AdvertisingMyths

> CHAMPION PARENTS/CHAMPION LINES: This means almost nothing, except that the parents themselves came somewhat close to meeting the standard for their breed. It does NOT prove that they can produce good, healthy dogs, nor that they'll produce champions. Although your odds of getting a better show quality dog or a healthy dog may be slightly higher, two champions can produce ugly and/or ill dogs as easily as non-champions.

> AKC (OR UKC) REGISTERED: Like the phrase above, this guarantees nothing. All it means is that the registry accepted the breeder's word that the sire and dam of the puppies are purebred dogs of the same breed. It does NOT guarantee that you'll get a healthy dog, a pretty dog or any other trait in your dog. The vast majority of the time the registry doesn't even verify the litter's parentage, so breeders can (and a few do) lie to the registry about the parents of the litter.

> RARE BREED!!!: This may or may not be true, but as with everything else on this list, it doesn't guarantee you're going to get a nice dog. Sellers often use this term to inflate the price of the pups and lure in buyers who think they're getting something special just because the breed is unusual. With some rare breeds, it's true that the breeding has probably cost the breeder a lot more than a litter from one of the more common breeds, but be aware of this phrase and don't let it sway you.

> WITH PAPERS: A seller often uses this term to boast that their puppies are registered with a registry such as AKC, UKC, CKC, etc... (See ALL ABOUT REGISTRIES). This is nothing unusual (virtually any dog can be registered somewhere) and like the other myths, it in no way guarantees that you're going to get a good dog.

> MAKE GREAT GIFTS!!!: No, no, no!!! A responsible breeder will never promote a puppy/dog as a gift. Unlike other gifts that can be returned or tossed, a precious, living being like a dog should NOT be given to someone who is unprepared or unwilling to care for it. Having a dog is a lifetime committment of love, care and money, and the recipient MUST be willing to invest these things for many years to come.

> BIG! (or TINY!): Some breeders think having a dog at the extreme end of the size range is a plus and a selling point. IT'S NOT! A Belgian Shepherd for example, shouldn't be over 27 1/2 inches tall, and some breed standards will even disquality a Belgian that is that big. Likewise, teeny tiny dogs of any breed - even the toy breeds - are not necessarily good, either.

> PROVEN PARENTS (OR SIRE/DAM): What does this mean? Most dogs can sire or whelp litters without much trouble, so having a dog that "proves" it can produce a litter isn't saying much. The breeder may try to tell you the sire or dam has "proven" they can produce champions or beautiful dogs or healthy dogs but exactly what does that mean? If this dog produces one champion out of a litter of nine, what is that really proving? Ask lots of questions to determine just what the breeder means by "proven".

> SIRE (OR DAM) HAS CGC (OR OTHER TITLE): A CGC (Canine Good Citizen) title is nice for a dog to have. It shows that the dog has demonstrated to ONE tester that it has very basic manners. HOWEVER, using this as a selling point for a litter is like someone who's taken one legal class trying to sell you their services as a lawyer. A dog that has multiple titles (see ALPHABET SOUP) is certainly something to be proud of, and a good thing to find when looking for a puppy. But like the other myths, even the most titled parents don't guarantee a good dog. However, if the puppy's parents have multiple titles, you may have a better chance of getting a puppy that will excel in one or more sports or that may be a very nice pet.