Purebred Puppy: How to Find One

For many people, owning a dog is a pleasurable experience. True dog lovers are familiar with both the benefits and drawbacks of owning a dog and they love their pooches unconditionally, much in the same way a parent loves a child. Although most dog lovers simply enjoy the companionship of their dogs, proud owners will be the first to tell you about the many fringe benefits that come with dog ownership.

If the objective is to find the healthiest puppy possible and by default one bred by a hobby breeder, then you must be willing to jump through a few hoops.

Benefits of Owning a Dog

Dogs are instinctively great security agents. Even small dogs alert their owners to perceived dangers like fire or unwelcome intruders; whereas, larger dogs, in addition to warning of potential threats, can be trained to provide protection on command. Police dogs assist in enforcing security; they are able to smell everything from explosives to drugs and are vital components in many search and rescue operations. Sheep herders use dogs to protect and move flocks. Children, when taught to care correctly for pets and properly supervised, willingly learn lessons of responsibility. Dogs provide many health-related benefits as well. Older people who tend to neglect their own need for exercise will happily walk their dogs. Younger owners frequently enjoy the company of their dogs when jogging, biking or walking. There is a wealth of research on the medical and emotional benefits reaped by both adults and children as a result of visits by therapy dogs and of course, nearly everyone knows of the contributions dogs make to the lives of handicapped individuals. Finally, dogs bring joy and companionship to many owners just by being themselves. Nobody misses you, depends on you or thinks you are simply wonderful without reservation like a dog.

Expenses Involved in Owning a Dog

Before you purchase a dog, however, it pays to know not only the benefits but the liabilities of dog ownership. Owning a dog can be an expensive proposition. Prospective owners need to consider the cost of feeding, grooming and training. Then there are medical care expenses: vaccinations; heartworm tests and preventive therapy; spaying or neutering; medication to prevent fleas, ticks, and other insect bites; annual check-ups; possible worming or treatment for common infections like gastroenteritis. Dogs need leashes, beds, food and water bowls, harnesses and collars. Some cities and towns require-and charge a fee for-the annual registration of resident dogs.

Fortunately, with careful forethought and a little education on breed types, prospective owners can influence some of these anticipated expenses by selecting a breed that fits their needs. For example, a St. Bernard is more expensive to feed than a Yorkshire terrier and a Poodle is more difficult to groom than a miniature Whippet. Many prospective owners think they are willing to groom their own dogs, until it comes to cutting toenails and cleaning ears or they discover they don’t have the time it takes to do a thorough job. For owners who prefer not to groom their own dogs, paying a professional groomer every 4-6 weeks can become an expensive proposition. Training is another issue for prospective owners to consider. An uncooperative Rottweiler is more difficult for an owner to control and tolerate than an untrained Chihuahua. How willing are you to hire a professional trainer or go to obedience school with your dog should assistance in training be required?

There are other dog expenses that come into play depending on the lifestyles of owners. If you work all day, will you need a dog walker or sitter? Will you need doggy daycare?

What will you do with the dog when you travel? Boarding fees are not inexpensive.

As pointed out, most of the common expenses of dog ownership can be anticipated in advance depending on the breed selected, the prospective owner’s life style and the degree to which the owner is willing to groom, train and exercise the dog himself. But every dog owner will admit to being on the receiving end of some unexpected expenses such as having to replace a pair of shoes chewed by a teething dog or the cost of cleaning a pair of pants soiled by an over-eager greeter. However, these wear and tear expenses are usually not sufficient to break the bank.

The point at which dog ownership can become financially burdensome though is when illness strikes your pet. Trips to the veterinarian can be kept to the minimum if you select a healthy puppy in the first place. But how can prospective owners be expected to know what constitutes a healthy puppy?

Considerations in Selecting a Breeder

There are two primary kinds of breeders: hobby breeders and commercial breeders. Hobby breeders breed for the love of their breed preference, choosing to produce offspring only as necessary to improve particular breed qualities according to a carefully thought out breeding program. Commercial breeders are motivated by their bottom line: money to be made from the sale of puppies to retail stores and in some cases, even directly to the public. Commercial breeders can run the gamut from acceptable and responsible to deplorable in their breeding choices. Here is where the astute puppy buyer needs to select carefully. Commercial breeders have no stake in improving a particular breed; therefore, they may be lax in screening breeding stock for genetic disorders and other diseases to which certain breed types are prone. This lack of concern may translate into the purchase of a puppy that brings with it a plethora of medical bills and the emotional problem of having a sick puppy.

Your bottom line as a prospective dog owner is to secure a puppy that is as healthy as possible. Clearly a hobby breeder is the most likely of the two primary breeder types to offer a puppy with the cleanest bill of health.

How to Find a Responsible Breeder

If the objective is to find the healthiest puppy possible and by default one bred by a hobby breeder, then you must be willing to jump through a few hoops. Do your homework: Investigate the characteristics of the breed in which you are interested. Look for information on size, exercise requirements, general temperament, genetic diseases that may run with the breed, grooming requirements and so forth. Determine if this breed will fit your lifestyle. After you have decided on a particular breed, you are ready to begin looking for a responsible breeder. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

• The best way to start is by contacting a breed registry. A breed registry is basically a stud (pedigree) book, an official list of the lineage of a particular breed. The American Kennel Club (AKC) maintains a multi-breed registry, one for each breed, www.AKC.com. Search for the national breed club and request a list of breeders. There are other breed-specific registries besides those offered by the AKC, but if you are unfamiliar with the source, be diligent in investigating their legitimacy.
• Local breed clubs are invaluable resources and they can assist you with locating a responsible breeder as well. Search for one on the AKC website.
• Look online for breed discussion groups. Join in, read postings, ask questions.
• If you see someone with a dog of the kind you are interested in, talk to them. Ask them where they purchased their dog. Ask if they know other owners who have the same breed. Offer your contact information should the owner have a resource for you.
• Go to dog shows and other dog events. You can search for these events online under the breed you have selected. Seek out owners and trainers and ask them for the names of reputable breeders. Usually these dog lovers are more than happy to talk about their breed.
• Call veterinary offices in your area.
• Go where people with dogs gather—parks, events, animal supply stores, grooming and training facilities—talk to other owners.
• If you do not have your heart set on a puppy, look for an organization that rescues the breed you prefer or search for one in a shelter. Rescue and shelter dogs are not all problem dogs as is so often thought; rather, they were just unlucky enough to have problem owners.

In your search for a responsible breeder, don’t be lulled by fancy advertising in newspapers, on the Internet and in magazines. A great ad does not necessarily translate into a responsible breeder. Because hobby breeders only breed once a year or so, they rarely need to advertise; litters are often spoken for well in advance.

Questions to Ask a Breeder You may have difficulty evaluating the quality of a particular breeder when you finally succeed in locating one, especially if you are new to the experience of owning a purebred puppy. The list below will assist you in eliciting pertinent information from which you can draw your own conclusions. Remember in making your assessment that breeders are people too and few are perfect. Use these questions as a framework to evaluate the breeder based on what you feel is important. For example, if you are looking for a socialized companion puppy, look for a breeder who shares his/her home with the puppy. An armload of trophies and awards does not mean that a breeder cares one whit about socializing puppies before they are sold. DogPlay.com offers a great list of questions to help you gather the information you need. The answer to each question below should be “yes.” If you want more information as to why a particular question is important, visit www.dogplay.com

• Were the puppies born on the premises?
• Does the breeder refuse to place puppies before they are seven weeks old?
• Does the breeder seem pleased that you are asking questions?
• Does the breeder ask you lots of questions about your lifestyle, family make-up, experience with dogs and other pets, reason for wanting a dog?
• Does the breeder ask if you plan to breed?
• Will the breeder be available to offer advice and support for as long as you have the dog?
• Does the breeder alert you to issues particular to the breed?
• Is the breeder a member of a breed club? (An organization that shares information on the breed)
• Are the puppy’s parents (sire and dam) at least two years old?
• Did both parents undergo genetic testing before being bred?
• Have the immediate relatives of the puppy’s parents been tested for health issues and if so, does the breeder have a record of the results?
• Does the breeder voluntarily share the results of all health tests and offer proof?
• Does the breeder offer a guarantee with respect to genetic health problems, explaining to you in the process that a guarantee is not a promise that the puppy will be problem free, but a promise of what will happen if the puppy does manifest a problem.
• Do you understand your options should the puppy manifest a genetic health problem?
• Is the guarantee at least two years long?
• Does the guarantee allow you to keep the dog?
• Does the guarantee allow you to choose at least a partial refund instead of another dog?
• Is the mother dog (dam) a family pet that lives in the house with the family?
• Have the puppies been introduced to children or to other animals?
• Will breeder take back the puppy you buy (no matter how old) if you can’t keep it?
• Does the breeder believe it is important to keep in contact with buyers to follow up on the dog as it matures in order to verify the level of success in producing a healthy dog of correct temperament?
• Does the breeder consider himself or herself a dedicated hobbyist to the breed?
• If the breeder advertises, is the focus on important qualities like health and temperament?

Red Flags

In the course of your discussion with the breeder and your assessment of him/her, there are particular issues that should send up a red flag if the answer is yes instead of no. Dogplay.com offers these questions to use as a guide:

• Does the breeder indicate that the puppies will be arriving from somewhere other than his/her present location?
• Will the breeder agree to sell a puppy less than 7 weeks old?
• Does the breeder seem reluctant to answer your questions or is he/she defensive?
• Does the breeder charge different prices for different dogs?
• Does the breeder claim that his or her lines are entirely free of genetic health problems?
• Do you feel as if the breeder is attempting to persuade you to purchase a puppy?
• Does the breeder run promotions or offer special incentives to encourage a sale?
• Does the breeder have more than two breeds available?
• Does the breeder seem more like a business man or woman than a dedicated breed lover?
• Does the breeder seem knowledgeable with respect to the details of the breed?
• Does the breeder charge different prices depending upon the sex of the puppy?
• Does the guarantee require the dog be euthanized in the event of a health problem?
• Does the health guarantee require that you return the puppy?
• Is the guarantee limited to a replacement puppy from the same breeder?

The decision to own a dog is not to be taken lightly. Dogs are not disposable items. They are living, breathing animals with feelings. They are also entirely dependent on their owners for their very existence. Before purchasing a dog to enrich your life, be absolutely certain that you are willing to commit to loving, nurturing and caring for your pet for its full life time. Anything less is insufficient.

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