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Recovering From Covid: Buying A Puppy10/19/2020 Now that we've discussed adopting a new dog, let's talk about buying a puppy from a breeder. With everything going on currently, puppy scams are through the roof, and unethical breeders are going into overdrive to produce dollar sign puppies. So there's much to worry about when choosing a new addition to your family. This installment is specifically about puppies, the next article will be on rehoming an older dog or puppy from someone other than a breeder. Before we discuss how to suss out a bad breeder, let's talk about why buying from good breeders benefits everybody. Supporting people who keep dogs out of shelters Unethical breeders will not continue to follow up, or have options implemented, so that if you decide to rehome the dog, the dog runs away or gets lost, or any other circumstance, the dog does not end up in the adoption system. An ethical breeder should always have some sort of provision for their dogs, whether it be taking the dog back as an adult, or a microchip with the breeder’s contact information, so it does not end up in a shelter system. Better health and behavior An ethical breeder health tests, and only breeds healthy dogs that pass all of the health tests. This doesn't mean your dog getting these diseases or issues is impossible, but it's dramatically reduced. However, make sure not to equate purebred=healthy, and the same goes for mixed breeds. Make sure the breeder can provide all the papers of vet visits, test results, and any other relevant information. The saying "mixed breeds are healthier" is false. It does have some logic behind it - mixed breed dogs have a greater genetic diversity, so genetic diseases or mutations are less likely to occur. The likelihood of two carrier dogs being bred together is lower, but not nonexistent. That said, any ethical breeder will already know if the parent dogs are carriers for many genetic diseases, because that would be a part of the various tests they do. Mixed breeds, however, have a much more unpredictable baseline for behavior, coat, and susceptibility to health issues. Unlike with a purebred where you will know what to expect, mixed breeds, even of the exact same mix, and the exact same parents, can be very different. One litter could be very well behaved, and docile, and the breeder gets a reputation for being highly recommended, but then the very next litter is erratic much higher energy. Make sure to research all of the breeds individually, as well as together, and ask for the names of previous owners. Shutting down puppy mills Although your contribution may seem small and insignificant, you are helping to shut down puppy mills, pet stores with puppies, and various unethical breeders. The less demand, the less they will breed, and the less dogs end up in shelters, or euthanized for being improperly placed. It can be tempting to buy from a cheap breeder, because you can’t afford a $1000 dog, however the saying “buying the dog is the cheapest part” is very true. The food, health bills, toys, housing, and paying for dog sitting will be much more expensive over the dog’s lifespan. Now let's talk about some of the red flags when looking for breeders. Offering pick of the litter Just like in the last article about adopting a dog, breeders should not be allowing you to choose your own dog, unless you are an experienced working dog or show dog handler. They should be matching the puppy based on your lifestyle, how many members there are in your household, other pets, children, and various other factors. This also contributes to keeping dogs out of shelters, and may prevent future accidents, such as reactivity, aggression and hyperactivity caused by lack of stimulation, overstimulation, or going to a bad situation. Charging more for "pretty" colorsAny breeder who is charging more for beautiful colors, such as blue merle, red merle, liver, or silver, is likely breeding for appearance and not quality. There is nothing wrong with these colors, or breeding parents of these colors. And in addition, there is a small chance a breeder will get dogs of these colors in some litters, even if the parents don’t have the same coat. However, if it is posed as an upgrade from the "regular" puppies as opposed to an endeavor to make non-standard colors healthier and more accepted, it's a huge red flag for where the breeder's priority lies. The same goes for eye colors. Some breeders charge more for blue eyes, heterochromia (eyes two different colors) or gold, which have been found to have correlation, but not necessarily causation, with various different health and behavioral issues. They don’t allow house visits This one can get very tricky in a time like this, when visiting others’ homes, especially strangers is heavily discouraged. However, even now, breeders should have some sort of accommodations for visiting the puppies in their home. The environment the mother, as well as the puppies live in will affect their health, and even their future temperament. Dogs raised in bad situations have been shown to have higher incidences of anxiety later in life, and can cause issues with fear reactivity. They can’t give you details on previous generationsAn ethical breeder should always have information on not only the parents, but the grand parents, great grandparents, and so on. If they don’t, it can be a sign they just picked up any dogs off of facebook or from the shelter, did little to no research, and proceeded to breed them. This is obviously unacceptable and means even if the parents are sweet, every single puppy will be a gamble on its temperament, or if any genetic aggression will pop up. Have no contract Any good breeder will have a contract that often requires the dog is returned to the breeder if anything comes up, and that they are not able to be bred. A breeder who does not have such a contract, again, is likely contributing to the shelter system. Even if only one puppy out of every litter they produce ends up in the shelter, that can easily be into the dozens if they over-breed, or have multiple dams. In addition a no-breeding clause stops more puppies from being produced, another litter of dogs that could potentially wind up at a rescue. These are some basics for sussing out a good breeder. However, there is something that needs to be noted - these tips do NOT apply to accidental litters. Accidental litters do not come with the same high quality standard as purposefully bred dogs, may or may not have the pedigrees, health testing, or other information that you would get from a breeder. It’s important to differentiate true accidental litters, from secret backyard breeders, who have repeated “accidental” litters. The bonus to buying a dog from an accidental litter however, is unlike buying from a breeder, you are almost certainly keeping a dog out of the shelter. Typically they get transferred there immediately after they are old enough to be adopted, and no other buyers have been found. They will also be exponentially cheaper as well, and possibly free if the owner truly cannot afford to keep the puppies. However, I must stress again that you have no idea what temperament, health condition, or appearance dog you are getting unless the owner can provide papers for both parents. As well as being on high alert that you are not accidentally supporting a puppy mill, disguised as an accidental litter. It's also important to choose a breed that reflects your lifestyle, whether it be purebred or a mixed breed. You can contact us @dandidogservices or [email protected] for breed recommendations based on what YOU need. And as always, you can reach out to us if anything needs clarification at 1-506-321-4133.
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