10 Tips To Help You Find A Good Australian Shepherd Breeder

10 Tips To Help You Find A Good Australian Shepherd Breeder

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Once youve decided that the Australian Shepherd is the right breed for you, you need to find a good breeder to ensure that you are getting a quality dog. Do not buy puppies from pet shops as they are often from puppy mills who give little care to the dogs.

So how do you know whos a good breeder and who isnt? Here are a few guidelines to help you:
1.Ask the breeder lots of questions based on the points below. Any breeder should be more than prepared to share information and talk to you about their breeding programme and their dogs. If they arent, be suspicious.
2.The breeder should ask you lots of questions too. A good breeder will want to know that their puppies are going to the right home and so will ask you about your circumstances and what you are wanting the dog for. Dont get defensive if the breeder asks questions its a good sign. In the end, you want to get a dog that is well matched to your lifestyle and character and a good breeder should be able to assess this.
3.Assess firstly whether the breeder is knowledgeable about the breed or not. To assess this you should do some research yourself.
4.Ask the breeder about their breeding programme this is basically which dogs they choose to breed with, how they select the sire and the dam and what they are ultimately hoping to achieve. They should be able to tell you about the genetics of various bloodlines and the temperaments that are predominant. For example, some dogs are better for herding, others for showing. A breeder who is very interested in herding, will try to predominantly breed for those traits. This is great if you want a working dog for your farm, but if you want a dog as a family pet, then youll look for a breeder who tries to promote versatility.
5.Australian Shepherds unfortunately are genetically prone to certain health issues such as eye problems and hip dysplasia. Ask the breeder how theyve tested for these conditions and ensured that the breeding pair are cleared of these conditions. The breeder should even be able to show you clearance certificates.
6.Check with the breeder about any other possible genetic qualities that the puppies may have inherited from their parents. This could be character, hip issues, eye problems, seizures or energy level.
7.Make sure you visit the breeder and have a look at the parents for yourself. You can try to assess their temperaments, character and behaviour towards yourself (as a stranger). This will give you clues as to how the puppies might turn out.
8.When you visit, check that the kennels are clean where the dogs and puppies are being kept. Dirty and unkempt facilities are warning signs.
9.Health issues: puppies should have had at least two sets of shots by the time they are 2 months old and have been dewormed. Ensure that you are able to get all the records of shots and vaccinations when you get the puppy. You should also be able to get the registration papers, genetic clearances and pedigree papers.
10.Finally, discuss what guarantees the breeder is able to give you for your puppy and ensure that you get these in writing from the breeder.

About the Author:
Kendall Rowsby is a committed dog lover. If you'd like more great information on Australian Shepherds then please visit http://www.australianshepherdsinfo.com/australian-shepherd-breeders/



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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