# Rate your breeder....



## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

Dr. Karen Becker, DVM, offers a checklist/test to help determine how committed a breeder is to the health and welfare of their pups. Here's the link for those who want to see whether a breeder makes the grade. 

*The breeder "test" appears midway in the article.*
5-Year Study: Which Dog Breeds Are Healthier?
*18 Points to Discuss with a Breeder*
If you’re thinking about purchasing a purebred puppy, I’ve developed a method to help you determine how healthy your new pet may be. Investigating the lifestyle of your prospective puppy’s parents through questions posed to the breeder can give you excellent insight into the health of your pup and his littermates.

These questions are intended to determine how committed the breeder is to the well-being of his or her dogs and their litters. If a breeder can’t or won’t answer these questions about the parents of the puppy you’re considering, I recommend you find another breeder.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Wow. Chagall's Mom--I don't usually disagree with you, but this time I think I have to. I think some of those questions are ambiguous and a lot of them are simply a bunch of rubish! The author thinks that the best breeders: (1) use only filtered water for their breeding stock (2) don't use flea/tick products or heartworm preventative (3) give dogs antioxidents and other nutritional supplements (4) provides dogs with a detoxification protocol (5) dogs have regular chiropractic adjustments (6) breeder regularly does body work with dogs (massage, T-Touch, acupressure, stretching, etc.). Sorry, but those are NOT qualifications that I'd be looking for in a breeder!


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

peppersb said:


> Wow. Chagall's Mom--I don't usually disagree with you, but this time I think I have to. I think some of those questions are ambiguous and a lot of them are simply a bunch of rubish! The author thinks that the best breeders: (1) use only filtered water for their breeding stock (2) don't use flea/tick products or heartworm preventative (3) give dogs antioxidents and other nutritional supplements (4) provides dogs with a detoxification protocol (5) dogs have regular chiropractic adjustments (6) breeder regularly does body work with dogs (massage, T-Touch, acupressure, stretching, etc.). Sorry, but those are NOT qualifications that I'd be looking for in a breeder!


*peppersb*: I find many of the points Dr. Becker raises thought-provoking. I also respect your reaction to those with which you take exception. Some of the things she enumerates with which I concur are:

I modify my dogs’ vaccine protocol to eliminate unnecessary vaccines...
I supply antioxidants and other beneficial nutritional supplements to my dogs...
I limit my dogs’ exposure to toxins by reducing topical application of insecticides (flea/tick products), heartworm preventives, lawn/garden chemicals...
My dogs have clean, smoke-free air to breathe...
My dogs receive formal, ongoing training (obedience, agility, tracking, etc.)...

I am genuinely pleased you took the time to read her thoughts and offer your reply!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

and you get 5 points if "My dogs have sustained injuries that required emergency veterinary care" for most of their life.

Girls, time to go play in traffic, you have not been to the ER even once this year!


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Chagall's Mom: Thanks for your reply. You are always so gracious. 

None of the 5 points that you list would be high up on my list of qualifications for a breeder. The issue of using flea/tick preventatives could be a thread in and of itself--lots of pros and cons. I do use FrontlinePlus and a heartworm preventative. Does that make me a bad breeder? Of course smoke free air is good. But would I eliminate an otherwise fabulous breeder because she smoked? I wouldn't, but I understand that others might (I know that there have been studies about second-hand smoke). I think it is very difficult to find a well bred puppy, and this is especially true if you have specific size or color requirements (I was looking for a small standard when I got Camme). So sometimes you need to compromise. The 5 points that you mention would all be things that I'd be very willing to compromise on.

Top priorities for me would be:

(1) temperament and energy level: I'd like to meet both of the parent dogs if possible and find out as much as I can about their temperaments. Then I'd like to hear about the breeder's assessment of the temperament of the puppy that I am considering.
(2) health: Parents should be healthy and health tested. Breeder should know about any health issues in the pedigree and should be knowledgable about poodle health in general. Finally, I'd be looking for a lack of inbreeding (low COI).
(3) structure: AKC championships of the parents and grandparents is one way to demonstrate good structure, but not the only way. Structure is important both because it is nice to have a beautiful dog and because it affects the way they run, play and have fun (and of course it is extremely important if you want to show your dog).
(4) Happy secure mother dog: I'd like to see a well-loved emotionally secure momma dog giving birth in her own home--ideally a home with only a few other dogs. I'd want to make sure that the mother dog was not being overbred, i.e., bred to early or too often. Back-to-back breedings and breedings under 2 years old are red flags. I would not want to buy a pup from a breeder that keeps their dogs in kennels.
(5) Puppy socialization: Puppies should be exposed to all the sights, smells and sounds of normal home life (no kennel raised pups!) and should be handled frequently and thoroughly socialized with wide variety of people including children.

I am certainly not an expert, but those are my priorites.

PS. Tiny Poodles: You are very funny! LOL


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

peppersb said:


> Chagall's Mom: Thanks for your reply. You are always so gracious.
> 
> None of the 5 points that you list would be high up on my list of qualifications for a breeder. The issue of using flea/tick preventatives could be a thread in and of itself--lots of pros and cons. I do use FrontlinePlus and a heartworm preventative. Does that make me a bad breeder? Of course smoke free air is good. But would I eliminate an otherwise fabulous breeder because she smoked? I wouldn't, but I understand that others might (I know that there have been studies about second-hand smoke). I think it is very difficult to find a well bred puppy, and this is especially true if you have specific size or color requirements (I was looking for a small standard when I got Camme). So sometimes you need to compromise. The 5 points that you mention would all be things that I'd be very willing to compromise on.
> 
> ...


Thank you!
And I like your list much better! 
And I agree in theory with everything that you say, but I would like to point out that my favorite breeder DOES kennel raise her dogs - and having the same beliefs as you, I probably never would have gone to her on my own, but what happened was that I met someone with 2 of her poodles in the park one day, and I literally instantly fell to my knees (to get a better look at them - they were hands down the most gorgeous, bubbly, personable poodles that I have ever met...and fast-forward 15 years later, I have owned 2 of the best dogs of my life from her, and between myself and my ex-Vet, have referred at least a dozen more, and they have all been healthy, beautiful and very well tempered/socialized dogs, so really, "the proof is in the pudding" - it has been proven to me that a dedicated show breeder for whom poodles are a vocation, not a hobby, and not a business, CAN do it right in a larger scale/kennel situation. 
And the benefit of working with such a breeder is that I don't have to search the country, hoping that somewhere in somebodies one or two litters a year exists my dream poodle (that is not already spoken for) - instead, all I have to do is tell my favorite breeder exactly what my dream is - color, sex, size, and personality, and wait for her to make the match - it might be next month, or it might be next year, but I can rest with absolute certainty that this one person that I trust implicitly will eventually make my perfect match! I can't even begin to imagine how bad the odds would be of trying to find EXACTLY what I am looking for, long distance (which means being able to trust that the breeder is accurately representing the puppy), from someone who is having one or two toy litters (2 - 8 puppies) a year in their home!
And yes, I might be a bit tougher in my criteria then most, but what can I say - I've been at this long enough to know what makes me happy, and because my poodles are such a huge part of my life, any compromise would literally be life changing for me. So, yes, I will hold out for everything on my list - excellent health and conformation, undersized (no more then 4 pounds finished), black female, happy, confident, belly-up and very human connected, and I am thankful to have a breeder who breeds enough that there is a decent chance that such a puppy will show up, because however* SHE *does the kennel raising, is turning out the most wonderful poodles that I have ever seen and had the pleasure to know!
So my point is, absolutely take a closer look if you find a breeder who is kennel raising, but don't rule them out completely - there are some with kennels who DO provide wonderful care and socialization, and there is the benefit that such a breeder has a much greater chance of making you an ideal match!


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

*peppersb*: I appreciate your priorities in selecting a breeder. It was good of you to share them. Just to be clear, we are not so far apart in our views as you may think! Temperament and health are at the top my list too. I do not regard Dr. Becker's list as exhaustive, nor do I share all her views. I am glad they served as a catalyst for discussion. Simple as that. 



Tiny Poodles said:


> and you get 5 points if "My dogs have sustained injuries that required emergency veterinary care" for most of their life.
> 
> Girls, time to go play in traffic, you have not been to the ER even once this year!


You are a laugh riot!!:lol: We live out in the country 350' from the road. I don't think I Chagall will have the opportunity to play in traffic any time soon, what should I do?!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Chagall's mom said:


> *peppersb*: I appreciate your priorities in selecting a breeder. It was good of you to share them. Just to be clear, we are not so far apart in our views as you may think! Temperament and health are at the top my list too. I do not regard Dr. Becker's list as exhaustive, nor do I share all her views. I am glad they served as a catalyst for discussion. Simple as that.
> 
> 
> 
> *You are a laugh riot!!:lol: We live out in the country 350' from the road. I don't think I Chagall will have the opportunity to play in traffic any time soon, what should I do?! *




Isn't there any wildlife around there? Coyotes, Bears, Snakes, Alligators?
Or you could take him to the dog park or doggie daycare - those places are pretty good for accidents!

Can he reach the medicine cabinet? You could leave the child-proof caps off the bottles...

Most poodles are great retrievers - have you tried "accidentally" throwing his ball out the window from the second story?

We have to find some way for you to earn those good poodle parent points!


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

Tiny Poodles said:


> Isn't there any wildlife around there? Coyotes, Bears, Snakes, Alligators?
> Or you could take him to the dog park or doggie daycare - those places are pretty good for accidents!
> 
> Can he reach the medicine cabinet? You could leave the child-proof caps off the bottles...
> ...


:laugh::laugh::laugh:You are better than a comedy club!!:highfive2:


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## gr8pdls (Jul 13, 2010)

When reading stuff on the internet, critical thinking skills are a must. I wonder if "Dr Becker" is a real Veterinarian or just plays one on websites. That website also sells supplements and other health products. Surprise, Surprise!


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Tiny Poodles said:


> Thank you!
> And I like your list much better!
> And I agree in theory with everything that you say, but I would like to point out that my favorite breeder DOES kennel raise her dogs - and having the same beliefs as you, I probably never would have gone to her on my own, but what happened was that I met someone with 2 of her poodles in the park one day, and I literally instantly fell to my knees (to get a better look at them - they were hands down the most gorgeous, bubbly, personable poodles that I have ever met...and fast-forward 15 years later, I have owned 2 of the best dogs of my life from her, and between myself and my ex-Vet, have referred at least a dozen more, and they have all been healthy, beautiful and very well tempered/socialized dogs, so really, "the proof is in the pudding" - it has been proven to me that a dedicated show breeder for whom poodles are a vocation, not a hobby, and not a business, CAN do it right in a larger scale/kennel situation.
> And the benefit of working with such a breeder is that I don't have to search the country, hoping that somewhere in somebodies one or two litters a year exists my dream poodle (that is not already spoken for) - instead, all I have to do is tell my favorite breeder exactly what my dream is - color, sex, size, and personality, and wait for her to make the match - it might be next month, or it might be next year, but I can rest with absolute certainty that this one person that I trust implicitly will eventually make my perfect match! I can't even begin to imagine how bad the odds would be of trying to find EXACTLY what I am looking for, long distance (which means being able to trust that the breeder is accurately representing the puppy), from someone who is having one or two toy litters (2 - 8 puppies) a year in their home!
> ...


You make some good points, Tiny Poodles.

I think I have been influenced by an experience that has been repeated three times in my life. Here's what happened: I am in a breeder's house. An adult poodle comes up to me. She seems needy. She looks at me with a haunting, intense, focused gaze that seems to me to be saying "Get me out of here. Please help me." Other people's dogs don't normally look at me like this. It was just heartbreaking.

The first time this happened was about 10 years ago when I went to meet the poodle who would become my first dog (not counting childhood dogs), Sophie. Sophie was a retiring bitch, 6 years old. She was kept in a crate in the basement with a lot of other dogs. The breeder had a lot of poodles and at least one other breed too. I was not allowed to see the crates in the basement where the dogs lived. The breeder assured me repeatedly that she was a "reputable breeder." But Sophie's eyes were haunting. I've never forgotten that look. I made a promise to myself, to God and to anyone who was listening that I would never buy a puppy from someone who kept their dogs like that. Fortunately for Sophie, I took her home and she had an entirely new and very happy life until she died at the age of almost 15.

After Sophie died, I started looking for a puppy (my first puppy!), and ended up getting Cammie. In my search, I encountered two other adult poodles, both breeder's dogs, who looked at me with exactly the same haunting gaze. It just broke my heart. I do know that one of these dogs was retired and placed in a pet home--so a happy ending. Not sure what happened to the other one.

I do not mean to say that all kennelled dogs are so tragically sad. Perhaps your breeder is able to meet her bitches's emotional and social needs in a kennel situation. And keeping a momma dog in a home is no guarantee that she is getting the care she deserves. But I do think that puppy buyers should pay attention to the emotional health and well being of the mother (and father) dogs. I believe that an emotionally secure bitch will do a better job or raising her puppies, and I also think that caring about the mother dogs is just the right thing to do.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Chagall's mom said:


> *peppersb*: I appreciate your priorities in selecting a breeder. It was good of you to share them. Just to be clear, we are not so far apart in our views as you may think! Temperament and health are at the top my list too. I do not regard Dr. Becker's list as exhaustive, nor do I share all her views. I am glad they served as a catalyst for discussion. Simple as that.


Oh Chagall's Mom, I am not at all surprised that you think we are not so far apart. I've been reading your posts for a long time now (a couple of years?), and I almost always agree with you. So on the issue of selecting a breeder, we couldn't really be too far apart. And I do appreciate you initiatiating this thread. It certainly has sparked some interesting discussion. Also I really appreciate the way you are always gracious and kind. Thank you!


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

gr8pdls said:


> I wonder if "Dr Becker" is a real Veterinarian or just plays one on websites.


If you're actually interested in checking out her background, here's a starting point.
Integrative Pet Care Expert, Dr. Karen Becker - Mercola.com


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

peppersb said:


> Oh Chagall's Mom, I am not at all surprised that you think we are not so far apart. I've been reading your posts for a long time now (a couple of years?), and I almost always agree with you. So on the issue of selecting a breeder, we couldn't really be too far apart. And I do appreciate you initiatiating this thread. It certainly has sparked some interesting discussion. Also I really appreciate the way you are always gracious and kind. Thank you!


You're such a good sport, *peppersb*_, thanks!_ I keep forgetting to mention I "tested" my favorite breeder. She "scored" as "above average" with 70 points. Of course I refute the results; she rates as_ extraordinary_ with me!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

peppersb said:


> You make some good points, Tiny Poodles.
> 
> I think I have been influenced by an experience that has been repeated three times in my life. Here's what happened: I am in a breeder's house. An adult poodle comes up to me. She seems needy. She looks at me with a haunting, intense, focused gaze that seems to me to be saying "Get me out of here. Please help me." Other people's dogs don't normally look at me like this. It was just heartbreaking.
> 
> ...


Thank you for respecting my experience, and I certainly respect yours as well. And to tell you the truth, my heart does ache for any poodle that does not have their very own person to worship them... 
But, you know, when I said kennel, I did not mean somebody with cages stacked in their basement, I meant a kennel (next to their home), specifically built to be a good environment for the dogs - one with an office, a sunroom, with a fenced in garden for the dogs to play. And, while they may not each have a person of their own, they are housed in very compatible social groups, and yet they do have that human connection as well - I've seen evidence of this in how her adult dogs and puppies interact with her - soft and subtle communications that you only see in a very close human-animal bond - it's like each and every one of them has the same type of bond with her as my dogs have with me!
And as for my past experiences, well twice I've had smaller scale breeders match me up with dogs who were entirely wrong for me (long distance), so THAT is what I really fear the most. And I don't totally blame them - they had a puppy that they needed to place, I offer a fantastic home, so they made themselves believe that the puppy was exactly what I was looking for. And I guess that they did the right thing for them - they sold their puppy, and the puppy got a great home, but can't say that I was jumping for joy over it - I made the best of it, and there were many wonderful experiences with these dogs, but alas, they were NOT my dream dogs (and actually, that is how I wound up going from being a one dog person, to a pack person). 

So for me, one of my top priorities in choosing a breeder was finding one who 100% accurately and honestly evaluates her puppies, and I am so happy to have found that! It may take a while for my ideal dog to come up, and maybe at some point I will decide to compromise on my criteria (maybe take one that is a pound bigger then I want, or a different color), but I can't tell you how much I cherish having a breeder who always tell me the truth, and allows me to choose for myself when and if I want to compromise!


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

peppersb said:


> You make some good points, Tiny Poodles.
> 
> I think I have been influenced by an experience that has been repeated three times in my life. Here's what happened: I am in a breeder's house. An adult poodle comes up to me. She seems needy. She looks at me with a haunting, intense, focused gaze that seems to me to be saying "Get me out of here. Please help me." Other people's dogs don't normally look at me like this. It was just heartbreaking.
> 
> ...


large kennels with many dogs (and i've seen two mentioned who also produced winning show dogs and had kennels of 150 to 200 dogs) kept just for breeding are a turn off as far as i am concerned. the bottom line for such operations is that the dogs are not given the opportunity to be part of a human pack - which seems to be the main reason we want dogs in our lives. of course, if you believe keeping the majority of dogs caged and stacked (vertically or horizontally) while a chosen few meant to be sold off are permitted to really interact with each other and people is okay, that's an available choice. but i see no reason to spend my money supporting this kind of operation. a puppy mill by any other name is still a puppy mill.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

peppersb said:


> ..I do think that puppy buyers should pay attention to the emotional health and well being of the mother (and father) dogs. I believe that an emotionally secure bitch will do a better job or raising her puppies, and I also think that caring about the mother dogs is just the right thing to do.


:amen: I could not agree more!!


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## Ciscley (Jul 16, 2013)

*Lazy decisions*

This is a bit inflammatory but I think while well meaning those kinds of check lists instill a lack of responsibility in the user. If it was that easy to list what makes a great breeder, every breeder would become a great breeder. I call it lazy because it makes it easier to depend on others opinions and not make our own decisions.

Though in saying all that, I thoroughly appreciate this thread topic and the OP. This discussion is the exact opposite of that. 

My own personal breeder search has been eventful. I agree with a lot of what was posted and that lead to a very personal criteria... I have to be able to visit the breeder in person. Meet at a minimum the dam and preferably the sire as well in person. 

I'm willing to drive several hours for that visit, but I really wanted someone close enough for more frequent visits, someone who I can use as a knowledge resource for local breed programs and events. 

I know that there are better dogs out there on paper but unless I can meet them all in person, well Ive finally decided that it just doesn't count for me. That doesn't even touch on the importance of the human relationship between the breeder and myself, just the importance of me personally seeing everything.

I need to see those breeding dogs. I need to know that their lives are joyful and healthy. I can't be a part of a dog living a less than life, especially to create another life, no matter how cherished that puppy will be.

Only after that does the basics (health testing for example) come into the picture for me. 

I feel so lucky to have found a breeder who meets those criteria in my state. I was at the point of considering flying on a "breeder tour" cross country or just going back to the rescue route.

I would gladly purchase our chosen breeders parent dogs if she ever decided to rehome. Hell, I would drop in weekly to visit her dogs if I didn't feel that crossed into stalking.  

Totally understand how that can sound like a ridiculous criteria to some.


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

I feel that it is important to point out that Dr. Becker is a Hollistic Veterinarian. A lot of the times people (and many other Veterinarians) don't agree with this type of medicine. Hollistic can make normal everyday things more difficult and I can see why breeders would choose not follow this way of medicine. Personally I love Dr. Becker and all that she puts out there for pet owners. It really helps educate the less educated pet parents (and even the well educated ones). 


Chagall's mom said:


> Dr. Karen Becker, DVM, offers a checklist/test to help determine how committed a breeder is to the health and welfare of their pups. Here's the link for those who want to see whether a breeder makes the grade.
> 
> *The breeder "test" appears midway in the article.*
> 5-Year Study: Which Dog Breeds Are Healthier?
> ...


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Ciscley said:


> I need to see those breeding dogs. I need to know that their lives are joyful and healthy. I can't be a part of a dog living a less than life, especially to create another life, no matter how cherished that puppy will be.


Yes. YES! _YES!!!!_

I wish that every puppy buyer in the world could see those words, take them into their hearts and follow your advice! There are far too many joyless dogs out there giving birth. Let's all support the breeders who provide joyful lives for their momma dogs (and their poppa dogs).


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

*Ciscley*, I don't find your opinion inflammatory in the least. And *poodlecrazy#1*, I learn a lot from Dr. Becker too. Glad you both weighed in. I just read through the on-line responses to her article. (A number of folks pointed out what appear to be some obvious errors in the layout of the rating chart. But I still like *TinyPoodles'* take on it best, advising her girls to go out and play in traffic to get injured to earn 5 points!) 

That aside, I think it's of value to amass as much information as you can to help determine the breeder who's right for you. I don't believe any one list can cover that. One I find useful is from Versatility in Poodles, http://www.vipoodle.org/PDF_Files/Evaluate_Breeder.pdf. Though I wouldn't strictly adhere to all the guidelines myself.

Along with the prerequisite of the breeder doing the relevant health testing and providing the test results, my tick list for selecting a pup includes: must meet the dam, and if possible the sire; must see the environment the puppies are reared in; must meet others who have poodles from the breeder and their dogs; must be able to transport the pup by car to my home; must have the breeder available to me on an ongoing basis so I can visit her and have her see and evaluate my pup as it grows. That said, I know people who found their dogs "long distance" over the internet, some flying them in from as far away as Europe. It worked for them, it's simply outside of my comfort zone. 

Over my 40 years of owning dogs I have changed my thinking on how to train a dog, what to feed it, the type of veterinary care to provide it with and how to select a puppy. There was a time I thought "I'd never buy a purebred! There are dogs everywhere needing homes." Yup, that was me! Similarly, my thinking about what makes a "reputable" breeder has undergone considerable change too. Once upon a time I naively thought AKC registration or showing dogs was an absolute indication of breeder quality. I think a fair number of people may still hold that view. I try to keep an open mind. And have no problem changing it when new or different information is made available to me. (Wish my vet felt the same; we have battled over limited vaccines and nutrition. He feeds junk, IMO!) 

Thanks again all for contributing and keeping the discussion going!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Chagall's mom said:


> *Ciscley*, I don't find your opinion inflammatory in the least. And *poodlecrazy#1*, I learn a lot from Dr. Becker too. Glad you both weighed in. I just read through the on-line responses to her article. (A number of folks pointed out what appear to be some obvious errors in the layout of the rating chart. But I still like *TinyPoodles'* take on it best, advising her girls to go out and play in traffic to get injured to earn 5 points!)
> 
> That aside, I think it's of value to amass as much information as you can to help determine the breeder who's right for you. I don't believe any one list can cover that. One I find useful is from Versatility in Poodles, http://www.vipoodle.org/PDF_Files/Evaluate_Breeder.pdf. Though I wouldn't strictly adhere to all the guidelines myself.
> 
> ...


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

I also think it is important to realize that Dr. Becker is an integrative pet care veterinarian, as all of my vets have been. That said, I am sure their list starts with the holistic health angle, etc. I am sure she would agree that there are other standards by which a good breeder is judged. I did crack up reading this thread......I needed that!

All information she passed on is valuable, but it just needs to be put in context I think.


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## kijani (Mar 16, 2013)

peppersb said:


> Chagall's Mom: Thanks for your reply. You are always so gracious.
> 
> None of the 5 points that you list would be high up on my list of qualifications for a breeder. The issue of using flea/tick preventatives could be a thread in and of itself--lots of pros and cons. I do use FrontlinePlus and a heartworm preventative. Does that make me a bad breeder? Of course smoke free air is good. But would I eliminate an otherwise fabulous breeder because she smoked? I wouldn't, but I understand that others might (I know that there have been studies about second-hand smoke). I think it is very difficult to find a well bred puppy, and this is especially true if you have specific size or color requirements (I was looking for a small standard when I got Camme). So sometimes you need to compromise. The 5 points that you mention would all be things that I'd be very willing to compromise on.
> 
> ...


I pretty much looked for those five things as well. My standard is also going to be a service candidate, so I did my best to try and find a breeder with well-tempered, healthy, happy, well-socialized dogs. I also spoke to several people who had purchased from the breeder previously, and some of their Spoos were in therapy and service work. They also spoke very highly of the clean facilities and the breeder's sunny disposition and obvious love of her dogs. So I went with her. Things like filtered water and whether or not a breeder smokes aren't going to deter me.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

kijani said:


> I pretty much looked for those five things as well. My standard is also going to be a service candidate, so I did my best to try and find a breeder with well-tempered, healthy, happy, well-socialized dogs. I also spoke to several people who had purchased from the breeder previously, and some of their Spoos were in therapy and service work. They also spoke very highly of the clean facilities and the breeder's sunny disposition and obvious love of her dogs. So I went with her. *Things like filtered water and whether or not a breeder smokes aren't going to deter me.*


Nor should they, IMO! Not that I discount the merits of puppies and dogs being raised in a smoke-free environment, or having access to safe, quality drinking water. (My vet recommends dogs be given filtered water when possible.) Since you are looking for a service dog, I think it's extremely important your search focus on the appropriate temperament, as well the health and socialization of the puppy. Do you need some additional help with selecting the best pup as a candidate for service work? If so, there are some forum members with experience in that area who may be able to assist you. Good luck finding the right pup to call yours!


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