You should consider a visit to a reputable breeder, should you decide to raise a purebred dog. You can opt to buy pedigree pups at pet shops or kennels, however, a breeder tends to have pups with good lineage and certificates. Finding the right breeder depends on the breed that you select.
Professional breeders do not breed their dogs frequently. Only when a mating pair of dogs is certified as fit and possess good temperaments that guarantee the future offspring to be as healthy will breeders do so. Breeders will also breed their dogs only when a sufficient number of homes have been evaluated and deemed appropriate for the new puppies.
As there are no hard and fast rules on how a standard breeder should behave and operate their business, you should seek advices and talk to as many breeders as you possibly can to make a better informed decision. There are different types of dog breeders out there. Having more information about the breeders will help you to understand and have a better idea of what you are getting. A good breeder will have the dogs checked for diseases and have all relevant information regarding the pair's lineage and health documentation.
Should a breeder find no problem in the history of the pair, you must still confirm the details to be sure. You can ask the breeders for contacts of dog owners who have bought from them in the past, after which you can check with them if their dogs have any problems. This should not be difficult as responsible breeders always maintain a close relationship with their customers. Reputable breeders have certain requirements that you must have before qualifying as a potential dog owner.
These usually come as written contracts with a neuter requirement as a clause. This set a limit to the breeding registration on the specific breed. This is done both for the protection of the breeder as well as acting a control for possible overpopulation.
The person who wants his dogs must have a secured backyard and be prepared to attend certain classes such a puppy kindergarten. This is for you to be familiar with the challenges you will face when you bring the puppy home. This is very important especially for new dog owners. Responsible breeders tend to ask and have more requirements than that if you buy from your local pet store.
They are very careful and would do whatever it takes to make sure that their puppies can find good homes. Breeders who have integrity are different from those who are not. This additional requirements are meant to be obstacles to the ownership of the dog, but to ascertain that owners are fully aware of the responsibilities involved. As expected, such irresponsible breeders would not care less about the well-being of the dogs as they are merely concerned about the bottom line.
One good way to spot a good breeder apart from observing the care given to the pets, is to note the condition of the mother after the birth and the treatment of the puppies. A good way would be to pay a visit to the breeder occasionally to check on the puppies' condition. Another good quality of a responsible breeder is the voluntary assistance provided to the new owners of the puppies.
If the placement of the puppy did not work out as well as hoped with a certain owner, the breeder can require the person to return the puppy and provide it with a better home since the life of the puppy is the responsibility of the breeder throughout the dog's life.
Moses Wright is a dog lover and owner of Dog Obedience Training site. He loves to help dog owners with their dog problems and do so by consolidating his years of dog ownership experience into a free book filled with simple yet powerful dog training tips: Free Dog Problems Book