How do you find a good, reputable dog breeder

[CarreraS2]

AKC has some lists, but they don't seem to be checked or mean much.

Can find breeder websites, but they all start to look the same and don't seem to really mean much.

What are the good sites, boards, etc. for finding a breeder?

Looking for a small dog in the So. Cal. area.

[emcon5]

Probably not the answer you are looking for, but referals.

If you know what specific breed you are interested in, start with your local breed club, or breed specific rescue group. Go to club functions/shows/events and talk to people, and get an idea of who is the kind of person you want to deal with.

Tom

[BlueSkyJaunte]

T'ain't no such animal as a reputable breeder.

Get a pound puppy. Or even better, a pound adult.

[craigster59]

Animal Shelter. I've gotten everyone of my dogs there ( except 2 strays on the street) and they have all been the best pets anyone could ask for. I've seen almost every breed there that someone has given up for one reason or another. Give it a try before you spend alot of money with a breeder, you won't be sorry.

[D'STARGA]

Tom has sound advice. Go to a couple of shows and talk to a bunch of people about the breed you want and who is breeding for what traits in that particular breed. Show poeple will talk endlessly about their dogs and give you ideas on who has good dogs and who to stay away from. If you are looking for a non-sporting/non working dog regular shows are your best bet. If you are looking for a sporting/working breed field trials and agility test are other good places to start your search. Rescues can be great as well. That's where I got both of my purebred dogs. ( alot cheaper than breeders too.) Good Luck

[dd74]

What Blue says. Save an innocent life instead of buying into those who play Dr. Mengele with our best friends.

[Vin-barrett]

Again for what Blue says
There's lots of awesome dogs ready for adoption. Please give it a shot

[gaijindabe]

My cousin is a vet and always complains that dogs are brought to him after the fact with cronic health and behavior problems. Why don't they ask me first??, he says.

Talk to your vet!

Bandy and Clementine say "get a rescue dawg - we're the best".

[techweenie]

I read that L.A. county destroys 50,000 cats and dogs every year when they are not adopted out of shelters.

Rescue a dog.

And I'm sure you know that breeder-bred dogs are often big trouble, medically and behaviorally.

[Paul T]

Another vote for animal rescue, there are some wonderful dogs out there in need of a home. We got our Saint from a rescue and he is one of the best dogs I've ever known. There are many breed specific rescue organizations if you are interested in a particular breed.

[jyl]

Just sharing some personal experience. I had a pure bred, expensive, AKC registered, peidgreed dog, a chow chow. I loved her dearly and vice-versa but that dog had more medical problems than anyone I know - took 3 prescription meds daily, if she didn't then she had behavioural issues in addition to physical ones. My other dogs have been pound pups and run-aways, they have been healthy and equally loving dogs, who lived longer.

We may get another dog in the coming year. I'm leaning toward one of the breed rescue organizations. For example, there are GSD rescue orgs who first raise the dog in a foster home for a few months to observe his behaviour/training and determine what sort of household he's suited for (kids/no kids, cars/no cats, active/no active, etc), screen adopters very closely including visiting the homes, do medical checks including hip x-rays, etc. I'm also leaning toward an older dog simply because the puppy thing is a PITA - I already have kids, no more thank you.

Another route I will look into is a GSD who washed out from a police dog or seeing eye dog program. I think those tend to be quality, carefully bred, and well raised dogs. They may have washed out due to some trait that is not relevant to suitability as a pet. I recently met a Czech GSD from a police/bomb dog program who was the best dog I have met in a long time. I also like the European GSD "shape" better than the American.

I'd personally go those routes rather than the breeder route. Will save you money too, which can go toward the dog's care or even to buy a medical insurance policy (don't laugh, I did it and was glad).

[Rot 911]

Ask any vet. They will tell you that mixed breed dogs are generally much healthier and in most cases more intelligent overall than pure breed dogs. This is because of the incessant inbreeding of pure breed dogs. The pound has plenty of mixed breed dogs to choose from.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally posted by jyl

Another route I will look into is a GSD who washed out from a police dog or seeing eye dog program. I think those tend to be quality, carefully bred, and well raised dogs. They may have washed out due to some trait that is not relevant to suitability as a pet. I recently met a Czech GSD from a police/bomb dog program who was the best dog I have met in a long time. I also like the European GSD "shape" better than the American.

Great post jyl.

We have a Euro GSD who was a K9 washout. We got her from a school nurse who had rescued her but then had to give her up. During the time the nurse had her, she trained her to be a therapy dog and got her certified for therapy work at children's hospitals and nursing homes.

She's a purebreed, though; her hips are *terrible*. She's on painkillers all the time now. She constantly has problems with her ears and she's probably 1/2 deaf by now. And we can't let her near other female dogs because she goes berzerk and tries to tear them into little giblets (which is why her original owner had to give her up).

We're just hoping she holds out long enough to make a good impression on our upcoming kid. Our next dog, though, will be directly from a rescue shelter. Probably the one we currently volunteer with.

[dd74]

Blue - upcoming kid? Congrats, man!

My dad had two pure breed Rottweilers. Neither lasted longer than eight years. One essentially rotted away from cancer. I think he shelled out over $20K collectively for their medical care - broken legs, bad hips, therapy, and continual instances of 24-hour visits to the vet.

There's a guy in our building who has a dog that was in a seeing-eye program, but oddly (and ironically), had retina issues. The dog - she's fine, if not a little fat, but has the sweetest temperment I've seen in a long time.

There's a boom right now in L.A. of dogs and cats sent west from N.O./Katrina victims. I'd check into that.

Incidentally - animal regulations officers are on the prowl around my neighborhood. Timely, if not (again) ironic.

[vash]

i used to totally agree with blue. but with my "not so good" decision living with me for the next 13 years, i am wavered in my opinion. you never know what you will get. ever..

i would still adopt for sure, but look for a breed you want, and look up any specific rescue groups that cater to that exact breed. you will be amazed. and hey scrutinize you as much as you will them. home inpections, interviews, etc. and if it doesnt work, and the dog likes to crap inside better than outside, they will take it back, no questions.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

DD, thanks. The little punk is due in November. How is it possible to be terrified and excited at the same time?

Vash, we have 4 cats in addition to the dog. The one male cat isn't any trouble at all other than being a whiny little girly-man. The 3 female cats used to get along but interactions among them have devolved into a pissing contest (literally). It's just something we have learned to deal with. Sometimes I get really pissed off (not *on*) about it but it's better to have them around and deal with it than not have them around.

I think.

Of course my story may change once there's a baby in the house. We may suddenly have 3 outdoor-only (instead of indoor-only) cats.

[emcon5]

Originally posted by BlueSkyJaunte
T'ain't no such animal as a reputable breeder.

Speaking as someone who has been involved with dog rescue for 5 years, you are wrong. There are breeders who truly are devoted to improving the breed, and make decisions on which dogs to breed based on charicteristics they want to keep or eliminate. They do breed the dogs with good hips/eyes, you don't breed the dogs with bad hips/eyes. They bring in dogs from another part of the country/world to avoid the inbreeding thing. They don't breed the lines that are prone to cancer.

Breeders like that, money is secondary. If someone wants a reference for a Golden Retriever breeder in Northern California, PM me.

Get a pound puppy. Or even better, a pound adult.

Agreed.

What vash said about breed rescue groups, but not all of them are the same either.

Tom

[David]

I recommend the book, Good Owners, Great Dogs

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0446675385/104-3997346-7410305?v=glance