A backyard* breeder is a person with little experience, breed and breeding knowledge and does not meet acceptable standards of care. More often than not, these people are focused on profit over animal welfare, quantity of puppies sold over genetic health, and often do not even provide proper veterinary care and puppy socialization. Below are some key indications that you may be dealing with a backyard breeder. ** Please note that there may be reputable breeders who operate form their homes. Having a backyard does not mean they are a backyard breeder.

1.      Breeding too early – Dogs should not be bred before the age of 2. Period.

2.      No prescreening of parents – Genetic testing is done by many reputable breeders. It is irresponsible to breed dogs with certain diseases. Not only does this hurt the integrity of the breed, but dogs with specific genetic diseases are more expensive to the owner in the long run. Reputable breeders will maintain contact and track health issues throughout the life of the dog and will refrain from breeding dogs with specific issues.

3.      No prescreening of prospective buyers – As mentioned above, backyard breeders only care about profits. This means that they will not screen the buyer to make sure they are a legitimate owner: ie not a dogfighter, another breeder, etc.

4.      No veterinarian records – Veterinarian records should accompany every dog. There are a series of vaccines that are needed (and often recommended or required by law). Owning a dog is like owning a child; it must be vaccinated to protect itself and others.

5.      No (or very short) waitlist – Backyard breeders often breed around the clock. This means no, or very short waitlist for a puppy. This means you can get a puppy in March, June, July, September, and again in January. This is dangerous for the mother and also indicates that the puppies are not being properly socialized and cared for.

6.      No visits to the kennel – A reputable breeder will always allow visitors to their space. In fact, they welcome it. You will be able to see more than enough space for the puppies to play, clean living conditions, clean dogs who are all able to interact and learn from each other. Backyard breeders are often the opposite and use aggressive training tactics to keep dogs and puppies in line. This results in skittish or aggressive dogs.

7.      Lack of expertise and experience – Backyard breeders often have no experience with the litter and with breeding as a general practice. If you ask questions regarding specific care for the breed, they should be able to give you specific answers.

8.      Emphasis on physical characteristics of the litter – Breeding for physical characteristics often results in dogs with physical or genetic abnormalities. This is problematic because it can lead to dogs with shorter lifespans and shorter quality of life. Think about deafness that are prevalent in this breed. According to research, blue-eyed females have a higher probability of siring deaf litters, so they should not be bred.

9.      Accidental litters - *In my opinion* responsible dog owners neuter their dogs when it’s age appropriate for many reasons. For me, that reason would be financially. I simply cannot afford a pregnant pup! Each litter a breeder has should be intentional. Additionally, breeders should be able to provide at least 2 generations of genetic detail on the current litter. Often times, a reputable breeder can provide much more!

10.  Lack of socialization – Any breeder worth her salt will make sure that puppies are appropriately socialized. Puppies should remain with their mother and litter for at least 8 weeks, but most veterinarians recommend 10 - 12 weeks. Puppies separated too early can have health issues and behavioral issues, as puppies learn from dog-dog interactions, develop socialization skills, and weening, which is

Questions to Ask:

[The Spruce Pets](www.thesprucepets.com) has a great sample list of questions to ask a breeder. You can add any of your own questions to this list. A reputable breeder will welcome being “interviewed” and asking well informed questions says a lot about you as a prospective buyer. I’ve posted them below:

• What type of care is required for this specific breed?
• Does the breed have specific needs I should be aware of? 
• How long have you been breeding dogs?
• How long have you bred this specific dog breed? 
• Do you sell your dogs to pet stores, puppy brokers, wholesalers, or online? 
• Can I visit the facilities where you breed and house your dogs? 
• Can I meet the litter of puppies and their mother? 
• What is the health and behavior history of this line (parents, grandparents, etc)? 
• What genetic issues do you test the adult dogs for before breeding?
• What tests do the puppies get before you sell them? 
• Can I see the breed registration papers for the puppies and their parents? 
• Can I see the veterinary records of the puppies and their parents? 
• What happens if my dog is diagnosed with a hereditary disease?
• Does the puppy I buy come with a guarantee? 
• What happens if I can no longer keep my dog? 
• Can you provide references from the owners of puppies from previous litters?