Before booking to see any litters, take the time to do a bit of research about what type of breeder you'd like to support. There are many people out there who breed for profit only. Some are back yard breeders who don't put the welfare of their dogs first and then there are the puppy farmers.
So why shouldn't you support these people?
There are several reasons, the first being, those who breed without the welfare of their dogs, won't care about the pups or the owners who buy those pups. There are genetic conditions that can be passed on from bad breeding, and many of these breeders cut corners in health and welfare, leaving their breeding stock and pups open to numerous infections and disease. Puppy farmers often supply pet stores, and advertise through the small ads, a responsible and ethical breeder does not.
What you should ask to see (for Labradors), are the Dam and Sire’s health certificates (a current Clear Eye Certificate and Hip Scores at least). You should be able to see the Dam and be given contact details for the Sire, if the breeder doesn't own him. Pups should also come to you partly vaccinated (or fully vaccinated if old enough) and you should receive a concise puppy pack detailing information of feeding regimes etc, along with some food and possibly a piece of cloth or bedding which smells of the litter, to help them settle into their new home.
The Kennel Club will register up to six litters from one bitch (between certain ages), however responsible breeders would regard this as too many for Labradors. Most would consider four litters as a maximum from a very healthy and proven bitch. There are breeders who produce more than this amount of litters from a KC registered bitch, who will then sell the pups as pedigrees without papers. It is also not possible to register pups from a bitch which was mated before the age of 12 months. Most responsible breeders wouldn't contemplate breeding from a bitch below two years of age, even though some bitches do mature more rapidly than others.
One trend to beware of is the fashionable cross breed, from Labradoodles to Puggles. Combining two breeds does not necessarily give you the best of both and may in fact give you double the problems. Poodle crosses in particular are often touted as being ideal for those suffering allergies - this is simply not true. If you want a cross breed, there are plenty available from rescue centres.
So, before you buy, do your research. Look at the article with useful links - Puppy Farmers in particular are crafty at selling pups on from second venues, under the guise of 'hobby breeders'. If you buy responsibly, you support those breeders who choose to put the welfare of their dogs, the breed, and you as a puppy buyer, first and foremost.
The Kennel Club now have the facility for you to search their health database, so you are able to check any pedigree dog by name, meaning you can research health scores for the sire and dam of a litter you are contemplating buying a pedigree pup from. You can research as far back as the database information allows, looking at the Sire and Dam of each dog. The database is in its earliest stages and sometimes it takes a few months for test results to be updated but is a great step forward towards the breeding of healthy dogs.
What is an Accredited Breeder?
This is a breeder who is a member of the KC's Accredited Breeder scheme. The scheme asks breeders to keep their breeding stock up to date as regards certain health checks, as well as recommending further health checks - for example, the Labrador Retriever requires you to have your breeding stock hip scored and to hold a current clear eye cert (at the time of mating) as a minimum, although it also recommends elbow grading scoring and Optigen PRA testing. It may also recommend other tests in the future, such as CNM. Although this is another good step in the right direction towards encouraging responsible breeding, it is possible for anyone who carries out these minimum basic health checks and keeps to the KC's guide lines, to register as an Accredited Breeder. This scheme is not a guarantee of the integrity of the breeder and as a prospective buyer, you should be aware of the limitations of the scheme. Details of the scheme are available on the KC's website.
The best way to find a responsible breeder is to look on the KC's website and locate a Breed Club or Society for the breed you are interested in, as these should be able to give you details of Pups in your area. Never be tempted by 'Local Ads' or similar. Research BEFORE viewing a litter because once you've seen those cute pups you will want to take one home, even if you suspect you might be supporting someone who is breeding irresponsibly. Sadly, many people buy a pup and then find out later that they have bought from someone who just doesn't care about anything, except the pound signs.
