How can I spot a REAL breeder over a back-yard one?

I'm fixin' to adopt a loving dog into my family. I've seen LOTS of information about back-yard breeders here, and I certainly want to avoid them. What tips can you offer to weed out the good breeders from the bad ones? Any questions I can ask?

http://www.adba.cc/check it out

I would really suggest going to a shelter and looking around there first. Perhaps you could save a little life. They may not look how you want them to but you can surely find a friendly bunch. Best of luck!

well i personally would save a dog from a shelter. They sometimes are free or are very cheap. i got my dog for $35 and she is the best dog ever. you do something good and save some money.

Typically a real breeder will have documentation for all of their dogs. The puppies will usually be AKC certified as well. Never buy a dog that is not AKC certified! Good luck!

If it's a backyard you go to then for sure they aren't great....they should have kennels in place as well as feeding areas, etc. Also they should have papers for you for your dog.

Ask to see if the kennel has been reviewed or certified. You'll either get a direct yes or a "i dunno" look. Make sure the breeder is in good standing with breed reinforcement standards such as the AKC.If a breeder is certified by AKC, the breeder can be trusted.Now when it comes to adopting, do not let the source of the dog keep you from any particular dog. Just because a dog is not from a certified breeder does not mean that a dog is not worth adopting. These diamonds-in-the-rough need loving too. Are you purchasing the dog or are you adopting it, say from a rescue organization or individual?Spend a good bit of time with the dog before deciding. See if you can try the dog at your home for a trial weekend. Then decide. Good luck.

if you're looking at a purebreed dog, go to www.akc.org (american kennel club)they have a list of registered breeders who are pros and breed both champions and pet-quality dogs of all breeds.If you just want a loving pet, think about adopting a dog from a rescue. you can often still get puppies from a rescue group.Try www.petfinder.org

Try the breeder locator on akc.org and once you decide on the breed you want, go to your local breed club and ask around. You could also go to a show and talk to the handlers/breeders there.I will add that on akc.org, it shows registered breeders but be careful bc it will also show you if they show their dogs and if they perform health tests etc. These are the breeders you want.

my father and gradfather are both dog breeders...one thing is that if they are serious breeders there will be many female dogs, my grandpa has 12 females. They should all be in well taken care of kennels, and look healthy. A true breeder will have paperwork of both the mother and father showing they are purebred. Most likley these places also have names for their breeding. Also, make sure you SEE the mother of the litter to make sure she looks healthy as well. usually the females are taken to one male from another breeder so you may not see the father.

If the breeder shows their dogs and has certificates I would think that would be a good sign. Also the dog you adopt should be registered with the the certified dog registry and they will have a certificate showing this.

Look into the American Kennel Asscociation and look for listings or comments on the dogs that they have registered, or comments in general over the company.Use you gut instict as well, if you feel like that is not the right place to buy your dog, from then don't go there.Look at their equipment and places they keep the dogs, too!!Another thing that you could do would be to ask for a list of some of their clients, you could contact them and find out their experience with the breeder.I hope that I helped!!

http://dogplay.com/GettingDog/index.html

There are a couple of things... You could make a visit to the home of the breeder. You know, is it just the one dog or pair of dogs that have had a litter, or are there several pairs of dogs on the premise? You can ask how many times they have bred the female. That would tell you if they're in it for the love of dogs or just the money. Depending on what type of dog you're looking for, you could ask about certain health concerns that are breed specific and what have they done to weed that out. One example - large dogs are more disposed to hip dysplasia. Have they had their parents x-rayed and examined? The big thing is to research your breed so you will have specific questions that require specific answers. Also, you could also check out a rescue specific to the breed you're looking for. A lot of times they will have puppies.Good luck. Hope this helps...

1). They show their dogs and the dogs have WON in some of the shows. A good breeder will usually proudly volunteer this info.2). They do all genetic health testing for their breed.3). The parents have had proper vet care.4). The dogs are fed a quality food.5). The breeder GRILLS you with tons of questions.

A good breader would never let a puppy go before 8 weeks old (10-12 wks is best) never 6 weeks, a good breeder would first shots,vet check and deworming done, a BYB would not, a good breeder would be concerned on what type of home there puppy was going to and ask all sorts of Q like fenced in yard etc.... A bad breeder would not, and a good breeder would have all health testing dog a byb would not and a good breeder would make you sign a contract saying you will spay or nuerter the dog and will give the dog back at anytime before going back to the animals shelter or another home, and a good breeder would have all dogs tested for any diseses and health problems. There are many more things to watch out of BYB juse like peopel who breed mutts etc....Good luck

a good purebred dog seller will have akc papers on the stud and ..girl {not using the real word}. the papers should also come with a paper for you to send to the akc for registering the name. most will put a package of bloodlines and pictures of the parents, and will allow you to visit site. if they refuse to let you on the site..RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!!!!

In general a good breeder is going to ask you lots of questions about your lifestyle, the kind of house you have, the environment the puppy is going to live in. They actually CARE about where their puppies go and they want to find the best homes possible for their "babies". A good breeder will only have one litter "on the ground" at any particular time. They realize how much work is involved in raising puppies well and they don't have time for multiple litters at a time.A good breeder will not breed her females every chance they get. The female's need time to heal and get their bodies back into shape before having another litter. Having babies is very hard on their bodies and they need time to recoup. between litters.A good breeder will have "proven" lines that she is using and will be proud to show you the papers to prove it! They will have all the genetic testing done and will show you the results from the vets.In general, if you are at a breeders place and you get a bad feeling - go with your gut!! Try not to get suckered into the cute puppies and turn to walk away if you need to!

Here are some signs of a good breeder:1. Health tests his breeding stock. This varies by breed but it's not too difficult to find what should be tested for in the breed you're interested in.2. Doesn't breed b!tches more than once every couple years. Doesn't breed them on the first heat or very old.3. Competes against competition with his dogs and wins prizes. His dogs have titles. Usually this is conformation (the dog looks like a purebred dog), but working trials are also acceptable.4. The breeder has a guarantee for their dog. The guarantee should be for AT LEAST two years. Less than that and they're basically useless.5. The breeder has a lifetime return policy on their puppies. So if you can't keep it, he'll take it instead of having you turn it over to a shelter.6. The breeder is a member of local or national breed clubs. (Such as the Poodle Club of America and/or Minnesota Poodle Club.)7. The breeder carefully screens puppy buyers to ensure that the puppies are going to good homes. The breeder cares about the puppies and makes an effort to keep in touch with puppy owners.8. The breeder registers with a reputable registry. Many bad breeders use "AKC registration" as their sign of quality. It's not, but not having a reputable registration is a sign of low quality. They should be registered with AKC or UKC (in America). There are a few exceptions (such as the Australian Shepherd Club of America, which is an independent registry), but not too many.9. Dogs are clean and well-cared for.

Either get a shelter dog or if you have a specific breed in mind, check with the local breed club--they won't steer you to a BYB.