Roman Reign - So you think you want a dog? Research before you buy!

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Responsible breeders are NOT graded by how long they have been breeding, how many puppies they sell, and how many CH titles they bring home. *Most breeders that the general public has met are NOT responsible breeders. Please do not label all breeders as irresponsible, though most of them are irresponsible.*

Links (If you don't have the time to read a few articles, then you don't have the time for a dog!)

THINK before you buy. Can you afford yearly vet care? Can you afford a nutritious food? Dogs are time consuming and costly. It isn't something one ought to just jump into. Dogs are not toys (I still have to tell full grown men and women this)!

I started this page because I have been overwhelmed with people who jumped into dog ownership without researching what they really wanted. These people have come to me with a plethora of severe behavioral problems and health problems. This page consists of links to other well-written pages about how to find a good breeder, how to pick a breed that fits your lifestyle, and etc....

What are "DOG PAPERS?" What do "DOG PAPERS" mean? (I could turn this into a page, which I might in the future).

In short, dog papers mean little to nothing. There are numerous so called "dog registries" which are nothing but organizations that print off "papers." These papers mean nothing. They DO NOT guarantee pedigree. They DO NOT guarantee health. They DO NOT guarantee quality. They DO NOT guarantee breed of dog.
How can I tell what is a reputable registry and what is not reputable? There's no cut and dry on this one. The most reputable in my opinion is the American Kennel Club (though they have their own problems). The AKC does issue repercussions for individuals or clubs who abuse the system or are dishonest. Other registries do not have those in place.
A huge red flag of a bogus registry is one that does not have dog shows or dog events of any kind (and even those who do are often times fraudulent). Another red flag of bogus registries is one that allows mixed breed registration.

Below are a few of my reasons to not buy a dog from a pet store, online puppy finding/buying site, newspaper ad, other online puppy listings, or from your neighborhood backyard breeder. Responsible breeders would not use these sources to sell puppies nor should that be a goal for breeding. They may come up with 1000 excuses for selling their dogs through newspapers or online. I've heard them all, all of which are aimed as selling those puppies for as much and as fast as they can. Proper breeding practices rarely even cover expenses (showing, health clearances, finding the correct sire/dam, travel to shows, training, proper vet care, etc..). If you are making money through breeding, then you're probably doing something (or many things) wrong.

Why not to buy from a pet store, online puppy finding/buying site, newspaper ad, or other online puppy listing service.

Puppies from irresponsible breeders statistically have more health problems, temperament problems, and are not conformationally correct. i.e. The dogs do not look like how they are supposed to look. FYI, I am a statistician so don't even think about debating the numbers.
Puppies from irresponsible sources lack proper socialization and health care.
Irresponsible sources don't care about your puppy. Once they have your cash, they'll run. There is no support.
Irresponsible breeders may offer you a discount or claim that their puppies are a few hundred dollars cheaper than from reputable breeders. I assure you that you'll be spending that difference and much more at a vet or behavioralist. Some of my clients have horror stories. That $600 puppy racked up over $1600 in vet bills over 2 days.
All puppies are cute. They'll also grow up to be dogs. Many of these dogs will have preventable behavioral or health problems. Too bad the irresponsible breeders didn't care.
Do you know what a puppy mill is? Do you really want to be funding puppy mill operations? Getting a dog from a puppy mill via pet stores only supports them and their greed. Pet stores can come up with their own "papers." "Papers" from a pet store just means that you've been duped.
You might think that you're saving a few hundred dollars by buying an alleged purebred puppy from the newspaper or online instead of going to a reputable breeder. Chances are that you'll be paying for that difference exponentially. Contrary to popular belief, reputable breeders do not make a profit when placing puppies. It is rare that a reputable breeder will even break even. The expenses that go into producing a quality litter include show fees, training, health clearances, stud fees (collection and shipping alone can cost over $2,000 without guarantee of a litter), travel expenses, and etc...
Buying someone a live animal as a gift a terrible thing to do. This gift may come with burdening vet bills, frustration, and heartache. If someone you know wants an animal, please talk it over with that person first.
Myth: I want a very young puppy so I can train it. A newborn would be ideal. Face it. There's not really that much training with a puppy, nonetheless a very young puppy. Most of what you'll be doing is listening to it cry at 2 am, 4 am, and 6 am. Then you'll be cleaning up pee and poop. You'll also be losing much of the learning a puppy gets from staying with it's mother until it is 8-10 weeks old. See the Consequences of Not socializing article for more detail.
Myth: All breeders are the same. This one has X number of Champion dogs! Responsible breeders are NOT graded by how long they have been breeding, how many puppies they sell, and how many CH titles they bring home.

Other alternatives for finding a companion dog (it is perfectly fine, if not better to get an older dog):

1. Shelter. Unless you want to show a particular breed in conformation or obedience, there is no reason why you need to have purebred dog. In fact, many dogs at shelters are indeed purebred dogs. They just may not conform to the breed standard. This should not matter if you aren't interested in showing. If you have problems with the way a dog looks, then you probably need to rethink the idea of getting a dog, period.
2. Established Rescue. Dogs in breed specific rescues are just as lovable and typically rehabilitated to be great pets by the time they are ready to be adopted. These people have dedicated their time, effort, energy, money, and soul into saving dogs. These are the people who are cleaning up after irresponsible breeders and owners. Rescues also get puppies often, so don't rule them out if you just have to have a puppy.
3. Reputable breeders usually have pet quality puppies and retired show dogs available. These dogs are generally perfect pets that just happen to not show in conformation. Unless you've been judging, showing, or handling in AKC conformation, you will never know the difference between a show quality or pet quality dog. Note: There is NO such thing as a reputable designer dog breeder. In fact, there is no such thing as a designer dog, just high priced mutts. If you would like to throw 2,000 away on a dog you can get at the shelter, please throw it my way. I would like to retire early.