Any responsible dog owner wants their dog to be healthy and fit. Unfortunately having a healthy dog isn’t just about how you treat your pet and how well you take care of it. Your future dog’s breeding can play a huge role in its health. This is why it’s important to do your research and avoid buying from backyard breeders or puppy mills.

Why You Shouldn’t Buy from Backyard Breeders

I define “backyard breeders” as dog owners who throw a couple of dogs together and make them pop out some babies to make a bit of cash. What puppy buyers need to realize is that this is not an acceptable way to breed dogs. Responsible breeders would never breed two dogs without conducting necessary health tests (and no, a vet checkup isn’t enough) including testing for various genetic diseases that some breeds are predisposed to, temperament testing, etc. Not only do backyard breeders not do the necessary health testing to ensure that their puppies are healthy, but they often don’t know and/or don’t care to learn about how to properly take care of a newborn puppy. This includes handling, socialization, and other factors necessary to ensure a happy, healthy, socialized pup.

How to Spot Backyard Breeders

Backyard breeders are usually not too difficult to spot. Here are some telltale signs of a backyard breeder:

1)     Pet shops. Puppies you see being sold in pet shops are in 99% of cases products of backyard breeders or puppy mills. Responsible breeders would not sell their puppies to a pet store.

2)     Advertising “Cavoodles”, “Choodles”, “Spoodles”, or other “Designer” breeds. I’m of the opinion that not all breeders of mixed breeds are irresponsible backyard breeders. After all, there’s an entire organization promoting responsible breeding and a breed standard of “Labradoodles”. But let’s be honest: most breeders of mixed breeds are backyard breeders. Backyard breeders will often try to pass off mixed breed dogs (or mutts) as some sort of fancy designer breed and charge a small fortune for them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with mutts – Keeda is a mutt and she is the best dog I could ever ask for. But trying to pass off a mutt as some sort of fancy breed is irresponsible of the breeders and is one sign of a backyard breeder.

3)     Advertising in newspapers or online classifieds. The majority of breeders advertising puppies in newspaper listings or on websites like Gumtree or Tradesales are backyard breeders. Granted, there are some responsible breeders who advertise on these websites, but you’ll have to do a lot of wading through the junk to find them.

4)     Breeders without waiting lists. Responsible breeders do not breed puppies whom they don’t have homes for. There are some breeders who have people on waiting lists for months or sometimes even years! It’s worth waiting on a list for a few months and getting a well bred, healthy, socialized puppy.

5)     Breeders separating puppies from their mothers before they are 8 weeks old. A puppy should never be taken away from its mother if it is under 8 weeks old. Some breeders wait even longer. In the state of California it’s even a misdemeanour to give a puppy away before it reaches 8 weeks of age. Puppies are mentally and physically not prepared to be weaned at 7 weeks or younger and can develop separation anxiety and other problems.

Why You Shouldn’t Buy From Puppy Mills

You will probably never see an actual puppy mill in your life, but if you buy from a pet shop or from one of those websites that advertises dozens of different breeds of puppies and always has plenty “in stock”, you are likely buying from one. Puppy mills are horrible establishments where dogs are kept in cages for the sole purpose of breeding. You can find hundreds of malnourished dogs in barns, in horrible conditions, just breeding all the time.

By buying from pet shops you are not only likely contributing to this problem of dog abuse, but also potentially purchasing a sick dog. Not only are puppy mill dogs not health tested, but they are often mistreated and get sick after they’re born. Sometimes puppies are separated from their mothers straight away, and the crowded conditions inside puppy mills mean that puppies can get all kinds of diseases in that kind of environment. You can end up with a puppy with kennel cough, Parvo, or countless other health issues.

Where to Buy a Healthy Puppy

Your best bet of finding a healthy puppy is to buy from a registered breeder and to go on a waiting list. When selecting your breeder, keep the following in mind:

1)     The breeder should let you see the parents. If for some reason you can’t view your puppy’s parents, that’s cause for suspicion. Granted, breeders may sometimes own just one of the parents, just the mother for example. This does not mean that they’re irresponsible. They should still be able to give you details about the sire of the puppies – his name, lineage, assure you that both dogs have had all of the necessary health tests, etc.

2)     The breeder should have a waiting list. Responsible breeders don’t bring puppies into the world without having homes for them to go to. Sometimes plans fall through or a person on the waiting list backs out or is unable to take the puppy anymore. In this case they may find a suitable home for the puppy after it’s been born.

3)     The breeder should take responsibility for their puppies. Responsible breeders will take dogs they’ve produced back in or work to find them another good home should their family not be able to keep them anymore.

4)     Responsible breeders screen their potential owners. A responsible breeder may ask you about your family, your home, if you have any other pets, and even information about your income to make sure that you are able to give the puppy the care it requires.

5)     Responsible breeders give you information about your new puppy. Many responsible breeders compile puppy packs to give to their new puppy owners. These packs may include information leaflets, food rations, even toys for the puppy. Responsible breeders will make sure that you have their contact details should you need to contact them for advice or in an urgent situation.

6)     Responsible breeders will encourage spaying or neutering your pet.

As you can see, responsible breeders take a lot of precautions to make sure that their puppies go to good homes and are happy and healthy. After they go through all of the necessary steps, tests, etc. they are lucky to break even after their puppies have been sold. Responsible breeders do not breed to make a profit. They breed to better the breed they are passionate about and promote responsible ownership of dogs.

Sometimes screening for a good nreeder may seem like more trouble than it’s worth, but there are plenty of responsible breeders out there. By doing so you are promoting responsible ownership and breeding of dogs and greatly increasing your chances of having a strong, healthy dog.

Another option when buying your dog is to go to a dog shelter or rescue organization and save a dog’s life. Most of the dogs you see in pounds come from irresponsible owners and breeders. Breeders who care about their puppies will not let their puppy go to a pound if they can help it. Backyard breeders and puppy millers, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about what happens to the puppies they brought into the world after they got their wad of cash for it. It’s important to remember that dogs aren’t like furniture – to be created, sold off, and then forgotten. Please do your research before buying or breeding a dog.