How to Spot a Good Breeder

I am sure we are all aware of the different levels of quality that exist across the board when it comes to consumer goods. I personally know the difference between a pair of speakers and a good pair of speakers, the difference between pizza and good pizza, and most definitely the difference between dog training and good dog training.

The exact same thinking applies to breeding dogs; yes, it goes way beyond simply breeding two dogs because they are both purebred. When considering getting a puppy from a breeder, here are some of things you will want to look for:

They interview you to see if they want to sell you a dog, a good breeder will not sell a puppy to anyone simply because they have money
After doing a lot of research and planning, they have matched the mother and father up for specific reasons
They keep the pups with their mother and litter mates 8 weeks or longer
They select a puppy for you that will best fit your lifestyle and needs
They start handling and socializing the pups very early
They don’t breed 10 different types of dogs at their facility
They require that you return the dog only to them if the dog ever needs to be re-homed
They don’t constantly have litters available, and don’t have multiple litters at one time
They discuss the potential drawbacks of getting two dogs from the same litter

There is so much to think about when selecting a dog from a breeder, and from a shelter. A responsible breeder doesn’t have to hit every single one of these points on the above list, but many of them should be covered.

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