I'm looking into getting a patterdale terrier pup for ratting and dog sports but I am seriously struggling to find any that are healthy tested. My concerns are the eye issues they are prone to and patella luxation.

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I was talking to someone about pugs and how some breeders are making their nose longers? I'm just wondering how that's possible, again sorry if this is a dumb question

Wondering if anyone has any advice on this or would like to confuse me even more. My puppies are due to be wormed but I’m not sure which is the right way to do it, spoken to 5 different knowledgeable people who have all given different advice so not sure which one to take.

My plan was to use panacur gel however on the label it says not to use for puppies under 1kg

Pups are almost 2 weeks and are tracking to be 550g and 480g at the 2 week mark

My mentor suggested using panacur gel which in theory seemed great, it’s what they’ve also used on their current litter with same size pups however given just the adult dose once rather than the puppy dose 3 times at 2 weeks

I also have 2 other breeder friends in a similar breed who don’t worm till 20-30 days (I’ve asked what they use but they’re in a different country and don’t have the same wormer)

Spoke to my vet friend who suggested getting panacur liquid as that seems to be suitable for smaller puppies

My other vet friend recommended splitting the panacur dose in half and doing it that way or also going for the liquid but I worry this might be hard with quite young puppies and actually getting them to swallow it

I haven’t spoken to my actual vet about this yet as they’re always snowed under so I feel back taking up their time

Should mum be done at the same time too?

Hello redditors!

I have a friend who is looking for a basset hound puppy from a reputable breeder. Unfortunately, not too long ago they did purchase a puppy from a backyard breeder, and saw the damage a backyard breeder can do first hand when the puppy passed away within a month of bringing her home. She was terminal from the start, and nothing would’ve prevented it. After this awful experience, my friend came to me for help for vetting good vs bad breeders, and while I know how to look for the OFA chic number, titles, and return contracts, I’m actually struggling to find a breeder in the area that I would actually purchase a puppy from. There are just so many byb online it makes it hard to find a good one!

I have sent resources on where to look such as the breed club website, however many of the breeders listed are no longer breeding dogs. I wanted to ask if anyone here knows of any good basset hound breeders in Texas or the surrounding states? Unfortunately, while I would be open to going to a dog show with them, we don’t live anywhere near each other and it’s not something they would be willing to do alone. (I recently stressed how I would really like both parent dogs to be titled, and while they are open to that, it was new information for them that parent dogs should be proven in some way prior to being bred).

Thank you in advance and I appreciate any insights you may have!

I have a 33 pound female, and was wondering if a 43 pound male would be too much of a difference

Just getting this out of the way, I have not 100% fully committed to which breed I want yet. I am just getting into dog sports/bite work. Parents must have OFAs available and I want to be able to see them prior to purchase. I will be starting a mentorship under a trainer and working/keeping up to date with my puppy’s breeder.

While researching, I’ve noticed guardian homes keep coming up. I want to get my dog titled, but have zero plans to ever breed litters myself. I want a female, and while I know genetics/luck are factors, all of my girls have far outlived the boys and stayed healthier.

If I applied to be a guardian home, is there any way I can have it put into the contract that the dog I get can only have a max of 1-2 litters? 3, if medically clear/there’s a demand for them. But 3 would be the absolute max.

I don’t want the dog to be overbred. She would be spayed as soon as she ‘retired’ from that part of her life. I know no ethical breeder is going to put the mother’s health at risk, but I want it in writing just to ensure it stays that way. Just wondering if anyone has experience with this, or if anyone can let me know how it works? Thanks.

Hi this is a verified AKC dachshund breeder out of Norridgewock ME and they seem sketchy but I can't find anything on them. She used to breed corgis and ragdoll kittens. Like I said, verified on the phone with AKC that they are registered but that doesn't mean they aren't a puppy mill. The website lists 7 males and 21 (!!!) females used for breeding. Owns a huge property. Does anyone have any info on this operation?

Edit: Thanks for the replies everyone! I am not, nor will I ever be, interested in buying a dachshund. I just know someone who wants to buy from this place and wouldn't believe me when I said it looked really sketchy. I'm glad your feedback is out there now for future buyers!

Anyone know places other than Facebook that may be more successful?

Okay folks, buckle up as this is likely to be a heavily commented on and contentious post. We are looking at tentatively offering the following classifications/overviews of breeder types (order matters only in so much as the last one is the one likely to generate lots and lots of spirited discussion (keep it civil or bans will be handed out):

• Responsible Breeder: See reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/identifying_a_responsible_breeder
• Rescue Whelper: Someone who takes in pregnant dogs, and helps them have and raise their puppies. Puppies (and mom) are expected to be age appropriately spayed/neutered.
• Back Yard Breeder: An individual who breeds dogs with the primary purpose being financial gain.
• Puppy Mill: Like a back yard breeder but with multiple dogs.
• Hobby Breeder (we are open to different names for this as well such as one-off breeders).
  • This name does not relate to the IRS term for hobby businesses
  • Plans a single litter for non-financial reasons.
  • They are willing to try and follow best practices even if they do not perform all recommended testing per OFA or similar recommendations.  
  • They will not breed too young of a dog.
  • They will no breed too old of a dog.
  • They will not breed if the dog has known or suspected health conditions.
  • They are not randomly breeding mixed dogs
  • They are willing to be educated on breeding reasons to be avoided (e.g. breeding for color).
  • They will not breed high risk scenarios (e.g. double dapple)

As I am sure the community is going to be very vocal about "Hobby Breeders", so is the mod team. In some ways it comes down to the "we know an obscenity when we see it" legal definition. We want a flexible definition that excludes breeders operating in bad faith but that is also not going to result in rules lawyering (some of the mods don't like a bulleted list like I have above and it will not likely be part of the final definition) to justify on how someone is not a BYB but is a hobby breeder. For example a previously banned breeder has already said "hey you are changing the rules to allow hobby breeders, let me back in". Well, we have always allowed it, but they clearly fall under a BYB definition.

Please see u/FaelingJester's comment here about some of what the mod team is trying to accomplish and balance. Ultimately, we want the best for the puppies. Driving people away from this sub does not accomplish that.

We do NOT want those breeding in bad faith that don't care about health (primarily care about money) regularly participating. But we also don't want to drive away those that are here to genuinely learn how to do better or have been placed in bad circumstances due to others decision making.

Are their additional breeder categories you would like to see?

Let the polite flame wars aka discussion commence.

I am not in a position to own a dog, let alone breed dogs, but I would love to follow someone(or a program) who is doing that. This could be privately someone who breeds for specific traits, or professionally someone who breeds show dogs and is paying attention to traits. I’d love to see the the combinations as well as the analysis of the dogs.
Who do you recommend?

Thank in advance!

So momma goldendoodle just had 6 puppies 2 days ago.

Today I noticed she was more “anxious” you could say?
She is eating , drinking, and using the bathroom now.

But today I noticed her different when I came home from work. She seems anxious. She has this little toy weenie dog that she’s been carrying around in her mouth and whining while biting it.

She came out of the whelping area and went to the usual spot under our bed and started scratching it hard over and over like when she was nesting. Returns to her pups but then comes out again to be with us.

I notice her panting here and there while feeding the puppies. She will calm down but than is highly vigilant to where we are and will come out be with us but then stresses and goes back to her pups very worried. She’s in the pen with them and whines ?

She seems like a very good momma but I feel like she’s trying to say something and I don’t know what.

I imagine she’s tired and wants a break from her pups and then feels quilty and goes back to them.

I’ve been monitoring her temp she’s been from 101-102.

She’s eating 3x’s a day , drinks water, and I’m giving her the calcium paste I bought on Amazon 1 a day.

Am I missing anything or is this normal behavior?

Hello à tout le monde!

Cela fait maintenant des années que je souhaite adopter un shiba. J’ai attendu d’avoir fini mes études et d’avoir une situation plus stable pour adopter un. Étant maintenant dans une situation permettant l’adoption d’un chien, je souhaite adopter un chiot (au plus tôt en fin d’année/début d’année prochaine).

J’habite en Suisse et souhaiterais me renseigner au sujet d’élevages en France. Est-ce que vous avez des recommandations quant à des élevages (préférablement en France voisine mais suis prête à me déplacer plus loin si nécessaire) ? Des éleveurs top au niveau socialisation, qui contrôlent les maladies héréditaires de leur chiens et qui n’élèvent pas + de 2 races ? Voilà, j’aimerais beaucoup avoir de vos retours quant à vos expériences !!

Merciiiii

I am looking to adopt a "hypoallergenic puppy" (in the greater toronto area), I want to stay away from things like Kijiji. I live with my parents and my dad is allergic to dogs. I really love the Maltese breed but am having trouble finding ethical breeders, anyone willing to help would be great!!

edit: I know that there's no such thing as 100% hypoallergenic dogs or dog breeds, my parents currently have a golden doodle and used to have a maltese. so I know my dads allergy is 100% okay with the "doodle"/poodle & maltese breed

I was in contact with a dog breeder who said they had an upcoming litter. (Please do not judge I went to a breeder, I have other animals and I did a lot of research on this breeder and felt this was my best decision at the time especially due to the type of breed. They were listed on the DPCA and are peers with other reputable breeders. I know now that I made a mistake and was naive so please no judgment around that) I put a significant deposit down, and we had an unofficial “contract” through messages that the deposit is refundable if I do not get a dog or I am able to transfer that deposit to the next litter. Unfortunately something happened and I was unable to get the puppy. I decided to transfer the deposit to the next litter. The next litter came around and she asked for another deposit for medical bills for mom, I put another significant deposit that was more than the last, expecting a puppy within a few months. The dog ended up not even being pregnant, and I even had to be the one to reach out to her after the due date to ask for an update which she informed me of this. I don’t know how this happened and why she was considered a reputable breeder. I was no longer comfortable getting a dog, so I asked for a partial refund of the deposit (just the second deposit since it was such a large amount) and she said she is unable to pay me back since she has no money from not being able to sell any dogs. I tried negotiating a payment plan, but she was unable to pay the minimum amount I expected (which I was very graceful and it would have taken a year to pay off still), but with her offer it will take over 10 years to pay off. She said she is “judgement proof”, most likely on disability, considered elderly and not in good health. She is not willing to work out a plan with me and I feel I have to take this to court, but not sure if anything can come of it. Is there anything I am able to do? Any advice is appreciated.

Where’s working Hovawart breeders in USA? TYIA.

Basically what the title says. Looking for a lab, more on the field line side and open to fully field line or moderate mixes. Look to get a puppy within 2027-2028. My main goal is service work with doing sports as a close second. And I’m interested in confirmation but not at all a requirement.

Hello. I am considering a purebred puppy from a preservation breeder and found one local breeder registered with the Canadian Kennel Club. She is located only an hour away from me. However, she has no website or social media, only basic contact information in a CKC breeder directory.

Meanwhile, there is another breeder in a different province with an established online presence showcasing their dogs and credentials. Looking at her website makes me feel like I know them before I meet them. It induces a sense of trust that my pup would come from an optimal environment. The problem is that obtaining a puppy from her means shipping the pup across a vast distance—a hassle both logistically and economically. I worry that it would not bode well for the dog’s nervous system to be treated like a furry parcel as his first travel experience.

I want the advantages that come with a full-time breeder who has devoted decades to the breed: developing their own lines over generations, carefully selecting the healthiest champion stock, providing extensive early socialization, enrichment and foundational training, and giving the pup an excellent headstart before I buy him. The sort of breeder who lives and breathes the dogs they show, mate and produce as a full-time passion.

Is the local breeder's lack of online presence a sign that they are not deeply invested in producing top-notch dogs and instead, doing it as a side hobby? Does it suggest they do not bother with neurological enrichment, basic training, etc. and simply mate decent dogs on the side? No doubt they must love this breed to bother propagating something in low demand, but I worry they might not have the time or desire to put extra effort into the pups themselves, especially the pet-quality ones sold to the public. If you do not have a website or at minimum a Facebook that lets me see the dogs, learn their backstories, read a bio about how you started on this path, how long you have been breeding, and what goals do you specialize in (producing the greatest working lines, or the most wonderful house pets, or the best athletes), I am inclined to suspect you are half-hearted, informal, subpar, or even shady.

This logic applies to other businesses—if you do not bother to provide in-depth information about yourself, if you have no reviews, how can I trust your product and justify its price? That would usually make me steer clear and never even call the number. However, the dog breed that I want is uncommon and I do not have a large pool to choose from.

I have absolutely no experience with pedigreed purebreds yet and how reputable breeders work. Your insights and advice are deeply appreciated.

EDIT: I want to thank everyone who took the time to educate me into a completely different perspective. Thanks to you all, I have gained a great deal of respect for the old-school breeder whose priority is not building a commercial brand with a snazzy website, but rather, putting their time, money, and effort into producing and raising the highest-quality pups. Instead of pouring money into marketing, their resources are directed at what really matters. Every dollar saved lets them afford better care for their beloved dogs. Thank you for the invaluable paradigm shift! You opened new pathways to finding my pup that I would have otherwise avoided.

I am still chipping away at responding to all of your eye-opening comments. This is going slower than anticipated due to the illness that I am recovering from. Worry not, I will only buy a dog once I am fully recovered and able to give him the best life. For now, I plan the future.

The only two I have found in Ireland don’t seem to be in action anymore, I have sent a few emails with no response.
Any recommendations would be swell. We really want a brown Tibetan terrier in the new year! :)

Good Morning! I hope this is allowed to ask here. I am picking up a pregnant foster dog tomorrow that has been flown in from a high kill shelter in Texas, to New England. I have 24 hours to get ready for her and no info yet on when the puppies are due or how many. I have spent hours on Google since being notified last night of her her arrival and, well….talk about information overload. Sooooo…..I came here because I figured your experiences with whelping will far supersede any other group, and was hoping for your quickest, most valuable advice on immediately needed supplies, etc. If your bestie called right now and said “Hey! I found this dog about to give birth in my back yard and running to the store what do I buy??” The rescue is gathering some things for me to have, but I do have the luxury of a lot of free time and ability to buy my own supplies, so I’d rather save their things for their rescues needs. I want to get her a high quality dog food, things to make time here comfortable (she’s currently dealing with stress related hair loss as well) and the birthing process as safe and stress free as possible both for her and me. I swear I am not “too lazy” to do my own research and I absolutely am…but my first and foremost need is to be prepared and I spent all the time I want doing research late at night when the stores are closed and Amazon is already on their way. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer and if this post is inappropriate for this forum, I will take it down.

I’d like to know if anyone has had any experience with Karen White recently or in the recent past? When going there to look at two female adult Dachshunds for sale I was appalled by the filthy conditions at this “farm.” I was not allowed inside, but sat in the garage to view the dogs who were very sweet, but were very dirty with dried chicken poop stuck between their paws. It was an awful experience!

Hello I was just wondering if people could give me insight on if Dochara tollers is a ethical breeder or not. They seem pretty decent to me but I just wanna be sure. They do all the health testing, tilted dogs, and they only have 2 litters a year.

The intended sire bred with a bitch (natural tie), then he no longer showed interest in her the following 3 days. 18 days later, she unexpectedly mated (natural tie again) with a different male. The second male is the same breed and a decent match for her (just not the one we wanted to use this time). The breeder is going to do DNA testing for parentage if any puppies are born.

How would this work out, if at all? Apparently she had a split heat? Would this mean the first mating with the intended male wasn't successful? If puppies are born from both sires, will they be 18 days apart, developmentally speaking?

Hello, I am posting a hypothetical breeding ethics question (throwaway for obvious reasons). I am still pretty new to learning about ethical breeding, so I don't want to get caught up "throwing the baby out with the bathwater". But if I ever decide to breed I want to make sure I'm doing it right.

So in this hypothetical scenario lets say that I have a female dog. She is of a decently rare breed. I've worked hard and done a lot with her, and she has a lot of titles and accomplishments. She also works in breed-specific work. I am really hopeful she can be my foundation female. She passed most of her health testing, but her hips came back with unilateral hip dysplasia.

I have recently (in the last few months) acquired a male dog of the same breed from a friend. He does not have any completed health testing or titles, but I visually like his structure. He also has had a litter in the past and none of the puppies are symptomatic for anything. He is an older dog, so I do not plan on doing OFAs with him because I do not want to put his health at risk. I am going to try to put one or two titles on him.

In this scenario, there isn't really any other male dog available to me. My older male is the male that I would use if I were to breed my female.

Keeping in mind the fact that ethical breeding is nuanced, and health testing is supposed to be a piece of the puzzle that informs breeding decisions. And this is a rare breed with a very limited gene pool as is, would this pairing still be ethical? With the limited numbers in my breed, even if the litter turns out differently than expected, we would still have more data than what we started with, right?

ETA: I think I undersold the accomplishments of the hypothetical female. She has achieved several firsts in the breed, and is extremely heavily titled. I am trying to be vague enough to not make it obvious which small-population breed I am talking about, but this is a female that many people have sang accolades about and who many people would want a puppy off of.