WHAT TYPES OF BREEDERS ARE OUT THERE?

Don't be fooled. There are not only "good" and "bad" breeders. It's just not that simple. And you cannot get a good puppy just by avoiding "puppy mills" and today, especially with the internet, it's hard to sort really ethical and responsible breeders out from all the "wanabees" (wanna be doing a good job but still are not, as well as wanna be<G>taking your money and off loading their pups). This article was written by a DVM (veterinarian) and covers various types of breeders you are likely to encounter. For more information on how to buy a puppy and what is a good breeder, click here for buyer's tips to breeders & here for a buyer's guide to puppy shopping & here for more links. And remember, if you are reading this, all sorts of "internet breeders" are too. You are looking for tips to seperate out one type of breeder from another, but they are looking for ways to "hide" so they can appear to be responsible breeders (without going to all the time and expense it takes to make that grade). So don't settle for the "right look"--look further into things.

BREEDING The goal of breeding a litter of puppies should be threefold. Breeders should strive to: 1. Produce dogs that are physically equipped to perform the functions intended. 2. Produce dogs that are mentally sound. 3. Ensure that these dogs go to homes fit to house them. Often people rely on "papers" to ensure quality in the puppies they buy. However registration papers in no way guarantee the quality of a dog, but rather, his registration papers merely acknowledge that the litter of puppies is out of registered parents, recorded by an organization such as the American Kennel Club. The quality of dogs varies from breeder to breeder, and attention to orthopedic soundess is essential to a reputable breeder. WHAT IS A DOG BREEDER? Technically, anyone owning a female who reproduces is called a breeder. However, the term carries many levels of interpretation. For practical considerations, we generally categorize breeders in four categories: 1. The Accidental Breeder. Through neglect (a subtle form of abuse), accidental breeders allow their dogs to randomly mate and reproduce. Many of these dogs are mixed breeds, and "breeders" often experience great difficulty finding homes for these dogs. 2. The Commercial Breeder. People who supply puppies for retail sales often seek quantity over quality. They support themselves with mass sales of various dogs to distributors who resell them to commercial dog-selling establishments (often to pet stores). The dog buyer (or consumer) is so far removed from the "breeder" of the dog that important questions about the dog's genetic makeup and early socialization cannot be asked. The mass-producing "breeder" rarely performs screening (such as x-raying for hip dysplasia), rarely knows the ancestors of the dogs (let alone the medical histories), and rarely (if ever) follows up to track the development of the puppies. 3. The Backyard Breeder. Owners of "nice pets" often receive favorable comments from friends about their beautiful dogs. Owners of purebred pets hear about the opportunity to earn extra money selling puppies. This encourages genuinely nice people to dabble in the business of breeding dogs. These pet owners often start with dogs acquired from people who have no experience in breeding dogs, or else they would have been advised about the complications associated with dog breeding. So the breeding stock they start with may be inferior. Rarely do backyard breeders perform genetic screeing, nor do they have information about the genetic background of the dogs they breed. Furthermore, the selection of a stud dog is left to chance. The dog that lives down the street, is owned by a relative, or is advertised in the local newspaper is usually the stud chosen--without regard to quality. 4. The Responsible Breeder. These people breed dogs for a purpose. Responsible breeders study the breed of choice by attending dog events, such as dog shows or field trials; and they compare notes with other breeders to obtain the necessary information for making good choices in selecting breeding stock. Responsible breeders may raise dogs for a functional need, such as herding dogs, sporting dogs, or sled dogs; or their main goal in breeding may be to produce companion animals. However, all responsible breeders strive to eliminate structural weaknesses from their breeding programs. Responsible breeders screen their dogs for congenital defects before they are bred. In respect to orthopedic soundness, responsible breeders routinely test their breeding stock using Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and PennHIP procedures. Furthermore, dogs may be tested for such as von Willebrand's disease and hypothyroidism, which can influence soundness. Breeds predisposed to other diseases should be screened for the conditions that affect the breed. Veterinarians can assess and certify dogs found clear of such conditions as slipping stifles, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA, a disease of the eye), and congenital heart defects. This taken from: CANINE ORTHOPEDICS by Robert L. Rooks, DVM, MS, and Connie Jankowski. Howell Book House, 1997.

ALSO SEE DOG PLAY: BEING A RESPONSIBLE BREEDER

AND "GOOD BREEDERS, BAD BREEDERS" at YOUR PUREBRED PUPPY