What Makes a good breeder?

If you've spent any amount of time searching for a dog, you've encountered a sentence starting with that phrase. AKC websites, blog posts, breeder websites, and a dozen and half other people all have their own definition of a good breeder. It generally goes something like:

- pedigree and AKC registration (check!)

- allows you onto the property to meet the parents (check! Birdee lives with us, and while Anton lives off-property, he is open to visitors!)

- raised in a home (check!)

- health guarantee (check!)

If you've browsed breeder pages, especially for purebred dogs, you may also see these additional requirements:

- AKC registered purebred parents (check!)

- only raises one breed (well...)

- never has more than one litter at a time (ummm...)

- has titled dogs (...)

While many (not all) of these criteria are good, they really don't sort out the good breeders from the bad. A breeder might have a litter from champion parents and raise them in a home, with a health guarantee, but not be providing the correct care and stimulation at appropriate developmental periods for their puppies. Often, breeders are more concerned with how well a puppy fits an AKC Breed Standard than how well the puppy's confidence, nerve strength, and socialization are strengthened. While that may be fine for people who are just looking for a show dog, it doesn't really fit what the average American family is looking for in a dog—friendly, healthy, trainable, and confident.

What really makes a good breeder is their heart. What do they value more—ease, or what's best for their puppies? A smooth transaction, or transparent customer contact? Appearance, or health? The highest bidder, or a committed family? The only real way to tell is to immerse yourself in the content the breeder provides. Follow their social media, read their whole website, and contact them directly. Do they deflect any questions? Are they open to a live video call? Don't be afraid to sound paranoid, and trust your gut.

While there's no way to know 100% what a breeder's true heart is, we'd like to share ours with you.

We believe a good breeder...

1. Plans Litters - Has a goal, focus, and mission. Does not overpopulated, only meets demand with supply.

2. Has High Parent Standards - only health, temperament, and structure-tested parents. Chooses breeding pairs that accentuate each other in health and temperament. Is willing to remove a dog from the breeding program if health or temperament issues arise in the dog or its puppies.

3. Provides Quality Parent Care - honors and respects dams and sire at all times to keep them healthy and happy. Provides a safe, enriching environment with high quality vet care, living quarters, food, etc.

4. Utilizes Puppy Curriculum - provides a structured curriculum to ensure that puppies learn the world is safe, people are kind, and dogs are friendly.

5. Observes Puppy Development - guides, shapes, and molds puppies based upon critical learning periods, constantly evaluating and adjusting to strengthen confidence, nerve strength, and startle recovery. Empowers pups to be the best they can be.

6. Performs Puppy Evaluations - Evaluates puppies and provides information on all puppies to clients to ensure the best match is made. After clients have reviewed all veterinarian health check records and temperament records and videos, then and only then lets clients choose the puppy that best suits their needs as well as the puppy's needs. Guides and helps as needed.

7. Takes Lifetime Resonsibility - Takes 100% responsibility for every puppy produced for the entirety of its life and provides a minimum two-year contract. Most genetic issues do not develop in the first year of a dog's life.

8. Builds Client Community - Educates clients, both new and old, and builds a cohesive, active community. Open to feedback, both positive and negative.

9. LOVE - Loves the dogs, loves the puppies, loves clients, and is challenging the stigma around breeders.

10. Has a Mission - Stays true to our reason for breeding. Healing hearts and saving lives through the power of a dog. Help others, have fun, and enjoy the journey!

- Adapted from Jeanette Forrey's "Badass Breeder" Oath