How to Evaluate a Breeder

By Peggy Adamson

The reputable breeder is like the head of a family. He feels responsibility toward the breed itself, toward the dogs he breeds, the dogs he hopes to breed, and additionally to all the people who have dogs of his breeding. He spends astounding amounts of his time and money on matters he thinks are for the best interests of his breed.

It is this awareness of responsibility, combined with a sense of continuity, that marks the difference between the true breeder and mere "puppy raisers". The breeder is an artist, motivated by a drive to create perfection; the puppy-raisers and the dog dealers are motivated by the desire to make money. They are truly in the dog business, selling puppies like over-the-counter commodities to anyone who can pay the price.

The breeder is the link between the past and the future. Since he is well aware that the buyers of today may be the breeders of tomorrow, he does his best to educate the people who come to buy his dogs and to instill in them the ideals and values on which he has built his reputation.

Fortunate is the novice-buyer who purchases his first dog from a reputable breeder! Whereas puppy-raisers may sell whole litters to dog-dealers, the breeder insists on direct contact with those who buy his dogs, and sells only after the most careful screening of a would-be purchaser in order to ascertain the mutual suitability of dog and buyer.

While often not fully appreciated until after the dog is bought, this screening by the breeder is the greatest protection a dog purchaser can have.

The puppy-raisers and the dog dealers are often high-powered salesmen. They never ask questions -- their only concern is to sell dogs, and to get them off their hands as soon as possible in order to avoid additional expense and work. Their interest ends when the sale is completed.

The attitude of the reputable breeder is very different. Though the cost of properly caring for his dogs may cause him sleepless nights and untold worries, he will never let a single puppy or older dog leave for a home that is not as good or better than the one he is providing. Even when the dog is sold, the breeder's help and advice do not end, but continue throughout the dog's life.