🧬 Vet Tips 2025: How to Find a Good, Responsible Dog or Cat Breeder You Can Trust 🐾

By Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc

🐶 Why Choosing the Right Breeder Matters

Purebred dogs and cats are chosen for predictable temperament, health, and suitability for activities like agility, obedience, or hunting. However, not all breeders share the same standards. Responsible breeders prioritize their animals’ welfare, not profits. In contrast, puppy mills and backyard breeders often compromise health, temperaments, and ethical breeding practices.

🚫 Beware of Puppy Mills and Red Flags

Puppy mills focus on volume and income, often keeping animals in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions and breeding them repeatedly. Puppies from such sources may seem inexpensive upfront but can come with lifelong health and behavior issues. Common warning signs include:

• Very low price compared to breed average
• No access to parents or breeding environment
• Multiple breeds advertised together
• Offered sight unseen or shipped with no in-person visit
• Lack of health clearances or veterinary records

✅ Characteristics of a Responsible Breeder

Look for breeders who:

• Invite you into their home or facility and introduce you to the parents (at least the mother)
• Provide health clearances relevant to the breed (hips, eyes, cardiac, genetic tests)
• Are active in breed clubs or competitions (AKC, UKC, CFA, etc.)
• Raise puppies/kittens in a family environment and begin early socialization
• Offer age-appropriate vaccinations, deworming, and veterinary care
• Have a strong relationship with a veterinarian
• Provide a contract that includes a health guarantee and rehoming clauses
• Ask you questions—responsible breeders assess potential owners as much as owners research them

🔍 Where to Start Your Search

The best recommendations often come from:

• Your veterinarian or vet clinic
• Friends or local owners of healthy dogs/cats of the same breed
• Breed-specific rescue organizations
• Reputable breed club shows and local dog/cat events
• AKC, CFA, or other official registries with breeder directories

These sources let you meet breeders, view breeders’ operations, and ask honest questions about temperament, genetic testing, and breed traits.

📋 Questions to Ask a Breeder

Before committing, ask:

• Can I meet the parents and visit their living environment?
• Which health tests have been completed, and can I see proof?
• What socialization, early training, or environmental exposure do you provide to puppies/kittens?
• Do you offer a health warranty and take back any pet if I can’t keep it?
• What contracts are involved? Do they restrict veterinary choices or personal care?
• What is your expected wait time for a litter?
• Can I stay in touch after taking my pet home?

📄 Understanding Contracts & Ownership Rights

A responsible breeder may include clauses on health guarantees, breed‑specific care, and rehoming, but they should never attempt to micromanage your pet's care or restrict your veterinarian choices. Any clause that mandates diet, vet protocols, euthanasia, or in‑home checks—and binds your decision-making—is a red flag. Remember: once registered to you, the pet is legally yours to care for alongside your veterinarian.

🧭 Patience Pays Off

Responsible breeders typically produce only one or two litters a year and keep waiting lists. Expect to wait weeks—or months—for an available puppy or kitten. Quality and ethics are worth the wait!

🏡 Final Thoughts from Dr Duncan Houston

Buying a purebred puppy or kitten is a long-term emotional and financial commitment. Taking the time to find a breeder who cares deeply about genetics, health, and temperament is the best way to ensure a lifelong, healthy, well-adjusted companion. Meet breeders in person, check health records, ask hard questions, and demand transparency. In 2025, the gold standard breeder is one who prioritizes the animal’s well-being—and wants the same level of commitment from you.

Ready to start your journey? Talk to your vet today, attend a local breed meet, or reach out to breed-specific rescues for advice and recommendations.