Signs of an Accountable Breeder

Keep an eye out for good signs as well as warning signs while looking for a puppy
Wikipedia defines a “breeder” as: “…a person who selectively breeds carefully selected mates, normally of the same breed to sexually reproduce offspring with specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics.” Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. There’s a big difference between an accountable breeder and an irresponsible breeder. Sometimes referred to as “Backyard Breeders”, irresponsible breeders breed dogs without much planning or effort and are generally doing it to make money. An accountable breeder (also referred to as a preservation, reputable and responsible breeder) is someone who has spent years (often decades) selecting breeding stock and doing matings that contribute to the preservation and improvement of their chosen breed.
It’s easy to get caught by flashy, “first pages up in the search” Google and Facebook results, filled with adorable puppy photos. The truth is though, that anyone with a couple hundred dollars can hire a web designer to put together an impressive site with one goal – to sell puppies for profit. Here are several “good signs” along with several “warning signs” to look for when it comes to assessing breeders.

Good sign: They want to know about you and your plans for the puppy. An accountable breeder will ask questions like: What hours do you work? Have you owned a dog before? What dog sports do you plan on participating in? Do you have children? Does anyone in your home have allergies? Have you picked a veterinarian? Many request that potential puppy buyers fill out questionnaires and/or provide references. They will also provide their first and last names so you can check if they are CKC members in good standing. Accountable breeders want puppy buyers to keep in touch and use them for their expertise throughout the dog’s life.

Warning Sign: They don’t ask about you and your plans for the puppy. It’s all about making the sale to whomever shows them the money first. They might not becomfortable giving you their full name as they don’t want any further contact after the sale.

Good sign: They do activities with their dogs. Accountable breeders usually are active in CKC events like conformation, lure coursing, hunting trials/tests and/or obedience. They are happy to show you photos, ribbons and trophies their dogs have won. They can also show you the registration certificates for the sire and dam as well as a pedigree (family tree) and photos of the ancestors.

Warning Sign: There is no clear purpose as to why they have dogs other than to sell litters of puppies for profit.

Good sign: Accountable breeders are generally happy to welcome you to their premises and show you where they keep their dogs. If the breeder lives far away or is immune compromised, this may be done via Zoom or Face Time. Accountable breeders will let you meet one or both of the parents. If the stud dog lives elsewhere, photos and videos are often available. An older half-sibling may be available to show you what the puppy may be like physically and temperament wise.

Warning sign: You can’t see their home. They have excuses as to why you can’t see the puppy’s parents. They offer to meet you in a parking lot or other public space, claiming it will be easier for you.

Good sign: An accountable breeder wants great, livelong homes for their puppies and is in no hurry to sell you a puppy. They will correspond with you to see if you are a right fit for one of their puppies. They may not have a litter right now and may offer to put you on a waiting list.

Warning sign: They are pushing the sale very hard and continuously telling you that there are plenty of other people interested in the puppy. They ignore or deflect your questions about puppy care, health records, guarantees or registration.  

Good sign: An accountable breeder is very proud of their puppies and the extended family they have created through their dogs. They will gladly share contact information for past puppy buyers so that you can speak with them about their dogs and their experience with the breeder.

Warning sign: They don’t have a list of previous puppy buyers you can contact for references. Being told to check out the reviews on their Facebook page isn’t the same as providing references. Anyone can ask their friends to submit reviews on social media.

Good sign: An accountable breeder offers paper and/or digital records of all the vaccines, de-worming and veterinary attention that the puppy has received to date. Most offer detailed health guarantees and will have several documents and contracts for you to read and sign. Spay/neuter contracts, non-breeding agreements, health guarantees and oftentimes, a trial period of pet insurance to get you started on the right paw.
Speaking of paper, an accountable breeder will commit to providing you with a Canadian Kennel Club certificate of registration showing you as the owner of the dog within six months from the date of sale.

Warning sign: Supporting documents are often non-existent. They might not even ask your name.

Good sign: Experience teaches an accountable breeder how many litters they can realistically raise with a high level of care per year. This varies based on how many breeding dogs they have and how many people are involved in the care of the puppies (larger families, hired kennel help), but generally, most accountable breeders have 1-3 litters annually.

Warning sign: They always have puppies. They may boast that they have only a few bitches but they breed their bitches every heat cycle and continuously sell puppies.

Good sign: An accountable breeder considers themselves a part of the dog’s life for the dog’s entire life. An accountable breeder will move mountains before one of their dogs ends up in a shelter. If an unfortunate circumstance arises, they will take back your dog if you are unable to keep them, and find them a good home.

Warning sign: They have a no return policy. Once you’ve paid, they may disappear…your dog, your problem.

Good sign: An accountable breeder charges what is a fair price considering the amount of expense, time and effort they have put into the litter. They are happy to explain their price to you.

Warning sign: The price seems too good to be true. Any questions regarding whether registration, health testing, vet care etc. are included are ignored or shrugged off.

Good sign: An accountable breeder strives to produce puppies that meet the breed standard. If a puppy is born with a non-standard colour, markings pattern, or has a disqualifying fault for show, the puppy is sold as a pet with an explanation why.

Warning sign: They are charging more for non-standard colours, puppies that are over or undersized etc. branding them as rare, unique, or exotic.
All puppies are adorable and the wait for a great puppy can be long and hard, but it is always worth it. Please keep in mind these good signs and warning signs when meeting breeders. Communicate with several breeders and make sure you pick one that you like and trust as this person will be a part of your life for the lifetime of your dog.