There are different types of health tests depending on the breed of the dog (this also may vary by country, this information refers to dogs in the US). Things are continuing to evolve as more options become available and breeders learn more.

The Canine Health Information Center (https://ofa.org) will provide information about what goes into creating healthy dogs. Specifically, asking for a Chic number and checking out what health tests are required by breed can be informative (https://ofa.org/chic-programs/browse-by-breed/).

The health tests required by breed are outlined by the breed parent clubs and this information is updated as they learn more.

If you’re still breed searching, ask about the breed. What it’s like to live with them, what got the breeder interested in the breed, how long they’ve been with the breed, etc..

If they don’t have a website that shows health testing results, ask about what health testing they have done on the parents.

You can ask for the cost of the puppy. However, don’t lead with this. When this is one of the first questions they hear, some breeders may feel the potential buyer is shopping around based on price, not quality. After connecting with the breeder, phrase the question in such a way so they understand your intent. You might say something like, “I really like everything I’m hearing about your potential puppies and I would possibly be interested in one. While I can afford to care for a dog, I would still need to budget appropriately to add a new puppy to my home. Right now, how much are your puppies? This will help me create an appropriate time frame for when it would be possible to add a puppy into our household.” People understand budgeting! But ethical breeders want to ensure their puppies go into homes that can financially care for their needs.

You may also ask some of the following questions:

• What dog sports/events do you do with your dogs?

• May I see a sample contract?

• What would you require from a potential puppy buyer? (This may refer to a puppy questionnaire, deposit, expectations of titles, etc.)

• What information would you like from me?

Breeders are typically going to have a long questionnaire for you to fill out and will often ask for references.

They will probably want to speak to you on the phone and may ask to meet you in person beforehand as well. It’s best if you can find a recommendation to connect to a reputable breeder as some can be challenging to contact. A good resource are dog shows where you can go and watch the dogs and talk to people about where they got their dog.

Puppies from a breeder may be more expensive than a rescue. However, it’s important to note that cost does not always equal quality. There are unfortunately many breeders who advertise special colors, designer breeds or something else. These tend to be the sign of an expensive backyard breeder. Make sure to ask questions and look at information on the Breed Club. For more information on why, check out the question “Why are puppies so expensive?”.

Great question! There is no right or wrong answer, but many possibilities. You can find ethical breeders on Facebook (asking for references), AKC or other sites, however, you can also encounter not-so-ethical breeders. Be prepared to ask questions and be prepared to walk away. Try to find the breed parent website and see what the breed standard is so you can be better educated on what red flags might be there. Sometimes breed parent websites have a list of breeders. That can be a great place to start. Send an email, if you don’t hear back, try again or try calling. People are busy or might have missed the initial communication so give them the benefit of the doubt.

Find breed groups on Facebook and ask questions. Look for conformation events near you and watch the dogs you are interested in. If you see a dog that you enjoy, when the person is free (do not approach them right as they’re entering the ring), go and ask if they have a breeding program or where they purchased their dog. This can be a great way to get connected.

Make sure the breeder is active in the dog world. It’s not enough that to hear the parents come from “championship lines”. The parents should have been shown in conformation and/or active in other sports.

Ethical breeders rarely make money off of their litters. Especially when you break down the time and care they put into each litter. Ethical breeders spend time showing their dog in conformation and/or dog sports. While many do this for fun, it also proves a third person agrees that the dogs have the structure and/or temperaments that match the breed standard and are more likely to produce puppies that do as well.

The parents are health tested. Each breed comes with potential health concerns. To mitigate these popping up in litters, breed parent clubs have a list of what breeders should be testing for to reduce the chances of genetic health problems being passed down (for more on this, look at the question “What is health testing?”). Once parent dogs are proven and health tested, then comes the decision of finding appropriate matches.

Good breeders understand they need to look for a dog that compliments their own dog’s weaknesses. This helps improve the breed as a whole and, again, will increase the chances of providing healthy litters. The appropriate match might not be local, so they have to travel or have semen shipped.

They anxiously wait for signs that the pregnancy has taken. During this process they might progesterone test, take X-rays (for a count on the number of puppies) and any other potential things that might be needed. Giving birth is hard and comes with risks to both the mother dog and potential puppies. Sometimes c-sections are required.

When the mother dog goes into labor, the breeder is there the entire time. For the 8+ weeks of litter-rearing the breeder is doing just as much work (if not more) than the mother dog. Sometimes puppies get sick and that will increase the costs. Then the breeder has to evaluate the litter and match each puppy to the best possible home to ensure the highest rate of success. They are available to answer questions and support the homes throughout the dog’s life. Again, they are doing this because they love the breed. It’s expensive and the cost of the puppy rarely compensates for all that goes into creating the litter.

If the initial cost is difficult then adopting a dog might be a good option. You can still create connections and reach out to breeders for a future puppy, but realizing that now might not be the time is ok.

Ensure you have the finances budgeted out to care for a new dog. It’s easy to forget all the additional costs after the initial purchase or adoption costs. The following are some costs to keep in mind: food and treats (this will differ based on the size of your dog), vet costs (these exist even with healthy dogs), flea and heartworm medicine, supplements, training (taking a class or working with a trainer can set you off to a great start), items (collar, leash, crate, toys, etc.).

Yes! Sometimes family circumstances change and puppies or dogs are returned to the breeder. Or the breeder might have kept a puppy that, as they get older, they see won’t be a good fit for their intentions. Reach out to ethical breeders and see if they have any dogs that might be available. Even if they don’t, it’s a small world and they might know a fellow breeder that does!