How to know if breeder is reputable?

[Anonymous]

Looking at getting a puppy from an out-of-state breeder found on the internet. What questions should I ask to make sure it is a reputable breeder and not a puppy mill?

[Anonymous]

Can you meet the parents? Are the parents given the recommended health testing for the breed (eyes, hips, elbows, etc.)? How many litters do they have at a time? Do they show/title their dogs?

If you post the website here you can get feedback.

[Anonymous]

Health testing appropriate for the breed, listed in major databases (not just a certificate that some lovely people are forging these days)

A line item in the contract that they will take the dog back for any reason at any time. A reputable breeder’s dogs don’t end up in shelters.

Puppies are raised using some sort of puppy protocol—early neurological stimulation, puppy culture, etc. you want them exposed to everything before you bring them home! The worst issues are puppies that have never left their playpen since they were born.

Parents proven in some relevant way. My breed is border collies, I wanted to see sport titles to prove drive and bidability of the parents (those were important traits to me). You may care about therapy certifications, service dog skills, obedience titles, the parents can work for junior handlers if you have kids, etc. What skills/temperament in the parents would give you confidence you’re going to get the dog you want?

A justification for why dog A was a good match for dog B. “Her structure balances his.” “His drive is a good complement to her focus”. Not just that they had two dogs who were 2-5 years old so they bred them.

One litter at a time. Female dogs never bred more than 3 times, never before the age of 2.

References to other puppy buyers who can speak to how their dogs grew up. Even better if they’ll be half siblings or repeat breedings of your puppy’s parentage.

[Anonymous]

The big one is can you go and meet both parents. If you can’t that’s a huge red flag that one of the parents is not treated well and just used for breeding. Lots of people on here ignore this but it’s the most important thing.

[Anonymous]

There is good advice here already.

While it’s not a hard and fast rule, I find that most reputable breeders are found through recommendations. They don’t need websites to sell their dogs. As antiquated as it may seem, I find that a lot of respected and reputable breeders are co-mingled on Facebook…especially through show-dog channels.

I’m FB friends with both of my breeders. They breed and show different dogs, but they know each other.

Note: Neither has a fancy website.

[NP]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The big one is can you go and meet both parents. If you can’t that’s a huge red flag that one of the parents is not treated well and just used for breeding. Lots of people on here ignore this but it’s the most important thing.

I don’t think it is a huge red flag if you can’t meet the sire, provided you could go to shows if you want and watch the sire compete for titles. Highly reputable breeders these days often use artificial insemination from dogs across the country. It’s just not a red flag or remotely practical to meet the sire in many circumstances.

But you definitely must be able to meet the mother and not just that, you need to be able to see where the mother and puppies will spend their first weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is good advice here already.

While it’s not a hard and fast rule, I find that most reputable breeders are found through recommendations. They don’t need websites to sell their dogs. As antiquated as it may seem, I find that a lot of respected and reputable breeders are co-mingled on Facebook…especially through show-dog channels.

I’m FB friends with both of my breeders. They breed and show different dogs, but they know each other.

Note: Neither has a fancy website.

[NP]

I agree with this. The best breeders I know don’t advertise online at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The big one is can you go and meet both parents. If you can’t that’s a huge red flag that one of the parents is not treated well and just used for breeding. Lots of people on here ignore this but it’s the most important thing.

I don’t think it is a huge red flag if you can’t meet the sire, provided you could go to shows if you want and watch the sire compete for titles. Highly reputable breeders these days often use artificial insemination from dogs across the country. It’s just not a red flag or remotely practical to meet the sire in many circumstances.

But you definitely must be able to meet the mother and not just that, you need to be able to see where the mother and puppies will spend their first weeks.

I disagree, the male may be literally living in a backyard tied up to a post and just used for mating. I’m on a lab rescue page and they literally have a couple males for adoption that are 7-8 years old and we’re kept outside tied up their whole lives and just used for breeding. A breeder can say they use artificial insemination from a show dog but that doesn’t mean it’s true.

[Anonymous]

Thirding a fancy website almost being a negative sign.

OP, check out the Facebook group “fact or fiction: uncensored opinions of breeders”. You can post the link to where you’re looking and people can share if there are red flags, or you can say, “I’m looking for a good breeder of _______, intention is for a (family pet, sport dog, service prospect, etc) ideally located in the mid Atlantic area” or whatever and see what people recommend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The big one is can you go and meet both parents. If you can’t that’s a huge red flag that one of the parents is not treated well and just used for breeding. Lots of people on here ignore this but it’s the most important thing.

I don’t think it is a huge red flag if you can’t meet the sire, provided you could go to shows if you want and watch the sire compete for titles. Highly reputable breeders these days often use artificial insemination from dogs across the country. It’s just not a red flag or remotely practical to meet the sire in many circumstances.

But you definitely must be able to meet the mother and not just that, you need to be able to see where the mother and puppies will spend their first weeks.

I disagree, the male may be literally living in a backyard tied up to a post and just used for mating. I’m on a lab rescue page and they literally have a couple males for adoption that are 7-8 years old and we’re kept outside tied up their whole lives and just used for breeding. A breeder can say they use artificial insemination from a show dog but that doesn’t mean it’s true.

Okay sure, but at some point the owner of The sire of the litter should be available for contact and confirmation, whether on site or overseas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is good advice here already.

While it’s not a hard and fast rule, I find that most reputable breeders are found through recommendations. They don’t need websites to sell their dogs. As antiquated as it may seem, I find that a lot of respected and reputable breeders are co-mingled on Facebook…especially through show-dog channels.

I’m FB friends with both of my breeders. They breed and show different dogs, but they know each other.

Note: Neither has a fancy website.

[NP]

Agree with this. They are connected web & pop up in various conversations. Then track or research their personal postings for a better idea of who they really are. You can definitely get a sense of who's making their car payments with new puppies and who are, forgive me, the idealists working for betterment of the breed.

[Anonymous]

* a connected web

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The big one is can you go and meet both parents. If you can’t that’s a huge red flag that one of the parents is not treated well and just used for breeding. Lots of people on here ignore this but it’s the most important thing.

I don’t think it is a huge red flag if you can’t meet the sire, provided you could go to shows if you want and watch the sire compete for titles. Highly reputable breeders these days often use artificial insemination from dogs across the country. It’s just not a red flag or remotely practical to meet the sire in many circumstances.

But you definitely must be able to meet the mother and not just that, you need to be able to see where the mother and puppies will spend their first weeks.

I disagree, the male may be literally living in a backyard tied up to a post and just used for mating. I’m on a lab rescue page and they literally have a couple males for adoption that are 7-8 years old and we’re kept outside tied up their whole lives and just used for breeding. A breeder can say they use artificial insemination from a show dog but that doesn’t mean it’s true.

Well, if you believe your breeder is claiming to use artificial insemination but is actually using a dog tied to a stake, you have bigger problems.

Artificial insemination is how the majority of high-end breeding is done now. There are contracts to show proof, and you should see the sires in competitions, or if you are really paranoid, fly to meet them.

I actually would not think as highly of a breeder that only considered local dogs for stud. All reputable breeder should be looking at artificial insemination.