What Is An Ethical Dog Breeder?
As a new puppy owner, choosing the right breeder is one of the most important things you can do to ensure your future pet has a happy and healthy life. It is also a good idea to spend a little time investigating the breeder’s reputation before making an important decision.
If you already got your dog, be sure to read our Puppy Checklist for 2021
Not only does this ensure you are purchasing a healthy and well-raised animal, it also ensures you are not supporting commercial breeding facilities. The best way to avoid a backyard breeder is to research reputable breeders. With a little bit of research and homework, you can find a breeder who provides the health testing you are seeking for your puppy. By choosing to purchase from a reputable breeder, you’re making a positive impact on the welfare of the animals that will live and die in your home for years to come.
Did you know, due to the huge hype trend of wanting “oodle” breeds which are a Purebred Poodle crossed with other breeds which may include but not limited to Golden Retrievers, Bernese Mountain Dogs or Maltese. When considering these breeds, please consider the likely possibility of a breeding puppy farms due to the hype train.
What’s the Difference Between A Registered and An Ethical Breeder?
When people refer to a breeder as “registered,” they often intend to mean that the breeder is licensed to operate as a business, whether it’s a business license or registered with the local council. While they are registered, they are able to actively breed their pets without legislation issues. Ultimately, the term registered can be used to define the different types of registrations – breed associations and local councils or business registrations. While being registered does not mean that you are an ethical breeder.
Why Choose an Ethical Breeder?
With so many possibilities, getting a crossbred or a purebred dog are both excellent choices. But regardless of the breed, you should always research thoroughly before making a commitment because you never know what might happen down the road. Not only that, the ethical breeder should be able to provide proof that the parent dogs have all their health tests completed and are free of genetic diseases.
An ethical dog breeder should always perform all the recommended genetic and health tests before breeding their dogs. A crossbred dog should be no different from a purebred, and it is still important to test your breed of choice.
In fact, the theory that “hybrid vigour” reduces health problems in cross-bred dogs has been challenged in recent years. Several large studies have demonstrated that mixed breed dogs actually suffer from more health problems than purebred dogs. Also, pricing of a breed isn’t defined by whether it is a purebred or not. It has and will always be based on market and popularity demands.
Ethical breeders will make sure the dogs they are breeding are healthy and of good temperament. They will screen each potential stud dog carefully to avoid breeding with dogs who may be prone to certain health conditions that could affect their offspring, such as hip dysplasia. Every dog is thoroughly assessed before being accepted into a breeding program and only healthy and fit dogs are allowed to be bred based on AKC’s requirements for each breed.
A breeder who is ethical and concerned about the welfare of their dogs will only breed as necessary to maintain the health and diversity of their breed. When breeding a litter, only the best male or best female is chosen to produce a litter. The goal is to produce puppies that are healthy, smart, well-balanced, and possessing the distinctive traits of the breed.
Most ethical breeders are highly involved in the relevant dog-related community and familiar with the dog breeding community. They will have a wide network of contacts that they can use to find another quality breeder to help you if they cannot match your needs.
An ethical breeder will raise their puppies in a loving home environment. When asked, your breeder will ask you many questions about the home environment in which you plan to raise their puppy. Expect the breeder to ask about the living conditions that you have in mind for your new dog, as well as how you intend to socialize and train him.
Don’t be offended when the breeder is asking you lots of personal questions to ensure that they are providing the best possible match for your puppy. This is a sign that the breeder genuinely cares about their puppies and isn’t breeding for profit.
Ethical breeders will provide you with important information about how to care for your new puppy. They will also vaccinate and microchip the puppies also, another common practise is to have the puppy stay with the mother for at least 6-8 weeks after the birth thus ensure your puppy receives enough time with his mother and littermates before being introduced to a new home. In addition, ethical breeders will always provide a comprehensive care pack free of charge. A sample of the puppy’s food, helpful information, and a step-by-step guide on feeding and diets.
Summary
If you are in the situation of any of the following below, you should consider choosing another breeder.
- Breeder cannot provide your local registration or breed registration ID
- The parents show signs of aggression or abnormal aggressive behaviour
- The breeder cannot provide any proof of breed or genetic medical testing
- You are unable to meet the parents of the puppy
- Majority of the litter seems to be anti-social, or inactive
- Breeder’s condition looks poor, unsafe or needs major upgrades/updates
- You just have the bad guy feeling
