A
puppy may not have come from a pet shop or a puppy farmer but the
breeder may still not be reputable!
A
reputable breeder of cocker spaniels will : -
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Have a longstanding, serious interest in Cocker Spaniels - they often
take part in activities with their dogs such as showing, field trials (in
the case of Working Cockers), agility, obedience training etc. Most
reputable breeders will be a member of a least one Breed Club, such as The
Cocker Spaniel Club (the parent Club for Cocker Spaniels) as well as
other regional Breed Clubs. |
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Undertake all the recommended
health testing for the breed i.e. KC/BVA Eye Testing,
Hip-Scoring and DNA testing for prcd-PRA & FN. |
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Care for their dogs & puppies
to very high standards. Ensuring that dogs/puppies are
loved, well cared for, fed appropriately, are well socialised,
exercised, kept in appropriate & clean living conditions and all
their health needs are met - regardless of cost! |
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Breed a litter with the
intention of retaining a puppy, with the remainder of the litter
being
placed in suitable pet homes. |
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Try to ensure that any puppies they breed go only to the most suitable
homes. They will ask as many questions of you as you should be asking of
them. If a breeder does not ask you any questions at all, ask yourself why
they apparently do not care what sort of homes their puppies are going to?
Commonly asked questions are: how long a puppy would be left alone during
the day, does the would-be buyer have children & how old they are, what sort
of home & garden the buyer has, etc. |
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Understand that breeding & rearing a litter of puppies with care takes
enormous effort, commitment & expense. Therefore, reputable breeders only
have a few litters a year, which will be carefully planned with health &
temperament as top priorities. They will make every effort to ensure that
puppies are well socialised before they leave for new homes. |
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Reputable breeders do not
engage in a "hard sell" approach when assessing potential
owners. They do not want a sale for the sake of a sale.
Reputable breeders want
suitable homes, homes where the puppy is a much wanted addition
and where they can be sure the puppy will receive as much care
and consideration from the new owner as they have already
lavished on the puppy. |
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Encourage potential puppy buyers to meet the litters’ Mother. If the
Mother seems happy & pleased to meet
visitors, then this is a good indication that puppies from this breeder will
have typical happy & outgoing cocker temperaments. |
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Willingly offer advice on the breed to potential buyers (even if
they do not have a litter) & will honestly discuss the breed's
particular idiosyncrasies i.e. grooming needs, traits, hereditary problems
known to occur occasionally in the breed. They will explain what steps they
as breeders have taken to ensure they avoid breeding puppies with hereditary
problems. |
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Provide puppy buyers with all the necessary paperwork at the time the
puppy is collected. This will include a copy of the pedigree, a diet sheet,
worming certificate & the Kennel Club Registration Certificate. Many will
also provide comprehensive information on grooming, training etc. It is
also common practice to provide free insurance for the puppy for a minimum
period of 6 weeks (depending on the insurance company preferred by the
breeder). |
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Provide back-up help & advice on a long-term basis to their puppy
buyers. They will also make clear that if the owner of one of their puppies
is unable to keep the dog for any reason, then they will take back the dog
& find it a new home where possible. |
It is a big
decision to add a dog/puppy to your household. This decision should not be
taken lightly because once you make that commitment you should make it for
the life of the puppy/dog. There are many breeds to choose from & many
places to purchase your new baby. Please do your research on different
breeds. Some breeds are very laid back, some have very high energy levels &
need lots of exercise, some are known for their intelligence, some for their
protective abilities & some for their friendliness. Not all dogs fit into
everyone's lifestyle.
You want to
plan for your new arrival because you want that new arrival to be with you a
long time. Do not buy on a whim & do not buy a puppy as a gift for
someone. The people who want the dog need to do all their own research to
decide what breed or type they want. You may think this is a great surprise
but just because someone has always loved dogs & talked about getting one,
doesn't mean they truly want the responsibility or have the time to have
one. Let them decide for themselves.
There are
better options to buying a puppy from
a "backyard breeder", pet shop or
puppy farmer.
As knowledgeable and reputable breeders we would highly
recommend you look into these other options.
A 'backyard" breeder is
a person who casually breeds
pedigree dogs with little or no regard to the breed standard, the careful
selection of breeding partners or genetically
linked defects.
Pet shops are supplied by puppy
farmers or "backyard" breeders. Conscientious and
discerning would-be puppy buyers should only purchase puppies/dogs from
reputable breeders. Breeder's who have the health and welfare of the
breed (& their own dogs) as their first priority. Purchasing puppies
from "backyard" breeders, pet shops and puppy farmers just keeps them in
business!
And finally ...
Good breeders will offer
you & your puppy/dog lifetime support. When you set
out to purchase a puppy you may feel that support, help & advice are not
necessary (or perhaps you may feel that you don't need a breeders
"interference"!) & therefore, these areas will not be a priority when
searching for a puppy. However, please don't under estimate the value of
choosing a breeder who will support you. It won't be until you have a
dilemma that you will realise that lifelong support & commitment from your
puppy’s breeder can be invaluable!
Click
here to find out more information
about puppy farmers & the conditions their dogs & pups are kept in.
Please remember that regardless of where you buy your puppy &
regardless of who recommended the breeder, you must satisfy yourself that
YOU are happy with the breeder & the puppy!
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