When it comes to buying a purebred puppy you hear a lot of talk about the horrors of puppy mills. In some case the horrors are real – dogs are treated as commodities just so unethical people can make money at the expense of gentle, innocent dogs.
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The alternative is to look for an ‘ethical breeder’. But what makes these breeders stand apart from the rest? What makes a ‘good pet breeder’? Simply put, an ethical breeder is someone whose goal is to make a difference, not make a profit. Ethical breeders put a dogs wellbeing above money.
Ethical pet breeders carefully screen their breeding stock for any health problems. They know that breeding unhealthy animals leads to a number of problems, and they don’t want to pass on any genetic diseases or illnesses.
The responsible breeder looks at their prospective clients closely. They ask questions to make sure the puppies will end up in the best homes. Ethical breeders interview interested parties to ensure a match, and they verify all information.
They know that ‘surprise’ or gift puppies often do not work out.
They know that matching the right puppy with the right person is a personal matter and the person who will be closest to the dog should be involved.
These breeders take all the steps necessary to make sure their dogs never end up in a shelter or rescue. They guarantee their dogs, and they promise to take in, or help place, dogs or puppies no matter how old they are if the owner suddenly needs to give the dog up. An ethical breeder will tell you up front all the good and bad traits of a dog breed so that you won’t have any surprises down the road, and to ensure a good match.
Ethical breeders make sure the puppies they breed have homes before the sire and dam ever meet, this doubly ensures the puppies never wind up in a shelter. They also potential purchasers to encourage commitment from prospective owners.
An ethical breeder does not support themselves by breeding dogs. It should not be a business; in fact, there is little money to be made in breeding dogs, so look for someone who does not make their living off of breeding dogs. There are exceptions to this and there are some very caring breeders who put their pets first and still make an income.
When you visit a breeder, look at the grounds. Are they neat and clean?
Are the dogs happy, well-fed, properly groomed, healthy and exercised? Make sure the kennels the breeder uses are large, clean and comfortable. If the dogs are skinny, dirty, or under-exercised, these are red flags. If the kennels are dirty, move on to another breeder.
Additionally, look to see how many dogs are there. Ethical breeders should only be breeding one litter at a time. If there are too many dogs, or if there are a lot of pregnant females, this may be a breeder who is just in it for the money.
Look for a breeder who is happy to answer your questions; one who seems to have nothing to hide. Look for clean, happy dogs and a clean, comfortable environment. Make sure the breeder is someone you can trust in order to find your perfect pup!
Here at Pet Adoptions and Sales we want to encourage ethical breeders and not those who are only interested in an income. This is hard for us to police but we are putting every effort into making sure the animals on our site are happy, healthy and will live a long loving life. We encourage feedback and updates from those who buy pets through the site who think there may be a problem from the people they buy their new pet from.
We have a Pet Purchase Feedback form which we encourage people to fill out when they buy a pet so we can promote those breeders who do the right thing and remove those who don’t.
