A BYB or Back Yard Breeder is generlly defined as a dog breeder who breeds their dog for few good reasons: Such as because the dog is AKC registered, because they want puppy from their dog, or see if they can make some money. Back Yard breeders have not done the reseach on genetics, proper ways to rais a litter, and have don few 'real' health tests.
-The breeder already has a few homes lined up long before the puppies are born and often before the Dam is bred.
Reason: This is a responsible person who is looking for good homes. They get to know the new potential puppy owner and are prepared for the fact that these little fluff balls will all need good homes.
-The puppies are raised in the home, but not limited to the home.
-Reason: A puppy raised in the home will receive more socialization and interaction. Humans will become a regular part of its life. Many breeders will begin to potty train or paper train the entire litter. This makes your potty training job go incredible fast. The breeder will also know more about each puppy�s temperament and be able to help you choose the pup that is right for you. The pups should be exposed to the outdoors and not kept in a cage in the garage or a whelping room for the entire first 8 weeks of life.
-Puppies do not leave the home until 8 weeks of age (or about 49 days).
-Reason: Evidence based on studies started as far back as the 40s prove that dogs kept with their litter mates until the age of 8 weeks will be more trainable, social, and less aggressive. These studies were started on dogs that were to be used as Seeing Eye dogs. The studies showed that the interaction with their littermates as well as the guidance of the parent dog, and at least moderate socialization from humans and in different situations produced a better dog.
-Puppies that were removed from the litter too early often do not show bite inhibition. This is because in the litter they will learn that if they bite brother or sister they will get bit back, and it hurts.
-Both parent dogs (and grandparents) have all health tests done that are appropriate to that breed.
-Reason: Genetics. This is costly to do but a necessity. Each breed has specific problems within the breed. OFA (Hip and elbow tests), CERF (eye tests), Thyroid tests (done by specific testing labs), and Heart certification, are the basic minimum that every dog should have. Even small dogs can have hip or elbow problems. The CHIC -Canine Health Information Center, is a "centralized canine health database." Here you can research the parents, grandparents and litters they have produced. See Turks page for an example.
-Breeder will provide proof of these tests and will not provide lists of reasons as to why they do not do them. Just do it!
Reasons- Many puppy mill breeders have found out that people are becoming wise and starting to ask more questions about the health of the dogs. Some have become very good at dodging these questions or giving what seems like logical reasons as to why they did not do the tests.
Find out what health tests your breed should have done at the Canine Inherited Disorders Database.
-Breeders will compete in some event relevant to that breed.
Reason- Competition is a great way to show that you are serious about the breed. To compete you must know something about the breed. Anything from the proper structure, capabilities, temperament, proper grooming, and always training. Field trials for Labradors, agility for border collies�
-Breeders that have a clear contract including guarantees and specifically how and where a problem will be resolved. Even good breeders occasionally have problems.
If the contract states that the dog is guaranteed free of genetic defects until the age of one, keep several things in mind. If there is a problem how will it be resolved? Some breeders will offer to take the dog back and replace it but at this point the children and family are already attached. If you purchased a dog in another state, what state will any legal matter be handled in? Laws very greatly in every state.
-The breeder will take the dog back if at any point in its lifetime the new owner can not keep them.
Reason: The dog is not going to end up in cage at a shelter or euthanized for lack of space. This does not mean that they have to take it back if you have a better alternative. The breeder will also have plenty of room to have an extra dog or two. This is generally not someone with dozens of dogs who live in cages.
-They should have a clean home and groomed dogs
Reason: Weather you send someone over to do a home check or you can tell from the pictures they send you, the breeder should be responsible and have a clean home with a well prepares whelping area. Watch out for people who do not sell the puppies locally, want to meet up with you in a parking lot to give you the pup, will not let you see the parents, or if they have to lock the parents up to let you see the puppies.
They may use excuses such as saying it will stress the mother out to have too many people in the house, or they do not want to spread disease. Both of these things can be handles intelligently. The dam�s temperament should not be so bad that people can not visit even if she is protecting a litter of puppies. Behavior is genetic too. (A caution to the person searching for puppies; it is not a good idea to go from home to home and pet shop to pet shop searching for and handling puppies. You must be careful about spreading contagions).
-Avoid breeders that do not have a vet reference and do all of there own vaccination, removing dewclaws, and do not do health checks.
Many breeders have plenty of experience to do there own vaccination or removal of dewclaws, and hauling puppies around to vet clinics does put them at more risk for disease; Nonetheless, responsible breeders visit the vet for at minimum a health checkup on each pup or to have them microshiped. You would be surprised what can be found (heat murmurs, deafness, cleft pallet, structure problems)
-Breeders who have temperament testing evaluations done by someone who does not know the litter or the Dam. Behavior is not only genetic but also learned at a very early age.
-Breeders who have structure tests done by structure specialists. Many things can be discovered on even an eight week old pup.
-Breeders who compete and a very successful in areas that that breed is not well known to excel at, such as Papillion�s that can do obedience.
-Breeders who get the pups started on manners and potty training before they go to homes. Some even do basic non-forceful obedience training.
-Those that keep in contact with you and help you solve problems that arise.
-Those breeders with versatility dogs. That is a dog that has competed in a variety of events from conformation, herding, tracking, agility, or obedience (and many other sports).
-A good breeder will always Rescue. They either take in dogs that were a result of there breeding, help transport abandoned dogs to new homes, spend time at the local shelter, or volunteer on the rescue committee.
The backyard breeder does not always fit into the puppymiller category. They may even show there dogs.
Sometimes it is a person who decides to produce at least one litter out of every dog they own.
Sometimes it is a person that has a papered dog and thinks it is necessary to breed the dog just because it is registered.
This person will not invest as much time and money into the dogs. They often ask for more money than the dog is worth and eventually end up selling them for less because they can�t find homes.
here are possible exceptions to much of what I have said. There are good breeders that have multiple breeds of dogs and have a lot of them. Some of these people are breeding for special characteristics and it is necessary to have a large number of dogs to choose from. These people have made dog breeding and showing there life though. They do not have 30-40hr a week jobs and then come home to take care of the dogs. Many of these dogs are raised in a Kennel.
Some breeders are breeding for specific traits that do not fit into the general American standard. These breeders should be well researched but are not necessarily bad.
Go to www.eukanuba.com and take the dog breed finder quiz
Contact people that know something about that breed
Go to a few dog shows to see what they are like
Ask a few dog trainers what there experiences are
Other breed selector quizes
http://animal.discovery.com/
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm/
-First go to the web and find that breeds specific AKC and UKC breed clubs.
-Go to the breed clubs and look for the page related to finding a dog. Most of them will have one.
-Then contact everyone who is listed as a contact for breeding or rescue.
-People will contact you with different leads and questions. Keep track of everyone.
-The best breeders are not always found advertising in the newspaper.
-Join an on-line forum related to that breed.
-Check out your local shelter. Many shelters end up with purbreds, small dogs, and great puppies.
www.petfinder.org for shelters in your area
Information to give:
What age of dog you are looking for.
What area you live in.
Specifically what the dog will be used for (i.e. family member or kids 4-H dog)
Contact me and I will assist
for fees and services.
Many years ago one of my students came to class with a very aggressive little chow. They were intelligent people and knew that this puppy came from a bad situation. What they didn't know was how little they could do about it, and difficult it is to change a puppy like this.
When they had gone to pick up the puppy the breeder had to lock up the mother so that they could come in the house. The mother growled and snapped as they walked by but the breeder said that she was only being protective.
The puppies were raised in a cage in less than clean surroundings. The puppies were snarling and aggressive.
The people bought the puppy to "save him,� thinking that if they got help from the start that this little puppy would turn out ok.
Unfortunately, behavior is not only learned at a very young age, it is also genetic. The owners had problems with everything from housetraining (because the puppies had learned to poop and pee were they sleep), to aggression with any stranger (because this is how the puppies mom was).
I'm not sure what happened to him. A puppy this aggressive needed more help than I could give him at the time so I sent him to a behaviorist.
I once moved in with this gal who raised Australian shepherds. She even had me fooled.
Amanda told her prospective buyers that her puppies were raised in a caring home and given plenty of socialization, but she only advertised and sold puppies to people who did not live near her. She did not allow people to come see her home.
She took her dogs to dog shows, had health tests done, and only took them out when they were well groomed, so people always thought her dogs were well taken care of.
The fact was that the dogs were kept in small cages all the time. They seldom had attention and were not members of the family.
The puppies were raised in very dirty conditions, with little socialization or attention. They were actually raised in a large closet with no light or toys. The puppies poop was seldom cleaned up and the house smelt so bad. I eventually turned her in and was kicked out.
She is still raising show dogs in Columbus MT.
When I moved to Wyoming I needed a place run dog classes. I found a boarding kennel with a large garage that I could rent out.
The kennel was around back of the main house and I had no idea how many dogs this lady owned and how many she was boarding.
She told me that she bred cocker spaniels and had a few Maltese as well. As I questioned her I found that every answer was to my liking. Her dogs had show dog tittles; she knew all sorts of health information and said that she did all the required health tests. Her puppies were raised in the home and moved out to the living room for more attention. She said she had an in depth contract and that she would take any puppy back. Her home looked very clean from were I first met her on the porch and when I came to her door it smelled nice and looked clean inside as well.
The truth turned out to be that she had started out with good intentions and was very knowledgeable, but things got out of hand. She had over 60 dogs in her kennel including cocker spaniels, Maltese, king Charles cavalier, and one St. Bernard. The puppies were raised in small cages and only moved to ex-pens after they got too big. She used to do health checks but with this may dogs it would just cost too much $$.
She simply knew how to answer all of my health and background information correctly. Very little of what she said turned out to be honest.
Sometimes she had entire litters die of unknown health problems.
She eventually destroyed the kennel and house that she was leasing by letting the dogs pee everywhere. It did not smell too bad because the kennel was kept loaded with layers of cedar chips and she always hat potpourri burning in the house.
She now raises and sells her dogs in Wheatland WY.
I once helped a very experienced GSD owner find another puppy to add to his family. He later told me that in 25years of owning this breed of dog he had never raised a more difficult one.
This is how her life began...
My friends purchases an expensive GSD from the pet-store. She was papered through CKC, so they decided to find a male to breed her to. They purchased another male from a pet store. He was AKC registered, but they didn't know the difference.
She got pregnant at 8 months old because my friends didn't know that it could happen that young and because the male and the female were always together. Three puppies were born on the dirt floor of a dog house in the back corner of the yard.
My friends raised them and could not find homes for them. At four months of age I finally found someone to take a puppy from them. At this point she had only spent 4 months of her life doing nothing but playing in the backyard. She had little social interaction and had never met other dogs.
