Vet Confidential

When you decide to get a dog, there are plenty of options. There is no shortage of dogs in this world, that’s for sure. Sometimes, a dog finds you. You’re driving along minding your own business, probably in a hurry to get someplace, and you drive by a dog who obviously needs some assistance...

Different strokes for different folks.

Personally, I’m an adopter. My mom was an adopter and her father was an adopter. My family was forever rescuing animals whether they liked it or not, from deluded box turtles who were convinced they could cross the Garden State Parkway and live to tell about it, to cats left behind when the summer people headed for home, guinea pigs originally destined for the boa constrictor in the science classroom, and other assorted hangers-on. My mom’s latest thing is breed rescue. We became obsessed with Welsh Corgis after falling deeply in love with one who bit everyone except my grandmother (he was no fool), and he was followed by a succession of kinda sorta Corgi-looking dogs collected from around the country, all of whom were much nicer than the original, bless his heart.

Important stuff about puppy mills and dog breeders

If you have your heart set on buying a dog from a breeder, there are some essential guidelines to follow. I’m sure you’ve heard of puppy mills (if not, there is plenty of info on the Internet) and you don’t want to end up with a puppy mill dog, for your sake and his. Puppy mills come in lots of shapes and sizes, and they sure don’t have a sign up saying Puppy Mill Factory Outlet, next exit. Any time dogs are bred for profit, not love, that’s a puppy mill. A puppy mill can be a few dogs in wire cages in someone’s back yard, or an enormous dog-producing plant with hundreds of dogs packed into a shed.

There is a world of difference between a puppy mill and a responsible breeder. Let’s talk about some of the differences.

First, the simple rule: responsible breeders don’t sell to pet stores. Pet store dogs come from puppy mills. Good breeders want to be actively involved in screening their puppies’ new families. They care about the puppies, and want to make sure they go to good homes. Can you imagine caring about someone and putting them in a cage in a store to be sold to anyone who walks in the door, whether they are kind or cruel, knowledgeable or ignorant, gentle or rough?

Good breeders know all about their particular breed’s characteristics. They can give you information about health and temperament issues seen in the breed. They can discuss whether a particular breed would fit into your family’s lifestyle, and what kind of care it will need.

A good breeder will want to keep in touch with you, and see how the puppy is doing. She will want to be informed if the puppy develops health or behavioral issues, so she can guard against producing more animals with that problem. What’s more, a responsible breeder can tell you about each individual puppy’s personality. In a litter, there may be a more dominant puppy, a quieter puppy, or a more playful puppy. It is important to match the puppy’s temperament with the owner’s lifestyle.

Good breeders generally are interested in one particular breed. They love this breed, are fascinated by its characteristics and concerned with its welfare. They are involved in the breed on many levels, such as breed rescue, breed health, and breed clubs. This breed is their passion. If someone calls himself a “breeder” but is breeding more than one or two types of dogs, you should be suspicious.

Responsible breeders screen for genetic (inherited) diseases. There are certification programs to evaluate puppies for some of these diseases. Good breeders utilize these programs. Virtually all breeds have particular inherited conditions they are prone to, and responsible breeders are involved in the effort to minimize this. The dogs used for mating in puppy mills and their offspring are unlikely to be screened for diseases, inherited or otherwise. If a puppy obtained from a responsible breeder becomes ill, this information is taken into account for future breeding. Dogs used for breeding at puppy mills are not screened for genetic diseases, which they will pass on to their puppies. In addition, through rampant inbreeding, the likelihood of genetic disease is magnified.

Puppy mills are unlikely to be using good quality, genetically sound dogs for breeding, and they have no way of knowing if they are producing problem puppies since they do not track them once they are sold. A responsible breeder will track the health and progress of the puppies she produces, and use this information when planning future matings. When a pet is purchased from a pet store, this information is not tracked, so even if the animals develop inherited diseases during their lives, the parents will continue to be mated. While genetic disease is a problem for purebreds in general, the situation is much worse in puppy mill dogs because of the careless breeding practices employed.

Another concern with puppies from pet stores is lack of socialization. Socialization refers to the development of individuals who can successfully function within society. For dogs, this means the ability to interact acceptably with humans and other dogs. The very beginning of an animal’s life is a pivotal period. Dogs who are well socialized from a very young age are much less likely to be aggressive, fearful, or exhibit other undesirable personality characteristics.

The importance of socialization cannot be overstressed. The most life-threatening issue for dogs is behavior, more than any disease. Dogs who have behaviors that make them difficult to live with, such as aggression or poor housebreaking, may be euthanized, abandoned, or relinquished to animal shelters. They are difficult family members, and can even be dangerous.

A dog bred by a responsible breeder receives socialization from birth. The puppy lives in a human home. He experiences positive human interaction from the beginning, and is accustomed to handling and household activity. His mother is a well-socialized, housebroken pet, and he learns from her about interaction with both humans and other dogs. His life so far has been a comfortable, positive, educational experience.

Contrast this with a puppy mill puppy who ends up in a pet store. He lives in a cage, not a house. The cage is often outdoors. His mother is forced to eliminate (urinate and defecate) in the cage. She may be fearful of humans, with good reason, and he learns this. Human interaction is limited, and may well be negative. He has frightening experiences, such as shipping, at an impressionable age. He has never seen a vacuum cleaner, heard a doorbell ring, had enjoyable handling by a human, shared toys with other dogs, or had his nails trimmed.

Pet stores will not describe their suppliers as puppy mills. Since the term “puppy mill” is a descriptive term for a particular type of dog producer, you must be educated and cautious to avoid being fooled into purchasing a puppy from a dubious source. Puppy mill puppies are sold under many guises, or maybe I should call them disguises. Be alert and suspicious.

For your own protection it is absolutely crucial that you are painstaking in your evaluation of any breeder you consider purchasing an animal from. If you relax your vigilance, you are at risk of ending up with a physically or behaviorally unsound pet that you are committed to caring for and living with for the next 10-20 years.

Of course, there is no guarantee of health or behavioral soundness on a pet from any source, but if you are careless you greatly increase your risk of ending up with a problems. Why put your bank account and your heart in jeopardy needlessly? And aside from the vet bills and heartache we endure when our pets have health problems, and the frustration we encounter when dealing with behavior issues, the pets themselves suffer when they are brought into this world irresponsibly. Choosing a breeder carefully is the safest course for both you and your pets.

How can I identify a responsible breeder?

What follows is a checklist of points to consider when evaluating breeders. Please do not be discouraged by the length of the list. An investment of time and caution now will pay off in spades later, believe me. Let’s put it this way: if someone said they would pay you a thousand dollars to follow these guidelines, would you? Well, you may save far more than that in vet bills by choosing the right breeder!

The list refers to dog breeders; most of the same points would apply to cats. I have focused on dogs because the vast majority of cats in this country are not purebred or obtained from breeders.

If the answer to any of these questions is “no”, you should be concerned, and consider another source.

Checklist for Finding a Responsible Breeder

1. Does the mother (“dam” or “bitch”) live in the house? Is she treated as a part of the family?

Remember we spoke about the importance of early socialization- puppies learn from their mothers and if their mother is well socialized, this increases the chances of well-socialized puppies. In addition, this question helps to guard against puppy mills (which exist in all shapes and sizes) and ensures that this breeder loves dogs, not profits.

2. Can you meet the dam?

It is also preferable to meet the father (“sire”): the more you know about the parents, the better. However, female dogs may be mated with males from another breeder.

3. Were the puppies born on the premises?

This question also helps to guard against dog brokers and puppy mills, and also increases the chance of well-socialized, healthy puppies.

4. Have the puppies been socialized? Have they met children, or other animals? How much have they been handled?

While before puppies are fully vaccinated, their exposure to potentially infectious situations must be somewhat limited, it is also important that they are socialized at an early age. This includes familiarity with household activity and introduction to new individuals. You don’t want a dog who cowers in terror every time you run the vacuum or the doorbell rings, or snaps at new people who come to the home. You want a dog who will allow you to clip her nails or perform other necessary handling.

5. Can the breeder tell you about each individual puppy’s personality? Do they give you advice as to which puppy is best suited to your lifestyle?

It is actually a good sign if a breeder tells you a particular puppy is not right for you or your family.

6. Is the breeder happy to answer all your questions?

If a breeder seems annoyed that you are asking lots of questions, walk away. This is a bad sign

7. Does the breeder ask you lots of questions?

If the breeder doesn’t ask you any questions, walk away! Responsible breeders care very much about their puppies, and are as cautious about you as I am telling you to be about them. You should feel like you are asking for their daughter’s hand in marriage.

Questions topics may include your pet ownership experience, your lifestyle, your children, your home and yard, and more.

Look at it this way: if a breeder isn’t careful about who their puppies go to, how careful do you think they are about their breeding practices and the health of their animals?

8. Does the breeder only place dogs who are at least 7 or 8 weeks old?
9. Are the sire and dam both at least 2 years old?

Breeding animals who are too young is a sign of an interest in profit over animal health.

10. Does the breeder have only one, or at most two, breeds of puppies?

Responsible breeders are passionate about the dog breed they are interested in. Every breed has its own set of health and behavioral issues, temperament characteristics, grooming and housing requirements, exercise preferences, and so on. Good breeders have a depth of knowledge about the breed, and an interest in promoting its health and well being.

If someone is selling multiple types of puppies, they are either a puppy mill or another irresponsible type of dog producer. Walk away.

11. Is the breeder planning to follow up with you, and to track the puppy’s progress? Will the breeder be available for advice later? Does the breeder ask to be informed of any problems the dog develops during his lifetime?

As we have discussed, a responsible breeder will want to know about any health or behavior problems the puppy develops, so she can take this into account for future breeding decisions. The breeder will also care about the puppy as an individual, and be concerned if the puppy becomes ill.

12. Did the breeder ask you whether you planned on breeding the dog, and discuss this with you? Did the breeder discuss whether the puppy should be neutered?

13. Are the premises clean and free of odors?

14. Did the breeder discuss with you the health and behavioral issues of the breed? Did she disclose health or behavioral issues that have cropped up in her dogs?

All breeds have particular health and behavioral issues. Good breeders will discuss these with you, and let you know how they are working to minimize these problems.

15. Did the breeder discuss genetic testing with you?

There are groups that test and register dogs for certain inherited diseases. Two examples are the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF). I will discuss them at the end of this checklist. A good breeder should volunteer information on what type of genetic testing and registration has been done on the puppies and their relatives. The sire and dam should both have had genetic testing before the mating. There should be documentation of all this information. The breeder should also have information on genetic testing which has been done on other relatives of the sire and dam.

16. Does the breeder offer a guarantee against genetic disease?

The breeder should discuss what this guarantee means. No one can guarantee an animal will not develop an inherited problem, but there should be a plan of action if this does occur. If the guarantee is only for 3 months or so, walk away: good breeders know that some genetic problems take several years to develop. The guarantee should be at least 2 years long. Some breeders offer lifetime guarantees.

17. Does the guarantee say you can keep the dog?
You don’t want a guarantee where the only recourse is to give the dog back. Even if your dog develops a health problem, you may already love her and want to keep her, but feel you should not have paid full price.

18. Will the breeder take the dog back if for some reason you can’t keep her, no matter when?

Very good breeders care so much about their dogs that they want to be positive they don’t end up in a shelter or inappropriate home.

19. Is the breeder involved in the breed in other ways than selling puppies?

For example, does the breeder enter their dogs in some sort of competition, whether for conformation, agility, or another type? Or are they involved in breed rescue?

Many breeders feel that any truly good breeder is involved in breed rescue. Breed rescue refers to organized help for animals of that breed who become homeless. Involvement in breed rescue shows a love for the breed and for dogs in general. In addition, someone who is involved in breed rescue will have first-hand knowledge of the reason members of the breed may lose their homes.

For example, dogs of the breed may tend to become homeless because of behavioral problems such as aggression, and it is important for breeders to be aware of this. If breeders involved in breed rescue see that multiple dogs of the breed are given up because of a particular issue, they then can work to eradicate this problem from the breed.

20. If the breeder advertises, do they focus on important issues such as health and temperament?

It is a bad sign if a breeder advertises superficial characteristics such as size or color.

21. Will the breeder give you detailed information about the puppy’s vaccinations, deworming, and other health history?

22. Does the breeder give you information and advice on care and training?

I have to admit that vets and breeders do not always see eye to eye on some of this information, but the important thing is that the breeder cares enough to advise you, and knows enough about the breed to alert you to issues which may crop up.

Every item on the checklist is very important. There may be other issues of importance to you and your family, but this list should be used at a minimum.

What are OFA and CERF?

These are voluntary canine health databases. Dogs are tested for certain inherited diseases, and their results are registered. They are used to help breeders make more informed breeding decisions.

OFA stands for the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. This organization was founded in 1966 with the objective of decreasing the frequency of inherited diseases in animals, which as we discussed is a major problem of purebreds. The OFA’s main original interest was hip dysplasia, a painful, crippling disorder of canine hip joints.

They have now expanded their database to include testing and registration for other inherited diseases. These include other orthopedic problems such as elbow dysplasia (diseased elbows), patellar luxation (dislocating kneecaps), and Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease (death of part of the femur bone) in addition to a variety of other diseases such as hormonal problems, heart disease, kidney disease, deafness, blood disorders, and many more.

It is important that you research which diseases the breed you are considering owning is prone to. There may be testing and registration available through the OFA, in which case you need to choose a breeder who participates in this program. Bear in mind that many diseases will not show unless the animal has two genes for them, so just because a parent does not exhibit the disease this does not mean he or she does not carry the gene. It is important that many of the puppy’s relatives be tested and registered. The breeder may suggest that you have the puppy tested at some point.

CERF stands for Canine Eye Registration Foundation. This organization is devoted to eliminating inherited eye diseases, which have been a major problem for some dog breeds.

Dogs are examined by board-certified members of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, who are animal eye doctors. Dogs whose eyes are healthy are certified free of inherited eye disease. In addition, a database is kept of all the data from the eye exams.

CERF exams are only good for one year. In other words, a dog can only be certified free of inherited eye disease for one year at a time. This is because some eye diseases show up when dogs are puppies, and some develop at various points during the dog’s life, some when they are much older. Therefore, good breeders get CERF exams on their dogs every year while the animal is being used for breeding, and on puppies before they are sold.

What can I do to protect my pets and myself?
• If you choose to own a purebred, carefully research which health or behavioral problems are seen in the breed, before you contact a breeder. Be an educated consumer, just as you would if you were buying a car.
• Use the checklist above when choosing a breeder.
• Do not be afraid to walk away from a breeder who does not satisfy the requirements, or who makes you uncomfortable in any way.
• Get references, from the breed club, your veterinarian, or other knowledgeable individuals. Get references from other people who have used the breeder: ask for the names and numbers of others who have dogs from the breeder and call them.
• Be strong! All puppies are cute. Be ready to resist puppies if the breeder does not satisfy the requirements. Try to get as many questions answered over the phone as possible, so you will not be tempted by the puppies and make an impulsive decision.
• Choose a breeder who participates in OFA and CERF, and can show documentation.
• Never buy a puppy or kitten from a pet store, even if you feel sorry for it. You are not “rescuing” it, you are supporting the system, and another will take its place immediately. (Some pet supply stores allow adoption groups to display animals. That’s a good thing.)
• Never ever buy a puppy or kitten over the Internet. It’s fine to use adoption websites to look for animals who need homes, such as http://www.petfinder.com.