3 Tips To Follow When Looking For A Responsible Breeder
One of the hardest parts about buying a purebred puppy is finding a responsible breeder to work with rather than a puppy mill. However, there are a few tips that you can follow that will help you find a responsible breeder and avoid puppy mills, such as the three listed below.
Look Into The Number Of Puppies That Are Available
One of the biggest red flags when it comes to differentiating a responsible breeder from a puppy mill is how many puppies are available throughout the year. In many cases, a responsible breeder will actually limit the number of puppies that their dogs can have in order to allow their dogs to recover between litters. This is the reason that a responsible breeder will actually only have a limited number of puppies available every year.
However, puppy mills will often breed their dogs constantly in order to have puppies available at any time. As a result, if you look into the number of puppies that are available from a potential breeder and find that dogs seem to always be available, there is a good chance that the person is running a puppy mill and you should avoid it entirely.
Ask To Meet The Parents Of The Puppies
Another tip to follow when looking for a responsible breeder is to ask the breeder if you can meet the parents of the puppies. A responsible breeder will be more than happy to allow you to come to his or her facility or home in order to meet the parents of the puppies, mostly because meeting the parents of the puppies can often be a good indicator of the size that the dogs will reach and the temperament that the puppies will likely have. However, if the breeder declines to allow you to meet the parents of the puppies, it is usually because that individual is attempting to hide the environment in which the puppies are being bred and is a very good sign that he or she is running a puppy mill.
Look Into The Adoption Requirements
Finally, when trying to find a responsible breeder, it is important to look into the adoption requirements that the breeder has for any potential owners. For example, many of the requirements that a responsible breeder will have include having you sign paperwork that has you agreeing to spay or neuter the puppy as well as an interview with you in order to make sure that you know how much work the puppies can require, any special needs that the breed may have, and if you have a home that can actually accommodate the puppy. If the breeder has no requirements whatsoever for anyone buying a puppy, then that shows a distinct lack of concern on the breeder's part and is typically a common sign that the breeder is running a puppy mill and is just looking to make a quick buck off of his or her dogs and puppies.
Contact a local breeder or breeder association, such as Bar R Kennels, today in order to discuss what tips to follow when trying to avoid puppy mills and find a responsible puppy breeder. Looking into the number of puppies that are available, asking to meet the parents of the puppies, and looking into the breeder's adoption requirements are all very effective tips to follow when trying to ensure that you only work with responsible breeders.
