Finding a Breeder and Selecting a Puppy

Breeder or Rescue?

While you may be thinking of adopting a young puppy, keep in mind that there are millions of deserving adolescent and adult dogs that desperately need homes as well. See the AKC Breed Rescue page.
For those who are looking for an adolescent or adult dog as a pet, there are hundreds of breed rescue clubs across the country who offer purebred dogs (and occasionally puppies) at a minimal adoption fee to help defray costs. Be sure to consider only those breed clubs which interview and carefully screen both dogs (for temperament) and applicants.

When you decide the time is right for a puppy, spend at least as much time looking as you would in shopping for a new car or a special dress or suit. A puppy is a long-term investment: hopefully he’ll be with you for 10-12 years or more.

Locating a Responsible Breeder:

Few responsible breeders advertise in local classified ads because they have no trouble placing their dogs, sometimes years in advance. Therefore, most breeders who advertise in these sections are amateurs who know little about their breeds.

Area kennel clubs are excellent sources of information about local breeders. Obedience training clubs in your area also offer promising leads. Veterinarians, groomers, and boarding kennel operators may also be good sources.

Southern Colorado Kennel Club Member Breeders

Visit the American Kennel Club Breeder Referral Page.

How to Spot a Puppy Scam Online

Responsible breeders breed dogs because they admire their breed and want to contribute to its betterment.

They answer buyers’ questions and will question prospective buyers carefully to insure the pup is going to a good home.

They keep puppies they cannot place and take back any puppy that does not work out.

They allow bitches to recover sufficiently from one breeding before doing another.

They guarantee their pups free of genetic diseases common in their breed by doing appropriate testing.

They will replace a pup if a tested disease shows up.

They consider the puppies they produce to be their responsibility for the life of that puppy, so they follow-up frequently.

A truly responsible and professional breeder cares where their puppies will grow up.

They will keep any puppies they cannot place in suitable homes and will question prospective buyers closely.

They evaluate their puppies as show and breeding quality or pet quality and sell pet puppies with a spay-neuter contract.

Many responsible breeders sell pet puppies at a lower price than show puppies.

Pet quality puppies are not deficient.They just may not meet the breed standard for size, color, coat type, bone structure, head type, etc.

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Questions Breeders Ask

Have you ever had a dog before? If so, what type of dog?How long did you have it? Some breeds are not suitable for first-time dog owners, and some are just what the doctor ordered for neophytes.
Are there children in the family? How many? What ages? Some breeds are good with children, some prefer older, considerate children, and some don’t get along with children at all.
Do you live in a house or apartment? If an apartment, does the landlord allow dogs? Some breeds do quite well in confined spaces, while others need room to stretch and wander.
Do you have other pets? Some breeds are naturally aggressive to other animals, including dogs and cats, and some get along very well with all God’s critters.
Do you have a fenced yard? No dog should be left outside unattended, and no dog-aggressive or guardian breed should be confined by only an electronic fence. These fences may keep the dog in but they do not keep trespassing children or other dogs out.
What do you do for exercise? High energy breeds such as Dalmatians, retrievers, Border Collies, and Australian Shepherds need a brisk daily walk or jog of a mile or more to satisfy their physical and psychological need for exercise.
Do you know the dog laws in your community? No responsible breeder wants to sell a puppy to a buyer who does not plan to obey leash and confinement laws.
Do you plan to obedience train this puppy? This is a crucial question for breeders of guardian dogs such as Akita’s, Rottweilers, Boxers, German Shepherds, Dobermans, etc. An untrained guardian dog can easily become a domineering pet with severe behavior problems.
Are you aware of the costs involved in veterinary care, including spaying and neutering, purchasing a good quality dog food, boarding the dog when you are away, annual license fees, etc.?
Are you aware that you are taking on the responsibility of another living creature who will, for the rest of its life, be dependent upon you?

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Questions to Ask The Breeder

Will you help us pick the right puppy for our needs?
Are your breeding animals registered with the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) Hip Dysplasia Registry?
What are their registration numbers?
Are your breeding animals certified free of PRA and other eye diseases?Do you guarantee the hips and eyes of the puppies?
What are your terms if the puppy does develop genetic problems?
Can we visit the parents of the litter?
Will you give us the names of other puppy buyers?
Do you require that pet puppies be spayed or neutered?
Will the puppies have their first shots?
At what age do you place puppies? (Puppies should stay with Mom and siblings for at least eight weeks.)

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