HOW TO RECOGNIZE AN ETHICAL BREEDER . I have been working on my material regarding dog breeders and ethics, and I decided to create this page for my web site, with the hope that it may prevent someone the heartache that comes with making the wrong selection in choosing the breeder of their puppy. If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to forward them to me via the feedback page. "Buy from a Breeder" - that was the text of a popular bumper sticker available years ago when I first started out in dogs. But what exactly is a breeder? Isn't anyone who brings a litter of puppies into this world a breeder? What distinguishes the ethical breeder from the Backyard Breeder? or the Commercial Breeder? or even worse the dreaded "PUPPYMILL"? Puppymills are finally receiving the exposure required to make the public aware of what really happens in these operations. But not everyone has seen the 20/20 show, or read the Readers Digest articles (I give a copy out with every puppy!!). So I hope that this page will provide the information that you need to make an informed decision. Please note that these definitions are my opinions only...and used to attempt to clarify the various levels of integrity and ethics (or lack thereof) amongst the dog fancy. THE PUPPYMILL - The Bottom of the Barrel I am going to define a "Puppymill" as a commercial breeding operation where dogs are bred under totally abhorrent conditions solely for the purpose of creating a profit. These operations usually have dogs stacked in cages one on top of the other with no trays between them so that urine and feces fall from the cages above on to the dogs below. Often several males and females are together in small pens, so that when the female is bred the puppymiller is not really sure which dog sired the litter. Females are bred on every heat cycle, until they are no longer producing reasonably sized litters - at which time they are either sold at auction, or taken out back and shot. Puppies are whelped without human or veterinary assistance, under the assumption that the only the strongest will survive. The puppies that do manage to survive the poor feeding, and unsanitary conditions are shipped several to a cage to either pet stores or dog brokers for resale. There are usually several breeds kept under these conditions and this is where the wonderful whimsical names such as "Cock-a-poos" and "Schnoodles" develop - mixed breeds which will NEVER be recognized by the Canadian or American Kennel clubs...no matter how much your Pet Shop employee tries to convince you otherwise. Needless to say there are no precautions taken as to screening for health clearances, or health guarantees given to the final purchaser other than that of the end retailer who usually gives a 30 day guarantee offering another puppy as a replacement. (Refund does not fit into the equation). Puppies are taken away from their mothers too young and are not properly socialized. Actually, the puppies that are sold are the lucky ones, their mothers stay to be bred over and over again, while being fed a totally inadequate diet, under filthy conditions until they are no longer able to produce. Puppymillers are most often found in rural areas where the barking and howling of the dogs is less likely to upset neighbours, leading to investigations. One sign of a PM with these conditions is that you will never be allowed to see the conditions where your puppy has been raised, its parents or its siblings ... it will be brought to you by the PM to a separate area away from their "kennels". A puppy miller will also drive to meet you to drop off a puppy rather than have you come and inspect their facilities. THE COMMERCIAL BREEDER - A 1/2 Step Up The commercial breeder is a little better in that they are regulated in the U.S. by the U.S.D.A. and watched in Canada by the S.P.C.A. The facilities that the dogs are in are kept cleaner, and many actually have kennel help on hand to spend some time assisting at whelpings and socializing the puppies. Once again they can be recognized by the fact that many breeds are available, that no questions are asked about you or your facilities (come with Cash or a credit card and you have your puppy). The commercial breeder very rarely screens for known genetic defects, it is cheaper for them to replace the puppy from one of their many following litters. The dogs in the pedigree usually have names like "Bob", or "Queenie" or "John's Sheba". (see reading a pedigree below) The only criteria required when breeding two dogs is that one is male, and the other is female. If they happen to be the same breed (or at least look like they are), then that is a bonus, because then they may also be registerable if the commercial breeder happens to have registration papers for the parents. The quality of a dog purchased from either a puppymiller or a commercial breeder is always suspect. Because there is no intention to breed towards improvement of the breed, faults are perpetuated and exaggerated through the generations resulting in severely deformed dogs, or dogs that have poor temperaments, or succumb early in life to genetic maladies. THE BACKYARD BREEDER - A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing! Let me clarify this term right off the bat by stating that not having proper kennel facilities does NOT immediately make someone a backyard breeder. MANY good ethical breeders (myself included) prefer to maintain a small number of dogs that can live in the house with them, rather than have a larger number outdoors in kennels. The term "Backyard Breeder" refers to someone who chooses to breed their family pet because she's so cute, or because everyone wanted one of her puppies (and the homes disappeared when they were born), or because they wanted their children to see the "miracle of birth", or because the bitch "wouldn't feel fulfilled" unless she had a litter, or because "they live longer (or are more feminine) if they've had a litter", or any number of other Old Wives Tales. The BYB chooses the mate to their dog based on proximity ... they have a Golden Retriever, and so does the guy in the next block. Once again they don't do any health clearances, but the puppies are usually raised in a better environment than in either a puppymill or a commercial breeding establishment. No guarantees are given with the puppies, and sometimes no registration papers either, because the mother was sold on a non-breeding agreement in Canada, or a limited registration in the U.S., although I have seen a creative BYB make up a "Purebred Dog Certificate" on a colour printer and give it to a poor sucker who only realized what had happened when his son decided he wanted to compete with the dog in obedience, and it wasn't eligible. The BYB may very well sell you a healthy happy puppy, it may actually come from very good lines. BUT, most likely your relationship with the BYB is going to end as soon as your cheque clears the bank. So, given that all breeders must have bred their first litter at some point, what makes the difference between a Backyard Breeder and an Ethical Breeder? THE ETHICAL BREEDER - Your Adopted Family When the breeder who chose to follow this path bred their first litter, they most likely did it with the advice and assistance of a "mentor" - a knowledgeable person in the breed who gives of their time and advice to help a Newbie learn the ropes. Most of us who mentor others in the breed are almost always willing to help and teach those who display their willingness to learn - by their attention, their intelligent questions, their participation in dog related activities. In this way there is a continuous progression of new breeders in a breed as the elders retire. The Ethical Breeder would have had all possible health clearances for genetic defects done on their female before looking to breed her. Depending on the breed this could be x-raying hips and/or elbows, Von Willebrands testing, eye clearances, thyroid testing, etc. The EB will be honest with themselves about the faults of the female that they wish to breed, and will search for a mate who is exceptionally strong in those areas. While the ideal mate MAY be in the EB's own kennel, more often than not they will be breeding to someone else's dog, because their ethics to not allow them to maintain a large string of stud dogs sitting in kennels. The pedigrees of the dogs to be bred are studied for compatibility and incompatibilities. By this I mean that breeding of certain "lines" of dogs together, may result in excellent puppies, or doubling up on certain ancestors could spell disaster. Breeding is always a matter of playing "genetic roulette", but the ethical breeder stacks the game in their favour (and the purchasers) by being aware of what combinations produce what results. A knowledgeable Ethical Breeder will be able to tell you why they chose to breed the dogs that produced the puppies you are interested in. The EB monitors the bitch's pregnancy and is present and/or assists at the whelping. Puppies are handled frequently to socialize them and to monitor their progress, daily weigh ins are common to ensure that all puppies are gaining evenly.