Many times we come across the Dilemma on how to really trust and be certain that we are acquiring our puppy from a True, Honest Reliable source Breeder, how can we evaluate and select the High Standard Breeder who will really not only sell us a beautiful puppy but that we may be certain, this puppy has had all the best input into his breeding and that we can be certain this breeder will be there to help us with real knowledgeable advice with no "hidden agenda" on the advice and counseling he or she may be offering us.
I have taken some of this information from reliable sources and the GSD Club of America and have added some of my own experienced pointers from where I was a buyer, before becoming a breeder and taken the examples of what I really expected from the breeder when I was purchasing a puppy from him.
As a European type breeder, I relate mostly to European Breeding ethics, never ignoring the valuable information and education from the American dog breeders as well.
From this informative study and research, in addition to the experience and knowledge, I have acquired, I have come to the conclusion that Good reputable Breeders follow these rules:
They Strive in each and every breeding to achieve the highest quality possible relative to the breed standard for conformation, trainability, and temperament, in order to maintain our breed's characteristics.
They take the highest measures to select the prospective buyers, for which a Puppy Request form is requested before the final acceptance for this family or individual purchases a puppy from the breeder making a disclosure that the breeder can either accept or reject if the puppy request or interview is not up to their standards. Most of the reliable and responsible breeders feel their mothers, sires, and puppies are part of the family and the economical factor is not the priority, the most important factor is the puppy welfare in every aspect Physically and mentaly.
Always check on their background, experience, years in the breed, what have they accomplished, Reviews are very important as well as a well-documented website where prospective buyers can feel secure about what they are acquiring.
Breeders who attend Shows, Seminars, Sieger Shows in Europe are more educated, for they get the opportunity to get real in-person experience and watch and evaluate the top dogs for reproduction, doing their own investigation and evaluation of the progeny of the Top dogs, interaction with highest educated breeders and judges is a world of knowledge and this input is poured into their Breeding programs to help and support the quality of anatomy, health, and performance.
They use only physically sound, mature dogs of stable temperament for breeding. These characteristics are rarely if ever, determined before the age of two for females.
Continue to educate themselves regarding genetic diseases pertinent to the breed including, hip and elbow dysplasia. Offer information regarding these tests Hips, Elbows DM and offer information of parentage clearances for previous generations behind their pedigrees
Apply the same high standards to outside bitches sent to their stud dogs as they apply to their own breeding stock.
Match each puppy's personality as carefully as possible with a compatible buyer/family. Temperament testing of a litter before puppies are offered for sale is encouraged. they usually are the ones to decide where each puppy fits and explains clearly the Knowledgeable reasons from which decisions were based upon.
Puppies are raised in a controlled area where they get full-time attention and are exposed to Neurological Stimulation programs and as they grow older they are stimulated by different environmental factors and Sensory Puppy Programs to provide the puppy with the best tools for his or her future achievements.
Take appropriate steps to have each puppy examined by a licensed veterinarian for general health prior to placement. Each puppy should be vaccinated and de-wormed by a veterinarian. And should go to a his-her new home with a Certified Veterinarian health Certificate. In addition, a health history record of previous dewormings and vaccines should be available for the new owner to take home for records.
Encourage buyers of pet puppies to spay/neuter. Methods should include written spay/neuter contracts, limited registration, and/or spay/neuter rebates.
Endeavor to gain personal knowledge of the temperament and health of every dog they breed, or to which they breed, in order to gather information on which to base future breeding decisions. They share this information fully and honestly with other breeders and with prospective buyers.
Share the most possible enriching educational information in the weeks prior for the puppy to be picked up, so the new owners can relate to all of this information and be prepared not only with physical needs like food, bowls, kennels, etc, but also lots of puppy raising and training material for them to watch and absorb and feel they are ready to bring this new puppy to their homes.
Sell breeding prospects to knowledgeable, ethical, and experienced persons or are willing to help educate and guide novices. They should at any time accept the return of any dog/bitch their breeding program produces and they should always help when relocation is needed.
Do not engage in misleading or untrue advertising and do not use FCI/ SV/ or GSDCA membership as a marketing tool.
Do not sell, supply, donate or surrender any dog for which they are responsible to a pet shop, catalog house, wholesale dealer in dogs, Humane Society, or to a laboratory. They should have reasonable assurance that each individual receiving a dog will provide a home with appropriate shelter, restraint, control, and responsible care.
Encourage puppy buyers to go to puppy obedience classes to help their puppies to become better canine good citizens. The achievement of a Canine Good Citizen certificate, as well as obedience or any other sport AKC titles, should be encouraged.
A written Contract with guarantees of health and genetic factors should be supplied, in this contract all disclosures about the puppy should be included and a Puppy Care Guideline should be included as part of the contract, both should be signed by both parties, buyers, and breeder.
This list could go over 20 pages if we would go into details, but we also feel each puppy buyer should make their full research from proven knowledgeable resources. YouTube and the Internet are full of great honest information and also on the other token you may find much misleading information that can cause a puppy buyer to create an uneducated decision. This is where the decisions rely on the research they make. I always tell clients, "Do your Assignment" check everything before buying, at the end you may find lots of great breeders who are responsible and ethical and the last decision is based upon who you as a puppy buyer prospect feels most comfortable with.
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