How Moore County Pet-Parents-To-Be Can Find A Reputable Breeder
By Anna Vermeulen
Finding A Reputable Pet Breeder
September offers many great learning opportunities to pet parents and pet-parents-to-be alike. One such important pet topic focuses on pet responsibility and puppy-mill awareness. Adding to that, we often see more and more puppies and kittens being purchased around the holidays as well. So, we’re here to help educate pet parents on how they can scope out a quality dog breeder or cattery!
So, before you bring your new pet home, make sure you’re armed with all the right questions. Read below for a guide of questions to ask prior to purchasing your new best friend from a breeder.
🤷♀️ Why Bother With A Better Breeder?
We all love our pets, but when it comes to choosing a reputable breeder we are often at a loss. It’s a lot of work. And honestly, it’s overwhelming. The market place is flooded with breeders, all claiming to be the best. But which breeder is the right one? And which is the right one for you?
Whether you’re looking for a quality companion, or are intending on showing your new pet at professional levels, choosing a quality breeder is paramount to selecting a healthy and well rounded pet.
Hey, wait a minute, but don’t you (PetWise Pros) encourage adoption? Yes, we do. But while we absolutely love a good mixed breed, and encourage adoption wherever possible, we acknowledge that sometimes extra considerations have to be made. These considerations can range from our life circumstances, to our family dynamics, to bothersome or intense pet allergies. And, when we still want pets in our lives, sometimes those considerations dictate what we may need for our household.
And you know what? That’s okay. Just so long as we’re doing our part to support quality, reputable pet breeders and not adding to the puppy mill problem in the process.
So, long story short, you’ve determined that you’re ready to add a new pet to your household. Both a successful start, and the long-term success of your new pet, requires finding a reputable breeder. So that’s where we’ll start too.
Whatever your breed choice is, making an informed decision starts with understanding what to look for. Learn with the (PetWise) pros. We’ll teach you what to look for in a prospective breeder, including what some red flags are, and how to understand the price point behind a well bred pet. Our guide, below, goes over this and more of what to look for when selecting a quality breeder. So, whether you’re looking to become a new pet parent or add a new pet to your home, here’s a list of important things to consider:
How To Find Your New Puppy Or Kitten
🚪Trancparency Matters: Will The Breeder Allow A Home Visit?
Oftentimes a breeder who is unable or unwilling to allow a home visit may have a less than savory reason why. While most breeders have a policy against home visits prior to six weeks of age to help prevent health issues such as Parvovirus (AKA Parvo), most will allow one home visit, or pick up at their home site. A breeder who does not allow you to come to their home is a BIG red flag! 🚩
PetWise Pro Tip: Communicable diseases may greatly influence your breeder’s decision on this. If the breeder claims they previously did home visits, but dropped due to health issues, inquire and follow up with someone who’s purchased a puppy or kitten with them prior to these business changes.
🗣️ Let’s Chat: Important Qusetions To Ask Your Breeder
And, speaking of transparency, here are a few other important questions to ask your breeder:
- What got them into breeding, and what are their resources?
- Who are their references? Can you speak to other owners, who have bought a puppy or kitten through them before?
- Can you see a list of (verified) reviews? And, for the prospective buyer, do any of those reviews mention anything about the buying or vetting process they went through?
- Pictures are also worth a thousand words. Is there a photo gallery of previous litters, and what do some of those puppies or kittens look like now that they’re all grown up? Are they all still healthy? And if not, why?
- And, when do they send their puppies or kittens home??? 👉
🏡 Timing Matters: Bringing Your Fur-Baby Home
Okay. We’ll level with you. Not everyone, even some good breeders, always do this. But when they do, it’s a BIG green flag ✅.
One of the biggest considerations, for the long term health and success of your new pet, is when they leave their mom. So, at what age does the breeder send their puppies or kittens home? A reputable breeder often stipulates their puppies are not ready to go to their new home until 12 weeks of age or older. This allows your puppy to be weaned, socialized, and learn all the basics from its mother prior to joining you in its new home.
Okay, but what if they don’t do that? What’s the “second best” option? Let’s say this one together.. 🗣️bare minimus is EIGHT WEEKS.
Eight weeks is the minimum age requirement before a puppy or kitten can leave its mother. Why is this? Just like with babies, there are certain milestones that are only met with time and mental development. For puppies this includes basic social skills, mannerisms, and behavioral postures that are learned from its mother and litter-mates during the 8-12 week period.
This growth period is an essential timeframe in which your pet develops their sense of independence, learns basic social cues, develops base bite inhibition, and achieves mental stability. This necessary social growth period helps pet parents avoid the possibility of long-term issues such as separation anxiety, dog aggression, or an overall fearful or timid disposition for their pet in the long run.
PetWise Pro Note: Puppies have not even finished developing the necessary social skills, for dog-on-dog interactions, until they’ve reached 8 weeks of age. And 8-12 weeks is when those skills are honed. Let that sink in.
🏆 Pampered Pedigrees (Yes, Those Papers Do Actually Mean Something)
Is your new prospect pet papered, or registered, at all? Although, oftentimes, we don’t mind as pet-parents whether our pet is papered or not, breed registration typically means a whole lot more than just a fanciful puppy or kitty.
Registration, through accredited breeder associations, means that your breeder has taken more of the necessary steps to ensure that they’re breeding properly, and are interested in continuing bloodlines without potential health issues.
Quick Take Away — Proof of paperwork often means that your breeder has gone through the proper channels.
So, is the breeder accredited or registered with any dog specific groups (such as the AKC)? When a breeder registers for membership with a regulated dog breeding group, it often indicates that they are interested in furthering the breed rather than just making a quick buck. By registering with a dog specific group, such as the American kennel club (AKC), your breeder is also submitting to a series of requirements, inspections, and more more rigorous standards. Thus, when a breeder is registered through the proper channels, it shows that they are more interested in the health and well-being of the animals that they are producing. It’s one quick weed-out for those backyard breeders turning out dollar signs.
PetWise Pro Tip: Although this is one of the necessary steps, please also be sure to inquire about testing, and confrontation. While backbreeders often don’t often offer paperwork, puppy mills still can. Keep reading for more on this!
Side Note: Okay, now PLEASE don’t come at us with pitchforks or shovels for this. But— just as a reminder— your doodle will not come with a pedigree. This is because there isn’t one available. Doodles are a fun, lovable, flamboyant, mixed breed.
And, while we’re at it (please remember public stoning is frowned upon 🪨), doodles aren’t available for purchase through any “quality professional breeders” either. Sure, your doodle might be coming from a kind and generally reputable backyard breeder with a quality track record. However, anyone who breeds these animals does so purely for profit. No professional breeder produces doodles, simply because it’s not furthering, preserving, or continuing the legacy of any particular dog breed.
Quick Take-Away — Ultimately, you can have an absolutely wonderful, lovely, sweet and perfect house pet, but there’s no such thing as a “pure-breed doodle”.
💪 Going Strong: Breeder History And Reputation
We’re all about giving people opportunities, and even the benefit of the doubt, but here’s a situation in which a long-standing reputation really means something.
Or, if you find a quality breeder who’s newer to the game (>3 years history), they should have a robust network or backing. Backing means that your breeder should still be working alongside the breeders that they initially got their bitch/stud (for dogs) or king/queen (for cats) from. And that’s a good thing! Having that backing means that they’ll have the resources they need if they get into something they don’t understand. This network also means that their initial dogs (or cats) came from another breeder of merit.
Now let’s go back to something we mentioned earlier – when did the breeder start breeding? And add to that, how often do they produce their litters?
A responsibly bred bitch (female dog) should not be bred prior to 18 months of age, with a minimum of 24 months being strongly recommended. This age range goes up for larger dog breeds (~75lbs+), as their development is much slower. However, there’s a maximum age range too. Due to serious medical risks such as Pyometra (a serious uterus infection), dogs should also not be bred if they have not had a litter prior to age 3. Different factors, such as body development & sexual maturity, mental readiness, and proper age for health testing, all play a role in proper breeding age.
When it comes to litter production, responsible breeders should also continue by breeding no more than 1 to 2 times a year per female, or less so depending on their queen/bitch’s health come breeding season. From start to finish, it’s generally recommended that dog breeders only allow their bitches/queens to produce litters within a 2 to 5 year age range. Your breeder should also not be producing more than a couple litters a time, and preferably never more than 10 total litters a year between all of their females.
PetWise Pro Tip: Basic health screenings should also always be completed prior to breeding. Read below for more.
🧬 Careful Consideration
Before breeding any kind of animal, a quality breeder should always look for quality genetics. This examination should go back at least 2 or 3 generations, and include the following focus areas:
- Temperament
- Dental records
- Absence of major health issues
- Any breed-specific health issues (e.g. liver shunt testing, hip testing, etc)
The following should also be assessed, in the male and female that are being considered for the pairing:
- Temperament
- Activity Level
- Conformation
- Absence of major health issues
🧪 Putting It To The Test
What kind of health testing does the breeder do? Before they ever even consider breeding, a responsible breeder will submit their potential pairing (male/female) to an extensive series of health tests. These health tests help ensure that there are no potential health issues that could be passed down.
Different breeds each have a different series of recommended tests, due to common breed specific health issues, so make sure you do your research and ask which specific tests were done prior to purchase. Always ask to see proof of recent health testing paperwork from your breeder’s established veterinarian. Check to ensure the dates, names, and pet description on the documents all line up with the pet(s) the breeder is presenting as a pairing.
PetWise Pro Note: Briefly mentioned above, these health testings have another important tie-in to proper breeding age.
Some common health testings, such as testing for hip dysplasia, will also not be fully effective if performed prior to ~24 months of age. Therefore, for breeds with a propensity to hip issues such as Labradors and German shepherds, some breeds should not be bred until at least 2 years of age to ensure accurate and proper health testing.
🐩 Shows-Show-All
What if your breeder strictly breeds “for pets”? Well, then that’s your next red flag. 🚩What we need to ask, is if your potential breeder shows their pets at conformation or not.
But it’s not like I’m looking for something that fancy. So why does it matter if your breeder engages in shows or not? While, for most new pet owners, conformation might not come to mind when picking out their pet, conformation actually plays an important role in your pet’s overall health. For this reason, quality breeders (e.g. “breeders of merit”) often show their breeding dogs or cats at least once at conformation levels. This is usually done while waiting on maturation age prior to breeding.
Showing at conformation helps ensure that the puppies or kittens being produced are still contributing to a quality, well bred, bloodline. High marks for quality conformation not only ensures that the breed standard is maintained, but also helps ensure there will be lower risk of bone or joint issues later in life. So, while your new pet is more than likely bound to be a happy companion for you or the family, finding a breeder that dots all their i’s and crosses their t’s can only help in the long run!
Quick Take-Away — Showing at conformation helps ensure that the puppies or kittens being produced are still contributing to a quality, well bred, bloodline.
🔒 Security In Selectivity
Was there a questionnaire prior to your pup or kitten selection? Your breeder should want to know what you’re looking for in a pet.
A quality breeder will always ask basic questions about your home environment, current or previous pets, and work life, and about your personal personality. This helps your breeder to determine which pet in their litter will work best for your household, based on temperament and personality. At minimum, your breeder should want to know the following about you:
- Work Life: Your work hours, salary range, and if you move or travel often are all important considerations.
- Home Life: Are you married or partnered? Do you have kids?
- Housing Arrangement: Do you rent, or own your residence? Do you have a backyard? Is it fenced-in?
- Personal Habits: Are you an active, or sedentary person? How often do you get out and exercise?
- Experience Level: Have you owned a pet before? Have you owned that particular breed before? Different breeds have different needs.
- Personal Track Record: Who is your veterinarian, groomer, or pet sitter? Are you in good standing with them? Be prepared to provide contact details and references.
- Proof of Preparedness: A quality breeder will want to know you’re not getting this pet on a whim. Do you have a veterinarian, groomer, or pet sitter lined up? Are you familiar with the breed-specific needs? If you don’t know ahead of time, then it’s unlikely that you’re set up for success or that you even know what you’re getting yourself into.
PetWise Pro Tip: Psst…this is another big moment where that recommended 12 weeks comes into play!
Although puppies are starting to get their legs under them at eight weeks, true personality truly becomes apparent closer to 12 weeks of age.
📝 Contracts, For The Betterment Of Both Sides
Does your potential breeder require you to sign a contract? Breeders who do not require a signed contract, prior to the release of a puppy or kitten, is yet another bright red flag! 🚩
It’s common practice among quality breeders to require a contract to be signed including the following:
- The required release of the pet back to them if the contract is broken, if the animal is deemed to be in an unsafe environment, or if you can no longer keep the pet.
- Most responsible breeders will also stipulate that your new pet be spayed or neutered within a certain amount of time if that is not already altered prior to leaving.
Key Take-Aways — Responsible breeders will always require a proper contract to be signed.
It’s also common for your new puppy or kitten to be fixed prior to sending them home, or that it’s contracted in that spay/neuter is performed within a certain timeframe.
💝 Intentful Packages Show They Care
Does your prospective breeder put together a list of purchase requirements, or provide a basic care package?
You don’t have to think too hard about this one. We promise you. Any breeder that gives two 💩s about the pets they’re producing will do this. This often comes in the form of a starter package they’ve pieced together, or list of purchase requirements (that they’ll confirm you have) before letting you go home with your new pet.
This step might seem small. However, when a breeder puts time and energy into making a list of suggestions or requirements for their new pet parents, it shows that they’re taking the time to make sure that your new pet’s needs are met.
While we can’t win them all, and some breeders may send you home with some less than favorable pet foods, you should at BARE MINIMUM be sent home with a small bag of pet food upon pickup.
PetWise Pro Tip: Many breeders, quality ones included, unfortunately tend to recommend lower quality foods. This is done partially because of monetary reasons, or because of veterinary suggestions done on a kick-back basis.
Regardless of what food the breeder recommends, yes even if it’s Purina, you’ll need to keep up what they’ve been feeding your new pet at least through their decompression period.
For later dietary improvements, we highly recommend checking out Dog Food Advisor’s website before making any dietary decisions for your new pet.
💰 Worth Every Penny
Here’s the big kicker…Is your prospective pet under $1,200? Wait..what?!? Ouch, what the heck, are you really sure about that one? Well, while this might seem like a huge price tag for a new pet, there’s a whole lot more that goes into that price sticker. And what is that you might ask?
Let’s dive in a bit. In the course of a litter your breeder will spend between $3,500 – $5,500 for their initial breeder dog/cat and the rights to breed them. And that’s in addition to paying for the following each litter:
- Stud fee (if they only own the female)
- Pet association regression fees
- Show fees (see above)
- Vet care for the bitch/queen (and stud/king if owned)
- Whelping food & supplements for the bitch/queen and her litter
- Initial pet wellness visit(s) for the entire litter
When you add to all of that the countless hours between caring for the mother and her young (not to mention if any of them have to be bottle-fed!). Whew. Is that all? 😅
Ultimately, when it all comes down to it, a quality breeder does not make a substantial amount of money on their litters. Most quality breeders are looking to further the breed rather than to just make a quick buck.
If your breeder is selling their puppies or kittens for substantially less, question why that is. While cutting corners may make a substantial monetary difference in the beginning, it may just as well make an even larger difference in the long run if you bring home a pet with health or behavioral issues. Count that as another red flag. 🚩
PetWise Pro Tip: Although this is a helpful tool in weeding out less reputable breeders, it is not an end-all-be-all. It is becoming more commonplace for puppy mills and backyard breeders to try and match the prices of a quality reputable breeder, despite not going the extra mile like one of repute does.
The Big 🥒(Yes. That’s a Dill)
Okay, all of this may sound like a lot. But that’s because it is. At the end of the day, for quality pet owners, choosing a pet means a lifetime commitment. And that ultimately means 8-19 years for a new puppy, or even up to 30 years for a new kitten.
Yes, we said 30 years (and we’ve even pet-sat for pets older than that!).
🐝 Real.
Is this still for you? Great!
But if it’s not, that’s perfectly fine too.
And if it’s not for you? We highly recommend you seek out a local shelter or rescue group. Oftentimes, if you look around, you’ll be able to find breed-specific rescue groups as well. While this might mean that you may not end up with a puppy or kitten, you very well may manage to find a quality pet at a more reasonable price. And, for bonus points, you can do so while saving a life at the same time. 💜🐾