How do you know if a breeder is reputable?

Question

I am going to get a puppy sometime this year (I am considering a French Bulldog) and I do not know how to tell if a breeder is reputable. I know that you shouldn't go to a pet store and to watch out for puppymills, but what else should I look for? Thank you.

Answer 1

At the very least the parents should be health tested (and certified), and the breeder should not have any problems with you contacting their vet to ask about the health of the parents. Ideally the parents should be AKC champions, and the breeder should not breed many breeds. They should be knowledgeable about the breed, and sell puppies with a health guarantee and restrictions on breeding them.

Answer 2

Talk to local rescue groups that deal with whatever breed you're looking at. Get their opinion on the particular breeder. Google the breeder to see if you can find any complaints or praise. If you actually go to the breeder's place, pay attention to how many dogs they have (too many is bad), what condition the dogs are in (underfed, dirty, scared, frantic--all bad), etc. Ask the breeder for referrals (other people who've bought puppies from them). Find out if the breeder offers a money-back guarantee (in writing) if you find there's something wrong with the dog when you take it to your OWN vet. Check with the better business bureau. Talk to somebody at the AKC if you're thinking of buying a purebred dog. Pay attention to how closely the breeder checks YOU out. A good breeder will want to know what the family situation is (small kids, etc.), whether you have a fenced yard, whether you seem like a responsible person, what other pets you have, etc. A person who sells to just anybody is not a great breeder, so be happy if they seem nosy and intrusive--that's a good sign.

Answer 3

You have mostly good advice here- with two exceptions. While a reputable breeeder will almost always have the mother right there they frequently will NOT have the father. Usually they go for the best stud they can find/afford for their girls, which frequently is NOT one they own (recall many of a breeders dogs are related & the best stud for one female may not be the best for another). Its the backyard breeders & puppy mills that invariably go for the convenent stud they just happen to have.
the second cavet: while the AKC site lists many reputable breeders AKC does not screen their listers so there are many puppy mills there too.

One puppy mill danger signal - multiple breeds and multiple litters most reputable breeders concentrate on on or two breeds and space litters out to concentrate on rasing each litter in they best way they can

But the #1 teller - the reputable breeders will ask you 101 questions - till you think your adopting a baby!
Number 2 the reputible breeder shows or does SOMETHING their dogs...

Answer 4

1) Make sure they do health testing (thyroid, hips, eyes, heart, etc.).
2) The dogs bred should be finished (meaning have been shown, through a reputable agency, if you're in the USA, that's AKC, and gotten their championship), or worked, if they're a working breed.
3) Meet the mother. Make sure she has a great temperment and is very healthy.
4) A reputable breeder won't sell you a pup on the spot. They usually have possible homes lined up for pups who aren't even a sparkle in their mother's eye yet.

Bottom line, even if YOU only want a pet, the breeder should be looking for show quality or working dogs. Every litter, even from the best show dogs, will have pet quality pups. There are enough pets in rescues and shelters that breeding ONLY for pets is just not acceptable.

And on that note, consider rescue instead of buying. Millions of dogs are put down every month because there just aren't enough homes for all of them. It's just NOT true that every shelter dog has temperment issues, and AT LEAST 30% of homeless dogs are purebred. All I'm asking is that you just consider rescuing. If you decide it's not right for you, please PLEASE go the extra mile to find a GREAT breeder that doesn't contribute to the many millions of homeless dogs.

Answer 5

Ask the breeder to show you their credentials with the kennel clubs, AKC, if there are any French Bulldog clubs, check there for a reputable breeder. Check Westminster Kennel Club website, they would also have a list of classifieds for their breeders. If they are breeding quality pups they will also be showing those dogs. Also they should be willing to let you come see the pups, the parents and meet with them to see how they run their breeding. If it is a place with alot of run down buildings or pens, don't stick around.

Answer 6

Go to the AKC (American kennel Club) web site and check for breeders where you live by what type of dog you are looking for. They have strict guidelines to be a registered breeder. Thank you ofr helping keep puppy mills shut down! Good luck finding a furry baby,

Answer 7

I think this sums it up pretty well:

http://newsday.typepad.com/news_local_flaim/2006/11/visions_of_shih.html

"But, in fact, there are four distinct things that characterize reputable breeders - a group that, in the interest of full disclosure, I like to think I am a member of myself. They are:

"Reputable breeders do all the health screenings required by their breed club - and often more. (To find a particular breed club, go to Google .com and type in the name of the breed and the words "breed club." Usually there is just one authoritative entity, though some schism-happy breeds, like Cavalier King Charles spaniels and Australian shepherds, have more than one. Visit both.)

"Reputable breeders require all pet-quality dogs to be spayed and neutered.

"Reputable breeders have contracts that require you to return the dog to them, regardless of age or circumstance, if you no longer want him.

"Reputable breeders give back to their breed community through participation in clubs, shows or performance events.

"Find a breeder who fulfills those four requirements, and you can hardly go wrong."

Answer 8

parents on site,,,if they have papaers,,and how much theyre selling it for
search online 4 bulldog prices and see an ave then see the breeders price

rottwielers were 500 w/ papers
we got another one not sure how much but she turned out not to be full

Answer 9

Dog Breeders - who are they and what do they do? This quick start guide explores the good as well as the bad, and what to look out for when searching for a good dog breeder.

Good dog breeders are usually dedicated enthusiasts of a particular breed, their only aim in producing a litter being to improve and better their breed in terms of temperament, health and conformation. This is achieved by selecting only the best, most suitable male (stud dog) to mate with the most suitable female of that particular breed. However, it’s not as simple as it may sound and all breeders are not equal. Buying a pup from an unethical breeder can end in tears, so please read on to discover more about the often murky world of dog breeders.

Dedication

You will find the best dog breeders have spent years upon years studying their chosen breed (normally after years of owning them!) learning about canine genetics, health and behaviour and, when they are confident they are up to the job, researching everything involved with dog breeding from mating and whelping to rearing litters to finding good homes and supporting the new owners should the need arise. Good dog breeders are normally themselves mentored by other good breeders who are often even more experienced and knowledgeable about the chosen breed.

Unethical Dog Breeders

Those who breed dogs purely for financial gain are frowned upon in the dog world, and not without good reason. Most of the time those trying to make a quick buck out of dog breeding are unethical breeders. Unethical breeders care little for the dogs they breed, and they don’t give a hoot about the problems that they ‘pass on’ to the unsuspecting buyer (which may only manifest themselves later in the dog’s life). Some unethical breeders are also referred to as puppy farmers and backyard breeders. Puppy farmer is normally the label given to those breeders whose sole purpose is to produce (farm) as many puppies as they possibly can without a care in the world for the health - present or future - of the pups or that of their studs and bitches. They rarely test their breeding stock for ailments and disease as recommended by the respective breed clubs – meaning pups may be born with certain diseases or have an increased predisposition to such diseases or other illnesses. If you buy from a puppy farmer, they win, you lose - they are happy with the money they make, but you cry the tears when your poorly-bred pup has to be put to sleep 6 months down the line because of a disease it contracted or was born with due to the puppy farmer not bothering to health test the parents. The best way to stop unethical breeders is to not buy from them – if they stop making money they’ll stop breeding and the chain of misery is broken.

Backyard breeders is the label given to people who know little about dogs (let alone breeding!) and decide to mate their ***** with a convenient stud dog (probably also owned by another unethical dog breeder) in an effort to make a quick buck. They generally use a whole number of excuses to justify the breeding, but these are often just a mask to hide their underlying motive, money. However, what they don’t realize is that a number of complications can lead to them spending more money than they ever imagined or worse, their ***** could die. To read more about why anyone should think twice about breeding (and why their excuses/reasons are weak), read the hard-hitting article called “thinking about breedin? Think about this” (see ‘Where next?’ panel for the link).

Ethical Dog Breeders

Anyway let’s get back to good dog breeders. Ethical breeders, as they are generally referred to, are the complete opposite of the unethical dog breeders we just talked about. Ethical breeders can invest thousands of pounds acquiring the best possible ‘stock’, sometimes even going to the expense of travelling abroad to view that stock on numerous occasions. They will also spend a great deal of money and time in owning, showing and learning as much as humanly possible about their chosen breed as well as studying all aspects of breeding and taking time off work to look after the litter when they are born. It’s not uncommon to find that the good, ethical dog breeders rarely make much money from breeding, because they generally invest all they have (and sometimes lots they don’t!) in the breeding and bettering of the breed they love.

How to find a good Dog Breeder?

So where do you find a good dog breeder? First you should research your chosen breed as much as possible, and pay particular attention to anything which is specific to your breed – especially which illnesses it may be prone to and what health tests are recommended by the breed’s breed club. Having a good background knowledge about your breed will make it easier for you to tell which breeders are devoted experts and which ones are not. Ask lots of questions of any breeder you contact, and don’t be afraid to try to catch them out about health tests etc – the good breeders really won’t mind such questions, in fact they will appreciate the fact that you have gone to the trouble to learn about the breed you are considering bringing into your life.

Take a look at breeder guidelines set out by dog clubs and societies such as the Kennel Club, and Breeders Charters which sites like Dogsey ask any breeders wishing to list with them to adhere to. You could always print them out and ask the breeder the questions over the phone.

Most good dog breeders have a waiting list so be prepared to wait for a pup. Consequently you rarely find these dog breeders ‘advertising’ puppies for sale either in free-ad type papers or other printed publications – generally it is sufficient for them to get ‘listed’ as a breeder with their respective breed club and on an all breeds website (like Dogweb) that has set out a strong and clear code of ethics (Breeders Charter) that those breeders wishing to list their details must agree to adhere to.

Unfortunately there is little legislation to protect you when buying from unethical breeders, so you really do need to spend that extra bit of time before going out and buying a pup – it may help ensure your dog is healthier and happier in the long run, and could save you a lot of money and heartache too.