by Jamie Rider

Created on: January 11, 2009

One of the best ways to recognize a good dog breeder from a puppy mill is to take due diligence in your research. While some people will caution you never to work with a breeder you find on the internet, after 20 years in the dog world, I would argue that the internet is a great place to start, but not the place to finish.

The first decision to make is whether you will be buying a breed recognized by your country's national kennel club. In the United States, this means dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). If you are, then you should focus on websites that clearly state that their dogs are AKC registered. AKC small-scale breeders, generally referred to as Hobby Breeders, are required to follow AKC rules for registration, record keeping and dog identification. In instances of dogs producing multiple litters, they must file the DNA profile of the parent with the AKC. Generally, hobby breeders have no more than three breeds, rarely more than two, and they will not perpetually have available puppies.

Next, find the breed club for the breed you have selected. Often, there will be a breeder referral contact listed, or lists of available adults and puppies. Often, you will see litters listed that have not been born yet. Sometimes, they are just planned litters. This is a sign of a responsible breeder, whether on the breed club website or on their own website as it means they are breeding to a plan or for some purpose and not just to the dog down the street because it is convenient.

The next step is analyzing the web site for the quality and tone of the information. Does the website refer to the breed temperament, function, health concerns and history? Does the breeder discuss how he or she selects the dogs in his or her home? Are the breeders shown in the photos of the dogs and their accommodations? These are good hints as to the validity of the information. If the dogs are shown, you can search by the kennel name on the AKC website to confirm that the name of the breeder appears on the dog's record. If they are not previously shown in a competitive event, then ask for the registration numbers and see if they appear on the AKC website as valid registration numbers.

If you have time, go to some AKC dog events and try to meet breeders. Find where they are set up but make an appointment to talk after their show or performance event ring time as they will be focused on the event at hand. Many breeder/owner/handlers will travel hundreds of miles to an event,

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