Last Updated on September 4, 2018

One of the most important steps in choosing your new dog is finding a respectable breeder you can trust. It’s impossible for you to determine accurately how a puppy will grow to be when he reaches adulthood. Therefore you have to put your trust in the person from whom you’re buying a dog.

If you haven’t yet I suggest you first read what to consider before buying a dog. Otherwise what good will choosing a breeder do if you don’t know which breed you want? And how can you know which breed is right for you if you don’t figure out your lifestyle first?

Whichever breeder you go with keep in mind he has (should have) much more experience raising and breeding dogs, especially of the breed you’re looking for. There are also many bogus, so-called “respectful breeders” and here’s how to identify them. There are, generally, three options for you to choose this person:

Option 1: Pet shops and pet dealers

This is the worst possible choice. By now it should be obvious to you that there is a lot of work involved in breeding high-level dogs. Pet shops think that puppies are merchandise to be sold for profit. This is not the kind of family member you’re looking for.

Pet shops are profitable business because many people don’t research properly beforehand and get excited when they see a cute puppy. Don’t make this mistake. All puppies are cute, but behind this misleading appearance many are sickly and most have serious temperament issues and are much more likely to develop health problems.

Option 2: Backyard breeder

Another unfortunate choice. This guy has a purebred dog and thinks it’s a fun and profitable idea to have puppies. They justify it in various ways – a great experience for the kids, a good way to make money, she should be bred once before she’s spayed – and so on.

This breeder usually knows little to nothing about the breed standard and a little less about how to properly raise a litter. He is unaware or doesn’t care about potential problems. His goal is to produce some puppies and quickly sell them once he’s bored.

Option 3: Respectable breeder

Here is where the wheat gets separated from the chaff. This person is in it for the enjoyment of each individual dog. He wants to produce the finest possible. What’s more is that the puppy is not likely to cost more than it would in a pet shop, but the quality is infinitely superior.

Here is a list of what every respectable breeder should have before you to consider purchasing a puppy from him. Don’t hold yourself back, confront him on all these requirements and expect him to respond quickly and with pride.

1. First of all, he should belong to a local or national breed club (For Pugs a Pug club, etc) or an all-breed club. This requirement makes sense because it indicates serious involvement, you can’t be part of such clubs unless you run a tight ship. It’s even better if he’s in all three.

2. Ask if he’s involved in showing his dogs in different programs (such as agility trials and so on). This provides him with feedback on how good his dogs really are and gives you a bonus reference to the quality of his puppies.

3. He should run a clean environment with healthy, well-socialized puppies. Make sure you notice any inadequacy such as running eyes, rashes, signs of neglect and so on. If you see any of those looks for another breeder.

4. You should be able to provide you with a health record for every puppy, give you feeding instructions and at the least a three generation pedigree. He should also provide some form of a letter that lets you register your dog with the national club.

Apart from those a good breeder is interested in where his dogs go. Expect him to ask you if you had dogs in the past, what happened to them, if you have a fenced yard, how often you’ll be home. Remember that you want him to give you the best possible dog for you, but he wants to give the dog the best possible home as well.

Also, there needs to be some sort of written contract with sale conditions. You should also get a warranty for hereditary problems. Finally, most breeders will ask that the dog is returned to them should you, for any reason, be unable to continue keeping the dog. And don’t be afraid to ask them for advice. Once you’ve found your trusty breeder it’s time to choose your puppy.