If you decide that adopting a rescue dog isn’t for you, your best alternative is to get a puppy from a reputable breeder. DO NOT go to a pet store. Those dogs often come from “puppy mills,” where females are bred too young and too often, conditions are deplorable, and dogs are unhealthy.
Reputable breeders take good care of their dogs. They do their homework and screen their dogs for bad temperament and hereditary diseases. They guarantee their puppies.
How to pick a good breeder:
- Internet research is obvious, though it will only take you so far. Visit dog show and breed club sites to get a sense of who’s who in the breeder world. Beware: A good website is no proof of a good breeder.
- Go to dog shows. This is the method we’ve had luck with. We’ve gone to big American Kennel Club (AKC) events, where many breeds are shown, as well as to breed-specific events.
- Talk to the breeders. Get to know them, and let them get to know you.
- Contact references. You’ll definitely learn about the breeder, and, if you’re lucky, you’ll also find out about the genes of the litter you’re considering.
Some signs of good breeders:
- They won’t let you take home a puppy less than eight weeks old.
- They breed females only about once every two years (rule of thumb). A breeder that constantly has puppies available is probably overbreeding.
- They have been working with this breed long enough to know what they’re doing. Sage’s breeder (Momma of Sage’s mother) was relatively new, but she was working with another extremely reputable breeder (Poppa of Sage’s father) as her mentor.
- They belong to the AKC and a breed club and will provide other members’ names as references. Even if you don’t care about AKC standards, you want your breeder to follow some kind of standards.
Irish Setter
Breeders, like rescue managers, may seem standoffish or demanding at first. They may be “dog people” rather than “people people.” They probably have met their share of insincere people with questionable morals. Give the relationship some time to develop before you decide whether to go with this breeder.
Another interesting angle is to find out what the breeder does with her dogs. Does she work them or show them? Do her dogs have titles? A breeder whose dogs aren’t just sitting around having babies is likely to be more committed to improving the breed.
Choosing a breeder is probably the hardest part of getting a purebred puppy, but you’ll still have homework to do and decisions to make in dealing with your breeder.
