I’m often asked about breeders and people wanting puppies and truth be told I don’t know any breeders. I only know the ones you guys mention in your Meetup Member of the Month posts. While in a perfect world everyone would chose to rescue I do realize that it’s not for everyone. So here’s some tips for finding a responsible breeder.
home is where the heart is
A responsible breeder will allow you to visit their house and shows you all areas where puppies and breeding dogs spend their time. The areas are clean, spacious, and well-maintained. Meeting your puppy will let you see first hand that he/she does not have any existing health or behavior problems and that he/she is being raised in a caring environment.
MEET THE PARENTS
Responsible breeders want you to spend time with the puppy’s parents when you visit. The parents are a glimpse into the kind of the dog your pup will become. Everyone should be healthy and friendly.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GENETICS
A good breeder will know about potential genetic and developmental problems native to the breed and provides documentation that the puppy’s parents and grandparents have been evaluated in an effort to breed those problems out. (This should include genetic testing for diseases where a valid testing protocol is available).
CHECK THEIR REFERENCES
Provides references from other families who have previously purchased one of their puppies. Has healthy, long-lived adult dogs and contact info for previous buyers. The health and lifespan of a breeder's dogs are a sneak peek into the pups' futures. Find out as much as you can about them. Speak to people who own adult dogs bought from your breeder. Have there been any recurring medical problems like chronic ear infections? Do any of them have high-maintenance health issues like food allergies? Epilepsy? How long do the dogs generally live for?
TALK TO THE BREEDERS AT DOG SHOWS
Good breeders are often actively involved with local, state, and national clubs that specialize in the specific breed; responsible breeders may also compete with the dogs in conformation events, obedience trials, tracking and agility trials, or other performance events. They love to show off their dogs and will often have pictures of the dogs in competition on their websites.
SELLS TO PEOPLE THEY KNOW
Sells puppies only to people he/she has met in person or even in a detailed phone conversation, not to pet stores or to unknown buyers over the Internet. Reputable breeders don't sell their puppies to strangers! They want to get to know you. They'll ask you about your family, if you rent or own your home, who will be caring for the pup, etc. etc. Watch out for those who don't ask for much more than your credit card number.
PROVIDES A HEALTH GUARANTEE
Provides you with a written contract and health guarantee and allows plenty of time for you to read it thoroughly. Has a veterinarian individually examine and vaccinate each puppy and has verifiable proof of this. Proof of veterinary care is NOT a vaccination schedule with dates written on it by the seller. This is a common way sellers will deceive puppy buyers. True proof is paperwork from a licensed veterinarian. All puppies should have been vaccinated and examined by a licensed vet and you should be provided with paperwork that details the results of the exams.
what kinds of health testing
A lot of breeders will say that they provide health testing but don’t mention what specific tests they perform or sometimes they’ll say that they did health testing through Embark. Unfortunately those are big red flags. The kinds of testing you want to ask your breeder if they do are, Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) which measures the electrical activity as the brain receives the auditory stimulus of sound, Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER) which screens dogs for inherited eye problems . Breeders will also test for Juvenile Hereditary Cataracts and check the patellas since Bostons are prone to Luxating Patella.
COLORS
A reputable breeder breeds for the betterment of the breed and to breed standard. According to the AKC website the breed standard colors are Black & White, Black Brindle & White, Brindle & White, Seal & White, Seal Brindle & White. Anyone saying we breed all colors or off colors or even non-standard colors doesn’t actually care about preserving the breed standard. They only care about money. Anyone selling any sort of merle dog is not a reputable breeder so please stay far away from that.
It’s a Waiting Game
Reputable breeders often have waiting lists so anyone who has puppies available right away is very suspect. IF you’ really want to get a well bred puppy then we suggest getting on a few waiting lists. It takes time to find the right fit for your family so don’t rush it. You’ll get there eventually.
STILL UNSURE?
Come to a Meetup and talk with our members about their experiences. They’re happy to talk to you about their breeders and what to look for.