So, you have decided on a purebred dog, now what? The most important decision you l make will what breeder to use. How do you go about finding a reputable breeder, one you can trust, that does the proper screening for hereditary problems such as hip dysphasia and other joint problems and for hereditary eye diseases. The list can go on and on. And let's not even get into the puppy mill situation!

When we were looking for a dog we found one of the best ways to make contact with breeders was at dog shows. Those participating are usually very serious about their breeding. They want their animals to be of good show quality. They want very good physical and mental qualities to stand out in their animals, after all, their names are on the line when they sell their animals.

Once we decided on the breed we wanted we went to a large show and was delighted with the contacts we made. One person led us to another who led us to another until we finally ended up going to Kansas City, MO. for our baby Great Dane.

Good breeders will have their dogs screened for all of those hereditary problems we talked about. And poor temperament can be a big issue. Breeders that don't care and only want to make a buck can spread these problems rather than working to bring healthy, well-balanced pets into the world. Temperament can be quite a problem with German Shepherds or Cocker Spaniels for example. While then can be delightful if well-bred, if not, they can be overly aggressive, overly shy, hypersensitive or difficult to train.

A good breeder will readily have screening information available rather than just saying their dogs are in great shape.

One thing in particular I noticed with our breeder was her requirements of me! If only people had to go through the screening I did to have my dog to have children we as a society would be much better off! Having always had just mutts I had no idea what I was getting into. We were thoroughly questioned on how our animal would be housed, how large was our yard and was it fenced, did we have a vet with knowledge of large breed dogs that would be willing to take our pet as a patient etc, etc. And finally, she wouldn't sell us a dog until she actually met us to be sure we were suitable parents and she felt good about letting us have one of her animals. She was so thorough and precise. We spent a whole afternoon with her and learned how to care for our new baby especially how to care for and re-wrap his cropped ears. And one clause in particular was that if for any reason we choose to not keep or had to replace our pet it would go back to her, not just to anyone! She is not in it just to make money but to be sure her animals are the best representation of the breed possible and that they have the best homes possible. I respect that very much.

Word of mouth is another way to find a breeder. If someone you know or meet has a good dog ask where they got it. Get references, visit the home and breeding site. Having a dog just shipped to you without checking thoroughly can lead to problems. It is better if you can meet the parents of your puppy, see how they look, how they are around people and other animals. Question the owners well and be willing to answer their questions of you. And most importantly, be a good pet owner. Keep your animal that quality representation of the breed. If not showing or breeding yourself have your animals spayed or neutered. If you get a pet from a breeder and not a show dog this will probably be a requirement. I don't know how many times people have seen our dog and are so disappointed that he is neutered because they want to breed their animal with him, no, no! It's that back yard breeding thing, I don't support it or agree with it. I feel when it comes to purebreds quality counts. Our baby is a wonderful example!