Family breeder or Professional breeder, which would you choose?

Question

If you wanted to purchase a certain breed of dog for a companion/pet, which way would you go and why?

Both breeders have AKC registered puppies, which have had vet exam and vaccinations to date. The family breeder is asking $500 and the professional breeder is asking $1500. All the puppies are nice looking dogs.

Answer 1

Okay you have a few things to consider here!!

1. The Professional breeder probably has Champion lines. Which means they have spent alot of time and money in the show ring.

2. How many dogs does this Professional Breeder breed. Do you honestly think a dog from them will be properly socialized??

3. Most family Breeders actually do it because they love the breed, not just for money. And because of this they most likely will not have too many dogs and will have more time to socialize and train your new dog.

4. Alot of Professional Breeders keep their dogs in kennels, and this can cause some bad behavior.


As you can see you need to do your research, If possible visit both places you are considering. And buy a pet from someone you feel comfortable with.

Personally though I am always leery of a kennel raised dog. And would prefer one that was raised as a member of a family!!

Answer 2

If everything is the same and all you want is a pet/companion go for the family breeder. You have no intention on showing or working the dog so why spend big bucks for a pet.
The only thing I will say is whichever breeder you buy from make sure you are a getting a guarantee and not just a year guarantee, one year is like not giving a guarantee at all, but a guarantee that is good for AT LEAST two years. If this is a large breed you want to SEE the OFA certification do not let them tell you their dogs were x-rayed and all was fine because you may end up with a dog with bad hips or elbows and that can end up costing a fortune. If genetic testing has been done that is a really good thing and not just DNA testing because that is required by AKC if the dog has sired more than 7 litters. You also want to see happy friendly pups if they are shy now it WILL be a problem later and the puppies should be clean as well as their surroundings. One other thing the parents should be well tempered if they are aggressive or unfriendly walk away because you will end up with a pup with temperament problems.
Just make sure you consider all avenues and whichever you chose should be fine. If neither offer a guarantee you should go with the one that is less expensive.

Answer 3

I'd buy from a show breeder. I would buy one of the pet quality dogs. I have already bought from a "family breeder' aka backyard breeder, and payed $500 for the dog. And what did I buy, a dog with skin problems, allergies and bad conformation as well as incorrect temperment for the breed. The owner didn't tell me when I bought the puppy that the mother had allergies and I should steer clear of certain foods and medications, I had to discover that myself. She bred 2 inferior dogs together. The father had 1 testicle and the mother has a bunch of allergies. Do I still love my dog and think she's the greatest? Of course I do, I wouldn't trade her from anything, but for the amount of money I have shelled out in caring for her conditions, I could have easily afforded a healthy excellent example of the breed and bought from a show breeder. And the next time I do buy a purebred, it will either be from a reputable show breeder, or from a rescue. I will never buy from a backyard breeder again.

Answer 4

Family breeder, I guess. If it's registered with the AKC, they're doing something right, and when I hear "proffesional" connected with "breeder" I think "puppy-mill" which do tend to charge more because they're in it for the money whereas the family type breeder is just trying to pay off what went into the pups.

Then again, a pro breeder could also be one that actively shows their dogs. If that's the case, and the family doesn't, go for the pro.

If their reps are roughly the same, go for the cheaper one. Either way, you don't want a show dog, so what's it matter if it's not a "perfect" example of the breed?

Answer 5

It would depend on a lot of things such as which one has the puppy that you want. Even though they are the same breed they will usually look just a bit different or have different personalities. Sometimes you can get just as nice a pup from a family breeder as you can from a professional breeder. Also, I am not sure what you mean when you say professional. If you mean they have champion bred dogs and that they show their dogs then chances are you will get a nice healthy pup that they will stand behind as their reputation will be important to them. If you mean they breed dogs for a living, some of those won't be as nice or as healthy because they overbreed their bitches, don't bother with health testing because it would cut into their profit as they are just doing it for dollars and if the pup has health problems its too bad so sad and never their fault according to them.....had to be because of something you did after you got the puppy and so on. Just do your homework. Ask for references from past purchasers and contact them to see what their experience has been with the individuals you are contemplating buying from. Good luck in your quest.

Answer 6

Did the pet breeder spend hundreds of dollars on health tests making sure the parents are not going to pass on health defects? Does the pet breeder know the pedigrees of both parents inside and out, and did the grandparents have required health testing? Did the pet breeder get opinions of judges on the quality of the dog?

If you want a cheap puppy that may vaguely resemble the breed, and may or may not be riddled with genetic health problems, buy from the pet breeder. If you want a puppy that will be a fairly good example of the breed, and will likely be healthy, spend a little more and get one from a show breeder. There is alot more to breeding good dogs than a Vet exam. Certainly, many people are happy with their pet breeder puppy, but there are some big differences between show bred and pet bred.

Answer 7

That depends on what you call professional. Why do you think the pro is a pro? If it is because they have a USDA license or raise dogs for a living than go with the family. If they are show people who are hobby breeders than they are also a family in most cases. The show breeder will have better dogs in most cases.Their dogs will grow up to look like they should, and be screened for genetic health issues etc. But show breeders are most often just regular families that have a hobby of showing and raising dogs.
If they are a large kennel that is licensed and breeds many different breeds they will not have the quality that a show breeder will have but that breeder would probably be considered professional because they make a living at it.

Answer 8

Depends on the breed.

If I wanted a pet quality dog and it was a german shepherd-- I would go to a shelter... there are literally thousands of large dogs who are unwanted. They are personality tested, too. Some of the larger mixed breeds are stunningly beautiful. (I'm especially thinking of some rott mix with golden eyes-- gorgeous dog.)

But if it's a breed that you really can't get in a shelter-- like a Chinese Crested or something....

Then I would go with the family breeder.

As long as they breed healthy and aren't stupid like breeding brother to sister (some backyard breeders actually do that).. then I think the dogs will be better socialized in a home environment. You don't need to pay big bucks for a show quality dog, in my opinion.

I'm not against family breeders--- except for pit bulls and similar dogs because so many die in shelters... in Chicago they put down thousands of dogs in 2006.

But in general, I'm not against family breeder....

I'm against puppy mills!!!!

And family breeders have the potential to raise dogs in a loving environment and that's a good thing!

Answer 9

I would only buy a dog from a breeder as a working prospect (if I want a pet, I adopt one from a local shelter or rescue). The AKC papers don't say anything about the pups' quality. How nice they look is fine and all, but you really want to make sure the temperament and health are top notch. The family breeder, unfortunately, is likely a backyard breeder. If they are a large breed, look for hip and elbow certifications through OFA or PennHip and if small breeds, look for the test for luxating patella. Other good tests are for eye issues like PRA, VWD (a bleeding disease with some breeds), heart health, etc. The parents also should be temperament tested by the ATTS.org or get the AKC's Canine Good Citizen. Remember, you should put as much thought and research on getting a puppy as buying a car. And you usually get what you pay for!

Answer 10

If each and each element is an similar and all you want is a pup/significant different pass for the kin breeder. you have not any purpose on showing or operating the dogs so why spend massive bucks for a pup. the truly element i visit assert is whichever breeder you purchase from make functional you're a getting a assure and not at all in any appreciate in effortless words a year assure, twelve months is like now no longer giving a assure in any appreciate, yet a make sure it really is sturdy for no less than 2 years. even if it really is a wide breed you pick to exercising consultation the OFA certification do now no longer enable them tutor you ways to understand their dogs were x-rayed and all grow to be intense-high quality because you should finally finally end up with a dogs with undesirable hips or elbows and which could finally finally end up costing a fortune. If genetic finding out has been finished it really is an particularly sturdy element and not at all in any appreciate in effortless words DNA finding out for this reason of the easy shown truth it really is critical by skill of AKC if the dogs has sired extra appropriate than 7 litters. you also commit to exercising consultation satisfied pleasant kin canines interior the adventure that they are shy now it will be an subject later and the kin canines must be sparkling as well as their ecosystem. yet another element the mother and pa must be correct tempered interior the adventure that they are aggressive or unfriendly walk away because you'll finally finally end up with a pup with temperament issues. in effortless words make functional you concentration on all avenues and whichever you chosen must be intense-high quality. If neither grant a assure you should pass with the only it really is a lot a lot less extreme priced.