How do you know?
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15,178 Posts
Spread the word and raise the awareness among people (and potential dog owners) about the truth about puppymills/bad breeders.
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2,158 Posts
I would describe backyard breeders as just individual people that keep one or more dogs for the purpose of making money off their litters. A small scale greed industry. They don't know anything about what they are doing (genetic research, the importance of different aspects of breeding), they just pump out litters to make a buck. I am a bit of a rebel wrt backyard breeders and find time during the week to flag all breeder ads on my local Craig's List where they are obviously selling litters they bred for profit as opposed to trying to find a home because something happened and they can't keep the animal (very easy to tell the difference). I know that's kind of stupid (and sometimes overwhelming since CL gets innundated [it's free so to greeders, what better place to sell something]), but it makes me feel like I'm reaching out in some small way to b**** slap them a bit 
BYB obviously don't care what kind of home their puppies wind up in - whoever ponies up the cash first gets them.
Puppymills are on a larger scale, often selling more than one type of breed (see this website for more mill info, although it Will break your heart : Puppymills - Information about puppy mills and how to shut them down.)
The life for these poor breeding dogs is horrendous and heartbreaking - receiving little or no care or even love and positive interactions from humans. Puppymillers are the scum of the earth. Backyard breeders are not much better IMO.
There is a good "what can you do" tab on the Prisoners of Greed website... but the most important thing is to try to educate people as to what the life was like for that cute puppy in the petstore to steer people away from buying them. If none sold, the millers would go out of business. I also don't shop in stores that sell live dogs and cats. And support your local rescues and shelters...even if you don't have spare money right now, they always are short on things like towels, newspaper, dog food, toys and chewies, whatever... or your Time (helping walk and socialize these babies).
((((((Thank you so much for caring!!!))))))))
BYB obviously don't care what kind of home their puppies wind up in - whoever ponies up the cash first gets them.Puppymills are on a larger scale, often selling more than one type of breed (see this website for more mill info, although it Will break your heart : Puppymills - Information about puppy mills and how to shut them down.)
The life for these poor breeding dogs is horrendous and heartbreaking - receiving little or no care or even love and positive interactions from humans. Puppymillers are the scum of the earth. Backyard breeders are not much better IMO.
There is a good "what can you do" tab on the Prisoners of Greed website... but the most important thing is to try to educate people as to what the life was like for that cute puppy in the petstore to steer people away from buying them. If none sold, the millers would go out of business. I also don't shop in stores that sell live dogs and cats. And support your local rescues and shelters...even if you don't have spare money right now, they always are short on things like towels, newspaper, dog food, toys and chewies, whatever... or your Time (helping walk and socialize these babies).
((((((Thank you so much for caring!!!))))))))
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1,887 Posts
Wow, that's a loaded question. And you're gonna get as many variations on responses as there are members here. Some say show breeders are reputable...others say only some show breeders. Others have a laundry list of things they have to see/hear/read on a website to know for sure. Of course I have my own opinions, but like everyone else here, that and a token will get you on the bus. Best advice is read up, ask questions, attend shows if you can, and practice what you learn. Through time, study, and discourse, you will develop your own educated filter with which you can discern reputability to a good degree. You're an intelligent woman with a caring heart, you're further along already than you give yourself credit for.
IMHO, responsible breeders rely on accomplishments (titles and testing) to find homes for their pups. Their sites show off the parent dogs and there may or may not be puppy pics on the site. Many times they have articles on care, "Is this the right breed for you" and "how to find a good breeder." Irresponsible breeders rely on cute to push puppies. Their websites often have "buy it now featurss" or encourage you to put a deposit down now "before someone else scoops up the puppy." Their puppy pics can be staged w/ children's bows wrapped around the puppies' necks, stuffed toys, soda cans and other garbage. It's not always easy to tell though.
One of the best ways to find a good breeder is to educate yourself. If you know what the breed should look like, then you can spot someone breeding out of standard dogs. If you know what health issues are common in the breed, then you know what testing to ask about. If a breeder can't or won't answer your polite questions then run, don't walk away. Which brings up another point, don't ever buy just through the internet. It's one thing to find your breeder on the internet but build a relationship. Send emails, talk on the phone and if at all possible, visit their home.
One of the best ways to find a good breeder is to educate yourself. If you know what the breed should look like, then you can spot someone breeding out of standard dogs. If you know what health issues are common in the breed, then you know what testing to ask about. If a breeder can't or won't answer your polite questions then run, don't walk away. Which brings up another point, don't ever buy just through the internet. It's one thing to find your breeder on the internet but build a relationship. Send emails, talk on the phone and if at all possible, visit their home.
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3,220 Posts
1. Research.
2. Research.
3. More Research.
There is no quick answer. There are a lot of things to look for. Many have already been answered in this thread. But it boils down to the simple fact that while you may immediately see red flags that show unethical breeding practices, the truly ethical and dedicated breeders are harder to find and pick out without due diligence.
Sadly, those who lack ethics, do not always lack the intelligence to learn how to "fake" it.
But the more you research, the more you learn, the harder it is to be "fooled."
It also in the end boils down to personal ethics. While we can generally agree on what makes a "bad" breeder. The qualities you use to define a good breeder are likely to vary.
I personally have a lot of qualities I like to see in a breeder I consider ethical. Yes, I like them to be show breeders because it shows their dedication to the future of the breed and to me it is also part of how they represent themselves. A breeder can say they breed purebreed Maltese, but without champion pedigrees, often those dogs do not look close to the standard of a purebreed. But even more importantly, I need to know that a breeder is concerned and honest about the health issues in the breed. I also need to know that they love and care for each and every dog in their home. I personally think that particular aspect is difficult to determine from a website or a phone call. That is why I am a firm believer in visiting the home of a breeder or at least seeing them in person (perhaps at a show) and watching how they interact with their dogs.
2. Research.
3. More Research.
There is no quick answer. There are a lot of things to look for. Many have already been answered in this thread. But it boils down to the simple fact that while you may immediately see red flags that show unethical breeding practices, the truly ethical and dedicated breeders are harder to find and pick out without due diligence.
Sadly, those who lack ethics, do not always lack the intelligence to learn how to "fake" it.
But the more you research, the more you learn, the harder it is to be "fooled."
It also in the end boils down to personal ethics. While we can generally agree on what makes a "bad" breeder. The qualities you use to define a good breeder are likely to vary.
I personally have a lot of qualities I like to see in a breeder I consider ethical. Yes, I like them to be show breeders because it shows their dedication to the future of the breed and to me it is also part of how they represent themselves. A breeder can say they breed purebreed Maltese, but without champion pedigrees, often those dogs do not look close to the standard of a purebreed. But even more importantly, I need to know that a breeder is concerned and honest about the health issues in the breed. I also need to know that they love and care for each and every dog in their home. I personally think that particular aspect is difficult to determine from a website or a phone call. That is why I am a firm believer in visiting the home of a breeder or at least seeing them in person (perhaps at a show) and watching how they interact with their dogs.
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