Why should prospective puppy buyers take care when choosing a breeder?

What are the tell tail signs of a back yard breeder and how can you be sure that the puppy has not come from a puppy farmer?

usually a good breeder will have the dogs papers... AKC papers, pedigree, vet papers, etc.

Biggest clues to look for:- Show titles or working titles on both sire and dam- Genetic testing on both sire and dam- Pedigree going back at least four generations- Contract including: spay/neuter on pets, return to breeder at ANY time for ANY reason, and genetic guarantee minimum of three yearsIf the breeder does not have any of that, it is a BYB or miller. BYB or reputable breeder can also be determined by the reason the dog was bred - if temperament or breed standard are absent from any reason, then it is a BYB. Most BYBs have reasons like "we wanted her puppy", "she made a great mommy", etc. Generally NOT good reasons to breed.Millers are larger scale with more than a few family pet type dogs. Millers generally deal with Pet Stores and/or exporting to stores or individuals, as the public visiting their establishment could result in complaints filed.There are also "hobby breeders" who do not show and may not breed to standard, but will do genetic testing and breed for temperament. They are a step down from show breeders, but several steps up from millers or ignorant BYBs.

BYB's and puppy mills often breed more than one breed of dog, they have filthy facilities, WAY too many breeding adults, cramped enclosures, won't let you visit the premises (they offer to meet you somewhere or they sell online), they breed designer dogs, they breed for tiny size and offer "teacups", they don't require a contract that specifies the dog to be returned to them for any reason that you can't keep it, etc., etc., etc.

Usually unscrupulous breeders will not show you the mother of the pup, as they are usually in bad condition being caged all day and night, and only used to produce more and more pups. It's a terrible life for a dog. Also, puppy mills, back-yard breeders, usually sell more than one breed of dog. A good breeder sticks to one breed that they know best, to try to further improve the breed. Puppy mills, and back-yard breeders usually don't take the pups to the Vets for shots, and they will often crop ears (cut the ends off so they will stand up and not flop down), dock tails, remove dew claws, by themselves, without any anesthetic.

If a breeder does not offer pedigree papers at time of purchase and says they will send them to, is a sign you will never get papers and dog is not registered. A responsible breeder will give application at time of purchase.Also if you don't get a health certificate for dog. Breeding multiple breeds.

Getting a dog from a "bad" breeder (BYB or puppy farm) funds and encourages animal abuse. It often leads to expensive vet bills, possibly behavioural work, and can lead to a broken heart.What to look for:Are the pups registered with the proper Kennel Club? They should be.How many breeds are they breeding? The top breeders specialise in one breed. A few will have two. Any more than this is a puppy farmer.How many dogs does the breeder have? Not too many is best - they should all be family pets first and foremost.What health testing have they done? None - very bad! Sire and / or dam only? Not that great. Both parents, grandparents and various other relatives? Very good. And can they prove it?Any proof of temperament or working ability? Good things to look for are temperament testing, Canine Good Citizens awards, titles in appropriate field (eg obediance, agility, field trials etc)How long have they been involved with their breed? You can't be a good breeder if you don't know your dogs. A good breeder will have been involved in working / showing / judging etc for years before attempting to breed. Can you see the whole litter, with the mother, in their usual home? If not run away screaming!! No excuses - if you can't enter the premises, if the pup is brought out to show you, if the mother is "out", or if they will ship without ever meeting you then its a bad breeder.Are all the dogs and pups in excellent condition, and given the best possible care? They should be. Pups should be reared inside the home, and fully socialised - early training is preferable (eg some housetraining or recall work).Do they have a decent contract? Should include endorsements and a neutering clause, and state that if the dog can not be kept it must be returned to the breeder.Do they permanently ID thier pups? Good breeders will either tattoo or microchip all puppies before sale. The best ones do a DNA profile as well.What is the "after sales" service like? Will they happily answer questions and give advice throughout the dogs life? Do they actively ask you to keep in touch?Do they ask you lots of questions - if they don't ask then they don't care!! Expect to be asked why you chose this breed, what experience you have, where the dog will live / about your home, how long the dog will be left, etc. Good breeders will not sell a pup to anyone they consider unsuitable.Do they provide a decent puppy pack? This should include registration documents, pedigree, detailed care sheets, vet records, a few days worth of food, etc. If they give you nothing they are cutting corners because they only care about money!Ask about the dam - no female should be bred under the age of 2 or over 8, and never on consecutive seasons. No more than 4 litters in total.Check the pedigree for any inbreeding. Avoid breeders that mate siblings, or parent to offspring. Look for frequently recurring names on the pedigree as this can indicate overuse of the same stud dogs.Research your breed and know the difference between good looks and good health. In some breeds it may be better if the dogs are NOT doing great in shows - eg show standard bulldogs are crippled by their large heads, flat noses etc. A "pet" quality bulldog with a longer nose, more in-proportion body etc is the healthier and more ethical choice.Are they feeding you any BS? The "one year health garuantee" is common among many BYBs and puppy farmers - because many hereditary disorders will not show this early. If the breeder claims to have any "designer" breeds with stupid names, or "teacup" dogs etc then run awy - this moron is just trying to con gullible people out of their money for badly bred pups.I think that covers most things!

NO PAPERSNO HEALTH CERTIFICATEDOESN'T WANT U TO SEE THE DOG PARENTSWOULDN'T ASK U IMPORTANT QUESTIONSWILLING TO BREED MUTTS SORRY , LISTS TOO LONG

In reality it is very hard to tell from anything other than your common sense.I read a news story from a few years ago on someones website - i can't remember where as i came across it by accident - and it was a story about a man who showed his dogs and was very well respected by his peers and bred puppies from his home but there was some confusion over one of his dogs and they went to his house to find kennels around the back packed full of dogs his dogs, staving and some dead and it was a HUGE scandal.They can tick as many of the boxes as possible but the only way to know is to physically go to their home and investigate.They tell you to let you know when you are coming... i suggest popping around "by accident" before the puppies are born and asking if you could see their dogs.Sure the house might be a mess, but that isn't important, unless it's dog mess.I also wouldn't buy from a breeder who: - had more than 8 dogs total - had more than one breed - only owned b1tches - sold dogs that were too old to breed - always had a litter for sale - didn't have a large garden - worked full-time - didn't endorse their puppies

bybs dont show their dogsthey dont health test their dogsthey breed muttsthey breed more than one breed of dog (so they might have a litter of yorkies, and a litter of poodles)they dont really care for their dogs, if its ill they dont take it to the vetthey usually charge a fortune for the puppies they sell sick runts and call them 'teacups' (name of breed) and charge you a fortune for themthey sell the puppies at about 5 weeks old or as soon as they are eating puppy food