Tips You Need To Know When Searching For An Honest Breeder

Once you have located several breeders who produce the breed you desire, we recommend that you visit all of them before deciding on a puppy. Compare their facilities, and beware of the hard sell. Do not be pressured into buying a puppy because the breeder says there are three other prospective buyers on their way over. Also, do not buy a puppy simply because the breeder isn't planning to produce another litter any time soon.

Pay attention to first impressions. Which of the breeders is open, informative, and friendly? Which are closed-mouthed and cautious? A good breeder will be honest and will want to place the puppy in the best home possible. Breeders should also want to know about you. Are you responsible enough to own a dog? Do you have a house with a fenced yard, or do you live in a studio apartment? Do you own other pets? A good breeder will want to ensure the welfare of his or her dog, for the animal's sake and for the future success of the breed.

Observe the general appearance of the facility. Is it clean and well maintained? Do the animals appear to be healthy? Is the breeder's home neat and orderly or messy and chaotic? You wouldn't buy groceries in a filthy store infested with vermin, so why tolerate these conditions when shopping for a dog?

Check the area where the puppies are housed. It should be clean, warm, and comfortable. Water, bedding, and perhaps a few chew toys should be available. If this area is littered with excrement, the puppies may have become used to these conditions and may not understand that the sleeping area is not also a place to eliminate. Housebreaking these puppies could be difficult.

The friendliest dogs are usually those that have been handled by humans from the time they were only a few days old. Successful breeders understand this and will have regular handling sessions with the puppies every day. Many bring the puppies into their home each day to acclimate them to this environment. Avoid those breeders who keep their puppies isolated from people.

No breeder should allow a puppy to leave the litter before it is seven weeks of age. Proper socialization within the litter is ensured during this important period. Puppies that leave too soon often become dog-aggressive and antisocial. Breeders who are willing to let their puppies go too early are not doing their job properly. Avoid them.

Proper record-keeping is an essential part of the breeding process. Breeders should have the pedigrees of all of their available dogs and should provide you with the accurate date of birth as well as all vaccination records. The breeder must also give you a blue AKC registration application for your puppy. You will fill this out and mail it to the American Kennel Club; the AKC will then send you your puppy's registration certificate. A sales contract should be provided as well. Read this document carefully; some contracts specify co-ownership between you and the breeder, and some require you to alter the pet within a certain period.