Buying a puppy online???

[FredinFL]

Oh honey, don't do it. You never know what you are really going to get. Most reputable breeders would never sell like that. Good breeders want to me YOU as much as you want to meet the puppy. The things that go on with these online breeders would make you cry. They are virtual puppy mills where the mom's are constantly pregnant and then just outright killed (if they are lucky) when they can't breed anymore or don't die breeding. The puppies are inbred and rife with illnesses and degenerative diseases.

Please, don't use an online breeder. Save your family the heartbreak.

 

[deedeetoo]

I am still confused by the concept of a "reputable breeder" and exactly what is is supposed to be. Again, I have to ask, what is the difference between a "reputable breeder" and a "backyard breeder"?

As far as I can tell, from what everyone has written, is that a reputable breeder is one that doesn't advertise anywhere so you can't find them. They don't advertise on the internet and they don't advertise in the newspaper and you can't even trust the AKC site. If you actually have found a breeder then it can't possibly be a reputable breeder and it must be a backyard breeder or a puppy mill.

Do these mystery reputable breeders actually exist and how is someone who is not in the know supposed to find them? What questions would you ask a breeder to determine if they are a reputable breeder or a backyard breeder?

 

[ktlm]

The OP specifically stated they wanted a non-shedder. Let me tell you there is NO SUCH THING. There are dogs that are LOW shedders such as poodles, but NO shedders is a falacy. If a breeder claims NO shedder, they are not being completely honest. Also Hypo-allergenic is a crock as well. Not even sure what the heck that is. Dogs have hair, dogs get dirty....Even low-shedders that are groomed .

Not true. Some breeds do not shed. Our Havanese does not shed. She is 8 and we have surprisingly never found a dog hair on any piece of furniture in the house during that time. I shed more than the dog does. The only way her hair comes out is when you brush it.

Hypo-allergenic is not competely true. Non shedders do not aggravate people with allergies that much, so they use that term to describe them, but it is not entirely accurate. The reason that non shedders are best for people with allergies is that the dander and allergens stay trapped inside the coat instead of floating around in the air with the shedding. If they are house dogs and outside a minimum amount and if you bath them at least fairly regularly at least during allergy season, people with allergies in the house should not be affected by the dog. Now in allergy season, if the dog comes in from outside and you stick your nose or face in its fur, you are still going to sneeze. It isn't the dog or even its dander, it is what they bring inside with them on their fur.

 

[robinb]

Not true. Some breeds do not shed. Our Havanese does not shed. She is 8 and we have surprisingly never found a dog hair on any piece of furniture in the house during that time. I shed more than the dog does. The only way her hair comes out is when you brush it.

ITA. My standard Poodle DOES NOT SHED. Not one single hair unless I brush her out and then it's the same hair as in your own brush. She is laying right next to me right now and I just tried to pick out some hair from her coat and nothing came out.

We owned a Japanese Akita for 14 years prior to my poodle and I was miserable the whole time we had her. As she aged, her hair and dander got a lot worse ... it was so bad I had to wash my hands every time I touched her. My poodle is, for me, very hypoallergenic. Does that mean that ALL allergic people can have a poodle? Nope. But my poodle works for me.

 

[JB2K]

Exactly... but she said she knows of no dog breeder... puppy mills and back yard breeders are, unfortunately, dog breeders.

@CinRell -- why are you running an advert for an appliance store in your message...isn't that against this board's TOS?

Mods?

 

[RachaelA]

I am still confused by the concept of a "reputable breeder" and exactly what is is supposed to be. Again, I have to ask, what is the difference between a "reputable breeder" and a "backyard breeder"?

As far as I can tell, from what everyone has written, is that a reputable breeder is one that doesn't advertise anywhere so you can't find them. They don't advertise on the internet and they don't advertise in the newspaper and you can't even trust the AKC site. If you actually have found a breeder then it can't possibly be a reputable breeder and it must be a backyard breeder or a puppy mill.

Do these mystery reputable breeders actually exist and how is someone who is not in the know supposed to find them? What questions would you ask a breeder to determine if they are a reputable breeder or a backyard breeder?

Did you look at any of the links that I posted or that CinRell posted?

I listed way more reasons then they don't advertise in classifieds.

First off no reputable breeder will ever list their dogs in a newspaper or online website like puppyfind.com Reputable breeders usually have 1 or 2 litters a year and they have waiting lists for all their dogs. Expect to wait to be matched with a dog.

They do extensive health testing (so much that they usually take a loss on a dog rather than make a profit). They are actively involved in dog shows and ONLY breed to better the breed.

Reputable breeders only breed dogs that are champions with titles. Registration doesn't mean anything.

They actively screen every potential owner and usually match you up with a specific dog. You don't just go to their house and pick out a dog.

They never breed unless they have owners for every potential puppy.

Repubtable breeders always sell dogs with spay/neuter contracts and the contracts almost always state that you must return the dog to them if you ever decide not to keep it.

http://www.almosthomerescue.org/breeders/breeders.htm
http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/...og_breeder.pdf

Those links have questions that you should ask potential breeders.

 

[princessmom29]

Did you look at any of the links that I posted or that CinRell posted?

I listed way more reasons then they don't advertise in classifieds.

First off no reputable breeder will ever list their dogs in a newspaper or online website like puppyfind.com Reputable breeders usually have 1 or 2 litters a year and they have waiting lists for all their dogs. Expect to wait to be matched with a dog.

They do extensive health testing (so much that they usually take a loss on a dog rather than make a profit). They are actively involved in dog shows and ONLY breed to better the breed.

Reputable breeders only breed dogs that are champions with titles. Registration doesn't mean anything.

They actively screen every potential owner and usually match you up with a specific dog. You don't just go to their house and pick out a dog.

They never breed unless they have owners for every potential puppy.

Repubtable breeders always sell dogs with spay/neuter contracts and the contracts almost always state that you must return the dog to them if you ever decide not to keep it.

http://www.almosthomerescue.org/breeders/breeders.htm
http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/...og_breeder.pdf

Those links have questions that you should ask potential breeders.

Soryy, but I have to say it. I don't agree with this. I have seen it before and it is really just propoganda thagt attempts to make people feel it is impossible to get a dog from a "reputable breeder" so they should just adopt. Not every good breeder always has a waitlist for thier puppies, and you do not have to wait a long period of time to get a puppy that is healthy. A breeder CAN have more than a couple of litters a year and still sell healthly puppies, if the goal is not to make every puppy a show champ, but to provide good pets for families. A dog does NOT have to have a champion pedigree to be healthy, in fact I wouldrather have a dog with a more diverse pedigree than one bred to have one specific "champion look". Inbreeding in a BAD thing, and and when you continue breeding "champion bloodline" with "champion bloodline" that is what you are getting unless you are really gonig out of your way to import dogs from other areas on a regular basis. Sorry, but this kind of thing really bothers me and this is the second time it has been posted.

 

[tlbwriter]

As far as I can tell, from what everyone has written, is that a reputable breeder is one that doesn't advertise anywhere so you can't find them. They don't advertise on the internet and they don't advertise in the newspaper and you can't even trust the AKC site. If you actually have found a breeder then it can't possibly be a reputable breeder and it must be a backyard breeder or a puppy mill.

Do these mystery reputable breeders actually exist and how is someone who is not in the know supposed to find them? What questions would you ask a breeder to determine if they are a reputable breeder or a backyard breeder?

It does sound that way, doesn't it?

When we were looking for a "reputable breeder," I contacted the breed's national organization (or maybe it was the AKC? don't remember) and asked for recommendations. They gave me some names and phone numbers. A few of these breeders did have websites. The closest one (in a neighboring state) had a website about her dogs - the dogs she breeds are champions and she talked a lot about them and showed photos of them at various shows. She had more than one male. I think she had one litter a year. Her website didn't mention available dogs at all. She had me fill out an extensive questionnaire before she'd answer questions about available dogs or even hint at prices. I guess we passed that round, because after she received the answers, she said she had one adult dog to sell, and one puppy who might be for sale, she wanted to wait a few more months and see if that one would be show-worthy (in which case she would keep it).

When we researched "other" breeders on the internet, we found several who talked about the parent dogs but made no mention of winning championships or even being shown at all (they were registered). They had multiple litters per year, sometimes more than one male but usually one male and multiple females. They showed photos of available puppies and accepted deposits through Paypal. They had nice, clean kennels (assuming the photos were accurate) and emphasized that the dogs were well socialized, but it was obvious that the dogs were being bred as pets, and that they had no intention of keeping any of the puppies. They had photos of dogs with the families who bought them, and some paperwork (contracts, etc.) online.That's one level of backyard breeder.

We also met a couple in our home town who owned a male and female - one was registered, one was "eligible to be registered" but was not. They had one or two litters per year and advertised them in the local newspaper. That's another level of backyard breeder.

 

[deedeetoo]

First off no reputable breeder will ever list their dogs in a newspaper or online website like puppyfind.com Reputable breeders usually have 1 or 2 litters a year and they have waiting lists for all their dogs. Expect to wait to be matched with a dog.

They do extensive health testing (so much that they usually take a loss on a dog rather than make a profit). They are actively involved in dog shows and ONLY breed to better the breed.

Reputable breeders only breed dogs that are champions with titles. Registration doesn't mean anything.

They actively screen every potential owner and usually match you up with a specific dog. You don't just go to their house and pick out a dog.

They never breed unless they have owners for every potential puppy.

So it sounds like "reputable breeders" are where to go if you want the offspring of a show dog and are willing to wait for it. It also doesn't sound like "reputable breeders" actually breed enough dogs to supply every family that just wants to have a pet. If this was the only way to get dogs then most people wouldn't be able to have family pets because they couldn't afford them or would have to wait years on a waiting list. Or maybe they wouldn't be lucky enough to be matched with a puppy or deemed good enough to have a dog.

Reputable according to whom? To me, reputable means someone who honors their commitments and doesn't cheat you, and treats their dogs and their puppies well. I don't care if mom is a champion. I do think its important that the parents not have health issues but I don't see why you assume that only "reputable breeders" do this. I had health reports on both parents of my dog from my "backyard breeder".

"Reputable breeders" cannot fill the total demand for dogs so others have stepped it to do it. While I'm sure that no one wants puppy mills to remain in business, I do think there needs to be some way for people to get dogs without getting on a waiting list for the offspring of a champion show dog.

I also don't get why people are convinced a dog from a backyard breeder will have health problems, but one from a shelter will be fine. You know nothing about the background of a shelter dog. The only thing you know is that it isn't sick right now (and I've heard that many times that isn't even true). I've asked around among friends and coworkers. No one has a dog from a pet store, some have gone to shelters, most have them from backyard breeders. No one has gone to "reputable breeders" as described here.

 

[marie1203]

Soryy, but I have to say it. I don't agree with this. I have seen it before and it is really just propoganda thagt attempts to make people feel it is impossible to get a dog from a "reputable breeder" so they should just adopt. Not every good breeder always has a waitlist for thier puppies, and you do not have to wait a long period of time to get a puppy that is healthy. A breeder CAN have more than a couple of litters a year and still sell healthly puppies, if the goal is not to make every puppy a show champ, but to provide good pets for families. A dog does NOT have to have a champion pedigree to be healthy, in fact I wouldrather have a dog with a more diverse pedigree than one bred to have one specific "champion look". Inbreeding in a BAD thing, and and when you continue breeding "champion bloodline" with "champion bloodline" that is what you are getting unless you are really gonig out of your way to import dogs from other areas on a regular basis. Sorry, but this kind of thing really bothers me and this is the second time it has been posted.

It is not healthy for dogs too have to many litters a year. So a good breeder will avoid that . Of course a good breeder will import their dogs and wouldn't not inbreed if they do this they are not a good breeder.

 

[princessmom29]

I am still confused by the concept of a "reputable breeder" and exactly what is is supposed to be. Again, I have to ask, what is the difference between a "reputable breeder" and a "backyard breeder"?

As far as I can tell, from what everyone has written, is that a reputable breeder is one that doesn't advertise anywhere so you can't find them. They don't advertise on the internet and they don't advertise in the newspaper and you can't even trust the AKC site. If you actually have found a breeder then it can't possibly be a reputable breeder and it must be a backyard breeder or a puppy mill.

Do these mystery reputable breeders actually exist and how is someone who is not in the know supposed to find them? What questions would you ask a breeder to determine if they are a reputable breeder or a backyard breeder?

see what I posted above. What I looked for in getting our dog was a breeder whose dogs were family, and treated as such. I also looked for someone who had a reputation for producing healthy dogs, and who was importing new dogs from different ares to see to it that the gene pool remained diverse enough. I wasn't looking for a show champ, just a healthy, well adjusted family dog. I don't think all "backyard breeders" are bad things. I want a dog that has been treated as a member of the family and well socialized form birth. You need a small operation to do that. I don't think all breeders who advertise are necessairly bad.

 

[marie1203]

I also don't get why people are convinced a dog from a backyard breeder will have health problems, but one from a shelter will be fine. You know nothing about the background of a shelter dog. The only thing you know is that it isn't sick right now (and I've heard that many times that isn't even true). I've asked around among friends and coworkers. No one has a dog from a pet store, some have gone to shelters, most have them from backyard breeders. No one has gone to "reputable breeders" as described here.

There biggest problem with backyard breeders is they do it for a profit. With the high percentage of pets being put down there is obviously more supply than demand and more irresponsible people. Who will breed a dog if they know they will end up in the pound? Which is a lot of cases with pitbulls and labs. A responsible breeder will take the time to make sure the house is right, the people are responsible, etc. Not just take the money sign a contract and you are out they door with one of their puppies.
Backyard breeders do not take measures to improve the breed. Therefore creating more problem with the breed take dalmatians for example how we humans have damage the breed from breeding incorrectly. I think as humans it is our responsibility to protect animals and to preserve the breeds as best as we can. Why a shelter dog might be healthier than a pure breed dog is because mutts have less chance of inbreeding and passing genetics disorders that go with the breed. Just because it is a shelter dog doesn't mean it will be healthy we have 5 and we rescue the ones that are on the worst state. I can tell you no shelter or other rescue we have done will compare to the medical issues and state of a puppy mill puppy. The point is that when you go to the shelter you have an idea that it might be the case that the dog might develop or get sick sometime, but it is infuriating when you buy from a "good" breeder and your dog ends up having all kinds of genetic problem. In fact I was at the vet last friday and next to me was a guy with 2 standard poodles that were breed wrong and now how very bad problems that he had to be at the vet every week. He took all the steps trying to find a good breeder and still what he got.
I should have also point out that bad breeding can cause behavioral problems too which will make the dog more likely to end up in the pound.

 

[MomtoGKC]

I think what Rachael posted about signs of a good breeder are great. The best thing for you to do if you want to go with a pure bred dog is to do tons of research on the different low shedding breeds. Then maybe go to a dog show to meet some of those to help you narrow your choice down to one or two. If that's not possible just do the best you can to narrow your choice down through research.

Once you pick a breed go to the breed website. Not the AKC website. Each breed has a national organization - for example, we wanted a Golden retriever so I first went to the Golden Retriever Club of America website - I think all breeds should have a similar page. From there I found my local Golden Retriever Club. I went to their page and contacted the puppy referral people - most breeds will have that as well. If not just contact anyone you can find in that organization. They can tell you about local reputable breeders.

The way it worked for us was that we were narrowing down between labs & goldens. We went to a dog show and were 99% sure on the golden. We met some of the people with the goldens at the show and got some breeder names. Then I e-mailed the golden club people and asked if those people were good/ethical breeders or not. I got great responses (sometimes they are not so fast though, they are all volunteer) and was lucky to find a breeder with a litter coming pretty soon.

Many breeds also have their own forums. I belong to one that is just like the Dis but all for goldens. See if the breeds you like have one of these - those people usually really know what they are talking about and are dedicated to the breed and can help point you int he right direction. Our forum has a whole section just about Finding the Right Breeder and people post where they are from and get tons of advice.

Don't search on any classifieds, but don't freak out if you get a referral and that breeder has a website. Many of the top breeders have websites, they just don't advertise them as much and would never list their dogs online or in newspapers. Just don't go google Golden retriever Florida or something like that - then you never know what website will pop up.

If you take your time and do some legwork (I researched for months before we finally even got to the finding a breeder step) you will find what you are looking for whether it is a pure bred, rescue, puppy or adult.

 

[MomtoGKC]

Oh, and don't trust breeders who say the parents are healthy and their puppies have been to the vet and have been declared healthy. That is NOT enough. Each breed has different ailments that may affect them - the parents need to have gone through many tests with actual certificates proving they are healthy before you should buy from them. Goldens tend to have problems with hips, elbows, eyes and a few other things. Our breeder had to have each of those things tested on the parents (and for many generations back usually) and be able to show us the certificates from each test.

You'll have to check the breed you chose to see which tests you'll need to see, but that should be listed somewhere on the breed website.

 

[MomtoGKC]

A good breeder does genetic testing in a dog before breeding. Genetic testing run very expensive and that is why the price will increase so much. To say there there are good breeders is one thing genetic testing like it should be done is another.

You are right, I should have said in Florida Golden retrievers average $1500 with all of the genetic tests included. My breeder (who does all of the tests and gives us copies of all of the certificates) said that up north Goldens can go for closer to $2,000.

I just get worried when I see prices higher than that unless it is a rare breed. A lot of breeders are now trying to jump on the "cream/white colored" golden hype and are charging outrageous prices of $3-4,000 for poorly bred light colored goldens. Same as the teacup, giant, doodle types - they are not bred correctly but because people think they are cool they can charge double what a well bred dog goes for.

 

[momonlongisland]

Great thread to OP!!!! Going through the same thing right now... SOOO....does anyoneee out there know of any Westie or Cairn breeders in the LI/NY/Tri State area??? TIA!

 

[MomtoGKC]

Great thread to OP!!!! Going through the same thing right now... SOOO....does anyoneee out there know of any Westie or Cairn breeders in the LI/NY/Tri State area??? TIA!

Sorry I don't, but here are links to their Club breeder referral pages. I didn't look at the Westie one too long, but I did notice the Cairn one had a page about health concerns, so that should help you to know what types of tests the breeders should run. I love Cairns - they are adorable!!



http://www.westieclubamerica.com/regclubs/index.html

http://members.ctca.us/home.php/breeder-referral

 

[RachaelA]

So it sounds like "reputable breeders" are where to go if you want the offspring of a show dog and are willing to wait for it. It also doesn't sound like "reputable breeders" actually breed enough dogs to supply every family that just wants to have a pet. If this was the only way to get dogs then most people wouldn't be able to have family pets because they couldn't afford them or would have to wait years on a waiting list. Or maybe they wouldn't be lucky enough to be matched with a puppy or deemed good enough to have a dog.

Reputable according to whom? To me, reputable means someone who honors their commitments and doesn't cheat you, and treats their dogs and their puppies well. I don't care if mom is a champion. I do think its important that the parents not have health issues but I don't see why you assume that only "reputable breeders" do this. I had health reports on both parents of my dog from my "backyard breeder".

"Reputable breeders" cannot fill the total demand for dogs so others have stepped it to do it. While I'm sure that no one wants puppy mills to remain in business, I do think there needs to be some way for people to get dogs without getting on a waiting list for the offspring of a champion show dog.

I also don't get why people are convinced a dog from a backyard breeder will have health problems, but one from a shelter will be fine. You know nothing about the background of a shelter dog. The only thing you know is that it isn't sick right now (and I've heard that many times that isn't even true). I've asked around among friends and coworkers. No one has a dog from a pet store, some have gone to shelters, most have them from backyard breeders. No one has gone to "reputable breeders" as described here.

Yes reputable breeders cannot keep up with the demand for dogs. I would have less of a problem with backyard breeders if dogs weren't being killed EVERY SINGLE DAY in shelters throughout the country. If the shelters and rescue groups were empty then I would have less of a problem with backyard breeders.

But the issue is backyard breeders are not breeding to better the breed. They are no breeding show quality dogs. The health guarantee from them is no where near the equivalent of a puppy whose parents were show champions and are prime examples of the breed.

Yeah a dog you get from the shelter or a rescue group may have problems, but you aren't paying thousands of dollars for it like you are if you get it from a backyard breeder.

I just think its really horrible for someone to go pay thousands of dollars for a dog from a not reputable breeder all because they don't want to take the time for an almost identical dog to show up at a shelter or rescue group. (This comment isn't directly at anyone in particular!!)

 

[janey99]

Soryy, but I have to say it. I don't agree with this. I have seen it before and it is really just propoganda thagt attempts to make people feel it is impossible to get a dog from a "reputable breeder" so they should just adopt. Not every good breeder always has a waitlist for thier puppies, and you do not have to wait a long period of time to get a puppy that is healthy. A breeder CAN have more than a couple of litters a year and still sell healthly puppies, if the goal is not to make every puppy a show champ, but to provide good pets for families. A dog does NOT have to have a champion pedigree to be healthy, in fact I wouldrather have a dog with a more diverse pedigree than one bred to have one specific "champion look". Inbreeding in a BAD thing, and and when you continue breeding "champion bloodline" with "champion bloodline" that is what you are getting unless you are really gonig out of your way to import dogs from other areas on a regular basis. Sorry, but this kind of thing really bothers me and this is the second time it has been posted.

I think the poster that posted this info is trying to make the point that "reputable breeders" DO only breed to create breed standard quality dogs to improve the breed - making puppies is not an industry to them in order to create nice puppies for families to buy. (and I do agree with her points) Reputable breeders scour the world (literally) in order to find foundation stock for their kennels that reflects as close to perfect physical conformation and health that they can achieve. They then extensively health test those dogs again (even though the parents may have been tested) to confirm the health and lack of congenital problems in their dogs to the largest extent possible. They then get into the show circuit to achieve championships for their dogs, which are external confirmations from that breed's community that the dogs are superior examples of thier breed. They may also do agility, obedience or other activities to similarly prove their dogs' temperament, physicality or intelligence. They then scour the earth again to find suitable mates for their breeding stock, whose characteristics will either help cement good qualities into their dogs' offspring or work to overcome undesirable characteristics if there are any. THEN because breeding is not an exact science, some puppies will perfectly embody all the things the breeder was trying to achieve, and will be show prospects that attract the attention of other breeders OR there will be puppies who are most likely extremely healthy physical specimens, because of all the vetting that went into their breeding, but may have visual faults that make them undesirable for further breeding - THOSE are the puppies that breeders will consider placing in a pet home. This kind of back story does not "confirm" a perfectly healthy puppy, but it sure helps.

It IS hard to find these people - they are not puppy sellers. They invest a great deal of time and money into something that is their passion. One or two litters a year is all they have time for because it takes a great deal of commitment to do all the other things that their pursuit requires.

I don't know where you get the idea that these people are "inbreeding?" What they are doing is very extensively and carefully cross breeding. You state "unless you are going out of your way to bring in dogs from other areas" like that is the exception, but it is the rule for "reputable breeders."

One of my dogs, who is a pet quality boxer (plain fawn rather than flashy, and has a mismark swirl of fur on her shoulder) from a "reputable breeder" has a mother who has been imported from England and is now an American champion. Mom's parentage is English and Irish champions. Her father is a Canadian champion who also competes in agility and obedience trials. His parentage includes a dad who was the top boxer in Canada for a number of years. These dogs were selected to be bred after much research and discussion among their owners. It involved shipping frozen <ahem> from Canada to the US so an artificial insemination could be performed. Other dogs in her kennel are imported from Ireland and Canada. These breeders are not breeding the same pair of father/daughter dogs over and over again, nor are they breeding their "nice female lab" with "nice neighbor male lab" from down the street, because wouldn't they make cute puppies.

As I mentioned, breeding is not an exact science, and any number of mishaps can occur, but if I am going to invest a great deal of money and acquire a family member who will integrate into our family and remain there for over a decade, I'll stack the odds in my favor every time by working to find a "reputable breeder" - I don't think the concept is propaganda!

Jane

 

[princessmom29]

Yes reputable breeders cannot keep up with the demand for dogs. I would have less of a problem with backyard breeders if dogs weren't being killed EVERY SINGLE DAY in shelters throughout the country. If the shelters and rescue groups were empty then I would have less of a problem with backyard breeders.

But the issue is backyard breeders are not breeding to better the breed. They are no breeding show quality dogs. The health guarantee from them is no where near the equivalent of a puppy whose parents were show champions and are prime examples of the breed.

Yeah a dog you get from the shelter or a rescue group may have problems, but you aren't paying thousands of dollars for it like you are if you get it from a backyard breeder.

I just think its really horrible for someone to go pay thousands of dollars for a dog from a not reputable breeder all because they don't want to take the time for an almost identical dog to show up at a shelter or rescue group. (This comment isn't directly at anyone in particular!!)

What about those who cannot get a shelter to give them a dog? No shelter would give us a small breed dog bcause we had a child in the home. As soon as they heard I had a 6 year old, they didn't want to hear any more. Nothing else mattered. It didn't make a difference how prepared we were, what our home or yard situation looked like. We didn't pay thousands for our dog. We got her from a breeder who bred her doga in her home becuase she loved being able to provide loving pets to families, not to make a huge profit. She didn't have lots of puppies all the time. Typically one litter at a time. What we paid her would have barely covered the dog's puppy visits, bloodwork, and shots up to that point. We know what was done b/c her vet transferred the records to ours. She just loves the dogs. No, she didn't do fancy genetic testing, but she did only breed dogs she know to be healthy and whose parents and gradparents were healthy. I don't see that as irresponsible, but as doing everything thati s reasonably possible to insure you are producing a quality pet that a family can actually afford. Not everyone can afford to pay thousands for a dog.