HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD BREEDER?

HOW TO CHECK IF YOUR BREEDER IS RESPONSIBLE!?

Every day new kennels are showing up but it seems people go into breeding for fun or profit and we find this very dangerous for our loving breed as well for the future owners.

Lot of these new breeders just do breeding exam with their dog according to the law, without any health test, and some sell puppies without Pedigree.
As a result, the puppies bred by such a breeders are more likely to suffer from common, preventable, infectious diseases and/or painful or chronic inherited conditions.
They may also have shorter lifespans.
Breeding is not a joke.
​
Reputable breeders have one goal: To produce healthy, and physically and behaviorally stable dogs that meet the standard – the written description of the breed. 
But still, breeders can’t control everything that happens with puppies. Nature can be cruel, and sometimes unforeseen health issues develop in the most carefully contemplated breeding.
What breeders can do is ensure that the dogs in their breeding programs are as healthy as possible.

If you are buying a Rhodesian Ridgeback, inform yourself about available kennels in your country and buy a puppy from the reputable breeder.

Don't call first phone number when you see there is an AD for the litter on some website or social media where litters can be advertised.

When buying a dog, think about the fact that this dog is going to be your company for the next decade.

Do not buy from a breeder who does not ask you questions about whether your lifestyle and home are suitable for their puppy. A good breeder will want to ensure their puppy is going to a good home and they will have waiting lists and questionnaires for future owners!

Responsible breeders will do everything to protect the breed as well the future owners. 
​
When choosing a breeder, it's important to be able to recognize the warning signs  that they do not care about the health and welfare of your future dog.
Do not trust a breeder who says you can take a puppy from the first meeting.
The breeder should be asking you to visit multiple times, and there always has to be a buying procedure.

Buy a dog with the Pedigree!
(about why is the Pedigree important- you may find article on our Blog. Take your time and read it!)

Ask the breeder if is a member of HKS and FCI.

There are also many questions you should ask the breeder in order to find out is the breeder responsible:

1
How old are the puppies?
If the breeder let you to visit puppies in age younger than 3 weeks, this breeder is not responsible.

2
May I see the mother of the litter and the Sire if possible?
You won’t always be able to visit the puppy with its dad but it is essential that you see it with its mum. Mum has to be in good condition, healthy and looking good. You should also ask and look after her character. If possible, ask also to meet the father of the litter.

3
How old is the mother and how many litters did she have?
The mother must not have been mated before 24 months of age. In our kennel our bitches have maximum 2 litters in their life so bitch may recover and get back into balance after babies.

4
May I see the litter?
You will be able to see whether they are all of similar size, character and health. You can also see how they interact with other dogs and you.

5
What social experiences have the puppies had so far?
Responsible breeders ensure that every puppy has had interaction with people, situations and their puppy siblings before they are ready to be sold. They may also have begun to teach them simple commands and socialize puppies with sounds, materials, animals, shapes, machines etc.

6
Do you have a diet sheet or feeding plan for puppies to take away?
Responsible breeders  keep a diet sheet that you can take home with you, letting you know when to feed them and how much. 

7
When am I allowed to take the puppy home?
Responsible breeders will not allow you to take a puppy home before 8 weeks. Puppies should be dewormed and vaccinated twice. You will manage the third vaccination at your vet, and before that you should keep your puppy in quarantine upon takeover. A responsible breeder will follow if you have vaccinated your puppy!

8
Do you have the health certificates of the parents of the litter?
By checking for health certificates, you’ll be able to see if there are any common problems that you might need to look out for.
You should ask for the x-ray results rated by the Veterinary University of Zagreb and genetic tests on the hereditary diseases.
In Croatia only x/ray of the hips is required by the law but this is definitely not enough.
In 21 century we are able to control much more, as elbows, shoulders, spine and we can control hereditary diseases like epilepsy, degerenative myleopathy, heamophilia, EOAD, etc....

9
Is the puppy registered at the Kennel club (HKS)?
The breeder should have registered the puppies with the Kennel Club and be able to provide a certificate to state that they are, indeed, pedigree. If the application is still pending, it might be worth asking to see the certificate of the mum and dad.

10
Are you able to get references from any previous puppy buyers?
You might be able to contact previous buyers and visit their dogs. This way you can get a second opinion about the breeder and discuss openly whether their dog is everything they hoped for.

11
Will there be a contract of sale?
All reputable breeders should provide you with a contract of sale. This will state the responsibilities of both you and the owner and as well as an official document for your records.

12
Tell me everything about your dogs bloodline!
Ask if the breeder has information about the breed line. For example, ask how long most dogs in the breed line have lived and what they typically die from. Responsible breeder know everything about their line and dogs in the Pedigree.

13
Do you offer support?
Top breeders are passionate about their puppies and adamant about finding them the best homes. In fact, they usually want to interview you more than you want to interview them. Many want to track the lives of their puppies and are willing to answer questions and help you navigate small issues as you raise the dog.

 14
What do you provide with the puppy?
Responsible breeder should provide the following:
Contract
Take-over document of the puppy
FCI Pedigree of a puppy
Europasspot / The dog’s International vaccination card
Copies of parents documents and certificates  (pedigree, health certificates, genetic tests, Champion certificates)
Information about whole the litter, its development, and possible problems which occurred in the litter
Information about the parents and the litters which they come from, and possible problems which occurred with them or in the litter they come from
Puppy aptitude test result of your puppy
Breed standard of Rhodesian Ridgeback
Information about following vaccinations and parasite disposal of the puppy
Information about the puppy’s training and nutrition, with the menu and the schedule of feeding


15
Can the puppy be returned to a breeder if any problems?
A responsible breeder will take back and rehome a puppy should there be any problems, and this will be also written in the contract.

16
If you’d like to breed from the puppy once they are old enough – will there be any breeding restrictions in the contract?
Some breeders will place restrictions on whether the puppy will be able to be bred from because they care about their bloodline.
It’s always best to check before signing a contract.

17
May I see how the puppies are kept?
The breeder should want to show you where the dogs are kept, where they sleep and where the puppies were born
You should be able to see the whelping box, comfortable bedding, food and clean water.
The breeder should have a safe and clean home for all their dogs – both puppies and mum.
Responsible breeder will never keep a puppies on slippery floors and will always protect puppies from stairs etc.

18
What is the price of a puppy?
Prices at the responsible breeders are much higher from breeders that breed just for fun or for profit. 

19
Tell me more about the breed!
Do not buy from a breeder who appears to have poor knowledge about the breed. A responsible breeder will ask you and test you how much do you know about the breed and are you well informed.

20
May I ask to show me championship certificates and achievements of your dogs?
Responsible and reputable breeders have a dogshow history with dogs from the line.
Dogs used in breeding are mostly champions or candidates for championships. The purpose of dog shows is to obtain independent judgment from a number of qualified judges that a dog is a good representative of the breed, as measured by the written breed standard. 

And one more important detail!
A responsible breeder will never let you to choose the puppy!
A responsible breeder is focused on making a perfect match (puppy + owner), not making a sale.

When buying a puppy, prepare yourself!

The responsible breeder will ask questions and ask you again, maybe you will feel tortured a bit :P,  but you can also ask back these questions!
If your breeder gives poor answers to all these questions we wrote,
just SKIP that breeder!
​​