How To Find A Reputable Dog Breeder

So you’ve finally picked the right dog for your family. (If you still need help finding the right breed for you start here). Now what? Well, now begins the most fun part. Picking your new puppy! If you have decided to rescue your dog then please check out our guide for choosing the right shelter dog here.

So how do you find a dog breeder? Two things that make finding the right breeder difficult are 1) there is no shortage of breeders and 2) there is no standard, regulations, or licensure to breed animals (at least not in the U.S.). This means that all the responsibility of finding a reputable breeder falls on you, the owner. Fear not! We’re here to help. The areas that make for a responsible breeder are health and longevity, socialization and early experiences, and individual temperament.

Health and longevity should be your number one concern when picking a potential breeder for your new puppy. Health is a direct reflection of good vs bad breeding. A well bred puppy will be free of any infectious or genetic diseases, have a sound build and appearance, and a long predicted lifespan. A reputable breeder prides themselves on producing dogs that live longer, happier lives. So how do you tell how healthy a puppy is going to be if you haven’t even met them yet?

Luckily, there are quite a few tricks we can use that will give us a good prediction on how healthy your puppy will be not just in puppyhood but throughout their entire lives. Running a health check from home will filter out a lot of poor breeders before you even contact them. This all starts with mom and dad. Most reputable breeders will have a pedigree for every litter that is born. A pedigree is a record of the puppy’s ancestral descent. Most pedigrees go back between three to five generations. What you are looking for is repeat names. If you see a same name multiple times on a pedigree then your puppy is significantly more at risk for inbreeding and genetic diseases or health concerns. The only caveat to this would be if a pedigree contains more than three generations, and any repeat names are at least three generations apart. If a breeder you are interested in does not have a pedigree public, ask them! The worst they can do is not give it to you, in which case you will likely want to move on anyways.

We can also predict the longevity of your potential puppy by looking at mom and dad… and grandma, grandpa, great grandma, etc. You want to ask your breeder if they currently have any relatives of your puppy and how old they are. If any relatives have passed away, ask how old they lived to be and if they had any major health problems through their lives. When it comes to mom and dad look at their current age. For mom it is not possible to get as good of an idea because females are most apt for motherhood around 2-4 years old. For dad, however, he can be much older. If dad is 9 years old when the litter is born, is still lively, playful and friendly, and has had no major health problems then you can rest assured that your puppy will likely be the same.

Genetic disorders can also be noticed by looking at mom and dad. However, it is far more common for a litter of puppies to be tested for common diseases by a veterinarian. These can include heart disease, thyroid disease, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, and even deafness. When reading a test, some can show result of “incomplete penetrance” which basically just means that though a disease may be present it does not necessarily mean the dog is affected. Sometimes they test the parents and sometimes the individual puppies, but it does not really matter because most tests also screen for carriers of certain disorders. So long as all tests come back negative then everything will be fine.

Socialization is the second most important factor when choosing the right dog breeder. Socialization just refers to the experiences a puppy has in his or her early life. This is important because puppies experience what is called a “critical period of socialization” from 3 weeks old when eyes first open to 12 weeks. This is the time in a puppy’s life during which they are the most open to new experiences. These new experiences are imperative to a well socialized and well behaved dog in adulthood because this critical period is when your puppy is learning what is what is life; what is friend, what is foe, what they should be scared of, what they should be excited for, etc. They are learning how to respond to everything they may come across in life.

Now most puppies go home with their families around 8 weeks old. This means that once you get your puppy, they are already more than halfway through the critical period! That is a lot of time to make up for so it is best to make sure your breeder has done their due diligence. So how do you know if a breeder has done a good job of socializing their puppies? Breeders must socialize a variety of stimuli to their puppies that they will likely encounter again later in life. These include other animals of different sizes and species, other (friendly) dogs of different breeds, a variety of surfaces that a puppy will likely encounter later in life, and most importantly a variety of people of different sizes, shapes, ethnicities, ages, and even personalities. When interviewing a breeder be sure to ask what steps they have taken to ensure good socialization for your puppy. This can look like anything from frequent, safe visits from guests and their dogs to an obstacle course that has a variety of surfaces like wood bridges and seesaws. Of each category, socialization to people is definitely the most important. This is because it is the one thing that all dogs are going to encounter regularly and they must be friendly with to be ideal pets. After all, the world they live in is built specifically for people. A good rule to follow is that puppy has met at least 100 people by the time they are 8 weeks old. Remember, early socialization is just the beginning of having a friendly sociable dog. (Read more on how to raise the perfect puppy)

Individual temperament is our next big consideration when finding a reputable breeder. This category is the most difficult because while some breeders may allow visits before pick-up most do not. Even if they do, geographic restrictions may not allow you the opportunity to get to know your puppy before picking. In this case, simply asking the breeder is likely the best option. However, don’t just ask about your individual puppy. Ask about the parents and grandparents just like we did to vet for health and longevity. Remember, the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, but since your puppy has limited past behavior looking at ancestral temperament is the next best thing.

By the time your puppy is 6 weeks old, his personality should be developed enough to give you and the breeder a good idea of what your puppy will be like in the future. Look for things like playfulness, confidence, how they react to new objects and people, and most importantly energy level. Just make sure that the personality fits into your home, lifestyle, family, and what you are looking to get out of a dog. After all, a border collie is a phenomenal dog but not a good pet for most families.

Red flags. Finally, here is a short list of things to avoid in a potential breeder. If you see any of these, while it does not necessarily mean the breeder is bad it is still best to either inquire about or just move on and not take the risk.

Going home before 8 weeks – 8 weeks old is the age that your puppy is developed enough to go home not just physically but behaviorally as well. Up until this time, puppies are still learning important lessons from mom and siblings without which behavioral issues can arise later.
Selling and pricing based on looks – Some breeders will sell and price puppies based on what they look like. No dog breed has a “rare color” or any other physical trait that makes it more valuable than its siblings. Even if a dog has a less common color, like a chocolate lab, this should not make the dog more valuable. If you have your heart set on a chocolate lab that is fine to have a color preference but it should not be reflected in the price. Health>temperament>aesthetics
Choosing from a picture – It’s not uncommon for breeders that aren’t reputable to sell by posting a picture on their website and allowing people to pick whichever one they like in the picture on a first come, first serve basis. Choosing a puppy is choosing a relationship. This is the equivalent of picking someone to marry solely based on a dating app picture. It is not likely to end favorable.
Not answering questions & refusing reasonable requests – If a breeder refuses to answer any questions or provide you with information you have requested, it is best to cross them off and move on to the next breeder. Often their unwillingness alone tells you everything you need to know.

While finding a reputable dog breeder can appear daunting it is one of the most important aspects of life with your new companion. So pay attention to the health, sociability, and temperament for your new puppy and you will be in good hands. Check out the AKC list for your favorite breeds association or club to start looking for breeders. Take your time, don’t be afraid to be picky, and don’t let distance stand in the way. This is your best friend after all!