How to Distinguish a Reputable Breeder from a Puppy Mill

Reputable dog breeders aim to better the breed and want to ensure their puppies have a forever home. As such breeders focus on the breed of dog to serve as their guardians and caretakers. This way they become experts and know the pedigree’s special requirements.

It’s important to note that there is a huge difference between a puppy mill and a reputable breeder though many people lump both in the same category.

Dog Breeders Throughout History

Breeding dogs has been going on for hundreds of years. Dogs used to be broken down into three distinctive groups: livestock guardian dogs, sighthounds, and hunting dogs. People mated dogs so that the offspring would have useful qualities for man. Overtime, dogs were bred to be smaller and docile as people relied less into hunting and moved into a more agrarian culture.

Dog breeding became a popular hobby during the mid-19th century with the advent of breed clubs and kennel clubs. Breeding used to be a hobby and privilege of the wealthy. These breeders developed systematic ways to preserve genetic mutations.

Today there are more than 330 breeds worldwide that fall into 10 groups: herding dogs like Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs, Molossoid breeds including the Schnauzer and Doberman Pinscher which derived from a common ancestor in Molossia, Sighthounds, Companion and Toy Dogs, Retrievers, Pointers and Setters, Spitz, Daschunds, and Terriers. They come from different geographic regions.

Nowadays breeders register the purebred litter’s birth with kennel clubs and stud books, although hybrids are not accepted in kennel clubs. This information is critical for responsible dog breeders. This allows a breeder to research traits and behaviors. This helps avoid inbreeding and helps evaluate future litters for structure and temperament.

Therefore, reputable breeders strive to provide accurate health information as well as vaccination records for all the dogs. It’s not only for the puppy’s health, it’s also for historic documentation. A responsible breeder will spend time studying the pedigree’s health from the previous documentation. He is doing all that’s possible to avoid kennel blindness, where he can’t be objective enough to see the faults in a litter. Some puppies with health or genetic defects may be removed from the litter after it’s old enough to wean, then the puppy is neutered or spayed and, placed up for adoption while disclosing health issues to buyers.

Responsible breeders are knowledgeable and devote time to learning about health challenges like hips, eyes, and heart standards.

What is a Puppy Mill?

Puppy mills, unlike reputable breeders, are where puppies are intensively bred for sale in inhumane conditions. This isn’t a hobby aimed toward the benefit of the breed. Rather puppy mills are often operations that produce generations of unchecked hereditary defects in dogs. 

Puppy mills aren’t defined by their size. They may have 5 to 1,000 or more dogs for breeding.

The conditions in a puppy mill are overcrowded, unsanitary and the animals lack treats, toys, exercise, food, and water. They don’t experience being groomed and they’re often kept without proper socialization.

Puppy mill breeders don’t screen for kennel blindness. In fact, many dogs that come from puppy mills are prone to blood disorders, deafness, endocrine disorders, eye and respiratory problems.

What is a Reputable Breeder?

Reputable breeders put the betterment of the breed  first and never keep more dogs for which they can provide adequate food, water, and ventilated space. Reputable breeders devote time to study the breeds they have, so they can become intimately familiar with the breed.

They’ll take the time to make sure the mother’s age, health, recuperative abilities and condition. Many breeders give extended time and care in the whelping room during delivery. Instead the dogs are an extension of family. These breeders will stay late into the night takeing care of the mother and puppies if it is needed. They will watch over the puppies as they graduate from milk to their first solid meal as well.

Because these breeders value the animal health, future and well being, they’re more apt to answer all questions a buyer may have because they want their puppies to go to a reputable home.