilities accord with good practice.
2. Follow any relevant breed specific recommendations.
3. The contract of sale should clearly lay out to the buyer the nature and details of any guarantee given e.g. time limit and/or any provisions for refund or return and replacement of puppy. If endorsements are being used the contract should also explain why these have been placed and under what circumstances they would be removed (if any). The contract should be signed and dated by both breeder and purchaser, showing that both have agreed to these terms.
4. Encourage new owners to take their puppy to the vet as soon as possible after taking delivery of it.
5. Commit to help, if necessary, with the re-homing of a dog, for whatever reason, throughout the dog's lifetime.
6. Accredited Breeders should participate in any breed health survey or other health initiatives in their breed.

Health Testing Requirements and Recommendations for Cocker Spaniels
Requirements for Health Screening of Breeding Stock last updated January 2010:	Recommendations for Breeding Stock last updated January 2010:**
1) Eye testing - including gonioscopy, 2) DNA test - prcd-PRA, 3) DNA test - FN	Hip scoring

** No automated checks can be made to ensure that Accredited Breeders are following recommendations, but all Accredited Breeders are strongly encouraged to do so. Copies of relevant certificates may be held on file at the Kennel Club.

The Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Scheme does not automatically guarantee a breeder is reputable. Unless a breeder has been personally visited by a KC Breed Advisor, there will be a significant number of poor breeders as members. Naturally, once visited & ‘inspected’ the number of poor breeders will decline. However, until ALL members have been visited (could take several years), it is wise for would-be owners to make their own assumptions & not just rely on a breeder’s membership of the Scheme as a foregone conclusion that they are a reputable & ethical breeder.

Many of the elements of the scheme are recommendations and not stipulations and there is no compulsion for a breeder to anything more than what is actually required and yet gain the title of Accredited Breeder!

We are pleased to note that the Kennel Club have now revised (July 2010) the MANDATORY health testing requirements for cocker spaniels to include DNA testing for prcd-PRA & FN. I believe this is as result of feedback from breeders such as us and if this is the case, I'm pleased the Kennel Club has listened to common sense.

Good breeders will also KC/BVA Hip Score their dogs.

Regardless of whether a breeder belongs to the scheme or not, you should check that your chosen breeder has met the minimum requirements of the scheme; most good breeders will far exceed the requirements. The requirements of the scheme are basic, and the breeder of your puppy should at the very least be able to comply with the scheme even if they are not members. Ideally, would-be buyers should ensure that all breeders exceed the recommendations of the scheme!

Please see our "Questions To Ask" link for further information on what you should ask; what you should expect to see when you visit a breeder and for details on what a reputable breeder offers as part of their commitment to you and your new puppy.

Puppies from reputable breeders are worth their "weight in gold" as not only do you get a quality, well bred, healthy, well socialised and cared for puppy you get the added benefits of insurance, puppy packs, vet checks, micro chipping and support from the breeder for the life of the puppy. You will get all this for a similar price from a good breeder, as you would expect to pay from a less reputable breeder who just takes your money and disowns you and the puppy!

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!).

You will likely 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.