Diablo

Finding a Breeder

BREEDER

There's no grand secret to locating a good
breeder in your area. A veterinarian,trusted
friend, local animal organizations,or good
old-fashioned word-of-mouth can all be reliable
means of finding a breeder who will help you get
the dog you want.

Once you have identified a breeder,arrange a visit. While looking at the available puppies,you
should also closely examine the behavior of the mother. Ask the breeder specific questions
about behavioral or health problems the mother may have and,if possible,visit the father of the
litter and ask about his background as well. As for the pup's,examine the area where they spend
the majority of their time. If this area appears unsanitary,I strongly advise that you consider
terminating the visit and finding another source for your puppy. There may be legitimate reasons
for temporarily unsanitary conditions,so I don't recommend this as a litmus test of a breeder's
fitness; however such conditions can offer a hint of the breeder's concern about disease and
parasite transmission. And in the event you encounter several different breeds of dog OR
NUMEROUS LITTERS, be very cautious-- you may have stumbled onto a PUPPY MILL, in
which case you should leave as quickly as possible.

BEWARE THE
ROADSIDE
PURCHASE

A common trick of backyard breeders is to conduct a "roadside" purchase. When you contact them by phone,they
may offer to meet you in a " convenient" location and make the transaction there. This is usually to keep you from
seeing their operation and the living conditions in which their puppies are born and kept----as well as them having 20
plus dogs with several litters on the ground at once. This is also done to prevent your being able to locate them in the
event that problems arise with your puppy. Always make sure you do a lot of research on your breed and breeders
before buying a puppy.