Finding the Right Dog & Breeder

Dogs can make wonderful companions, but not every dog is the right dog for you.

Getting a dog is a 10 to 15 year commitment, so it is imperative that you pick the best breed for your family, and the best individual dog. Picking the right dog is an important decision, and one you should research thoroughly before making a commitment. Once you think you have decided on a breed, do lots of reading, talk to others with the breed as well as pet professionals such as veterinarians, trainers, kennel operators, and groomers. Make sure you ask about both the good and bad points of a specific breed. None are perfect dogs for everybody. A good book on this topic is Choosing A Dog by Nancy Baer and Steve Duno.

When looking for a breeder, you want to look for the following traits:

• A breeder that only breeds one or two litters a year. The best breeders will have waiting lists for their puppies.

• A breeder that does not breed adult dogs until they are at least 2 years old.

• A breeder that will discuss in detail, the health issues affecting their breed. They should be able to provide documents from a veterinarian certifying that the parents are free of any of these health issues. Common health issues with many pure bred dogs include Hip Dysplasia, Central Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis , and others.

• A breeder that raises the puppies in their home along with the adult dogs. They should allow you to see both parents.

• A breeder that is active in their local and national breed club and that shows their dogs.

• A breeder that will require that you spay/neuter your puppy if it is not show quality.

• A breeder that actively socializes the puppies before letting them go home with people. It is illegal to sell a puppy before it is 8 weeks of age.

• A breeder that offers a written contract with health guarantees and that offers to take the puppy back, at any time, for any reason.

• A breeder that asks you lots of questions about why you want a puppy, why you want this particular breed, and how you will care for the puppy.

• A breeder that asks you for references.