Beware of Scammers!! Scammers will steal pictures from breeders and either say the puppies belong to them or may pretend to be the breeder. This just happened to a breeder I know. The scammer took her puppy pictures and pretended to be that breeder. They posted the puppy at a cheap price and then asked for a deposit via cashapp or venmo. They also use western union and walmart. A breeder stole a picture of one of my dogs and said he was her dog. I now do my best to watermark my pictures, If you ever see my puppies posted somewhere by someone you do not recognize as me, please let me know. I have heard from many people who call me for a puppy that they had been scammed before and lost a lot of money. It is very sad! Be sure you know who you are dealing with!!! Ask for their Vet's number and give a call. Most breeders have close relationships with their Veterinarians and will not mind giving you their number.
Cheap puppies may be far more expensive in the long run. When breeders sell their puppies at a cheap price they are most likely having litters much of the time and wanting to make sure they sell, so they lower the price. Since they are in this for the money, they typically will not spend the money on health testing. They are producing puppies without knowing if those puppies will have health problems later on. Some of these health issues can be debilitating for the dog and expensive to treat.
What to Look for When Choosing a Breeder
A Responsible Breeder:
*Has dogs who appear lively, clean, and healthy. Look for a healthy, clean coat and bright eyes. Watch for lack of hair, balding, and dull eyes.
*Has dogs who may bark when strangers enter their homes but will calm down. Beware of any continued aggressive barking/growling. This is a sign of a bad temperament.
*Has dogs that are not overpopulated, crowded, dirty, or continually confined to cages.
*Keeps their dogs in roomy spaces that meet the needs of their particular breed; for example, most small breeds will be housed in the home, sporting breeds will have plenty of space for exercise, etc.
*Breeds only one or a few types of dogs and is knowledgeable about the breeds and their special requirements
*Doesn’t always have puppies available but may keep a list of interested people for the next available litter or refer people to other responsible breeders.
*Meets psychological, as well as physical, needs of their dogs by providing toys, socialization, exercise, and enrichment as befits the specific breed.
* Has a strong relationship with one or more local veterinarians and provides you with a health certificate and proof of vaccination for your puppy.
*Explains in detail the potential genetic and developmental problems inherent to the breed. Has the puppy’s parents professionally evaluated in an effort to breed those problems out of their puppies including testing for genetic diseases for which there are valid testing protocols available.
*Offers guidance for the care and training of your puppy and is available for assistance after you take your puppy home.
* Provides references from other families who have previously purchased one of their puppies.
*Provides you with a written contract and health guarantee and allows plenty of time for you to read it thoroughly.
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A Responsible Breeder will Require a customer to:
*Explain why you want a dog
* Explain who in your family will be responsible for the pup’s daily care and training; where the dog will spend most of his or her time.
*Sign a contract that you will spay or neuter the dog unless it has been agreed that the puppy will be added to a responsibly run breeding program.
*Sign a contract stating that you will return the dog to the breeder should you be unable to keep the dog at any point in the dog’s life
These and more are covered either in our puppy application or contract!!