How can I be sure that this breeder is not a backyard breeder? What are signs to look for?

Question

I am planning on buying an purebread Australian Shephard. I found a number in the newspaper that said "Australian Shephard puppies, Standard or Miniature. I called him up, and he said that he had 60 dogs. Isn't that a bit much? He has about 7 puppies that 7-8 weeks old, and another litter is about 4 monthes old. But he said that he has been breeding for 27 years. He seemed to know a lot about the breed, there background ect. He said he has had Aussies since he was small, and he is about 60 now. Do you think this is a puppy mill or a backyard breeder? What are some signs to look out for. Ps. The puppies that are 7-8 weeks old are 350 $ Can. and the 4 month olds are 250 $ Can. I will definitely not buy them if they are from a puppy mill/backyard breeder, because of the health concers, the cruelness, and it would go against my morals. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

60 dogs! He may as well have a neon sign in his front yard saying back yard breeder and puppy miller lives here.
Don't even waste your gas. Look for another breeder who is very reputable this one is not.

Answer 2

Responsible breeders DO NOT advertise in the newpaper or sell puppies online.
He's got 60 dogs and how many people on staff to properly care for them?? Just himself, I imagine. Being in business for 27 years just means he's been doing it WRONG all that time. Responsible breeders of Australian Shepherds do NOT "Miniaturize" the breed. They breed to conform to the standard
Here are some suggested questions one can use to determine if a breeder is truly responsible:

1. Is she an AKC/Canadian KC registered breeder of good standing and an active member of her breed Parent Club?

2. Are there AKC/Canadian Kennel Club Champions listed on the pedigree, showing that the breeder spends her time & money to prove the quality of her breeding stock through competition?

3. Are all the animals kept in clean, comfortable, healthy, loving circumstances?

4. Did the breeder conduct extensive interviews with you and every member of your family?

5. Have the sire & dam received all available health clearances, (eg. OFA Hip & Eye, Thyroid testing, THESE VARY FOR EACH BREED)

6. Is she willing to honestly discuss any possible genetic defects that may exist in her line?

7. Does she have a Sales Contract?

8. Does the contract contain a clause stipulating that you spay or neuter the puppy before it reaches a certain
age?

9. Does the contract contain a clause stating that if at any time in the puppy's life, you can no longer care for it, it must be returned to the breeder? (This ensures that no animal bred by this breeder will ever end up in a shelter).

10. Will the breeder maintain contact with you for the life of the puppy to answer questions and help in general?

Answer 3

Hi There,

Sixty dogs is quite a few so that might be a concern although in years past, breeders did keep larger kennels than they do today. I am also concerned that younger puppies are more money than the older ones? Why is that? Are the older puppies of lesser quality than the younger ones or is it because the eight week olds are still cute and fuzzy so they are taking advantage of the market?

Please know I am not saying he is a puppy mill. He certainly isn't a BYB from your description. I just think you should keep your head on straight and use your eyes and ears.

If he's a good breeder, he will know his lines and show you the puppy's parents, grandparents and maybe even the great grandparents. He will be proud of his dogs and love talking about them. Check out the kennel and make sure the dogs are clean and well cared for. Ask about shots and worming, see what food he feeds and ask about papers (CKC). I've enclosed a link below on buying and choosing puppies. Hope this info has helped and good luck with your puppy search.

Answer 4

You obviously have some doubts about this breeder/puppy mill or what ever it may be. $350.00 for an Australian Sheppard seems very cheap to me. Do they come with registration papers? You can call the AKC to find out if hes a registered breeder. I would go visit and check out the puppies and the parents to make sure that they are well taken care of and are happy friendly social puppies and that the place is clean. If he gives you a hard time about showing you the parents or If your intuition says no after the visit I would definitely pass. My main concern with that many dogs would be inbreeding.

Answer 5

imho.........A "true" Australian Shepherd breeder will not advertise "miniature aussies".

There is no true breed as a miniature Aussie. There are several people who have gotten Aussies that do not grow to reach the size they should. They think it is "cute" so have bred these dogs together and call them miniature Aussies. The dogs are getting popular and the people either have, or are trying to develop their own registry. ..I believe they wish to call them a North American Shepherd. It is not through the American Kennel Club. The "miniature Aussie" is not recognized as a breed.

The diminutive size of a miniature Aussie does not conform to what the breed should be. Hence, as a "true" breeder of an Australian Shepherd, one would not chose breeding stock that would produce this anomoly.

Yes, even for a breeding kennel, 60 dogs is a LOT! A lot of upkeep, work, expense, and the time factor to properly train and socialize.

What does he do with the dogs? Does he show them in conformation? Obedience? Does he work stock with them? Does he train and sell trained stock dogs? Why is he breeding?

btw...I am not saying a mini Aussie is a bad dog. I see many and many or great little dogs.

I am only answering your question

Answer 6

Backyard breeders and puppy mills do have registered dogs; you don't have to be a registry approved to register a puppy as long as both parents are registered. One red flag I see is the price of the puppies. A good Australian shepard should run at least $500 US, which is considerably more than $350 Can. Please report this guy; he can't possibly offer a superior product if he is all you describe.

Answer 7

Run. Do not walk, RUN RUN RUN from this person.

The kind of breeder you want will take the time to get to know you, will have requirements regarding fencing, spay/neuter, health testing, and puppy training.

They will sell with a written legal contract and a guarantee.

They will be members of the national club for their breed.

They will participate in dog related events, and use mostly titled animals for breeding.

They will do all health testing on their dogs that is recommended, and ideally will release both normal and abnormal results to the official data bases.

They will be well thought of by most others in their breed, will have no issue with giving references, and will refer to other responsible breeders if they have nothing to suit a person's time frame.

They will be involved in some way with Breed Rescue in their breed.

These are some basic guidelines that will apply and be relevant to ANYONE trying to seek out a responsible breeder.

Answer 8

He's a commercial breeder if he has 60 Dogs which is worse than a backyard breeder. Theres no way he can provide the care and socialization. He's a puppy mill.

Answer 9

I would first investigate the breed and see what the health problems are. Find out if this breeder not only screens for those problems, but if he has the certifications, x-rays, etc to prove it. Also, find out what breed clubs he associates with/is a member of. Even if he does not show his dogs, he should be breeding not for a profit, but to improve the dog, the breed.

Check with local Aussie clubs in your area. They should be able to refer you to a reputable/registered breeder.

Also something to consider: Does he work his dogs? Aussies NEED a job. They are smart, active thinkers and will become very bored if not challenged on a daily basis. They were produced/developed to work with animals, herding sheep, cattle, etc. If you do not own a farm/ranch and do not plan on training and competing the dog in some sort of agility, your dog WILL find something to do on it's own.

Also, do be wary of anyone that has multiple litters on the ground at one time. You should also ask how the breeder socializes his puppies..VERY important!

Answer 10

Anyone who advertises in the paper is not a good breeder - usually good breeders don't advertise much and often have high demand for puppies and don't have to resort to newspaper ads. Also, there are breeders that maintain a significant number of dogs, but 60 sounds like an awful lot. It means he doesn't have much time to handle each pup and they are not getting the level of human attention they need. They usually don't have more than one litter going at a time. I'd pass him over.

Answer 11

I think your answer lye's with ones idea of what a back yard breeder is, or a puppy mill. I for one havent figured that one out exactly. I have been to alot of breeders. One was a farm with large penned in areas for all the dogs, and a whelping building. I have been to a confinement kennel that is usda inspected, and the dogs are kept in runs of 4X10 and acces to inside the building, and the whelping is done inside the building. I have been to a hobby breeder where the dogs and pups were inside the home, and the puppies kept in play pens. I have been to a breeders home where the dogs were kept inside the home, and allowed to roam and pee and poop all over, as well as the puppies. ( gross ) conditions. So all in all, what defines a puppy mill or backyard breeder, hmmm? Go there and see the conditions and judge for your self, that is the best way, ask to see record keeping, look at the conditions etc, the puppy and the conditions will tell you what is right. Outside pens 24 7? living in a home 24 7 ?