How to find a RESPONSIBLE breeder
- Confirm the breeder is registered with your states applicable ANKC registered body eg. Dogs Vic or Dogs SA. Check their registration is current by contacting your state body.
- Ask lots of questions and look for a breeder who volunteers information and is happy to discuss their dogs. Meet them in person if possible. Going along to shows is a good way to initially meet breeders in person.
- Get to know your chosen breeder. Responsible breeders care where their puppies go. They will want to get to know you too, they become like an extended family. They are keen to see their puppies grow and develop. They expect a call, at any stage of the dog’s life, with good or bad news. If there’s a problem, they will offer support to help you to get through it and in a worst case scenario, take the dog back if necessary.
- What does the breeder do with their dogs? Do they show, attend obedience and socialise their dogs? What do they do for the breed? Are they involved in a breed club or Rescue?
- Discuss with the breeder why they breed. Responsible breeders do not constantly have litters available. They don’t breed a litter without considering the advancement of their chosen breed. They should be working towards improving the quality of their breeding stock. The result of this is healthy puppies. Puppies that are physically and mentally healthy. With typical breed traits.
- How many litters has the bitch had? How many litters has the breeder had recently and how often to they typically breed?
- Ask what relevant health testing the breeder has undertaken to ensure their dogs are suitable for breeding. Ask to see copies of the results, DO NOT take the breeders word for it. See the results for yourself and get copies of the certificates. Testing doesn’t mean the results desirable, has the breeder removed dogs from their breeding program or made excuses for why they bred the dog. Consider the results of both the sire and the dam as a whole too.
- Meet all the breeders dogs, see where they are living and consider their environment. Are their dogs clean and well kept? Do they appear happy and friendly? Remember you might not always be able to meet the stud male. But, the breeder should have plenty of knowledge of the dog. Keep in mind, choosing a stud dog from a picture is not a reliable way of choosing a dog.
- Ask the breeder about the parents and why they used the stud dog they did. This should not be because the stud dog is from “Champion Bloodlines” or because they are “Large and Wrinkled”. A responsible breeder will have studied the pedigrees of the parent and the parents as individuals, for each individual litter. This will be in an effort to emphasize desirable breed traits and minimise faults in their puppies. Some people breed dogs only to produce puppies to sell. These people will not have considered why they are using a particular stud dog, it will not be for the advancement of the breed. These people are motivated solely by profit.
- When meeting the litter, puppies should be clean, friendly, well fed and not show signs of illness. Keep an eye out for runny noses and eyes, skin sores, fleas or dirty ears. Do they have plenty of toys for stimulation and water? The mother should be in good condition and generally friendly, give her a chance to meet you (especially if she is a first time mum), remember you are going into her territory and meeting her puppies.
- NO breeder should allow a puppy to leave their mother prior to 8 weeks of age.
ALL MEMBERS OF THE DOGUE DE BORDEAUX CLUB OF AUSTRALIA ARE RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS, WHO ARE HAPPY TO DISCUSS ALL THESE THINGS WITH YOU.
You can find more information via the below links
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