ROTTWEILER BREEDERS

FINDING REPUTABLE ROTTWEILER BREEDERS

Finding a good breeder is not easy. Breeding dogs is as much of a responsibility as owning them, and the sad truth is that there are far more backyard breeders and questionable breeders out there than there are good ones. For sure, you won't find them advertising puppies for sale in the newspaper, or advertising litters for sale on the Internet at puppy websites. In fact, many good breeders don't even have websites. Their puppies are often spoken for long before their litters are even bred.

Many people who like my dogs ask about their breeder, but I do not recommend him. I learned a valuable lesson, and found out about good/bad breeders the hard way with him, and breeders are not always what they seem. Unfortunately, you often don't find out if your breeder is going to be good or bad until you have problems with your dog. That's where the rubber hits the road, so to speak. Read the story here.

My definition of a good breeder is one that puts the best interests of the breed as a whole before their own goals and interests, which many breeders (and buyers) don't fully comprehend. The desire to breed a specific dog or kennel blindness supercedes the eventual impact on the gene pool. While certainly no dog is perfect, a good breeder strives for perfection in their breeding program, and breeds with the clear goal of improving the next generation. A good breeder must be able to be able to set aside emotion, and be objective about their dogs and their faults. They remove dogs from the gene pool that lack the correct elements of breed type, working ability and structure, and most importantly, those lacking in correct temperament and genetic health.

Going about finding a good breeder is HARD WORK. You have to do LOTS of homework, and it takes LOTS of time. First, you have to start with yourself. Only you can determine what is most important to you in your next dog, and what you want to accomplish with the dog. While there is never any guarantee that a puppy will turn out exactly the way you want, without these things in mind, it will be impossible for you to find a breeder or bloodlines that are producing what you want. Study your breed standard. You should know it forwards, backwards, and inside out, and understand what it means. This is not as easy as it sounds, as most breed standards have parts that are amibiguous.

In my opinion, the best way to find a good breeder is through word of mouth recommendations from other owners. Go to dog shows and trials. Talk to people who own your breed of choice, and who's dogs have the characteristics you like. Breed specialties are great place to go and see a lot of dogs in a single breed, and often you will see some of the top dogs and breeders in the country.

When you find a breeder who's dogs you like, ask lots and lots of questions about their goals, breeding practices and contracts. Ask about the health clearances they do on their dogs, and about OFA certifications, and then don't stop there, look them up on the OFA website. Ask the same kind of questions about other dogs in their dogs pedigree, and littermates. A good breeder will not be offended by these kinds of questions, but will in fact welcome them and be happy to discuss them with you. Word of Advice: a dog show is NOT the place to have this conversation. Most people are extremely busy (if not extremely stressed) at a show. Ask for their contact information and talk to them at a later date.

Ask your potential breeder about their dog club membership affiliations. Most reputable breeders are members in their AKC parent breed clubs and regional dog clubs. Many breed clubs have a code of ethics or mandatory practices that their members must adhere to in order to be members, which is typically published on the club website. In the best interest of the breed, some club requirements are very restrictive, but others not so much so, so you must research what each club requires of its members. Also, many clubs can be pretty selective about whom they let join, and in some cases, members must have one or more sponsors of existing club members in order to apply for membership. The sponsors are typically required to personally know whom they are sponsoring and how they keep their dogs. However, some clubs do not require sponsors, so again, you must research the requirements of each club. Usually, good breeders are active members in several clubs, including parent and regional breed clubs, local kennel clubs, and special interest clubs. If a breeder says they are a member of a club, ask to see their membership card and ask how long they have been a member. Don't just take their word for it, verify their membership with a club officer or the club treasurer. Also, parent and regional breed clubs are good places to start when looking for a breeder, as most offer free breeder referral services.

Expect that you will get the third degree from the breeder. A good breeder does not want one of their puppies in the hands of well intentioned, but irresponsible owners. They will want to make sure that you are going to provide a dog with a good lifelong home, worthy of placing one of their beloved dogs. Expect to give a breeder references from where you work, where you live, where you vet your animals. Expect them to want to see your home and inquire about your insurance carrier. Expect to be required to sign a contract, with obligations on your part that may include spay/neuter, pictures at specific ages, co-ownership, specific veterinary care and health clearances performed (at your expense) at specified ages.

A few words about contracts. Most reputable breeders require a contract that not only protects their interests, but also protects yours. The contract should specifically address health guarantees. Even if your dog will only be a pet, it should still be guaranteed to be healthy, not only when you first get the dog, but further down the line it should be free of genetically inherited health disorders that can cause a dog great pain, and great heartbreak and expense to the owners. Typically there are minimum and maximum age limits on screening for these diseases, and usually you will be required to pay for these tests and submit the results to the OFA for recording and evaluation. The contract should specifically address what remedies are available to you should your dog fail a genetic health test when it is performed. This can range from returning the dog to the breeder, getting a replacement puppy, refund/rebate of specific fees, and/or refunds between show and pet quality prices (if you payed a show quality price). Typically, the contract is going to require that a dog that fails certain genetic health tests be spayed or neutered prior to fufillment of any remedies. Usually, a good breeders contract will require that you perform specific health tests at certain ages, address spay/neuter requirements of pets by specific ages, address co-ownership and registration papers, and detail the breeders requirements (i.e. photos at certain ages, showing or titles to be acquired, first right of refusal, breeding requirements, etc). Be aware that requirements in a contract are fully enforceable by law, so you should thoroughly read and be willing and able to adhere to all requirements outlined in the contract before you sign it. If there are things in the contract that are of concern to you, the time to discuss them with the breeder and resolve any issues is before you sign the contract, not years down the line.

Expect to wait for a good breeder. They don't sit home cranking out puppies all the time. They are out with their dogs showing them and participating in dog events most weekends. They title their dogs to prove that they are worthy specimens to be bred. As a result, most good breeders may only breed a litter or two a year, or even less. A good breeder is also going to try to match their pups with the most appropriate homes, so even if you are on a waiting list, the list is not ususally first come, first served. If there isn't a pup in the litter that is a good match for you, you might have to wait for the next litter.

Expect to pay a fair price. Buying a puppy from a good breeder is going to cost more than dogs you see advertised in the paper. On the other hand, it will also probably cost you less than buying from a pet shop. Even though the price you pay may seem high to you, trust me, good breeders are bleeding money by the time a litter is born, when you consider the investment they make in their dogs. It is a labor of love for the breed, not a profitable business by any stretch of the imagination.

For many people, finding a good breeder is not important. For those owners, finding a dog from a rescue group or humane shelter is a great option. There are thousands of good, purebred dogs looking for homes on any given day. In most cases, they are there not because they are bad dogs, but because they had bad owners. Although not impossible, it is rare to find a well bred dog in a shelter. This is because most good breeders know where the dogs they produce are at. They not only keep in contact with their puppy buyers, but their puppies are microchipped before they leave their kennel. Also, a good breeder will always take one of their own back should an owner need to surrender their dog. In fact, it is common for a good breeder to have first right of refusal in their contract.

Even if you have no interest in showing or dog sports, why is finding a good breeder so important? First and foremost, it comes down to health. All purebred dogs have a propensity for specific genetic diseases within a breed. A responsible breeder wants to breed healthy dogs, and guarantees it in their contracts. While health screening will never be a 100% guarantee from genetic disease, it far exceeds the statistical odds you get with a backyard breeder. In rottweilers, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, sub aortic stenosis (SAS), low thyroid, eye disorders (entropian/ectropian) and blood disorders (Von Willebrands) should all be screened and certified clear. In the US, these certifications should be from the OFA, with a certificate and number issued. These can be researched in the OFA database.

Another reason you want to find a good breeder is temperament. Half of what a dogs temperament is comes from genetics. The other half comes from environment. Good breeders often have their breeding dogs temperament tested, aptitude test their puppies, and make a lot of extra effort to safely expose puppies to all kinds of sights, sounds, smells, people, animals and enviroments to get them off to a good start. A good breeder knows their puppies, and has them aptitude tested to ensure good matches with their future owners. They will vigorously interview you to find out what kind of dog will be a good match for you. You may even have to wait for another litter if there isn't a good match in the current litter.

A good breeder will want to provide you with support with your questions about your dog, and they often become mentors and good friends. When you get a dog from a good breeder, you are not just buying a dog, but establishing a relationship that will last the life of your dog. Pick your breeder carefully. It is important.

If you are considering a rottweiler, read these articles first:

ADVICE ON HOW TO PICK A DOG BREEDER
How to Select a Breeder
How To Do Things: How to Select a Dog Breeder
How to Select a Good Dog Breeder
ARC Code of Ethics

There are always far more good dogs than there are good homes, so if you are not looking for a show dog, PLEASE consider adopting a shelter dog or rescue first.

LINKS TO RESCUE GROUPS IN AUGUSTA, GA
ROTTS Rescue
SSRR Rescue
Augusta-Richmond County Animal Shelter
Augusta Animal Rescue Friends
Canine Shelter Rescue
Columbia County Animal Care and Control
CSRA Humane Society
CSRA Greyhound Adoptions
Happy Tails Rescue
Molly's Militia
Petfinder