There is no one way to determine who is a good breeder. Some people say that all good breeders show their dogs, but we certainly know some show breeders we would not recommend and some who do not show but produce very nice puppies. So it's not that easy.

Others say anyone "breeding for profit" is a bad breeder. We bought that line ourselves for awhile, till we met some commercial breeders who take better care of their dogs than some of the show crowd. Lots of trophies and ribbons don't necessarily mean the breeder cares about her dogs. She might just care about winning!

People have different motivations for breeding and you don't want someone who cuts corners on dog care to make a profit. But, in spite of the animal rights rhetoric, a commercial breeder is not by definition a "puppy mill."

On the other hand, people who "do stuff" with their dogs do tend to know the breed well and care about its future. They usually belong to dog clubs and are up to date on health issues in the breed. And those who breed simply for the love of the dogs are very likely to put a great deal of love and care into the puppies.

So how can you tell who's a good breeder? It's not as simple as going to a dog show and picking a breeder from ringside and certainly not as simple as choosing an ad in the newspaper.

Raising good puppies makes some very specific demands, so there are signs -- we call them traffic lights -- that the careful buyer can spot.

A good breeder will have all or most of the green lights from the list below, few or no yellow lights, and no red lights. Some of these may show up in advertisements, others are things you can check on the telephone, by email, or during a visit. There may be exceptions to the rules--you should always ask questions if in doubt.

Red Lights -- Avoid This Breeder!

1. Breeder's kennel/home is dirty and dogs appear unhealthy, extremely shy, or vicious.
Your very first requirement for buying a purebred puppy should be health. The breeder you visit may not have a House Beautiful home, but it should smell and look reasonably clean. The adult dogs should look healthy and have the correct temperament for the breed. Puppies should be in a clean area with bright eyes, no discharges from nose or eyes, and no signs of diarrhea. Remember that any time you buy a puppy because you feel sorry for it due to living conditions, you are supporting that breeder and encouraging her to breed more. If you feel the breeder is truly abusive or neglectful, report her to animal control, but don't buy a puppy! Anyone can have a bad day or a temporarily messy house, but you will be able to tell if the place hasn't been cleaned in ages.

2. Breeder advertises "Puppies always available."
That means lots of litters per year. If a puppy is to have the best chance to be happy in your home, he must be raised with lots of attention and love. It's much less likely that a "mass-produced" puppy will receive the same socialization as one raised by a breeder who produces just a few litters a year.

3. Any sign that the whole deal can be completed with one phone call or email.
A good breeder spends plenty of time talking to you, not only about her puppies, but about the breed in general, your home, and whether this is the right breed for you. Most require a written application. If the conversation consists mostly of "This is how much they cost, you can pick up your puppy Saturday," that's not a breeder who cares where her puppy is going.

4. Offers of stud service to the public, breeding pairs, or no mention of spaying or neutering your puppy.
Good breeders are stewards of their breeds--this means they are very careful with health and quality. They do not offer stud service or sell breeding animals to anyone who has not made an extensive study of and commitment to the breed. Breeding dogs should not be undertaken casually; a good breeder will offer to mentor someone who wants to learn, but will not encourage everyone who enters the door with cash in hand to breed.

5. "I'm sorry but the mother is (at the groomer, at a dog show, at the vet...) so you won't be able to meet her."
Offer to come back when she's available and if you can't make arrangements, look elsewhere for a puppy. Mom's influence makes up for about 75% of your puppy's temperament, and if you don't like her, you don't want her pup. Why 75%? Her genes contribute half, and her attitude while she is raising the puppies accounts for another large percentage. A nervous, fearful mother produces nervous, fearful puppies. The father may or may not be on the premises, as many breeders use "outside studs." If he is there, ask to meet him.

6. Offers to sell puppies that are less than eight weeks old.
Puppies need to be with mom and their siblings for eight weeks or more in order to learn skills that are near impossible for humans to teach. You can consider buying a puppy from this breeder (if other lights are okay) but do not take your puppy home before he's eight weeks old. Some breeds mature more slowly so these puppies should stay with mom at least another week or two.Puppies must be exposed to humans regularly before 12 weeks of age, and that's a big part of the breeder's job. A puppy that has this contact but has stayed with his litter at least eight weeks will easily bond to your family at any age.

7. Advertising 'Easy payment plans.'
Payments are usually way too much trouble and risk for the small breeder. She's already sunk a lot of her own money into this litter, and most breeders are not wealthy. A good breeder doesn't want you to buy a dog you can't afford. If you can't pay for the dog, how will you pay for vet care? Figure out how you will pay for the puppy before contacting the breeder and don't ask if she can float you a loan.

8. "Ready for Christmas!"
Holidays usually mean lots of confusion and just going to a new home is plenty of stress. Good breeders know that Christmas is the worst time to take a puppy home if you have children, and most won't even sell you a puppy as a Christmas gift. Some may allow you to take a puppy home at that time if you can convince them that you'll keep things calm, but a breeder using Christmas as a marketing tool does not have the best interests of the puppies at heart. Even many shelters won't allow adoptions during Christmas week.

9. Puppies sold at a public place like a flea market, shopping mall, or pet store.
The only humane way to sell a puppy is with an interview and plenty of time to talk about your new family member, ask questions, and get answers. The poor little fellows sold at flea markets and other public places are handed to the first person who shows up with cash or a credit card, whether or not that person will provide a suitable home. Never buy from these places even if you feel sorry for the puppy. For every one bought, another litter is bred, and the more clever salespeople encourage you to feel sorry for the puppies so you will "rescue" them. The only way to stop the practice is to boycott flea markets and pet stores where puppies are sold...and let management know why you're staying away!

11. Rudeness
It doesn't matter how beautiful the home or the puppies, if the breeder is not someone you can imagine calling with a problem abuot your pup, steer clear. Your relationship with the breeder is as important as your relationship with your puppy's veterinarian. She needs to be someone you can like!

Yellow Lights -- Get more information!

1. Advertising "licensed kennel"
If a license is required by a state or locality, it has nothing to do with puppy quality. So why is the breeder advertising this?

2. "We ship anywhere."
Many good breeders will ship your puppy. But most prefer that you pick him up if at all possible. That's much less stressful and dangerous for him and most breeders want to meet you face to face. Advertising shipping usually indicates more interest in making sales than in finding good homes.

3. "We'll meet you at the rest stop."
Some kennels really are hard to find, but anyone can take directions. Often this just means "We'd rather you not see our kennel." A puppy from a dirty or overcrowded kennel is very likely to have parasites and/or other communicable illness. Corners probably have been cut on other breeding practices.

4. Credit cards accepted.
Most of the best breeders are small volume - - they can't afford to take credit cards, unless they run it through another business, such as a pet supplies store, grooming shop, etc. Any breeder, however, can use Paypal or other online payment methods. If you need to use a credit card to buy your puppy, ask about those plans, or get a cash advance.

5. Dogs registered with any registry other than the American Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC) or (for Canadians) the Canadian Kennel Club. Rare breeds which have not been recognized by these organizations are exceptions, as are field/hunting dogs registered with field registries or working dogs registered with their specific breed registries. (Border collies are one example.)
Though no registry is a guarantee of quality, real registries maintain the pedigrees of purebred dogs: If you pay for a purebred you can be reasonably sure you actually get a purebred. If as the dog matures, you realize it is not purebred, you can file a complaint against the breeder and the registry will investigate.

As standards have been tightened, however, breeders who breed carelessly or sell mixes as purebreds have established several registries with no standards at all. Saying a dog is registered with, say, the Dog Registry of America means "I mailed in his name and $15." Many of these registries are happy to register mixed breeds as well. We know of a cat registered as a "French Cocker Spaniel" with one of these registries. Papers from these off-brand registries do not mean your puppy is a purebred.

The term registered by itself is meaningless and the same is true of pedigreed. A pedigree is just a list of ancestors. Every dog, even a mixed breed, has one simply because he has parents and grandparents. Write down their names and he is "pedigreed."

6. Special deals that require you to allow the breeding of a litter from your pet.
A good breeder sometimes will sell a male puppy and ask that you not neuter him without permission, in case she needs him as backup to her bloodline. A breeder with a rare bloodline (or a rare breed) may have a good reason for not wanting to lose a certain female, but usually that breeder simply won't sell the dog. Whelping a litter of puppies is emotionally and physically draining for the owner as well as the mother and there's a lot that can go wrong. Ask why the breeder wants a litter from your pet -- if it's just to collect more money from the sale, look elsewhere. Pet owners should not be required to breed their dogs.

7. Signs that the breeder has more dogs than she can properly care for.
Everyone has a bad day sometimes and a lot of dogs can mean a lot of confusion and noise, but if conditions don't look right to you, ask questions. Maybe the dog with the infected eye has an appointment this afternoon; perhaps most of the dogs are crated when company comes to simplify the visit. But dogs in dirty pens, matted or smelly dogs, those who appear to need medical care and have not gotten it, or dogs stacked in crates for most of every day cannot be healthy, well-adjusted dogs. You don't want a puppy from this environment.

8. Advertising oddball or specialized varieties that may have health problems.
Rare longhaired whippets, Warlock or white Dobermans, teacup Yorkies, extreme large or big boned dogs -- check all these out before you decide you want one. There are breed standards for each breed, and dogs who are bred intentioanlly not to meet them (colors that are not "recognized" by AKC, etc) may be perfectly fine. And sometimes these 'improvements' are often done by mixing in other breeds; the advertised animals may not even be purebred. If you want, say, a parti-colored dog in a breed that specifies solid colors, just be sure you study before buying. And some qualities are associated with health problems. Tiny-tiny dogs often have trouble with hypoglycemia. Very large dogs may have joint problems.

Note: "Longhaired whippets" are produced by people who state that theirs is a purebred whippet with a "lost" gene for long hair. The consensus of the American Whippet Club and the decision by AKC is that there is and was no such gene. Most whippet breeders believe that this breed is a mix between the whippet and another breed with long hair, such as the Sheltie. There are people developing new breeds that closely resemble a whippet with long hair, but they state clearly that their breeds began as a mix, not that they are purebred whippets with a rare gene. Healthwise, there is nothing wrong with these dogs, but be aware that according to the American Whippet Club anyway, they are not really purebred whippets.

Before contacting any breeder, you should read the breed standard and know what it says about color, size, and so on. Cosmetic "faults" are okay for a pet. For example, the breeder might say "This puppy is going to be oversized, so we won't be able to show him," or "Look at the way he carries his tail -- that's a fault." You might like the way your whippet's tail curls over his back, but be aware that in the show ring, that would be counted against him.

Read your breed standard at the AKC web site and be sure you understand any breed fault in a puppy you're considering buying and whether the fault is related to health. (The Whippet Standard is also at the American Whippet Club site.) For example, light colored eyes are a fault in whippets but they don't cause any health problems--it's strictly a cosmetic issue. Floppy ears in a German Shepherd Dog are also cosmetic. In some breeds, white coats are simply a color choice -- in others, a white coat can be associated with severe health problems. Research these things before starting to look for a puppy.

Green Lights -- This looks like a good breeder!

1. A list of specific health checks done before breeding and/or on puppies before selling.
Examples might be CERF (eye), OFA (hips, heart), thyroid tests, von Willebrands Disease (blood clotting) and BAER (hearing) as appropriate to the breed. You must know which problems are likely to occur in your breed and what checks should be done. 'Vet checked' is too general -- that statement is a yellow light if given as the answer to "What health checks do you do?"

2. A lifetime takeback guarantee with a requirement that you return the dog or get approval for a new home if you cannot keep him.
Good breeders do everything in their power to prevent their puppies from winding up in an animal shelter or a pen in some friend of a friend's backyard.

3. A detailed written (or on-line) application required.
Good breeders put too much work into their puppies to sell them to just anyone, and they have learned by experience what kinds of home are likely to work out and which ones probably will not. Most, but not all, require a written application.

4. The breeder makes sure you know the breed's drawbacks and any special breed requirements.
All breeds have some drawbacks. If the breed you're considering drools a lot, is hard to housebreak, does not live long, or may instinctively chase and kill small animals, or (fill in the blank!) a good breeder makes sure you understand those characteristics. If your dog must be kept as an indoor dog, must always be leashed or fenced, requires lots of grooming, or is subject to heatstroke, a responsible breeder tells you these things upfront. If a breeder starts to sound like a used-car salesman, telling you only the good things and she refuses to talk about the bad ones, find another breeder.

5. A written contract with specific requirements and guarantees.
But watch out for extremely restrictive contracts -- for example, specific feeding instructions or you forfeit the dog, no vaccinations regardless of veterinary advice, etc. This may be a very dedicated breeder but is likely to be way more trouble than you want. In special situations good breeders may offer a special deal for retaining control of the puppy. You get a cheaper price, but the breeder's name stays on the puppy's registration papers as "co-owner." We advise against doing this unless you're very experienced. Though a breeder who cares about her puppies will encourage you to keep in touch, a breeder who cannot let go of control can be very difficult.

6. A written health record for your puppy.
This should include the date of whelping, any health problems, the date and kind of each shot he got, and the dates of deworming and drug that was used. Your vet will want this information and having it in writing makes it more likely that your puppy has gotten the care he needs.

7. Lots and lots of questions about your lifestyle and how the puppy will fit in.
Good breeders care where their puppies are going and what sorts of lives they will have. They want to keep track and will encourage you to send pictures and updates. They are as interested in their "pet quality" puppies lives as much as their show puppies' careers.