Traits of responsible breeders
Humans have selectively bred dogs for centuries to emphasize all kinds of traits and to fill all kinds of roles: small, cuddly companions and lap-warmers ​for noble
ladies, hunting dogs for all kinds of game, herding dogs for all manner of flocks in
all kinds of terrain, guard dogs, search and
rescue dogs, sled dogs, and so on.
The point of dog breeding in modern
times is that there is a breed for
everyone’s tastes and lifestyle.
The trick is in making the correct match. If you are a sedentary apartment-dweller in
a large metropolitan area, don’t fall in love with a large, high-energy breed requiring a lot of exercise and room to roam!
Reputable breeders, breed dogs because they admire the breed and want
to contribute to its betterment. They consider the puppies they produce
to be their responsibility for the life of that puppy and they follow-up frequently to see what's how the puppies/dogs are doing.
Keep your eyes open when you're visiting breeders
Here's a check-list of what to look for in a good breeder.
The dogs live inside.
​Cavaliers should ONLY LIVE INSIDE with the family,
and NEVER in a backyard, basement, or garage.
The dogs and puppies are relaxed around people.
If the parent dogs and puppies seem
comfortable with humans, that's a good
sign that they've been properly cared
for and socialized.
The place is relatively clean.
Don't worry about the dirty dishes in the sink--just make sure the dogs' living area is safe, sanitary,
and that they're supplied with fresh water, beds, and toys. Is there a toilet area in the puppy's living
quarters, or is it all one big toilet? If it's the former, the puppies have a head start on housetraining.
A breeder who has presentable premises, whose dogs are friendly or relatively so, who is proud of their
dogs and enjoys showing them off is a breeder who deserves a closer look. A good breeder also has
a contract that protects the buyer and dog and themselves.
The breeder asks you to sign a spay/neuter contract
All of our puppies are sold with a spay / neuter contract and they can NEVER be breed.
The breeder doesn't specialize in sizes
or colours that are unusual for the breed
​For one thing, extremely small or extremely large dogs are more likely to have health problems.
For another, trying to breed for rare colors or extreme sizes is a sign that the breeder is more
interested in making money out of a sales gimmick than in producing great puppies.
​The breeder is up-front about the breed's drawbacks
Whether that means a tendency to develop certain health problems or a temperament that's
not for every owner. A good breeder wants you to love and care for your new dog for
his entire lifetime, and she knows that's more likely if you're well prepared.
The breeder wants to meet the whole family
and welcomes you to visit.
To make the best match, the breeder will often want to
meet everyone who will be living with the puppy.
The breeder will want you to take whatever amount of time you need to make the right decision for you and your family; high-pressure salesmanship is a red flag.
The breeder asks you lots of questions
This shows the breeder wants to know exactly what kind of home their puppies are going to. They may ask who's going to be home during the day, what your dog-owning history is, and why you're interested in the breed.
Don't be defensive; they are just doing their job,
which is taking care of the pups they love.
The breeder will take the dog back, at any stage of the dog's life
​Reputable dog breeders, consider their puppies to be members of their family and agonize over making the “right” placements in forever homes. In addition, a puppy from a reputable breeder comes with a guarantee that you can bring it back if it doesn’t work out in your family for some reason. A good breeder will insist on this. Again, the breeder just wants to make sure their puppies are always be taken care of.
The breeder won't let you take the puppy home
before they are eight weeks old.
Playing with littermates teaches your puppy a lot about getting along with other dogs. A puppy
who's taken away from their littermates too early is at a major disadvantage in their canine social skills.
For more info on canine socialization visit: Socialization- Eight weeks or twelve weeks
Advantages of buying from such a breeder are clear
Although there are no hard and fast guarantees, a puppy
from a truly responsible breeder is more likely to be
physically and emotionally healthy than a puppy from
any other source, and a truly responsible breeder will
remain interested in that puppy and its family for
the animal's entire life.
If the buyer experiences a crisis and cannot keep the
puppy, the truly responsible breeder will take
it back or help place it in a new home.
If, in spite of all the precautions, the puppy is
physically or temperamentally unsound, the truly
responsible breeder will offer a replacement
​or a financial settlement.
Why are breeders who sell to pet shops irresponsible?
Any breeder who sells to pet stores is not an
ethical breeder, since good breeders want to personally interview and educate prospective
owners of their carefully bred puppies.
​
No responsible breeder would ever place
one of their puppies in a pet shop.
A breeder who has placed a puppy in a pet shop
in our opinion has just disqualified themselves
​as being as a responsible breeder.
Responsible breeders in a nutshell
Responsible breeders do not sell their pups to or through pet stores. Instead, they personally screen and
select homes for their puppies, advise people on caring for the breed, turn away people whose
lifestyle, commitment or home situation does not fit the breed, guarantee the health and
temperament of their puppies, have detailed documentation of their pups' lineage, demonstrate
knowledge about canine health, genetics, socialization and development, and take back
their animals at any time and age if the buyers cannot keep them.
Do not sell multiple breeds of dogs, since they
specialize in one or two breeds.
Demonstrate extensive knowledge of the
breed's history, traits and temperament. They
have years of experience with the breed.
Keep their dogs as house pets, so they know
that the offspring will be good pets as well.
Loves the breed and can talk at length about
its background, uses, and ideal type.
Value their reputation for seeking to improve the
breed and as such they only breed dogs that
are themselves ​good pets and fine
representatives ​of their breed.
Are willing to take back the dog at any point in their life regardless of the reason. It doesn't matter of the purchaser no longer wants the dog or if they
​can no longer care for the animal.
Responsible breeders place all animals with a contract
requiring the purchaser to spay/neuter the pup.
Has investment in dog equipment and the
puppies environment is sanitary and loving.
Provide advice and guidance to purchasers.
Interview and sometimes even visit the homes
of prospective puppy purchasers, placing pups
only with people who demonstrate they can
provide safe, responsible homes.
Helps buyer evaluate and choose a pup.
Has at least the mother dog on premises and let prospective purchasers observe the dog and her health and behavior.
Responsible breeders breed their female dogs to the
best male, not the most convenient one.
Do not separate a pup from the mother and
​litter before 8-weeks of age.
​Also deworm and vaccinate their puppies.
Part of above articles from: http://mic.com/articles http://www.canismajor.com/dog/sources.html
http://dogtime.com/finding-a-good-breeder.html
and http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_breedersandpetshops.php