<p>How can you tell a “backyard breeder” from a real breeder?</p>
<p>We ultimately found our breeder by word of mouth. Here are some other suggestions:
- Breed clubs (like the West Highland Terrier Club of America) maintain registries of breeders - look online, write or call
- AKC (American Kennel Club) - a great resource - again look online, call or write
- Ask at your local vet office
- Ask at a pet salon that employs a master groomer
- Attend local dog shows (conformation and/or agility)
- Ask people who are walking the breed you are interested in</p>
<p>Reputable breeders will have pedigree papers for the parents, and probably will have many champions in their line (you can usually see the champions online). </p>
<p>Visit! You should be permitted to see the dogs and where they live. Any withholding of information should be a red flag. Also, serious breeders will never have mixed breeds, and will normally not allow their females to have more than one litter per year. A serious breeder will have their dogs certified against genetic defects. As you are interviewing the breeder, expect the breeder to be interviewing you, too. They care a great deal where their dogs go, and I would worry if someone just sold the dog like an object. A good breeder will ask you to bring the dog back in the event that you can no longer take care of it. </p>
<p>Our breeder chose those who would be allowed to buy one of her dogs, and she selected the puppy for each person by matching temperament with the family. It worked out perfectly for us!</p>
<p>A visit is almost essential. Look for:
-AKC certification
<a href=“http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm[/url]”>http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm</a></p>
<p>-Health certificates: OFA (hips), CERF (eyes), BAER (deafness), SA skin test, etc. </p>
<p>-Ask how old the puppies are. If the breeder lets them go before they’re seven weeks old, (s)he is not a responsible breeder. </p>
<p>-Ask how often the dogs are bred. If the breeder produces more than one breed every one or two years, (s)he is not a responsible breeder. </p>
<p>-Ask how many breeds of dogs are bred. If the breeder breeds more than one or two breeds, (s)he is not a resposible breeder.</p>
<p>-Ask to see information about the sire and the dam, and ask to see the dam. If the breeder puts you off (“she’s tired,” “she doesn’t like strangers,” etc.), leave. (S)he’s not a responsible breeder. </p>
<p>-Most reputable breeders offer a guarantee, which is not necessarily the return of the dog.</p>
<p>-Check the general health of the puppies. Are they active? Do they suffer from dry skin, eye irritation, fleas, etc.? None of these should be evident in well cared for dogs. Is their living area clean? A responsible breeder keeps a clean environment. </p>
<p>-Have the puppies had their visit(s) to the vet? They should have had their first round of shots at 5 weeks. </p>
<p>-Clap your hands. Does the puppy respond? I’ve seen more than one dog that suffered from deafness.</p>
<p>-Look at your dog. Will it meet your eyes? If it looks away or cowers, that’s a bad sign.</p>
<p>-Look at payment options. Many responsible breeders prefer cash, but almost all puppy mills will only accept cash.</p>
<p>I’ll say it again…if you want a dog that you KNOW will fit with your family and lifestyle, adopt a dog over 6 months old that is in a foster home through a rescue. There is every breed specific rescue as well as all breed rescues that have awesome dogs for adoption. The breed shouldn’t be the main focus of your search as much as the specific dog that is the right fit for you and your family.</p>
<p>Never buy from a pet store.</p>
<p>Never buy from classified ads.</p>
<p>I would not necessarily trust a referral from the AKC. They AKC makes its money from registering dogs, and virtually all of the large puppy mills sell AKC registered dogs.</p>
<p>In my opinion, since I show, I think going to dog shows is a great way to meet breeders. You can speak with them after they show. You can see the dogs they produce, and the condition that are kept in. Every reputable breeder will require that you fill out a questionnaire, and submit to a home check. You can go to infodog, and find a listing of every dog show taking place in the country there are many in all parts of the country. </p>
<p>If that is not possible, search for National Clubs. Most have a breeder referral list. These will be breeders that largely answer to their piers, which in the end is the only real authority in the breeding world. And, be prepared to travel to get your pup. Mine came from Phoenix and SoCal.</p>
<p>If you find a breeder you like, be prepared to wait to get your puppy. A good breeder may have a list of folks waiting for a dog, and will not burden his females with too many litters. But it will be worth the wait.</p>
<p>I’m with Columbiamom – as a family, we did best adopting a one-year old pound dog, who came to us fully trained, housebroken, and well mannered. She is larger and has more hair than I would have thought ideal, but there is no question that she is the most obedient and responsive dog we have ever owned. Raising a puppy is a lot of work, and the way the dog turns out depends a somewhat on breed characteristics and a whole lot more on the way the puppy is socialized and trained as it grows. It is hard work to train a dog, and even harder in a busy household with people coming and going.</p>
<p>We are seriously considering adopting a greyhound. The local rescue group requires adopters to read these 2 books, that were both at my local library:
Branigan, “Adopting the Racing Greyhound” and
Livingood, “Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies”</p>
<p>I have never been much of a dog person, but I ran into an aquaintance with her adopted greyhound, and he was very impressive.</p>
<p>We also have 2 Siamese cats, and I was told Greyhounds are more like cats than dogs. Which would definitely be a good thing for us! I love the intelligence of border collies, but they are high maintenance dogs, and we just couldn’t do one justice.</p>
<p>I’d like to hear more about adopting greyhounds. This is interesting.</p>
<p>I just want to add to the OP that if you really want the dog to be ‘like a cat’, then you may want to rethink getting a dog at all. </p>
<p>I didn’t get one until I was 48 years old because I knew our family just didn’t have the time and effort that a dog deserves (we had a cat instead). We got our dog at the Humane Society and she is a wonderful “heinz-57”. But dogs are a lot more effort than cats. I take her on a 30 to 60 minute walk every day. And you can’t go out of town for the weekend - or even for a very long day - without making arrangements for the dog. </p>
<p>But to see the joy in her face when I come home!! Ahhh – remember when your kids were that happy to see you?</p>
<p>Well, besides the books I mentioned, you could check out your local greyhound rescue organization (driver I’m embarrassed I’ve forgotten where you live…is it Oregon?).</p>
<p>Here’s the entire email I got from my acquaintance after asking her a few questions:</p>
<p>
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<p>I’ve just started reading the books, driver, and so far so good. I think my H & S’s will really enjoy a dog. When I first got into this, my primary desire was to keep the deer out of my gardens (we have 4.5 acres half landscaped), but I could see myself warming up to a dog that acts like my cats! :D</p>
<p>Thanks, Laurel!
That is so funny–greyhounds sound exactly like my Bichon, except for the 45mph part. He goes nuts over critters outside. He wants to catch a squirrel so bad he reminds me of my H on a fishing trip. He has a sock toy that he grabs and shakes–clearly a neck-breaking maneuver–whenever he sees a chipmunk or squirrel cross our patio. He normally waits by an open door to be escorted out on a leash, but if a critter went by, he’d be in the next county trying to catch it. He wants to chase deer. It’s very funny. We’re in PA, and deer here are almost as common as squirrels.</p>
<p>concerneddad is right about choosing a breeder. It takes some homework. </p>
<p>One thing I’ve learned is you really want to buy from a breeder that is actively showing dogs. This demonstrates a big commitment to the breed on their part. You might even want to ask other breeders about the breeder you’re thinking about. Some will be surprisingly candid. </p>
<p>My first Bedlington has some “issues” that we live with and work with constantly, but in hindsight I can see that there were clues I should have picked up on when I first met her as a puppy and with her breeder. My second Bedlington was bought from a really top notch breeder/show-er and he is truly an outstanding dog in every way.</p>
<p>You want to SEE their kennels. Are they clean? Are all the dogs well cared for? A dog show is the perfect place to get some scoop. But if you find a breeder that is somewhat convenient (don’t fly a pup!) you can inspect their facility and maybe meet some puppies. Also, a good breeder should not really ask you for a down payment. You should feel totally free to not accept any puppy from a litter if you don’t see one that you thinks seems right.</p>
<p>Rescues are great - so long as you realize that s/he might require an even greater effort on your part, as you might be inheriting someone else’s problem dog. But that is certainly not true in every case. (And you can end up with a problem dog from a good breeder too! Hey, life’s risky!)</p>
<p>One really good thing about terriers - if you live in a deer-infested area like I do, they really do cut down on the number of deer and other critters in your yard or garden. It is truly a brave or foolish squirrel that ventures to my bird feeder. The deer even swing a wide path around my yard. Interestingly, they come back when we are gone for any period of time - so they know!</p>
<p>BTW, greyhounds are in fact wonderful companion dogs.</p>
<p>We adopted a border terrier from the rescue organization. He was the sweetest thing, loyal, patient, and not a yapper. When my youngest was a baby he let her use him to pull up to a stand on and she loved to climb in his kennel and sit in his bed with him. He just sat there patiently puttling up with it all. Unfortunately at about 13 he went down hill really fast – lost sight, motor control, seemed to have doggy dementia. What a sweetie.</p>
<p>Our next dog is a toy (but about an inch to large to show) poodle. He is smart, funny, affectionate, and not too yappy, BUT my husband put a lot of time into socializing/training him in the first year. He says he couldn’t do it again, it’s too much work. It was worth though, it makes for a very pleasant companion. </p>
<p>Whatever kind of dog you get, the quality of companionship really does depend on what you are willing to put into it.</p>
<p>Everyone I know who has adopted a retired greyhound has gotten a wonderful pet. Great, gentle dogs. We went with a poodle because of asthma and allergies, and he is an awesome family companion.</p>
<p>I’ve researched dogs and the best family dog would be the Havanese, although the most pricey (in our parts anyway). They (as well as the Bijon Frise) do not shed. I’ve also heard the Westhighland Terriers are not good with kids. Purina has a website that has a questionaire that matches breeds with family needs. I’d do a lot of research before I made my final decision.</p>
<p>“I’ve researched dogs and the best family dog would be the Havanese.”</p>
<p>The best family dog is not a particular breed. You may purchase a Havanese that turns out to be a barker or one that doesn’t get along with other dogs, etc. When you purchase any puppy, you have no idea what that dog is going to be like in 9-12 months. Just because a particular breed is “typically” one way or the other, it doesn’t mean that you are not going to have to work hard to bring out all of the positive characteristics of that dog and sometimes, even that is no guarantee.</p>
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<p>Wonderfully true! And your dog would never dream of growing up and going to college thousands of miles away from home. :)</p>
<p>momrath: Some dogs do grow up thinking about “showing” thousands of miles from home! LOL</p>
<p>It was suggested that you go to dog shows to see the different breeds. Show greyhounds are different than racing greyhounds, the dogs that are available for adoption. The show greyhounds are more refined with longer necks. Racing greyhounds are much more muscular, some with huge chests. And btw, greyhounds are sprinters–they are not built for long distance running. To get a good look at racing greyhounds up close go to a greyhound track where you can see them up close in their cages. They come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. </p>
<p>Greyhounds, to quote a phrase, are born to run. Our first dog was fairly depressed except when I let him run. He was beautiful. He used to run in these great circles. Watching him accelerate could take your breath away. </p>
<p>The second greyhound we had wasnt as much interested in running. He did have strong hunting instincts though, and once ran down a squirrel much to the squirrels annoyance. I had to pry the dogs jaws open to get him to let go. He also did the same thing, when we first got him, to our neighbors silky terrier. Now that was embarrassing.</p>
<p>Generally greyhounds are available around the age of 18 months-2 years or between 4-5 years depending on their racing ability. By 18 months or so breeders know if the dog can run. If they can they’ll be on the track for a couple of years. The older the dog is when it is put up for adoption the more successful it was on the track. </p>
<p>As for greyhound adoption: there are many websites that deal with the subject, for example, <a href=“http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/[/url]”>http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/</a>. We used a group in Maryland, between Baltimore and DC. They have since moved to WVA, where there are two greyhound tracks. These folks were wonderful, salt-of-the-earth types. The dogs were available at very little cost, but we donated a good amount of money to help the rescue league. Some adoption groups, not just greyhound, can be difficult and seemingly unwilling to actually let anyone have their dogs.</p>