Finding An Ethical Breeder

Finding a breeder

30 Sep

Just as we prepare for our children, any puppy deserves to have a good amount of thought gone into bringing them into the world, unfortunately, many backyard breeders simply bung two dogs together with little to no regard for the health or form of the dogs to have puppies readily available often at the click of a button

It must be stated, Do not be tempted by any litters whereby full hereditary health and DNA testing has not been carried out. It is just not worth the risk of potential pain and suffering (possibly reduced longevity) for the dog, heartbreak for your family and not to mention the heavy costs that are likely to arise years down the line.

What Is An “Ethical” Breeder?

An ethical breeder demonstrates a responsibility towards the breed itself, toward the dogs he/she breeds & to the people who own dogs of his/her breeding. They also spend astounding amounts of time; energy and money on matters that they believe are in the best interests of their dogs and puppies.

It is this awareness of responsibility that marks the difference between a ethical breeder and a mere “puppy-producer.” The responsible breeder is motivated by a drive to ethically continue their breeding lines by planning mating that will give rise to healthy puppies with excellent temperaments and puppies which are of good quality and sound in both body and mind. True ethical breeders will know their chosen breed inside out and often devote their lives to the breed.

Caring breeders also provide a good living environment for their puppies which is clean, warm, comfortable and stimulating. Good breeders also socialise their puppies to help them become well-balanced dogs that are a pleasure to own and are not a nuisance to society and may even enrol their puppies in socialising and enrichment programmes such as puppy culture. They will usually come home being well integrated into a daily routine and often well-versed with toilet training.

A vast majority of good breeders will send their puppies to their new homes with food, a transitioning period of free insurance and a puppy pack which often contains things like;

KC papers
Veterinary records
Health certificate copies
Pedigree papers
A blanket smelling of mum
A toy
Bowls
Treats
Puppy information pack covering key information like; training, grooming, breed information etc.

Rearing a litter of puppies requires a lot of time, sleepless nights, patience, worry, cleaning, bathing, food, puppy weighing, worming, record keeping, puppy health records, written information, puppy packs and information for the buyer, the proper equipment (e.g. whelping boxes, puppy pens, bedding, toys etc.), puppy grooming, worming and vet bills and so much more. We estimate that rearing a litter correctly accounts for approximately 900 (Nine Hundred) hours of a breeder’s time!

A Breeders Knowledge

Contrary to what anyone may think, puppies do not rear themselves and neither does their mother shoulder the burden alone when pups are born in a responsible breeder’s home! It takes enormous commitment & hard work by a breeder to rear a litter successfully thereby ensuring all puppies are healthy, happy, socialised, clean, well fed and content.

A breeder’s knowledge and experience in rearing puppies can make a big difference to the enjoyment you as the new owner get from having a puppy. With responsible and ethical breeders, breeding plans are carefully thought-out, a suitable stud dog is chosen and all breed-relevant health testing is undertaken. Reputable breeders show a willingness to invest time, effort and money into their dogs and puppies for the good of the breed, whereas the “puppy raisers” are motivated by the desire to make money and treat dogs as tradable commodities.

A good breeder takes a LIFETIME interest in ALL dogs produced. They want to know how your dog does in its new home, love getting calls and cards from you and are always there to advise you if you need any advice/support. If a medical condition crops up, they want to know so if it is potentially hereditary, they can alter their breeding plans in an attempt to stop the problem in future generations. A good breeder is often a mentor and best friend to all buyers and the dogs, they have produced.

Where To Find An Ethical Breeder

Buying a Puppy is a huge milestone in life and as such finding the right breeder should be done with the utmost care and consideration.

If you want a nicely bred pup from good lines then most of the time, it will be a bit of a wait. But do not be discouraged by this - taking the time to carefully find and select the right breeder will hopefully help to save you from vet visits and heartache down the line.

We recommend future puppy parents take a look at the cavalier club and contact the registered admin for your area:

USA; The websites of the two national cavalier clubs are www.ckcsc.org and www.ackcsc.org

Keep in mind that the U.K and American KC also register cavaliers bred by puppy millers and sold in pet stores and just because they are KC registered, this does not guarantee they are ethically bred. On the other hand, the CKCSC, USA prohibits its members from selling cavaliers to or through pet shops or brokers, or from purchasing any cavalier or any litter for resale.

If you're in the UK it can also be a good idea to take a look at champ dogs though this does not automatically mean that the breeder is ethical.

It is also a good idea to contact breeders via Breed Clubs as serious breeders are likely to belong to one or more breed clubs, as they share knowledge within their breed community to ensure the health and welfare of their breed.

Facebook groups can be a great place to learn more about the breed - but remember that the sale of pets on the platform is prohibited and most reputable groups will discourage the practice of naming/recommending breeders for the safety of its members.

Most reputable breeders wouldn't dream of listing their litters for sale on websites like Craig's list, pets4homes, and gumtree let alone social media - Ethical breeders often have a waitlist for their puppies and would rarely need to advertise their puppies at all. They prefer a more direct approach so they can get to know and appropriately vet potential new owners - many will even require you to fill out an extensive form before approving you to be added to their waitlist.

Health Testing

Finding a cavalier — Click here to download this guide

When you are looking for a breeder - it's important to ensure all health and DNA testing has been appropriately carried out and the correct breed protocols have been followed.

Remember to never take a breeder’s word about health testing. Require copies of the parents’ health certificates and a clear list of what the puppies have been given and what vet visits they’ve already been through.

There are some breeders that state they carry out health testing but in fact, only provide DNA testing. Whilst DNA testing is important, A DNA test or a general vet check on its own is not sufficient for health testing, and you should be wary of a breeder who offers this as sole proof of health screening.

Testing protocols will change depending on the breed you are looking for but for cavaliers, our recommended protocol is as follows;

-‪Both sire and dam over 2.5 at time of mating‬ (Age 5 and over is the most ideal)

-‪Sire & dam must have annual clear heart checks by a certified cardiologist (Any dogs bred under the age of 5 should only be bred if their parents were heart clear by age 5). ‬The new UK KC Doppler Heart Test Scheme recommends Doppler testing at 2, 4 & 6 years old with heart testing by auscultation in between.

-‪Also check parents' ages at which they were still heart clear - preferably over the age of 5 as a minimum.‬

-Sire & dam must have annual Eye checks and be clear of serious genetic eye disorders

-‪Sire & dam must be DNA tested clear for Dry Eye, Curly Coat and Episodic Falling. (It's deemed acceptable for one parent to be a carrier)‬

-Preferable - SM screened and graded by MRI before breeding. MRI for SM is probably done by only around 10% of good breeders. Many don’t believe in MRI validation since not all dogs that look problematic result in SM and vice versa. And the condition is not passed to every dog in a litter.

- ‪ Patella check and Hip Score is recommended by the American cavalier King Charles spaniel club

- Some breeders do the DNA test for DM (Degenerative Myelopathy)‬ as well as brucellosis, this should be carried out by a licensed veterinarian.

-BAER testing can be done though this is optional.

Heart Health

“In the UK specifically, there is a new Doppler ‘traffic light' system 'green' equals "approved for breeding" however, many highly reputable breeders have an issue with this new doppler scheme because it means that a 'green light' can now be given to an 18-month-old who has a murmur or a prolapsed heart valve.

This, to many breeders and lovers of the breed, is completely unacceptable, but that's what the 'heart scan scheme' is promoting, so members wanting to buy a puppy should be made aware that both of the puppies' parents could have a murmur at a young age but this new scheme will still give a 'Green Light' to go ahead and breed from them. With the 'old scheme' if a young Cavalier has an audible murmur detected by auscultation, ethical breeders wouldn't dream of breeding from them.

Due to the many flaws with the new Doppler system, we would advise members when looking to buy from a breeder, to ensure that the puppies' parents have cardiac certificates stating that there are no detected murmurs which have been signed off by a board-certified cardiologist then that will mean they are heart clear. Rather than relying on a "green light" doppler result with no further details given by the breeder.”

Common Red Flags To Look Out For

Top 10 red flags when buying a puppy — Click here to download this guide

1.The Price isn't right - If the cost seems too good to be true it usually almost always is. Simply put, housing and breeding dogs is a costly process – often extremely so when you factor in vet bills, quality food, and care – and some of that money is naturally passed on to the customer. Whilst DNA and health-tested dogs can be more expensive due to the tests involved - a good and ethical breeder will not add a huge markup and therefore in some cases, litters from ethical breeders can actually be cheaper than backyard breeders who may have priced their litters out of greed/public demand.

2.No papers - Always ask for papers. A Good breeder will be more than happy to provide you with legible copies of the litter's sire's and dam's medical clearance certificates or medical reports signed by the appropriate specialists along with their KC registrations. If you have these and are still not sure if they're legitimate. Go to the registering organization, and ask them to verify the papers, too. A lot of the time ethical breeders will send their pups home with their own information/certification packs with all of the official documentation contained in order inside. Speaking from personal experience my breeder sat me down on collection day and went through all of the paperwork and explained each certificate one by one along with the next steps needed.

3.They breed non-breed standard dogs - for example non standard (unrecognised) coat colour puppies often advertised as "rare" or "Mini" or "teacup" sized cavaliers - The non standard colours are uncommon because ethical breeders choose not to breed them. "Rare” colours along with "Teacup" or "mini cavaliers" are nothing more nor less than a marketing scam. With non standard coat colours in particular; long ago in the past, these colours were found to have health conditions not usually found in the breed and require breeding a "Non-breed standard" dog with a breed standard Bitch to gain the colouring - this practice is deemed unethical by kennel clubs and most breeder associations.

4.Breeding multiple breeds - If a breeder advertises lots of different breeds rather than specialising in one breed then stay away. Most reputable breeders will only focus on one particular breed and often devote their whole lives to contributing to the health and well-being of that breed.

5.There's no post-purchase plan - An ethical breeder will often make you sign a puppy contract which may require you to offer the puppy back to the breeder if things don't work out etc. A good breeder will, at the very least, advise you of what you should do in the event it doesn’t “work out,” and preferably provide you with written instructions. And while you can’t know this until you walk out the breeder’s door, a reputable breeder will be in touch with you in the first days and weeks to make sure all is well and to offer guidance and support to you and your new puppy.

6.Advertising multiple litters per year - If a breeder is regularly advertising litters online then they could be breaking the law. If a breeder is advertising lots of litters online they are either breeding their bitch too much, selling lots of different breeds of dogs or having multiple different bitches. Reputable breeders, sometimes dubbed “hobby breeders,” do not breed puppies for a profit. They do it for the betterment of the breed and as such, they rarely make a profit on a litter of puppies Rearing a litter correctly accounts for approximately 900 hours so litters from ethical breeders are almost always planned well in advance and are seen as a chance to better the health of the breed and or add to their line.

7.Hesitant to let you view the litter with its parents - It's essential to see the puppies together with their mother and littermates on more than one occasion to help you know they are happy, healthy and have been bred responsibly. Never agree to meet the breeder halfway, or have your puppy delivered to you. A good breeder will have their puppies in a clean and stable home environment. The puppies should have access to food and water, be kept in a clean and comfortable living area, not in cages, and be visibly healthy-looking and alert in general.

The puppies themselves should be clean and have access to the mother. Being able to see the environment in which the puppy has been reared in is crucial to be able to understand what kind of breeder you are dealing with - not doing so would be negligent. Some breeders also emphasize picnics, Cav get-togethers and arrange cute puppy photos, etc. The red flag in these instances is that the emphasis is being put more so on the activities, and not the health of the parents and pup. It can often be a smoke and tactic irresponsible breeders use to hide behind.

8.Puppies being homed too young or too old - The minimum age for a puppy leaving the litter is 8 weeks and this is mostly standard though a lot of ethical breeders like to keep their pups an additional 4 weeks to be able to complete puppy programmes like puppy culture. A breeder trying to re-home a puppy which is younger than the standard 8 weeks is unethical and improper. Similarly, puppies that are over the age of 12 weeks can also present a red flag. If your breeder's pups are over this age, be sure to ask them why.

9.The breeder does not ask you questions about your home suitability and knowledge of the breed - Any ethical breeder that truly cares about the welfare of their puppies will ask you questions And some may even ask you to fill out a form so they can vet your suitability As well as make you sign a puppy contract. As much as you must find a responsible breeder, they also have to find a responsible buyer. Someone that will look after the dog and give it a happy life. If they don’t ask you anything then this is a clear warning sign.

10.Breeders asking for money deposits or bank transfers before seeing a puppy - most reputable breeders will request that you make multiple trips to see the litter and will only request a deposit once you have seen the litter and its parents in person. Ideally, this should be done via ban, transfer and a receipt should always be given. The final payment should be made the day you go to bring your puppy home and a second receipt should be issued.

Are "Champion Lines" Really The Best In The Breed?

One thing that's also worth noting is that many breeders and indeed puppy buyers will claim their puppies are the epitome of health because they are bred from show champions but in most cases, this couldn't be farther from the truth.

The sad fact in dog breeding history: many breeding associations have exaggerated their requirements for show dogs, in which a dog’s health and longevity are sometimes apparently not even remotely given a second thought. Changes in head conformation in Cavalier King Charles spaniels have led to an ‘exaggerated head’ with large forward-facing eyes, which is more popular with the pet-buying public. This recent change in shape is significantly different to the traditional breed standard, and current research has shown that it increases the risk of developing Chiari malformation and syringomyelia.

Chiari malformation is an abnormality in the skull, making it smaller, and impacting the brain to alter the flow of cerebrospinal fluid; this results in a collection of fluid pockets within the spinal cord. These fluid pockets are commonly known as syringomyelia and over time can cause irreversible damage to a dog’s spinal cord.

Most recently a study, led by Professor Clare Rusbridge and published in the Veterinary Record, dog breed show judges based in Sweden and the UK used a checklist devised by researchers to identify different head shapes (modern or traditional) in Cavalier King Charles spaniels that have previously been identified as risk factors for Chiari malformation and syringomyelia.

Breed show judges were asked to decide whether the head shape of 13 Cavalier King Charles spaniels was “moderate” (traditional) or “exaggerated” (modern). This assessment was compared to measurements of the dogs’ heads and subsequent MRI scan results identifying the presence of syringomyelia. Individual judges varied in their ability (20 per cent to 80 per cent) to match the head shape with syringomyelia status, showing that visual assessment was possible.

Conclusions

As always, we hope this article as well as the additional resources provided will help you to learn more about the importance of choosing an ethical breeder for your next dog.

By supporting an ethical breeder you are doing a huge part in reducing the epidemic of dogs in rescue centres. The vast majority of dogs that find themselves in rescue and adoption centres are the result of poor decision-making, and an ethical breeder will help you ensure the puppy you purchase will be a perfect fit for you.

You will rarely save money by going to an unethical or commercial breeder, often the puppies are more expensive due to the commercial nature of their business, or you will find yourself spending more money down the track due to health issues arising from poor breeding and inherited health issues.

We know that buying a non health/dna tested puppy cheaply can be hard to turn down - often these puppies can be found on popular online selling sites with a generic “sob story” which are almost always found to be just that - a fictional story to lure people into a false sense of empathy and responsibility to do the “right thing” and offer the puppy a good home. The question you must ask yourself in such instances is this; you have to ask yourself are you doing the dog a favour or are you just contributing to keeping puppy farmers in business.

Backyard breeders, puppy farmers who are breeding constantly to make a profit can only continue to do so whilst there is a demand - they become clever and often try and cloud peoples better judgement by offering familiar stories.

When people give into such stories or knowingly buy a puppy from a non ethical breeder they are only further condemning a breeding mother somewhere to be kept in horrific conditions.

If you truly care anything for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed or even animals as a whole you will understand the need to do the right thing from the start and well research the breed - once doing so and fully knowing the detrimental health issues that plague the breed, it is almost impossible to not understand and adhere to the strong need to always buy from an ethical breeder.

If in the USA - the OFA is a good resource to find out about breed health protocols.

We also highly recommend checking out this article from cavalierhealth.org as it details the top 10 questions you should be asking a cavalier breeder before even considering buying one of their puppies.