Responsible Breeders

I've had people ask me from time to time how to find a breeder, and while I always try to encourage people to check out rescue first, I do understand that there are a select few times when buying from a breeder is necessary. For example, my husband has lots of friends who hunt, and I certainly wouldn't expect any of them to go to a shelter when they're ready to raise and train a new hunting dog. Working dogs generally do need to come from good working stock. However, for most everyone else, I believe rescue should definitely be the first option.

Regardless, if someone was choosing to buy rather than rescue, my hope would be that they would at least find a responsible breeder. Their question to me would hopefully be "how can I find a responsible breeder" and not just "how can I find a breeder." There is a HUGE difference, and if people don't take the time to find out the differences they will most certainly be supporting a breeder who is making the dog overpopulation problem in our country worse.

There are so many places on the Internet where you can find guidelines about responsible breeding. One of the most comprehensive pages I found was here, at Dogplay.com. The guidelines are pretty exhaustive and extensive, so I'll summarize a little and list just a handful that I think are incredibly important:

1. A responsible breeder makes sure that they have homes for their puppies before the puppies have actually been conceived. Only when there is enough interest do they breed another litter.

2. A responsible breeder interviews the future owners of their puppy to make sure they are a good match for the breed. Puppies do not usually make good gifts.

3. A responsible breeder takes back or helps place any puppy from one of their litters, at any stage in the dog's life. They would never allow one of their own dogs end up in a shelter.

4. A responsible breeder knows the health history of both the parents of the litter they are breeding, as well has the history of their parents. They do not pass along health or genetic problems.

5. A responsible breeder only breeds dogs who meet the breed standard and have excelled at some type of activity, such as agility, obedience, hunting, tracking, etc. Their goal is to make the breed better by only breeding the smartest and most talented dogs.

6. A responsible breeder will have no more than one litter at a time at their home or facility. Multiple litters cannot be well socialized by just one person.

7. A responsible breeder does not sell a puppy without making the new owners sign a contract. They go over the most important provisions, such as spaying/neutering their dog, relinquishing their dog, etc.

I am always amazed at the number of "backyard breeders" who don't take ANY of these things into consideration before purposefully breeding their "purebred" lab to their neighbors. People often only consider that puppies are an easy way to make money or a cute thing for their kids to play with. They breed without feeling any sense of responsibility for the life they've created, and then years or even months later those dogs end up landing at a shelter. Where in the world are the breeders of those 25% of shelter dogs who are purebred???

There are so many other wonderful resources on the Internet about responsible breeding. There are great articles from veterinarians, great lists of questions to ask a breeder, and good articles from responsible breeders. Make sure you do the research before buying a puppy from a breeder!!

For the Love of the Breed

I've said before that finding the puppy you want through a rescue is possible, even if it's a purebred or designer dog you're wanting. Here's a wonderful story to prove my point.

A few years ago, a friend of mine called wanting input on how to find a good breeder. She had done lots of research on dog breeds and had decided that she wanted a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy. While I'm certainly not an expert in the area of purchasing purebreds, I tried to share with her what I know about responsible breeders and some ways she might get in touch with one. However, since I generally don't encourage people to buy purebreds in the first place, I also made sure to remind her about how she could search for specific breeds on Petfinder. Although I knew the shelter where I volunteer wouldn't have what she wanted, I thought there was a chance that another Spaniel-ish puppy on Petfinder might catch her eye.

To make a long story short(er), my friend e-mailed me a few weeks later to share some exciting news: not only had she and her husband found their Cavalier puppy, but they'd found it through Petfinder at a rescue just a few miles away in Independence, Missouri! I couldn't have been more excited! They found this adorable little puppy, which was exactly what they wanted, and they saved a life as well!

Many people don't understand that even adopting a very adoptable dog from a no-kill shelter or rescue saves a life. While that puppy might not be in danger of euthanasia, when he or she is adopted, space is created at that shelter or rescue for a new dog--one who might very well have been in danger of being put down. When compared to purchasing from a breeder, adopting from a shelter saves lives!

My friend just couldn't love her Cavalier more, and she certainly wouldn't have loved her more had she come from a breeder! Once she fell in love with Lucy, she fell in love with the breed as well, and just recently she started fostering a homeless Cavalier for Cavalier Rescue USA! I was so thrilled that her love of one little rescued puppy grew into the love of a breed and an overall concern for that breed's welfare!