Career Breeders

I dont usually post negative things on here but I feel it is so important to bring this issue to the forefront of fellow poodle lover's attentions.

Of course this post is not aimed at the majority; most breeders are producing puppies with their health and longevity in mind, rather than financial gain.

Some breeders however, seem to be concered only with Cash; counting every Dollar and Dime. These are the breeders that rely on their puppies as their sole source of income; as their 'job'.

This both saddens and worries me. The fact is that producing a litter of puppies is incredibly expensive and time consuming. When done correctly there is actually very little financial profit to be made in breeding dogs.

Some of the career breeders like to try to bypass this somewhat and mass produce puppies; breeding more than one litter at a time - to negate the time and expense of a single litter and to maximise their profits.
Some will even breed two or more bitches at once and then register all of the puppies to one dam - thus doubling the number of litters a bitch is allowed to produce under Kennel Club regulations.

These people will often then rehome their ex breeding bitches as soon as they are too old or ill to produce any more puppies.

This all bothers me somewhat. My dogs are here to stay for life, regardless of whether they are capable of producing puppies or not. They are members of my family, rather than a source of income - I have a job and don't need to supplement it.
Dogs should NEVER be a commodity.

My main motivation in breeding my girl was to produce happy, healthy, genetically diverse puppies.

Looking for a Breeder

Finding the right breeder, with the right motivations is so very important when searching for a puppy is so very important.
Here are a few simple things to bare in mind when searching for your future companion:

1. Health Testing.

Remember that whilst health testing is a good indicator that your breeder is taking their responsibility to the future health of your puppy; health testing alone is not enough!
Just because a breeder has carried out some simple health testing this doesn't necessarily mean you will be getting a sound puppy. There are some things that cannot be tested for such as allergies and gastric issues (increasingly common problems within the breed at present). Always ask your breeder if they are aware of either the dam or sire having a sensitive stomach or any allergies.

BVA Eye testing does not look at entropion (where the eyelashes of a dog turn inwards) but again this is a real potential problem in poodles. Many poodle breeders have these problem eyelashes lazered off and then don't declare it. It does have a genetic element so your breeder should be telling you this. Always ask your breeder if they are awade of any entropion in the line.

You'll also need to do some research and really understand what any completed health testing means and be able to interpret the results - some breeders will complete a mating regardless of results and then advertise the pups as health tested.
Personally I use health testing as a method of deciding whether or not to breed my dogs - if a particular result came back as something poor I would certainly re-evaluate my future breeding plans, rather than ignore it and hope for the best.

2. Temprament, Temprament, Temperament!

This is massively important. You are going to spend the next 15 years with your new puppy so please ensure that both parents are of good disposition.
You should know this when you visit the puppies. Sometimes the dam to a litter of puppies will be a bit more vocal when new people enter the household but she should settle quickly and become friendly rather than becoming agressive or overly nervous.

3. Mass Production.

A good breeder won't be mass producing litters of puppies, their dogs and puppies will live in the house and they will have intimate knowledge of the dam and her progeny.
A good breeder will have spent many many hours with the puppies. They will know them incredibly well. Who is the dominant one, who is easily led, who is sensitive and quiet etc.
You should explain the type of home you can offer a puppy and allow your breeder to guide you in which pup(s) would be suitable for you.

4. 'Timewasters Need Not Apply!'

I absolutely hate this expression. There is no such thing as timewasting. Ask as many questions as you like. It is so important that you are happy that this puppy is going to fit in with your family.
If asking hundreds of questions, you decide that this puppy or breed isn't for you that is ok. A good breeder would far rather be safe in the knowledge that you are going to be happy with your puppy and able to give it a lifelong home than not.
Asking questions also tells your breeder that you are seriously putting this puppy and his/her needs at the centre of your decision making.

5. Visiting.

I have a lady and her husband visiting us in a month with the view to a future puppy. This future puppy may not be born for another 2 years!
A good breeder will happily introduce you to their dogs and chat to you about the breed long before puppies are born.
This shows commitment from both breeder and future puppy owner.
A good breeder is usually more than happy to show off their breed and explain both the pros and cons to others.

6. Returns Accepted!

A good breeder will always accept the return of a puppy, for any reason and at any stage of their life.

7. Expect to be Interviewed.

I once turned down a puppy purely because the breeder didn't ask ME anything about myself. They weren't interested in what sort of life I could offer their puppy which immediately put me on edge so I did the sensible thing and sourced my pup elsewhere.

I believe it is important for both parties to have trust in the other, for the rehoming of a puppy to be successful.
Your breeder is not selling an old handbag, this is a little life that they are responsible for creating. Breeders should take that very seriously indeed.
You can therefore expect to be asked about what you intend to feed your puppy, where they will sleep etc and may even have to provide references from a vet etc .

8. Contracts.

It is quite normal to be asked to sign a contract before taking your new puppy home. The purpose of these contracts are to protect primarily the puppy, but also both the breeder and the new owner. The contract will usually lay out the breeder's and the owner's responsibilities in relation to the puppy's health and welfare. They also will contain details of any endorsements on your pup's pedigree.