1st Sign of a Responsible Breeder: Loves the Breed
The USDA does not regulate dog breeders in the U.S. Therefore, it is up to the buyer to do their own due diligence when considering a purebred puppy for sale.
At Animaroo, we have adopted new requirements to help an individual or family find the perfect puppy from an ethical breeder. This includes educating the masses on what a responsible breeder should look like. It is true that not all breeders breed AKC registered dogs, but many AKC registered dogs are not the kind of pup that will fulfill the needs of your lifestyle either. How can you make an informed decision when looking for a new fur addition to the family? We are going to walk you through the 7 Signs of a Responsible Breeder beginning with the most important.
A responsible breeder loves the breed and is not afraid to show it. The breed could be a well known Poodle or a lesser known Shiba Inu pup. It doesn’t matter because the breeder is a dog lover. They have a fascination for the type of dogs they are breeding. These three factors will really show you that a breeder loves the breed.
Knowledge
If they love the breed, they are knowledgeable about the breed’s history, background, uses, and ideal features. They have done research on the possible genetic faults of the breed. They know about the pedigree of their sires and dams.
Quality
If they love the breed, they breed for quality and can explain why the breeding was planned with emphasis on specific qualities through linebreeding or outcrossing. They will not breed a dog with a health threatening feature or health ailment. There are times when you may consider purchasing a pup that has an “undesirable” feature such as a slight overbite. This should be disclosed to you prior to purchase and the pup should not be bred in the future. Breeding dogs with these kinds of defects will only worsen the issue for the litter to come. This is why it’s important to select a breeder that takes quality of the breeding dogs into consideration.
Treatment
If they love the breed, they will treat their animals with care and kindness. Dogs are respected and given daily love. After all, they are one of the family and should be treated as such. Like children, structure is important as well, so the pup can function as a respected member of the family. Lack of training is one reason dogs end up in shelters. They become too difficult to handle and are given up rather than given extra time and love. Training doesn’t stop when the pups comes home with you. It’s a commitment of love and sacrifice, but in return you will have a loyal companion that will bring joy to your life every day.
Love is the driving force behind a responsible breeder. It takes a whole lotta love to do what they do and do it on a consistent basis in an ethical way. Be sure the breeder you choose loves their dogs as much as you will.