Litters
 

           Finding a Reputable Breeder

I am frequently asked, “How exactly do I find a reputable breeder?”  My recommendation is always to become educated on the breed and ask as many questions as possible.  Buying a puppy these days is truly buyer beware and you need to protect yourself.  The following is a list of questions that I as a breeder and dog owner would ask any individual that I was considering purchasing a puppy from.

• What type of health testing have you done on the mother and father?
  • I cannot emphasize just how important this question is; bare minimum a reputable breeder will have their breeding stock OFA or PENN hip and elbow certified.  I would not purchase a puppy from ANY breeder who failed to perform these basic tests.  As a potential buyer you should be aware that OFA results can be viewed online where you can verify the results as well as obtain more information on how the testing itself works.  PENN hip is a bit trickier, when asking for PENN hip results make sure you get the sire/dam score not just their percentile. Any breeder who dances around any of these questions or tries to tell you that it’s “not needed” or that the “testing isn’t accurate” or my favorite that the testing is “bias” is not being honest with you.  The bottom line is any dog who cannot pass one or both of the above tests is a poor breeding candidate and not something I would chance having a puppy out of.
  • There are several other health tests that are beneficial and are done by conscientious breeders they are: Thyroid, CERF and Cardiac evaluations.  To achieve certification a specialist must do both CERF and Cardiac evaluations.  These tests are part of a total health package for your puppy and should be weighed heavily in the decision making process.

• Are they a member of a regional or national club?
  • A reputable breeder will be a member in good standing with our national club the American Bullmastiff Association (ABA).  Why is this important???  To be a member of the ABA each participant must promise to follow certain rules to ensure they are responsibly breeding dogs.  I encourage anyone looking to purchase a bullmastiff puppy to visit the ABA web site to learn more about it’s by laws, members and the breed in general. 

·        How many litters a year (on average) do they have?

o       Any individual producing more than 2-3 litters a year is someone I would highly suspect of being a “puppy mill”.

·        Where are the puppies raised?

o        Puppies require a lot of socialization and puppies raised in a strictly outside or kennel environment can be deficient in this area and suffer from problems adjusting to life out in the world.   A reputable breeder should strive to produce puppies that are healthy both physically and mentally.

• Can they provide references?
  • Any good breeder will be able to give you the name of at least one of their previous puppy buyers.  This is a good way to find out what to expect when dealing with your chosen breeder in the future.  It is also wise to insist on a reference from the breeders regular veterinarian, this secondary reference will give you some insight on how said breeder takes care of their dogs.

• Do the parents have their AKC championship?
  • You may not want to show your puppy BUT having parents with an AKC championship will ensure a basic level of commitment by the breeder to adhere to the breed standard. 

·        Will they require you to spay or neuter your new puppy?

o        Any reputable breeder will make you sign a contract that will require you to have your pet puppy spayed or neutered when age appropriate.  Conversely if you decide to get a puppy with “show potential” a reputable breeder should require you to sign a contract insisting you meet certain requirements with your “show puppy” before any breeding can take place.  Any breeder that will sell you a puppy without restrictions on breeding is not someone I would consider a reputable breeder.

·        Visa, MasterCard or PayPal?

o        This is a new trend with puppy mills; think about it, I don’t have a credit card scanner at my house do you?  Anyone who accepts major credit cards or PayPal is most likely dealing in bulk purchasing and not a situation I would recommend.

·        What was this breeder hoping to achieve with this litter?

o       Any good breeder breeds only to further their line and the breed in general.  This requires the study of multi-generational pedigrees and not just “throwing” two dogs together in the back yard.  A good breeder should be able to articulate why they chose to breed the mother to the father and what they were hoping to enhance or fix with the breeding.  You may not care about the why behind the breeding but the answer you get will give you some insight into what type of breeder you are dealing with: quantity vs. quality.

• What will their responsibility for the puppy be in the future?
  • A reputable breeder will not only strive to place the right puppy into the right home but they will also be available to answer questions and support you as a new puppy buyer.  Should you no longer be able to care for your puppy a good breeder will also agree to take back a puppy at any point in their life.  This level of commitment is what you should be looking for in a breeder, someone who will be there for the life of the puppy not just the sale.  I would also recommend asking about any guarantees said breeders will provide.  Some breeders push the “we will guarantee your puppy angle” however this usually means that you will have to return your puppy and get a replacement from said breeder, few will actually refund money with no strings attached. 

• Prepare to interrogate and be interrogated.
  • A good breeder should ask you and your family some tough questions and you as a potential buyer have the same right.  Your new puppy is an addition to your family and should be harder to purchase than apiece of furniture.  Most reputable breeders have a “puppy application form” of some sort that they will require you to fill out.   If all a breeder requires of you is to know what method of payment you are planning to use, you may want to reconsider buying a puppy from them.

• Do they have a waiting list?
  • You will find that most good breeders have a waiting list because of the quality of dog they have produced and the relationships they have formed with previous puppy buyers.  I routinely tell potential puppy buyers to be prepared to wait for 6-9 months in order to get just the right puppy from a reputable breeder.  

• What kind of health issues do they have in their lines?
  • This question is important because it relates directly to the breeders honesty.  No dog is perfect and there certainly isn’t a perfect line of dogs.  We as breeders all run into issues that we try to work on.  The difference between a good breeder and a bad one is that a good breeder will be honest about the things they need to work on while the other type of breeder will insist “there is nothing wrong”.

• So, how do you find a good breeder?
  • Here are just a couple of suggestions on how to find a good breeder:
    • Visit the American Bullmastiff Association web page to find breeder listings.
    • Go to a local dog show- this is the single best way to network not only are you able to speak face to face with people but going to a dog show also gives you the opportunity to “lay hands” on their dogs to assess temperament.  To find a show in your area go to www.onofrio.com or www.infodog.com
    • Find people who participate in Bullmastiff rescue – trust me, I do rescue and I deal with dogs that come from disreputable breeders day in and day out. Any person involved in rescue will gladly answer your questions about the breed and refer you to a reputable breeder in your area. 
    • You can also contact local shelters or your area veterinarian for names associated with Bullmastiff groups.

I hope these questions help you feel more comfortable in your search for your new puppy.  A breeder/owner relationship SHOULD be beneficial to both sides.  Keep in mind that there ARE great breeders out there you just need to know how to find them.